Shuttle’s SX58H7 Ultra-Portable Core i7 Platform

Features
By Thomas Soderstrom
published

Test Settings

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Test System Configuration
CPUIntel Core i7 920 (2.66 GHz, 8.0 MB Cache) Overclocked to 3.20 GHz (BCLK 200)
CPU CoolerIntegrated Shuttle heat-pipe cooling
MotherboardShuttle FX58 (S5165) V1.0
RAMKingston KHX16000D3ULT1K3/6GX (6.0 GB) DDR3-2000 at DDR3-1600 CAS 8-8-8-24
GraphicsZotac GeForce GTX260² 896 MB 576/999 MHz GPU/Shader, GDDR3-2484
Hard DrivesWD VelociRaptor WD30000HLFS 0.3 TB, 10,000 RPM, 16 MB Cache
SoundIntegrated HD Audio
NetworkIntegrated Gigabit Networking
PowerShuttle PC6310005 ATX12V v2.2. EPS12V, 500 W
OpticalLite-On LH-20A1L, 20X DVD±R
Software
OSMicrosoft Windows Vista Ultimate x64 SP1
GraphicsNvidia Forceware 182.08
ChipsetIntel INF 9.1.0.1007

A BIOS memory-ratio limit of 4x required us to use 200 MHz base clock to reach our current “standard testing” speed of DDR3-1600. We dropped the Core i7 920 CPU multiplier to 16x to approximate the performance level of a 3.20 GHz Core i7 Extreme 965.

Our standardized test platform stands in for comparison using the same BIOS frequencies and settings as the Shuttle XPC. We substituted Intel’s retail-boxed cooler for our power and overclocking comparison, to see how well Shuttle’s SX58H7 built-in air cooler compares. As the top performer in our most recent X58 Motherboard Roundup, the Asus P6T motherboard should be a tough competitor.

Our P6T-based reference platform is powered by the 80-plus rated Cooler Master RS850-EMBA.

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Benchmark Configuration
3D Games
CrysisPatch 1.2.1, DirectX 10, 64-bit executable, benchmark tool Test Set 1: High Quality, No AA Test Set 2: Very High Quality, 8x AA
Far Cry 2DirectX 10, Steam Version, in-game benchmark Test Set 1: High Quality, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra High Quality, 8x AA
World in ConflictPatch 1009, DirectX 10, timedemo Test 1: High Details, No AA / No AF Test 2: Very High Details 4x AA / 16x AF
Audio/Video Encoding
iTunes 8Version: 8.1.0.52 (x64) Audio CD ("Terminator II SE"), 53 min Default format AAC
Lame MP3Version: 3.98 64bits (07-04-2008) Audio CD "Terminator II SE", 53 min wave to MP3
TMPEG 4.6Version: 4.6.3.268 Import File: "Terminator 2 SE" DVD (5 Minutes) Resolution: 720x576 (PAL) 16:9
DivX 6.8.5Encoding mode: Insane Quality Enhanced multithreading enabled using SSE4 Quarter-pixel search
XviD 1.2.1Display encoding status = off
Mainconcept Reference 1.6.1 Reference H.264 Plugin Pro 1.5.1MPEG2 to MPEG2 (H.264), MainConcept H.264/AVC Codec, 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG2), Audio: MPEG2 (44.1 kHz, 2 Channel, 16-Bit, 224 Kb/s), Mode: PAL (25 FPS)
Productivity
Autodesk 3D Studio Max 9Version: 9.0, Rendering Dragon Image at 1920x1080 (HDTV)
Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus 8Version: 8.0.134, Virus base: 270.4.5/1533, Benchmark: Scan 334 MB Folder of ZIP/RAR compressed files
Winrar 3.80Version 3.80, WinZip Commandline Version 3.0, Compression = Best, Dictionary = 4,096 KB, Benchmark: THG-Workload (334 MB)
WinZip 12Version 12.0, Compression = Best, Benchmark: THG-Workload (139 MB)
Synthetic Benchmarks and Settings
3DMark VantageVersion: 1.02, GPU and CPU scores
PCMark VantageVersion: 1.00, System, Memory, Hard Disk Drive benchmarks, Windows Media Player 10.00.00.3646
SiSoftware Sandra XII SP2Version 2008.5.14.24, CPU Test = CPU Arithmetic / Multimedia, Memory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark
Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.
47 Comments Comment from the forums
  • one-shot
    It is interesting to see the total power consumption of the Shuttle system never went above 212W. This is with a Core i7 and a GTX 260. This system comes with a 500W PSU, which is more than enough. It is interesting to see that large PSUs are definitely not a necessity as the trend continues towards circuit breaking sizes. I have a 650W with 3x19A 12V rails and that is plenty for me. 212/500=42.4% of the PSUs total output. This is fine, but you could get by with an even smaller PSU.
    Reply
  • crisisavatar
    awesome system ( i am unaware of the price ).
    Reply
  • Crashman
    one-shotIt is interesting to see the total power consumption of the Shuttle system never went above 212W. This is with a Core i7 and a GTX 260. This system comes with a 500W PSU, which is more than enough. It is interesting to see that large PSUs are definitely not a necessity as the trend continues towards circuit breaking sizes. I have a 650W with 3x19A 12V rails and that is plenty for me. 212/500=42.4% of the PSUs total output. This is fine, but you could get by with an even smaller PSU.
    It actually went to 425W peak with both Prime95 (8-threads) and Crysis GPU bench (2560 Very-High 8x) running at the same time, but that's not a very realistic test.
    Reply
  • ravenware
    Nice article. Figured the case would run a lot hotter, not bad.
    Reply
  • xsamitt
    This is less an article more like an extended IMHO.Stay tuned Monday when it's back to SSD or and overclocking contest.
    Reply
  • xsamitt
    This is less an article more like an extended AD IMHO.Stay tuned Monday when it's back to SSD or and overclocking contest.

    Reply
  • Crashman
    xsamittThis is less an article more like an extended AD IMHO.Stay tuned Monday when it's back to SSD or and overclocking contest.
    It shows how the system compares to a standard motherboard and cooler in performance and overclocking. If you want more than standard cooling, you can read any of the X58 motherboard shootouts where a big liquid cooler is used.
    Reply
  • pivalak
    I'm curious, how noisy is it when idle and at full load? Does the fan always run at full speed (i.e. 41.3 dB) when the GPU is used?

    Something I found with my current Shuttle box (i.e. SN21G5) is that, having added a modest dedicated graphics card (i.e. NVIDIA 9500 GT), the heat generated by the GPU was enough to keep the main fan spinning at low speeds even when idle. So as soon as the system is put under some load, even if the GPU is idle and only one CPU core is used 100%, the fan will spin at almost full speed generating quite some noise.

    Since these small computers are often placed on the desktop, next to the user, the noise level is even more apparent than with other systems which generate similar decibel figures, but rest on the floor, etc. So... should I move away from SFF for my next PC if I want a silent Core i7 system with a GTX 260 GPU?
    Reply
  • FrozenGpu
    So what comes w/ this, I figure the Case, PSU, Motherbaord, CPU?, RAM?
    I can't really seem to figure this part out, at ava direct they have this XPC SX58H7 for about $688 I think, but again nothign conclusive as to what it comes w/....
    Reply
  • thejerk
    FrozenGpuSo what comes w/ this, I figure the Case, PSU, Motherbaord, CPU?, RAM?I can't really seem to figure this part out, at ava direct they have this XPC SX58H7 for about $688 I think, but again nothign conclusive as to what it comes w/....
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856101082

    Case, mobo, PSU. Yes, it's expensive.
    Reply