Shuttle XPC

[elmonitis]

---

Has anyone tried the XPCs from Shuttle? I'm thinking of replacing my really old (9-year-old) desktop with an XPC but I would like to know if the latter is stable. I intend the replacement to last as long as or longer than the old one.

I'm considering the G2 2200 model (http://www.buyqube.com/G22200ModelInfo.htm). BuyQube sells XPCs and claims to be the cheapest distributor.

Any tips from fellow Istoryans? I'm not into technobabble, so please go easy on the jargon.

*CHEERS*

[vipvip68]

I'm using a Shuttle karon... the AMD version (SN27P2) . It has good overclocking support.. and good HD audio. Overall good quality system with ample space for your hard drives and dvd drive.. In terms of stability.... so far so good... wala pa ko ka encounter ug problems....

One thing you might want to check on the model you have is the power supply. Make sure your shuttle has enough power to run your video card.

Another thing to consider is the placement of the PCI express and the PCI slots on the board. I know the old S939 shuttle board wont be able to use Dual Slot video Cards.Check if this board is compatible with dual slot cards.... if not... your upgrade options sa video card will be limited.

The G chasis (the one you have sa link) for me is the best choice since it's not so big (the SN27P2 is quite big for a Shuttle but they didnt have the G chasis with AM2 at the time). Had i known about this product.. i would've gotten this one instead.




Regards

[elmonitis]

Hooray! I finally got a reply. Thanks for the information, vipvip68. It's really valuable. I'm quite a rookie when it comes to these, that's why I'm asking around. I consider my PC as an investment (since I don't change PCs often) and I'd like to invest in it well.

Here's the configuration of the SK22G2 (Model G2 2200) system that I'm planning to buy from Qube:

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3600+ GHz X2 AM2
Motherboard: SK22G2 K8M890CE Chipset
Operating System: Windows XP Professional Evaluation (comes for free with the purchase, but I'm thinking of having a dual-boot system of Win XP and Linux)
Video Card: 256MB (512MB MAX) nVidia GeForce 7300LE TV-DVI DDR2
Memory: 512MB DDR2 667MHz Memory Lifetime
Hard Drive: 160GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
Optical Drive: 18x Dual DVD-RW w/ LightScribe
Media Drive: Metallic Silver Card Reader and Free USB All-in-One Card Reader
Monitor: 17" Qube LCD Color Monitor Grade A+
Power: Automatic Voltage Regulator
Accessories: XPC TV/FM -Tuner w/ Media Center Software
Casing: Shuttle XPC SK22G2 Pure Aluminum Case with Power Supply
Power Supply: Built In Power
Approximate Cost: P34,500


And here are the specifications of the SK22G2 that I found on http://hq1.shuttle.com/products_page...?PLLI=19&PI=99

FORM FACTOR: Shuttle Form Factor
PROCESSOR: AMD Sempron / Athlon 64 / Athlon 64 x2 (Socket AM2)
CHIPSET: VIA K8M890CE + 8237R
MEMORY: 2 x DDR2 533/667/800 Dual Ch. DIMM
VGA: Integrated DeltaChrome 128bit 2D/3D
AUDIO: Realtek 655 5.1 Ch. HD Audio
ETHERNET: VIA 6103 10/100 LAN
IEEE1394 (FireWire): VIA 6307
STORAGE INTERFACE: IDE/SATA
EXPANSION BAY: 1 x 3.5" bay; 1 x 3.5" bay (Internal); 1 x 5.25" bay
DIMENSIONS: 300(L) x 200(W) x 185(H) mm
POWER: 200W
_________________________________________________

How I intend to use the system:

• word processing
• Internet browsing
• e-mail
• web development
• graphics editing
• desktop publishing
• occasional video capturing, editing, and rendering
• occasional audio editing
• occasional gaming

As you can see, the system is for general purpose computing.

Questions:

1. Will the power supply of 200W be enough for the configuration I have above? (Note: Qube's specs page for this model says 150W, but the specs page on Shuttle.com says 200W. I wonder which one is correct.)
2. Will this kind of configuration make my system last for 5+ years? (I'm not fond of upgrading.)
3. Is the configuration appropriate for the uses that I listed above?
4. If I added more RAM later, will the 200W still be enough?
5. Is the video card that I chose okay? Or is it overkill? (No plans of upgrading the video card within at least 5 years; that's why I'm looking for one that will suit my needs and will last long.)
6. Please give more details about the PCI slots that you mentioned. I'm afraid I'm not techie enough to know what that entails.

I'd appreciate any help regarding this. Thanks very much.

