At first we would like to thank Shuttle Europe for offering a sample of their latest XPC nano NC03U Barebone for testing and reviewing.

 

 

 

About Shuttle:

 

"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."

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Intel chipset inside

Play it safe with the reliable chipsets from the world's largest chip manufacturer. Intel chipsets have proven themselves over many years, have been presented with awards by the trade press and offer the best possible degree of compatibility.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Securely attached

The practical VESA mounting surface on the back of the device enables it to be attached to monitor arms or wall mounts. The VESA format is standardised, making it suitable for most mounts.

 

The interface for the fastest of memory media

Internal drives to be used inside this Mini-PC can transfer data at a speed of up to 6 Gbit/s. Hard drives thus run significantly faster and brand-new media technologies such as SSDs can use their full potential. Be sure to look for SATA 6 Gbit/s.

 

Chassis

Barebone PC with a black plastic chassis

Dimensions: 142 x 142 x 42 mm (LWH) = 847 ml

Weight: 0.4 kg net, 1.2 kg gross

Hole for Kensington Lock

Includes vertical stand and 75 / 100 mm VESA mount

 

Low Power Consumption

Power consumption in idle mode under Windows 10: ca. 5 W

 

Operation Position

1) Horizontal

2) Vertical with stand

3) VESA-mounted behind an appropriate monitor

Operation System

This barebone system comes without operating system.

It is compatible with:

- Windows 10, 64-bit

- Linux, 64-bit

 

Processor

Model: Intel Celeron 3865U (ULV)

System-on-a-chip architecture (SoC): no chipset required

BGA1356 package - directly soldered onto the mainboard

Code name: Kaby Lake-U (7th Generation Intel Core)

Cores / Threads: 2 / 2

Clock rate: 1.8 GHz

L1/L2/L3 Cache: 128 kB / 512 kB / 2048 kB

Memory controller: DDR4-2133 Dual Channel (1.2 V)

TDP wattage: 15 W maximum

Manufacturing process: 14 nm

Maximum Tjunction Temperature: 100 °C

Supports 64-bit, VT-x (EPT), VT-d, Enhanced SpeedStep, NX bit, AES-NI, SSE 4.1/4.2

Integrated graphics engine

 

Cooling Fan

Built-in CPU cooling fan with 4-pin connector

Supports temperature-controlled RPM fan speed

 

Integrated Graphics

Intel HD graphics 610

GPU clock frequency: 300~900 MHz

Execution Units (EUs): 12

Two digital audio/video ports support two independent screens (dual monitoring):

Supports Ultra HD / 4K resolution at 3840 x 2160 Pixels

1) DisplayPort 1.2 [1] supports Ultra HD @ 60 Hz

2) HDMI 1.4b supports Ultra HD @ 30 Hz

 

Mainboard / BIOS

AMI BIOS in 8 MByte EEPROM with SPI interface

Supports resume after power failure

Supports Wake on LAN (WOL)

Supports Power on by RTC Alarm

Supports booting from USB devices and SD card reader

Supports hardware monitoring and watch dog function

Supports Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)

 

Power Adapter

External 65 W power adapter (fanless)

Input: 100~240 V AC, 50/60 Hz, max. 1.6 A

Output: 19 V DC, max. 3.42 A, max. 65 W

DC Connector: 5.5 / 2.5 mm (outer/inner diameter)

 

Memory support

2x SO-DIMM slots with 260 pins

Supports DDR4-2133 (PC4-17000) SDRAM at 1.2 V

Supports Dual Channel mode

Supports a maximum of 16 GB per DIMM, maximum total size: 32 GB

Supports two unbuffered DIMM modules (no ECC or registered)

 

2.5" Drive Bay

Supports one Serial ATA hard disk

or one SATA SSD drive in 6.35 cm / 2.5" format

Device height: 15 mm (max.)

Supports Serial-ATA III, 6 Gb/s (600 MB/s) bandwidth

 

Card Reader

Integrated SD card reader

Supports SD, SDHC and SDXC memory flash cards

Supports booting from SD card

M.2 Slot for SSDs

The M.2 2280 BM slot provides the following interfaces:

- PCI-Express Gen. 2.0 X4 with up to 32 Gbps Data Transfer Speed

- SATA v3.0 (max. 6 Gbps)

It supports M.2 cards with a width of 22 mm and a length of 42, 60 or 80 mm (type 2242, 2260, 2280).

