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Review: Shuttle ST61G4 XPC

by Tarinder Sandhu on 8 December 2003, 00:00

Tags: Shuttle

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qavd

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Specs. and bundle

Processors
  • Supports all Socket-478 CPUs
Chipset
  • ATI 9100 IGP. Comprises of RS300 Northbridge with integrated graphics and IXP150 Southbridge
System Memory
  • 2x 184pin DDR
  • DDR200 / DDR266 / DDR333 / DDR400 support @ 2.5v
  • 2GB maximum system RAM
Slots
  • 1x AGP 8x AGP compliant (1.5v)
  • 1x 32-bit PCI 33MHz slot
Front Panel Connections
  • 2x USB 2.0 ports
  • Headphone socket
  • Microphone-in
  • Line-In
  • FireWire (4-pin)
Back Panel Connections
  • PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports
  • 1 COM / serial port
  • HD15 on-board video
  • S-Video socket
  • 2 USB2.0 port
  • 10/100 LAN Ports
  • S/PDIF In (optical)
  • S/PDIF Out (optical)
  • 3 Audio ports
On-board storage
  • IDE controller on the IXP150 provides IDE HDD/CD-ROM with PIO, Bus Master and Ultra DMA100/66/33 operation modes.
  • Can connect up to 4 IDE devices (space permitting)
  • Silicon Image 3512 2-port controller provides 2 x ATA150 Serial ports (1 drive per port). Can be configured for independent, RAID0 or RAID1 functions
Audio
  • Realtek ALC650 on-board sound (6-channel)
Other features & Extras
  • Broadcom BCM4401 10/100 LAN
  • VIA VT6307 2-port FireWire controller
BIOS & Voltages
  • Speeds of 100MHz - 215MHz
  • CPU Voltage 0.825v -1.5875v
  • DDR Voltage 2.6 - 2.8v
  • AGP voltage 1.6 - 1.7v
Case Size (mm)
  • 200 x 181 x 280mm
  • 1 x 5.25" bay
Software
  • Motherboard drivers
  • Peripheral drivers
Others
  • PSU lead
  • Screws and bolts
  • 3 manuals / booklets
  • 1 ATA100 cable, 1 twisted ATA33 cable, 1 Floppy cable, 1 SATA cable, and a driver CD.



We like Shuttle's attention to detail here. There's a cloth that's presumably used to clean the mirror finish on the front of the ST61G4. It smudges all too easily, so that's a welcome inclusion. There's nothing extravagant here. Everything required to run the XPC is provided. The manuals have steadily become better over time. The acid test, with respect to bundles, is to see if a novice or first-time XPC builder could assemble the machine without encountering problems not referenced in the manual. We feel confident that most users could go from a barebones to a fully built system (sans software) within an hour. There's instructions on what Shuttle thinks is the correct order of adding in components so that one doesn't need to backtrack and remove installed pieces. Pretty good, as always.