[vipvip68]

Hooray! I finally got a reply. Thanks for the information, vipvip68. It's really valuable. I'm quite a rookie when it comes to these, that's why I'm asking around. I consider my PC as an investment (since I don't change PCs often) and I'd like to invest in it well.

Here's the configuration of the SK22G2 (Model G2 2200) system that I'm planning to buy from Qube:

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3600+ GHz X2 AM2
Motherboard: SK22G2 K8M890CE Chipset
Operating System: Windows XP Professional Evaluation (comes for free with the purchase, but I'm thinking of having a dual-boot system of Win XP and Linux)
Video Card: 256MB (512MB MAX) nVidia GeForce 7300LE TV-DVI DDR2
Memory: 512MB DDR2 667MHz Memory Lifetime
Hard Drive: 160GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
Optical Drive: 18x Dual DVD-RW w/ LightScribe
Media Drive: Metallic Silver Card Reader and Free USB All-in-One Card Reader
Monitor: 17" Qube LCD Color Monitor Grade A+
Power: Automatic Voltage Regulator
Accessories: XPC TV/FM -Tuner w/ Media Center Software
Casing: Shuttle XPC SK22G2 Pure Aluminum Case with Power Supply
Power Supply: Built In Power
Approximate Cost: P34,500


And here are the specifications of the SK22G2 that I found on http://hq1.shuttle.com/products_page...?PLLI=19&PI=99

FORM FACTOR: Shuttle Form Factor
PROCESSOR: AMD Sempron / Athlon 64 / Athlon 64 x2 (Socket AM2)
CHIPSET: VIA K8M890CE + 8237R
MEMORY: 2 x DDR2 533/667/800 Dual Ch. DIMM
VGA: Integrated DeltaChrome 128bit 2D/3D
AUDIO: Realtek 655 5.1 Ch. HD Audio
ETHERNET: VIA 6103 10/100 LAN
IEEE1394 (FireWire): VIA 6307
STORAGE INTERFACE: IDE/SATA
EXPANSION BAY: 1 x 3.5" bay; 1 x 3.5" bay (Internal); 1 x 5.25" bay
DIMENSIONS: 300(L) x 200(W) x 185(H) mm
POWER: 200W
_________________________________________________

How I intend to use the system:

• word processing
• Internet browsing
• e-mail
• web development
• graphics editing
• desktop publishing
• occasional video capturing, editing, and rendering
• occasional audio editing
• occasional gaming

As you can see, the system is for general purpose computing.

Questions:

1. Will the power supply of 200W be enough for the configuration I have above? (Note: Qube's specs page for this model says 150W, but the specs page on Shuttle.com says 200W. I wonder which one is correct.)
2. Will this kind of configuration make my system last for 5+ years? (I'm not fond of upgrading.)
3. Is the configuration appropriate for the uses that I listed above?
4. If I added more RAM later, will the 200W still be enough?
5. Is the video card that I chose okay? Or is it overkill? (No plans of upgrading the video card within at least 5 years; that's why I'm looking for one that will suit my needs and will last long.)
6. Please give more details about the PCI slots that you mentioned. I'm afraid I'm not techie enough to know what that entails.

I'd appreciate any help regarding this. Thanks very much.

First off, I think you'll be happy with the performance sa Athlon 64 X2 3600+ . I have the same processor and when overclocked it surpases the speed sa X2 4800+ original clock is 1.9ghz (200bus X 9.5x multiplier) but I'm running it at 2.4ghz+ karon with no adjustments sa voltage (270bus x 9.5x multiplier) It's been very stable and cool I might add... (original temp sa Cpu core is at 22-24c) (overclocked idle temp is around 24-26c) on full load the cpu will reach up to 38c.. that's about it.

Regarding your memory, will the 512mb will be just one module or 2x256mb DDR2? You would want to have 2 modules to be able to run Dual Channel DDR2. I suggest getting 2x512mb since relatively cheap na ang memory karon and you'll appreciate the 1Gig ram with the things you need the PC for (graphics, video editing, gaming). Also, unlike intel nga Ok ra DDR2 533... AMD's system will further benefit from higher bandwidth nga memory (DDR2 800) of you can find DDR2 800 here.. it would be more useful for your system.

To Answer your questions:

1. Will the power supply of 200W be enough for the configuration I have above? (Note: Qube's specs page for this model says 150W, but the specs page on Shuttle.com says 200W. I wonder which one is correct.)

You need to check with Qube.... better to contact them for this info. There is even a variant of the SK22G2 chasis outfitted with a 250W power supply.