Supports M.2 SATA SSDs (with B+M key) and M.2 PCIe SSDs (with M key)

 

Audio

Audio Realtek® ALC 662 High-Definition Audio Codec

3.5 mm / 4-pole combo audio connector for headphones and microphone [2]

Digital multi-channel audio output: via HDMI and DisplayPort

 

Gigabit LAN

Ethernet Controller Intel i211

Supports 10 / 100 / 1.000 MBit/s operation (Gigabit)

Supports WAKE ON LAN (WOL)

Supports network boot by Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE)

IEEE 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE)

Interface: PCIe v2.1

 

Wireless LAN

Built-in M.2-2230-A/E WLAN card and internal antenna

Single-Chip 1T1R WLAN Controller Realtek RTL8188EE

Supports IEEE 802.11b/g/n, max. 150 Mbps up-/downstream

Security: WPA/WPA2(-PSK), WEP 64/128 bit, IEEE 802.11x/i

 

Front Panel connectors

USB 3.0 type A

USB 3.0 type C

SD card reader (supports SD, SDHC, SDXC)

Power button

Power LED (blue, flashing when in suspend mode)

HDD LED (orange)

 

Back Panel connectors

DisplayPort 1.2

HDMI 1.4b

2x USB 2.0

Gigabit LAN (RJ45)

Audio Combo Port for headphones and microphone (3.5 mm jack, 4-pole)

DC-input connector for external power adapter

2x perforation for optional external WLAN antennas

 

Left Side connectors

Serial RS232 COM port (D-Sub, 9-pin)

Note: The serial connector (COM port) cannot be used if the NC03U is operated in vertical position.

 

Always-On Jumper

By removing Jumper JP1 (please refer to the Quick Installation Guide)

the system will start unconditionally once power is applied.

 

Clear CMOS Jumper

Short Jumper JP2 for about 10 seconds to restore factory settings of BIOS.

 

Supplied Accessories

Multi-language Quick Installation Guide

Driver DVD for Windows

VESA mount set (two parts, made of steel, with 6 screws)

2x aluminium stand with screws for vertical operation

Bracket for a 2.5" drive with 8 screws

Power adapter with AC power cord

 

Environmental Spec

Operating temperature range: 0~40 °C

Relative humidity range: 10~90% (non-condensing)

 

Conformity/Certifications

EMI: CE, FCC, BSMI, RCM, R&TTE, VCCI

Safety: CB, BSMI, ETL, CCC

Other: RoHS, Energy Star, ErP

This device is classed as a technical information equipment (ITE) in class B and is intended for use in living room and office. The CE-mark approves the conformity by the EU directives:

(1) 2004/108/EC relating to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC),

(2) 2006/95/EC relating to Electrical Equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits (LVD),

(3) 2009/125/EC relating to ecodesign requirements for energy-related products (ErP),

(4) 1999/5/EC related to Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment (R&TTE)

 

Not long ago, Shuttle has updated the XPC nano series with another member, the NC03U which does include the new Kaby Lake generation of ULV Intel processors. Owners of the previous generation will be able to spot a lot of similarities with this one regarding the design and the unit is recommended by the manufacturer to be used for Digital Signage, POS, control, office work but also multimedia applications. If the Celeron 3865U variant is not offering enough performance for a certain workload, we can always go and choose the model with the Core i3-7100U, Core i5-7200U or even the Core i7-7500U!

 

The product does ship in a mid-sized cardboard enclosure, with the specific Shuttle design:

 

 

 

On one of the box sides, we will be able to spot a sticker which offers more technical specifications:

 

 

 

After lifting the top box cover, we will be able to see that the unit is secured by quite a bit of foam material, while the separate enclosure does contain the rest of the accessories:

 

 

 

Let’s see how the bundle is organized for this model!

