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| Huge Gaming...In a
Teeny, Tiny Package |
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The biggest selling points
for these pint-sized PCs have been style and portability,
not power. However, new case designs have started
to allow these breadbox-sized rigs to catch up to
the performance levels of the big boys. And with
Shuttle’s new P2500g small form- factor (SFF)
complete system based on its bare-bones SN25P package
of case, power supply, and motherboard, it’s
time to start thinking small. This triple threat
of gaming power packs a top-shelf AMD CPU, NForce4
technology, and ATI graphics power into a slick,
easy-to-move XPC chassis—proving that with
Shuttle’s design talent, a PC doesn’t
necessarily have to be big to be good.
We all know AMD’s Athlon 64 4000+ CPU with
HyperTransport combined with an NForce4 MCP motherboard
makes for a gaming behemoth. But by introducing
Sapphire’s Radeon X850 XT Professional Edition
PCI Express VPU into the mix, the P2500g sliced
through the 3D GameGauge Far Cry benchmarks, with
the Volcano map pushing 88 frames per second. The
full gig of Kingston HyperX DDR PC3200 RAM clocked
at 400MHz (expandable to 2 gigs, dual channel) does
a lot of heavy lifting as well, helping to push
UT2004 to, well, unreal speeds. This rig also saw
great performance in KOTOR II, SWAT 4, and Rome:
Total War. The P2500g also handled Doom 3 like a
big high-end desktop, running the game at a very
respectable 72fps.
The P2500g comes in a XPC toolless chassis design
made thermal proof with a Silent X cooling and noise
reduction ICE heat-pipe module, Silent X 350W power
supply, and active airflow. With so much hardware
packed into such a small space, you need all that
cooling. Further, it’s an extremely quiet
setup at 45dB, which makes it a great choice for
gamers looking for a peaceful gaming experience.
The case also provides ports galore for USB 2.0,
FireWire 400, etc., along with four bays housing
two Western Digital SATA 250GB HDDs. Shuttle thoughtfully
included the Lite-On DL DVD+/-RW combo drive, which
performs great whether you’re playing your
favorite games or reference DVDs like The Incredibles,
or burning a Blue Man Group music VCD or data discs
full of Joint Ops maps with impunity. Isn’t
that nice of them?
And talk about music—the motherboard’s
built-in 7.1-channel H/W audio using the VIA Envy24PT
was more than capable of nicely powering U2’s
classic War CD, while showing its sound prowess
in games like Half-Life 2 and the Doom 3 expansion.
A dedicated audio card might provide somewhat better
sound, but this onboard audio solution does such
a solid job it’s hard to complain too strenuously.
The only thing Shuttle didn’t have room for
in here was a PCI slot, six-pin connector for video.
That’s OK, since a Molex to PCI Express adapter
does the trick. A very real problem we had was the
case’s unresponsive optical-drive tray buttons.
Nothing an iron mallet couldn’t fix.
Minor quibbles aside, if size matters and you still
thirst for power, this small PC won’t let
you down.
Score: 4 stars
Shuttle Xp17 Lcd Monitor
As the grandmaster of SFF building, Shuttle has
perfected this art to the point that it now offers
a wonderful mix of SFF PC designs, system enhancements,
and cool accessories like its ergonomically sleek,
high-performance 17-inch TFT LCD monitor. Not only
does this monitor display DVDs, games, and photos
in vibrant colors, as well as challenging shadowy
hues wonderfully at its native 1280x1024 flicker-fast
8ms response rate at 75Hz, but it’s also a
high-functioning looker possibly ripped from the
pages of Apple’s design books. High praise
for ergonomics aside, the nifty TempAG antiglare
tempered safety panel minimizes scratches, dings,
and bumps while also reducing eyestrain. The monitor’s
wide view angle enhances crystal clear images that
seem to jump off the screen. High-impact tubing
surrounds the XP17, and strategically positioned
adhesion feet provide slip-free surface control.
For the LAN gamer on the go, a 90-degree swivel
stand neatly folds into an ultrathin case for easy
transporting. For a mere $450, Shuttle’s rugged
XP17 LCD offers the perfect balance of performance
and form-factor that most monitors costing $100
to $300 more just can’t touch.
Manufacturer: Shuttle Product: XPC P2500g SN25P
PC Price: $2,800
Copyright © 2005 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All
Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Computer
Gaming World. |
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