Concluding thoughts
Shuttle's SB65G2 provides the basic parts to what can be made into a wholly impressive PC. We ran a 3.2GHz Pentium 4, ATi Radeon 9800 PRO, 512MB of Corsair's finest, and the usual optical drives without a single issue. Just think about that for a second. That kind of power usually conjures up images of large cases, multiple fans and power supplies that often hit the half-kilowatt mark. It's truly remarkable to think that such power can be had in such a decent-looking, chic package. Sure, it does away with integrated video. That's not what this SFF is all about.One of Shuttle's very own descriptions alludes to the SB65G2 as a desktop-crushing performer. Statements found on box covers are usually taken with a small pinch of salt. This, though, is one that's far more fact than fiction. If Shuttle had been able to accommodate some form of PAT-like implementation we could easily have been looking at the best Pentium 4 support currently available. We'll have to make do with near-Canterwood performance, which is hardly slow.
One, without prior knowledge, may also believe that the cramped interior is ripe for heat-related problems, problems that could lead to stability issues. That assertion, however, holds no merit. Not only did the SB65G2 function flawlessly at its rated specifications, it also exhibited the same rock-like stability at 260FSB, and Shuttle fully allows the enthusiast to explore the FB65 board's limits with another robust, clean and intuitive BIOS.
Add to the above a myriad of USB 2.0 ports, reasonable on-board sound, FireWire support and Wireless connectivity. There's not too many full-size motherboards that can boast that array of features. The ~ £250 asking price may sound a little on the high side, however if you break down the constituent parts and price them up with respect to a full-size setup, you'll see that there's value in Shuttle's XPCs.
We like the SB65G2, but no product is perfect. We'd like the newer 240w PSU as found on the SN85G4, we'd like Gigabit LAN instead of 10/100, we'd like to be able to conceal the front-mounted ports until needed, and we'd prefer it if Shuttle would bundle in matching black optical drive and floppy drive bezels, in the name of aesthetics, you see. Lastly, we'd appreciate Intel's ICH5R South Bridge. Shuttle now produce XPCs based on the Canterwood chipset and feature the ICH5R. That doesn't really dimish the SB65G2's qualities, though.
In summary, the Shuttle SB65G2 is an effortlessly competent barebones unit that'll appeal to many potential buyers on the basis of performance, portability, features, stability and overclocking potential. It's not perfect by any means, but you can do a whole lot worse than have the SB65G2 sit on your desk. Ironically enough, the SB65G2's main threat isn't from powerful, full-size PCs, it's from other SFF PCs and Shuttle's very own SB6xxx and SN85G4 cubes. If you're determined to go down the Intel route, the SB65G2 is a classy performer in most respects.
