We put the two systems - the Shuttle SN41G2 (platform for AMD CPUs) and the Shuttle SB51G (platform for Intel CPUs) - side by side and uncovered a few differences. First of all, the AMD system ships with two VGA ports thanks to NVIDIA's NForce 2 chipset. The graphics are based on a GeForce 4 MX card that adds another two VGA outputs to the mix. To top it all off, you get an AGP slot that can handle the fastest graphics boards available, such as the ATI Radeon 9700 Pro or the GeForce 4 Ti 4600. Unlike its AMD cousin (SN41G2), the Intel barebone offers only one VGA output.

The motherboard is based on the Intel 845 GE chipset. Although it does offer onboard graphics capabilities, it's not in the same league as the NVIDIA chip. See our comprehensive benchmark results for more information. So if you've invested in an SB51G, you probably should go with an AGP graphics card - the PC has a slot to accommodate it.

Double trouble: Only the Shuttle SN41G2 can handle two monitors. It also comes with a TV output port (S-video).

A bird's-eye view of the two barebone systems: the AMD is on the left; the Intel on the right.

The empty bays for hard drives and a DVD/CD-RW drive.