Posted on Tuesday, January 31 2012 @ 18:41 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck
Shuttle presents the Z68-based XPC Barebone SZ68R5:
Shuttle Computer Handels GmbH, the
European subsidiary of Shuttle Inc., one of the leading developers and
manufacturers of compact PC solutions such as the world-renowned XPC
Mini-PC barebones, today announces its new top-of-the-range XPC
Barebone model SZ68R5.
It is the first time a Shuttle Mini-PC integrates Intel’s Z68
high-performance desktop chipset with Smart Response Technology (SSD
caching). An SSD is used here to speed up the boot process and to
ensure ultra-rapid application startup. Space-saving mSATA-SSDs can be
fitted in the corresponding Mini-PCIe slot on the motherboard.
The Intel Z68 Express chipset combines the numerous features of the
H67 Express with the performance benefits of the P67 Express chipset.
The new XPC Barebone SZ68R5 is able for the first time to accommodate
four add-on cards: 1x PCIe-x16-2.0, 1x PCIe-x4-2.0, 1x
Mini-PCIe-x1-2.0 and 1x mSATA. On the motherboard there are four
sockets for up to a total of 32 GB DDR3 memory. Of particular interest
to experienced users are the diverse performance-enhancing BIOS
parameters for fine-tuning the machine. The "TurboBoost" function gets
the most out of the machine's processors when under full load. In
addition, new power-saving features ensure low energy consumption and
less heat buildup. There is an extremely wide range of LGA 1155
processors supported by this barebone, including Intel Celeron,
Pentium, Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7.
The SZ68R5 has an HDMI port and DVI-I port – ideal for many
second-generation Intel Core processors with integrated graphics. The
new Intel HD graphics are normally sufficient for casual gaming and
enable the smooth playback of HD content. With an additional graphics
card fitted in the PCIe-x16-2.0 slot, up to four screens can be
controlled at once.
A Smart USB port on the front with 2 Amp power feed is suitable for
devices with high charging requirements (e.g. iPhone/iPad). In total,
the machine offers the following host of external connectors: 4x USB
3.0, 6x USB 2.0, 1x eSATA/USB Combo, 7.1 Audio, S/PDIF. On the UEFI
motherboard, there are 2x SATA 6 Gbit, 2x SATA 3 Gbit, 2x USB 2.0 and
1x RS232 ports waiting for the user. There is even a 500 Watt 80
PLUS-certified power supply unit already built in providing the juice
to power all this.
"The long-awaited XPC Barebone based on Z68 Express has now landed in
Europe," states Tom Seiffert, Head of Marketing & PR at Shuttle
Computer Handels GmbH. "Not often in our long history has the sales
launch of a new model been so keenly awaited. In fact, there were
already requests for this development as soon as the first model with
LGA1155 was introduced."
Shuttle's recommended retail price for the XPC Barebone SZ68R5 is EUR
301.00 (ex VAT).