2. Will this kind of configuration make my system last for 5+ years? (I'm not fond of upgrading.)

It really depends on what you plan to use the PC for. If you're the type who doesnt like to upgrade then your best option would be to buy the most you can now (2Gig ram, more powerful videocard) The setup you have planned is pretty flexible in terms of upgrades if you choose to do it in the future. AMD will be coming up with their K10 Phenom processors in Socket AM2+ .. you could just make a drop in upgrade for your processor which will further lengthen its life.


3. Is the configuration appropriate for the uses that I listed above?

you need more ram IMO for graphics editing, video editing, gaming (Note that the Shuttle SK22G2 only has 2 slots for ram so it's better to buy as much as you can right now .... 2x512mb would be ideal but others would recommend you go for 2x1G.

Also, games you can play on the Geforce 7300 will be limited. I suggest the 8600GT for the reason that it won't draw so much power from your system and it can work with DX10 games if you chose to upgrade to vista later on.


4. If I added more RAM later, will the 200W still be enough?

RAM won't be much of a factor sa power draw.... mas important ang video card, hard drives and processor. 200W will be cutting it close with your setup but It should work. Also, shuttle sells 300W and 350W power supply upgrades in case your system needs more power.... so your setup can grow with the power needs of your hardware if you need to upgrade.

5. Is the video card that I chose okay? Or is it overkill? (No plans of upgrading the video card within at least 5 years; that's why I'm looking for one that will suit my needs and will last long.)

You might need to buy a better card than the one you have planned. If you consider your pc as an investment that will last 5 yrs, I think it's worthwhile investing in a good video card that will take care of your gaming needs (i'm not sure though on what games you plan to play now but I'm sure future games will require more powerful videocards)

6. Please give more details about the PCI slots that you mentioned. I'm afraid I'm not techie enough to know what that entails.

The SK22G2 chasis will only accomodate SINGLE SLOT video cards... this leaves the 8800GTS, Radeon X1950XT and other high end video cards out of the equation. Since your power supply wont be able to handle these cards in the first place... it shouldnt be a concern... just make sure that the Video Card you decide to buy is a SINGLE SLOT.


Here's my setup btw,

Case: Shuttle SN27P2
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ overclocked to X2 4800+ speed
Chipset: Nforce 570
Memory: Corsair XMS 2x512mb DDR2 800
Video Card: ATI X1900GT o'c to X1950 pro speed
Audio: M-Audio Revolution 5.1
Hard Disk: 2xWD Raptor 360 Raid 0
Hard Disk: 1x300G Seagate 7200rpm
Power Supply: Shuttle 400W Active PFC

[elmonitis]

First off, I think you'll be happy with the performance sa Athlon 64 X2 3600+ . I have the same processor and when overclocked it surpases the speed sa X2 4800+ original clock is 1.9ghz (200bus X 9.5x multiplier) but I'm running it at 2.4ghz+ karon with no adjustments sa voltage (270bus x 9.5x multiplier) It's been very stable and cool I might add... (original temp sa Cpu core is at 22-24c) (overclocked idle temp is around 24-26c) on full load the cpu will reach up to 38c.. that's about it.

Even without completely understanding what that explanation means, I could say, "Wow!" I do sense that what you're saying is that the setup can run at very high speed. I know very little about overclocking. I don't intend to overclock as it could void my warranty. Thank you very much for the explanation, though.

Regarding your memory, will the 512mb will be just one module or 2x256mb DDR2? You would want to have 2 modules to be able to run Dual Channel DDR2. I suggest getting 2x512mb since relatively cheap na ang memory karon and you'll appreciate the 1Gig ram with the things you need the PC for (graphics, video editing, gaming). Also, unlike intel nga Ok ra DDR2 533... AMD's system will further benefit from higher bandwidth nga memory (DDR2 800) of you can find DDR2 800 here.. it would be more useful for your system.

I guess the 512MB is just single module. But I can always install another 512MB module later on, right? And that would mean I can enjoy the Dual Channel thingie, right? What are the uses/benefits of Dual Channel DDR2 anyway? Please enlighten me.

To Answer your questions:

1. Will the power supply of 200W be enough for the configuration I have above? (Note: Qube's specs page for this model says 150W, but the specs page on Shuttle.com says 200W. I wonder which one is correct.)

You need to check with Qube.... better to contact them for this info. There is even a variant of the SK22G2 chasis outfitted with a 250W power supply.

I contacted Technical Support this afternoon. The guy confirmed that the G2 2200's PSU is 250W true rated PSU (I don't know what "true rated" means, though).

