All-in-one PC by stefan @ 2014-09-05
The latest X35V4 model from Shuttle integrates one energy-efficient J1900 quad-core Intel SoC which features Ivy Bridge Graphics and inside the enclosure we can also house one 2.5’’ HDD/SSD, up to 8GB DDR3L SODIMM, a slim optical drive or with an extra adapter we can install a secondary 2.5’’ storage drive. All system runs on passive ventilation, so no extra noise is generated from the inside.
At first I would like to thank Shuttle Europe for offering a sample of their latest XS35V4 Barebone for testing and reviewing.
"Shuttle Inc, founded in Taiwan in 1983, is specialised in development and production of innovative mini PCs. The joint-stock company is represented worldwide by a network of branch offices in Germany, the US and Japan. Since 2001 the attractive cube-shaped PCs have conquered nearly any field of application and have become the core business of the company headquartered in Taipei / Taiwan. Widely acclaimed by customers and press across the globe, Shuttle founds its success on effective management and long-term experience in making mainboards of highest quality standards. Since years Shuttle's mini PC barebones and fully-configured systems are the first choice of many system integrators, VARs, OEMs and ODMs banking on the high reliability and build quality. With appealing mini PC solutions Shuttle meets the requirements of consumers excellently and seeks to provide further user-friendly solutions of consumer electronics for the digital home environment."
Multiformat card reader
At last – no more searching for missing digital camera leads. Simply insert the memory card and you can access all stored photos and videos immediately.
Anti-theft protection
The Kensington Lock forms part of the anti-theft system. As with many other Notebooks, this Mini-PC can also be safely locked, ensuring long-term enjoyment from your Shuttle product.
Fan-less external power supply
A highly effective external power supply provides the Shuttle Mini-PC with its energy. And since it works without a fan, it is completely noise-free.
Connections without all those annoying cables
Data is transferred by WLAN completely without cables. Accessing the Internet and local network resources (e.g. printers) is now child's play when within range of an access point/hotspot.
Generous supply of USB ports
You can never have enough of those versatile USB ports. This Shuttle Mini-PC offers 6 ports, with further ports for internal expansions located on the mainboard.
Fanless and whisper-quiet
The fanless technology used in this PC means it is incredibly quiet. Doing away with these mechanical components also reduces the number of wearing parts, making the machine more durable and stable.
Low energy consumption
Thrift is a virtue. In terms of power consumption this Mini-PC sets an example. It is not just good for the environment but for your pocket, too.
Optimal air flow
Warm air is transported out of the chassis by means of cleverly arranged components, which enables a large number of parts to be cooled simultaneously in the air flow. At no time can heat build up and adversely affect the stability of the system.
HDMI interface
Goodbye cable spaghetti! Modern flat-screen TVs and large-format TFT screens can be connected to this Mini-PC with just a single thin cable. Often the audio output is also transferred in brilliant quality via the HDMI cable.
Just 2.5" HDDs
An extremely compact PC housing offers less space for drives, that's why this Mini-PC uses slimline 2.5-inch hard disks. The advantage of this is that there's less noise, less heat generated and reduced power consumption. However small hard disks in a small housing does not have to mean less memory. Modern 2.5" HDDs are every bit as good as their 3.5" brothers.
You can rely on SSD
This is where an energy-saving "Solid State Drive" should be used. This drive technology guarantees extremely short access times, the highest data transmission rates and considerably lower energy consumption compared to conventional hard disks. SSDs have no mechanical components at all, are therefore subject to less wear and tear and consequently benefit from a longer service life.
The fastest connection to external peripheral devices available to date
The USB 3.0 connectors of this model allow for data transfer of up to 5 Gbit/s (625 MB/s). This enables external devices such as USB hard disks to be connected and run at nearly the same speed as their internal siblings. USB 3.0 is downward compatible so that also devices of previous USB generations can be hooked up.
Communication in the fast lane
The integrated gigabit LAN chipset opens up completely new possibilities for communication with no restriction on the speed of data transfer. Say goodbye to information bottlenecks, whether in the company network or for home Internet access.
High-resolution DisplayPort
The DisplayPort connector allows for connections with digital high-resolution displays. Besides picture signal, DisplayPort cables can also lead digital sounds signals in excellent quality.
Fanless and silent
Completely fanless, no fan noise at all
Passive cooling through convective heat transfer
Perfect to be used in noise-sensitive environments
Fanless means less dust and thus virtually no maintenance required
Notice: Please make sure the system is always operated in upright position using either its stand or the optional VESA mount.
Ventilation holes must not be blocked to ensure sufficient cooling.