 

 

 

 

We are getting a power brick, stands, a power lead, the 2.5’’ drive mounting adapter, the VESA mount, screws for mounting the VESA mount along with rubber feet, screws for mounting the 2.5’’ drive but also another set of screws for mounting the stands. The documentation is packed together along with the installation disk:

 

 

 

 

The power brick was manufactured by Asian Power Devices (APD) and comes with a status LED:

 

 

 

On its back, we will be able to spot that it does output 19V at 3.42A:

 

 

 

The PSU wire ends up with a jack-type plug:

 

 

 

The supplied VESA mount (75/100 mm) is comprised of two parts:

 

 

 

 

The 2.5’’ drive adapter does support models up to 15mm in height:

 

 

 

 

The supplied stands are meant to use the unit vertically and do come with rubber pads underneath, so the NC03U mini-PC will stay fixed on the surface:

 

 

 

The Quick Start Guide does include all the necessary steps for performing the installation:

 

 

 

NC03U does measure 142 x 142 x 42 mm (LWH) and does feature a nice brushed aluminum top cover; the manufacturer logo can be also spotted in the middle:

 

 

 

In the front, we’ve got an USB 3.0 Type A, one USB 3.0 Type C, a SD Card reader, the HDD activity indicator, one Power button but also a Power-on LED indicator:

 

 

 

The right side does reveal perforations for the optional WLAN antennas, a ventilation grill but also a hole for Kensington lock:

 

 

 

The back side features the most of the interfaces: the DC-IN port, a HDMI port, one DisplayPort, a Gigabit LAN port, two USB 2.0 ports but also a combo audio port (headphones and microphone):

 

 

 

The left side of the unit does contain the mounting holes for the vertical stand, another ventilation grill but also a RS232/422/485 COM port:

 

 

 

The bottom area of the unit does house the sticker with the product power rating, serial number and system ID, but also the mounting holes for the VESA mount along with the two screws which need to be removed for disassembling the NC03U:

 

 

 

After the bottom cover has been removed, we will get to see the back side of the NC03U motherboard, which does also house the SATA Data/Power cable for the 2.5’’ drive:

 

 

 

Here we do also have one of the two SODIMM DDR4 memory slots, along with the built-in M.2 2230-A/E WLAN card. This card is connected to an internal antenna and is powered by a Realtek 1T1R RTL8188EE controller:

 

 

 

 

In order to get access to the rest of the components, we can remove the three screws with white circles around them from the motherboard; the only thing we need to be careful is to remove the internal wireless antenna port from the card before removing the motherboard, in order not to damage it in the process:

 

 

 

Unlike the DS77U which was fanless, this model comes with an active cooling solution:

 

 

 

On the motherboard, we will be able to spot an ITE IT8772E SuperIO chip:

 

 

 

Near an undocumented header, we do have the connector for the CMOS battery:

 

 

 

The battery is capsulated in order not to occupy extra space on the PCB:

 

 

 

Nearby we will be able to spot the second SODIMM DDR4 RAM slot:

 

 

 

For connecting extra storage, Shuttle does place at our disposal a M.2-2280 slot (SATA+PCIe). To be more exact, it does come with PCI-Express Gen 2.0 x4 support with up to 32Gbps data transfer speed, while the length of the SSD can be 42, 60 or 80mm (type 2242, 2260 or 2280):

 

 

 

The ASMedia ASM1442K is taking care of the HDMI port:

 

 

 

The included heatsink+fan is meant to keep the SoC cool even during stressful usage patterns:

 

 

 

In order to have an apples-to-apples comparison, we will use the same Transcent TS128GMTS400 M.2 SSD, along with the Crucial 2x4GB DDR4-2133 SODIMM 1.2V CL15 kit as before:

 

 

 

 

 

After the system has been re-assembled, we can easily attach the supplied stands for using the system vertically:

 

 

 

 

As you might suspect, such kind of machine does not come with a very complicated BIOS interface; the NC03U does use an Aptio Setup Utility, that resembles the older American Megatrends GUIs, with the menus on the top area of the screen. Inside the Main menu, we can take a look at the currently flashed software details, the installed CPU, RAM, but we can also set the system date/time:

 

 

 

The Advanced area does come with some sub-sections listed:

 

 

TPM Configuration menu takes care of the Security Device Support:

 

 

The CPU Configuration area does house some extra CPU information and from here we can also work with the CPU-specific features such as V.T., number of active processor cores, EIST or C State Support:

 

 

The SATA Configuration area does only feature the list of connected storage devices, for both SATA and M.2 interfaces:

 

 

Next, we do have the USB Configuration menu, where we can check how many devices have been connected:

 

 

The OnBoard Device Configuration area does allow us to turn on/off the board interfaces, such as the audio CODEC (Realtek ALC662), onboard LAN (Intel i211), choose the M.2 slot functionality, adjust the quantity of RAM allocated for the iGPU, enable/disable Intel VT-d or work with the Serial Port Configuration options:

 

 

 

 

The Power Management menu does also include some PM specific options:

 

 

 

From the Hardware Health Configuration menu, we can adjust the Fan Speed Control profile or monitor the SuperIO chip output such as temperature values, current fan speed, but also the system voltages:

 

 

 

 

The Security menu does allow the user to specify security passwords, enable UEFI flash protection, but also enable/disable Secure Boot:

 

 

 

The Boot functions are available from the next main menu:

 

 

 

 

Finally, we do have the Exit menu, from where we can save, discard settings or load factory defaults:

 

 

 

First hardware monitoring program we have fired up is CPU-Z, with its multiple information tabs:

 

CPU

 

 

Caches

 

 

Mainboard

 

 

Memory

 

 

SPD

 

 

GPU-Z will give us a summary on the integrated GPU:

 

 

We have also fired up the latest AIDA64 for finding out more details regarding the internal components:

 

CPU

 

 

 

Motherboard

 

 

 

CPU IMC

 

 

 

Integrated Graphics

 

 

 

AIDA64

 

Cinebench R15

 

 

 

Blender Ryzen Render

 

 

PCMark 7

 

 

PCMark 8

 

 

SuperPI XS [2M]

 

X265 Benchmark 1080P 64-bit Normal

 

GeekBench 4

 

 

3DMark Vantage

 

 

3DMark 2013

 

 

Tomb Raider

Andrenaline Action Benchmark Presets

 

Hitman: Absolution

Andrenaline Action Benchmark Presets

 

Sleeping Dogs

Andrenaline Action Benchmark Presets

When placing the NC02U and NC03U head-to-head, we can find a similar looking chassis on the outside, but what is on the inside matters: we are now dealing with the latest Kaby Lake-U 7th generation of Intel CPUs with an updated iGPU, DDR4 RAM support for improved performance, while the power ratings do remain the same. The unit does only weight 0.4 kg and can be mounted in three different ways (horizontally, vertically via the supplied stands but also in the back of the display thanks to the VESA mount) and we do get software support for Windows 10 64-bit platforms but also Linux 64-bit.

 

If we do bring the DS77U and NC03U together, these do sport similar performance ratings (since the core is the same), but in terms of I/Os the DS77U is richer. The NC03U can be considered more suitable for home use since it does sport less of an industrial look and is perfect for watching multimedia content or doing office work on a large TV, without worrying about the power consumption. Since the unit does come with HDMI 1.4b as a supported standard, we will get 4K output at 30Hz, but that should be enough when watching videos.

 

Regarding the system temperatures, we can say that the cooling solution used does it job very well, even when used in stressful workloads (as we have tested with the AIDA64 utility):

 

 

 

Regarding the unit power consumption, adding an active cooling solution did not increase the overall power drawn from the wall socket; with this model, we have recorded about 6.27W in IDLE and 19.9W in Full Load, so we can easily turn the unit on and forget about it.

 

The only negative point we could note with the NC03U is that the manufacturer does not include a Wireless AC internal adapter right out of the box, in order to get higher transfer speeds.

 

The NC03U can be found online for about 148 Euros excluding VAT, which is excellent considering the features offered and overall performance.

 

Shuttle XPC nano NC03U Barebone is Recommended for:

 

 

 

We would like to thank again to Shuttle Europe for making this review possible!