2. Will this kind of configuration make my system last for 5+ years? (I'm not fond of upgrading.)

It really depends on what you plan to use the PC for. If you're the type who doesnt like to upgrade then your best option would be to buy the most you can now (2Gig ram, more powerful videocard) The setup you have planned is pretty flexible in terms of upgrades if you choose to do it in the future. AMD will be coming up with their K10 Phenom processors in Socket AM2+ .. you could just make a drop in upgrade for your processor which will further lengthen its life.

I'm quite relieved to know that the configuration I have is flexible for upgrades. While, generally, I don't see myself upgrading my system very soon, I don't discount the possibility of upgrading if, and only if, the system's performance has become dissatisfying for me.

3. Is the configuration appropriate for the uses that I listed above?

you need more ram IMO for graphics editing, video editing, gaming (Note that the Shuttle SK22G2 only has 2 slots for ram so it's better to buy as much as you can right now .... 2x512mb would be ideal but others would recommend you go for 2x1G.

I can always replace my 1x512MB with 2x512MB or more later on, right? And the replacement would still work, right?

I'll think more about going 1GB 800MHz with the RAM because that would add another P3,200 or so into the price.

Also, games you can play on the Geforce 7300 will be limited. I suggest the 8600GT for the reason that it won't draw so much power from your system and it can work with DX10 games if you chose to upgrade to vista later on.

I'm not a hardcore gamer. The games I play require very minimal videocard power (I think). Zuma. Insaniquarium. Diner Dash. Wonderland--Secret Worlds. Pokemoncrater. Pokemon (using emulation software). Besides, I play these games only when I have nothing else to do or whenever I'm really bored.

4. If I added more RAM later, will the 200W still be enough?

RAM won't be much of a factor sa power draw.... mas important ang video card, hard drives and processor. 200W will be cutting it close with your setup but It should work. Also, shuttle sells 300W and 350W power supply upgrades in case your system needs more power.... so your setup can grow with the power needs of your hardware if you need to upgrade.

Whew! I'm glad to know that.

5. Is the video card that I chose okay? Or is it overkill? (No plans of upgrading the video card within at least 5 years; that's why I'm looking for one that will suit my needs and will last long.)

You might need to buy a better card than the one you have planned. If you consider your pc as an investment that will last 5 yrs, I think it's worthwhile investing in a good video card that will take care of your gaming needs (i'm not sure though on what games you plan to play now but I'm sure future games will require more powerful videocards)

Already addressed above. Gaming requirements for my system is neither very critical nor a top priority for me because I don't really play that much. I'll be fine with Starcraft, Warcraft, Age of Empires, Caesar III, and Age of Mythology, thank you.

6. Please give more details about the PCI slots that you mentioned. I'm afraid I'm not techie enough to know what that entails.

The SK22G2 chasis will only accomodate SINGLE SLOT video cards... this leaves the 8800GTS, Radeon X1950XT and other high end video cards out of the equation. Since your power supply wont be able to handle these cards in the first place... it shouldnt be a concern... just make sure that the Video Card you decide to buy is a SINGLE SLOT.

I'll take note of that. I've read in a forum somewhere about someone who bought a videocard upgrade only to find out that the card won't fit into the slot. I didn't understand the post well enough, though, because it was rather technical. T'was like a conversation between two computer enthusiasts, with me--a dumb newbie--eavesdropping.

Here's my setup btw,

Case: Shuttle SN27P2
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ overclocked to X2 4800+ speed
Chipset: Nforce 570
Memory: Corsair XMS 2x512mb DDR2 800
Video Card: ATI X1900GT o'c to X1950 pro speed
Audio: M-Audio Revolution 5.1
Hard Disk: 2xWD Raptor 360 Raid 0
Hard Disk: 1x300G Seagate 7200rpm
Power Supply: Shuttle 400W Active PFC

Looks powerful, huh?

[vladmire]

@vipvip68 wow, nice specs 2 thumbs up for this info^_^

[vipvip68]

@elmontis

to make it simple.... dual channel allows your system to perform better so you will want to use this feature to make the most out of your PC.

The 250w Power Supply on the SK22G2 should be more than enough for your setup. I think what the technician is trying to tell you when he says "True rated" is .....

A lot of Power Supplies (the kind that's bundled with a computer case) claim to be capable of providing 400watts or 600watts yet in actual use, they only end up supplying 250watts to 400watts ... this means a very low efficiency rating. So a 500watt might actually be a 300watt "True Rated"

Shuttle XPC power supplies are very efficient. So a 250watt Power Supply might be able to match other 300watt-400watt power supplies.

Regards

[elmonitis]

Thank you very much for the time and patience in explaining all these to me. The information is really very helpful, especially for an ignoramus like me.