Shuttle SB75G2
Published on 2003-12-10 17:44:21 By: Jim_

The Small Form Factor (SFF) PC has transitioned from being somewhat of a novelty in its early days to a viable replacement for your regular, full-size desktop. Manufacturers have added the features that geeks require in their machines, most notably the AGP Slot. The cooling systems have also advanced to handle the faster processors available from both AMD and Intel while keeping overall noise output to a minimum.

The first SFF that I was fortunate enough to acquire, was Shuttle's SV25. It was loud as hell, forced you to use the rather low-end integrated video, and was so inefficient from a cooling perspective that the case would actually get hot to the touch. Despite these shortcomings, I still enjoyed my time with the SV25. It proved to be a relatively stable piece of hardware that ultimately ended up on my girlfriend's desk as her workstation.

The SFF that I'm reviewing today, Shuttle's SB75G2, is clearly a much more polished piece of hardware. The shortcomings of the SV24/25 are distant memories now, so let's see how far they've progressed.

The Specs

  • CPU Support: Intel Pentium 4, 478-pin package, 533/800MHz FSB, Hyperthreading Support
  • Chipset: North bridge - Intel 875P, South bridge - ICH5-R
  • Memory: DDR 333/400 * 2 (Dual Channel) - 2GB Maximum with ECC Support (unbuffered)
  • On Board VGA: None
  • On Board Audio: Realtek ALC650 6 channel audio
  • Ethernet: Broadcom Gigabit NIC (5788)
  • Expansion Slots: 1x AGP slot (8x), 1x PCI slot
  • Assorted Goodies: 6x USB 2.0/1.1, 2x Firewire

The first thing I should mention is the use of Intel's i875P chipset. While I won't bore you with the technical details, it's important to note that this makes the SB75G2 800MHz FSB and Hyperthreading ready. If you'd like to read more about i875P, take a look at Anandtech's review.

The SB75G2 certainly comes loaded with features. I'll take a moment to happily mention a feature that was left off the SB75G2, integrated video. That's right folks, the 8x AGP slot will have to be filled to POST the SB75G2. Clearly this is an SFF geared towards us enthusiasts who cringe at the mere mention of integrated video. A plethora of ports are available: 6 USB 2.0/1.1, 2 Firewire, and SPDIF In/Out to name a few. Serial ATA (Intel ICH5-R -> supports RAID 0 and 1), a Broadcom Gigabit NIC, and Realtek ALC650 six channel audio round out this Shuttle offering.

Application

When we tested the SB52G2, we had to take a moment to discuss the roles that it could fill because it was a different product. The SB75G2's purpose is much easier to define. I see it acting as either a full-blown desktop replacement or in combination with a small LCD it would be the perfect machine for the roving LAN gamer.

While a lot of SFFs can easily be used as home theatre PCs, I highly doubt this was Shuttle's intention for the SB75G2 as it's a flagship product, without integrated video and s-video output out of the box. Of course, it could easily act in that role with the addition of an appropriate video card.

Let's take a look at the kit...

 
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