MaximumPC 2005 10

B

TX is the Rodney Dangerfield of formfactors: It just doesn’t get any

respect from power users. But the new formfactor finally gets some

love from Shuttle in its SB86i bare-bones PC, which doesn’t just embrace

BTX, it French-kisses the new spec. Theoretically, BTX sucks cool air in the

front, blows it over the processor, and vents it over the chipset and video-

card for a quieter, cooler PC experience. But does it?

Firing up the SB86i with a 3.8GHz Pentium 4 570 installed, we found it

to be the quietest P4-based SFF box we’ve ever had in the Lab. Its acoustic

signature was quite acceptable under all but the heaviest processor loads.

It’s no Pentium M system, but it’s not bad—for a P4 SFF, that is.

Structurally, the SB86i is sturdy and doesn’t exhibit any of the flexing

we’ve seen in other SFF boxes. (Shoot, some SFF machines give you all

the confidence of trying to ride out a tornado inside an aluminum shed.)

Styling on the SB86i is also quite smart, and Shuttle manages to keep the

face of the unit free of button and port clutter. Shuttle even manages to

tuck a multifunction memory-card reader on the right-hand side.

Our main beef with the SB86i is its sketchy PCI-E graphics support.

Shuttle doesn’t spell out what add-in cards you can run but the box certainly

can’t handle a GeForce 6800 GT-class card. We suspect it’s due to the 275-

watt CFX power supply, which is probably good enough to run any graphics card

that doesn’t require external power. Hardcore gaming, therefore, is definitely not

an option with the SB86i.

The PC’s 915G chipset also eliminates the option of running dual-core

processors; at least its integrated graphics core can support the 3D GUI in

Microsoft’s next-gen OS, Vista.

So where does this leave the SB86i? In a tough spot. Yes, it’s nicely styled

and mostly quiet. But it can’t support the latest cutting-edge components,

which makes it of limited value to

power users.

—GORDON MAH UNG

Shuttle SB86i

Can a BTX small formfactor keep the Pentium 4 cool?

A

small formfactor case is like a subcompact car: It works fine until you

try to fill it up. That’s likely why we’re seeing an increasing number of

medium formfactor boxes—cube enclosures just slightly bigger than SFF

computers that can hold more and better hardware inside.

Aspire’s X-QPack is one such enclosure that straddles the line

between mini-tower and SFF. Unlike the Shuttle SB86i “bare-bones” prod-

uct, which gives you a motherboard and accessories to build a system,

the X-QPack is simply an enclosure that should work with any micro-ATX

motherboard.

The case features a handle that tucks away when not in use. It’s sup-

posed to make it easy to carry your system to a LAN party, but we don’t

recommend you actually use it. The handle flexes when the case is empty.

Drop in two 400GB drives, two opticals, and another $1,000 in hardware, and

you’ve got a recipe for heartbreak should the handle snap while you’re going

up an escalator.

We built up the X-QPack using an Aopen Pentium M MicroATX mobo,

1GB of RAM, a 75GB hard drive, an optical drive, and a GeForce 6800 Ultra

card. We weren’t sure if the included 420W PSU could handle the load, but

it worked fine. Construction was a snap thanks to the removable motherboard

tray. The tray, however, is extremely easy to bend. In fact, that’s our main com-

plaint about the X-QPack: Its thin-aluminum construction is noodle soft. When

the case is screwed shut it’s structurally sound, but when the top is off it’s a

flexy flier. The X-QPack could also be improved by lengthening the entire case

an inch or two. That would let you install a standard ATX PSU that offers either

more wattage or a quieter profile.

In the end, the X-QPack does

what it promises, but it does it

with little imagination or flair.

—GORDON MAH UNG

Aspire X-QPack

Call it a medium-formfactor enclosure

reviews TESTED. REVIEWED. VERDICTIZED

 MA XIMUMPC OCTOBER 2005

The SB86i looks good but can’t run dual core CPUs

The X-QPack’s folding plastic handle is too flimsy to use

SHUTTLE SB86I

8

$300, http://www.shuttle.com

ASPIRE X-QPACK



$90, http://www.aspireusa.net

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