Low power consumption
Power consumption: ca. 7.5 W (idle mode) and ca. 15.4 W (full load)
(Configuration: 4 GB RAM, 120 GB SSD and Windows 8.1)
Chassis
Dimensions without stand: 25.2 x 16.2 x 3.85 cm (DxHxW) = 1.57 L
Weight: 2.1 kg net, 2.8 kg gross
Hole for Kensington Lock at the back panel
Optional accessory: 75mm and 100mm VESA mounting kit (PV01)
Operation System
This system comes without operating system.
It is compatible with Windows 8 / 8.1 (64 bit), Windows 7 (64 bit) [2] and Linux (64 bit) [3]
Processor
Intel Celeron J1900, Quad Core
CPU clock frequency: 2.00 GHz, max. Turbo frequency: 2.42 GHz
Silvermont architecture, Bay Trail-D platform, 22nm structure
CPU cores/Threads: 4/4
Cache: 2 MB
Thermal Design Power (TDP): 10W
SOC design with integrated graphics processor
Integrated Graphics
The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is integrated into the processor
Intel HD Graphics (7th gen), graphics frequency: 688~854 MHz
Supports DirectX 11.0, OpenGL 4.0, OpenCL 1.2, HDCP 1.3 (Blu-ray)
Execution Units (EU): 4
Three video outputs:
- HDMI: max. 1920x1200 resolution @ 60Hz
- Display Port: max. 2560x1600 resolution @ 60Hz
- D-Sub (VGA): max. 1920x1200 resolution @ 60Hz
Dual display: supports max. two independent displays
Full hardware acceleration:
- for decode: H.264, MPEG2, MVC, VC-1, VP8, MJPEG
- for encode: H.264, MPEG2, MVC
UEFI Firmware
8Mbit Flash ROM with AMI's Aptio UEFI BIOS Firmware
Based on the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) [1]
Supports Power fail resume / AC power on state / always on / always off
Supports Wake-on-LAN (WOL) from S3, S3, S5 ACPI states
Supports boot up from external flash memory cards
Memory
1x SO-DIMM slot with 204 pins
Supports one module DDR3L-1333 (PC3-10600) at 1.35V
Maximum capacity: 8 GB
DDR3L-1600 is supported at DDR3L-1333 clock rate
Caution: This mainboard does only support 1.35V DDR3L memory modules.
Note: DDR3L has a lower operation voltage compared to DDR3
Optical drive (optional)
Supports an optical DVD or Blu-ray slim-line drive
Serial ATA interface, 12.7 mm height, Slimline SATA connector
Hard disk drive/SSD (2.5")
Supports one Serial ATA hard disk (5400 / 7200 rpm)
or one SATA SSD drive in 6.35cm/2.5" format
Serial ATA II Interface with up to 300 MB/s transfer speed
Supports a drive with max. 9.5 mm height
Supports Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)
Integrated Audio
Realtek ALC269 Audio Codec with Azalia and D3 mode support
Two analog audio connectors (3.5mm):
1) Line out (head phone)
2) Microphone input
Card Reader
Integrated card reader supports SD, SDHC and SDXC memory flash cards
Wired Network
RJ45 connector supports Gigabit LAN at 10/100/1000 Mbit/sec.
Network controller Realtek RTL8411
Supports Wake-on-LAN (WOL) from S3, S3, S5 ACPI states
Wireless Network (WLAN)
Half-size Mini PCIe card with RTL8188EE chip
Supports IEEE 802.11b/g/n, max. 150Mbps up-/downstream
Security: WPA/WPA2(-PSK), WEP 64/128bit, IEEE 802.11x/i
Front Panel Connectors
1x USB 2.0
SD card reader
Back Panel Connectors
HDMI digital video and audio output
DisplayPort digital video and audio output
D-Sub/ VGA analog video output (15 pin)
1x USB 3.0
3x USB 2.0
Gigabit network (LAN, RJ45)
Audio Line-out (head phone)
Microphone input
DC input for the external power adapter
Perforation for TV antenna (diameter: 9 mm)
Internal USB Connectors
Internal USB 2.0 Type-A connector for USB dongle
(for e.g. memory stick, 3G stick, DVB-T stick, etc.)
Supports boot from internal USB memory stick.
LEDs and Buttons
Power button
Power LED (blue)
Power Supply
External 40W AC/DC power adapter (fanless), 19V / 2.1A
AC Input: 100~240V AC, 50~60Hz
Automatic voltage adjust
Dimensions: 89.5 x 37 x 26.5 mm (LWH)
DC Connector: 5.5/2.5mm (outer/inner diameter)
Optional Accessories
- VESA mount made of metal (PV01)
- Adapter for second 2.5" drive instead of optical drive (PHD2N)
24/7 nonstop operation
This device is approved for 24/7 permanent operation.
Requirements:
- Free circulation of air amongst the PC must be guaranteed.
- Ventilation holes must be clear.
- Any installed hard disk must also be approved for permanent operation by its manufacturer (max. one hard disk)
Environmental Spec
Operating temperature range: 0~35°C
Relative humidity range: 10~90% (non-condensing)
[1] UEFI-Firmware (versus BIOS)
Just as many modern PCs, the XS35V4 does away completely with a BIOS, but uses a pure *) UEFI firmware instead. The terms UEFI firmware and BIOS are widely used synonymously, but hardware initialising is now performed by the UEFI. Users might not even notice, but the operating system must be installed and executed in UEFI mode. UEFI creates a GUID Partition Table (GPT) on the system partition instead of a Master Boot Record (MBR). A PC running UEFI firmware alone but have a 64-bit operating system installed.
*) Notice: In transition period from BIOS to UEFI mainboard manufacturers still used to employ a traditional BIOS for compatibility reasons. Thanks to the integrated "Compatibility Support Module" (CSM), older Windows versions could boot from mainboards with a UEFI firmware.
[2] Windows 7 64-bit is supported since BIOS version XS35V400.110. If a BIOS update is required, the built-in UEFI shell must be used. Please refer to the FAQ section on the Shuttle website for more information on this matter. Prior to the installation of Windows 7, BIOS must be entered and "Windows 7" must be selected as the operating system under "Boot", "OS-Selection".
[3] Linux 64-bit: A number of Linux distributions with updated Kernel versions have already been tested successfully (date: June 2014). Please refer to the FAQ section on the Shuttle website for more information on this matter.
Shuttle has updated the XS mini-PC Barebone series with another model, the XS35V4 featuring a quad-core J1900 Celeron CPU at 2GHz (2.41GHz boost):
The supplied box is provided with a transparent plastic carry handle:
On one of the sides we will spot a yellow sticker which list the hardware specs; our sample sticker is wrongfully stating that the J1900 Celeron is a Dual-Core processor when it is, in fact, Quad-Core:
Inside the box we will find the barebone fully protected and surrounded by thick foam material:
The accessories box contains everything we need to get the installation going:
Here is what we have in detail:
-metallic dock
-installation disk
-screws and adapter for 2.5’’ HDD/SSD installation
-screws and adapter for optical drive installation
-power lead
-power adapter
-spare rubber adhesive circles
The power adapter was manufactured by Asian Power Devices and is rated on the output as 19V, 2.1A:
A separate re-sealable plastic bag contains inside the Quick Guide in multiple languages:
Coming back at the main unit, we can see that the chassis has remained unchanged from the latest version; we have seen that this particular setup does not get even half as warm as we were used too, which is great considering that we are dealing with a fanless design:
Both sides of the unit look quite the same with the covers attached and help dissipate the heat with the numerous square holes:
On the top we also have a ventilation grill for hot air evacuation:
The bottom side of the unit is for air intake and always needs to be paired with the supplied metallic dock:
In the front, the chassis resembles the appearance of an external optical drive, but we have here added one extra USB 2.0 port along with a card reader:
On the side, there is the Power LED, HDD LED, but also the Power button:
In the back, we will get to see the DC-IN port, one DisplayPort, one VGA, one HDMI, three USB 2.0 ports and a single USB 3.0, the LAN RJ45 port, microphone and headphone jack, but also the Kensington port:
The screw which helps removal of the lateral panels is covered by a small rubber adhesive circle; we get spares inside the box so do not worry if one gets damaged:
On one side the device we get to see the whole motherboard, with the large heatsink and the rest of the connectors:
The previously mentioned cooling system is also provided with a heatpipe, for a more efficient heat dissipation:
Here we will also get to see again the product code name along with the manufacturing date:
One SuperIO chip can be spotted in the vicinity:
The manufacturer recommends us to use only 1.35V rated DDR3 modules inside the SODIMM slot:
A W704E1-A1 WLAN B/G/N card is preinstalled inside the slot:
The CMOS battery is capsulated inside a plastic packaging:
Here is a quick view at the included card reader PCB which is linked to the motherboard:
The VRM is controlled by the Intersil ISL95836:
On the opposite side we will get to see the WiFi antenna along with the frontal USB port PCB:
Let’s take a look on the other side of the unit too; here is the place where we can install a slim optical drive or, with the help of an adapter, we will be able to mount a secondary HDD/SSD:
This side also houses the Realtek RTL8411 Gigabit Ethernet Controller:
Here is a close view at the SATA connector which is used for the optical drive:
An element of novelty represents the internal USB port which can be used for further storage expansion, a DVB tuner and so on:
With the help of the provided metallic adapter and screws, we will be able to prepare the DVD drive for mounting:
After the removal of the dummy plastic cover, we will only then have to slide the unit inside and secure it with one screw on the other side:
Then we can go ahead and install one SODIMM memory module:
Next we have the 2.5’’ drive, which must be installed with the help of the metallic bracket:
Finally, we will attach the dock in order to provide the necessary ventilation:
Before installing a fresh operating system, we made sure that we had the latest BIOS available; this was not the case so we went online and downloaded the necessary files and flashed it thanks to the provided instructions; the most important addition with the latest version is support for Windows 7 x64 and Linux x64. The BIOS comes with a very classic interface and the menus are present on the top side of the screen. The Main BIOS tab shows us the current release, build date, processor stock operating frequency, installed memory, but we can also adjust the system date and time:
The Advanced tab is a collection of sub-menus (Power Management, Hardware Health, Onboard Device Configuration, CPU Configuration, SATA Configuration, USB Configuration):
The Power Management section allows us to enable system wake-up by USB along with the EuP function:
Hardware Health section shows the current live temperatures and voltages:
The Onboard Device Configuration sub-menu can alter the functionality of the LAN + SD Card interfaces, adjust the IGD memory size and enable or disable the WiFi card:
The CPU Configuration section shows more details on the installed processor, while the C State Support and Intel VT options can be adjusted; Active Processor Cores and EIST options are greyed out:
SATA Configuration only allows us to set the controller mode:
From the USB Configuration menu we will be able to enable or disable the USB 3.0 Controller:
The Security tab can change the User/Supervisor passwords, enable Flash Write Protection, but also work with Secure Boot feature:
From the Boot menu, we can enable USB booting, specify the OS we will install and adjust the priorities; unfortunately Boot Mode Select is greyed out, so Legacy mode is not available:
Finally, we have the Exit menu, which allows saving the modifications, discarding or loading factory defaults:
In order to start testing the XS35V4 Barebone from Shuttle, we equipped it with one Samsung 4GB DDR3 1333MHz 1.35V SODIMM memory module, but also a Hitachi Travelstar 5K250 250GB HDD. We installed the latest Windows 7 x64 from scratch and got the tests going. Here is some information that we could obtain on the internal hardware, thanks to the specialized programs:
CPU-Z CPU Information Tab
CPU-Z CPU Caches Tab
CPU-Z Mainboard Tab
CPU-Z Memory Tab
GPU-Z Graphics Card Info Tab
AIDA64 gives us even some more details regarding the computer components:
CPU Information
Motherboard Information
IMC
The integrated graphics solution is based on the Intel Gen7 architecture, which supports DirectX 11 and is also found with the Ivy Bridge series; because of the only four Execution Units and low clock speeds, we won't be able to experience 3D performances as we have seen with the Celeron 1037U SoC:
To test the computer thermals, we have first left the computer in IDLE for about 30 minutes and then we fired up 3DMark2003 in loop mode, for an additional 50 minutes. The minimum and maximum temperatures of all internal components were recorded by the latest HWINFO utility. During the time of testing, the ambient temperature was 26.4 degrees Celsius:
System Full Load measurement was recorded while running the AIDA64 System Stability Test and checking on Stress CPU, Stress FPU, Stress Cache, Stress System Memory, Stress GPUs.
In IDLE, we have recorded a value of 15.47W, while in Full Load about 26.52W, the lowest values we have seen with a mini-PC so far.
Thanks to the J1900 SoC, the whole setup is very efficient regarding power consumption and when multiple-thread applications are involved, it succeeds to surpass the Celeron 1037U (with some exceptions); one small minus would be that even if the IGPU is based on an Ivy Bridge solution, the performance is lower in 3D applications, but does not have problems working with video content thanks to the embedded instructions.
Again, thanks to the power efficiency, the setup does not heat up a lot during long stress periods so Shuttle were able to re-use their proven chassis and cooling solution, which does not involve any active fans, leading to zero noise if a SSD is used. Additionally, we can install inside the enclosure one slim optical drive, and via an optional adapter we can switch the optical drive with a secondary HDD/SSD. A card reader is also available in front along with one USB 2.0; in the back, we have three additional USB 2.0 ports along with a single USB 3.0.
Network access is provided via both wired and wireless interfaces and video signal is output via HDMI, DisplayPort or VGA.
One limitation we could remind of is the support of only x64 OSes like Windows 8.1, Windows 7 SP1 and Linux. We can perform installs from both disks and flash drives but we must ensure that the media has the necessary files to start the process in EFI mode, otherwise we will be welcomed by EFI Shell. What we would also like to remind you guys is that the manufacturer recommends pairing this system only with 1.35V SODIMM so be sure you have available something similar in your inventory before making the purchase.
Shuttle has made available the XS35V4 on the market for about 172 Euros.
We would like to thank Shuttle Europe for making this review possible!