Shuttle XPC P 2500G Pro review

We'd normally associate Shuttle with small-form-factor barebones systems, designed for dedicated hobbyists with deep pockets. Aside from its integrated media-centre PCs, the 2500G Pro is the first standalone system we've seen from Shuttle and, as should be the case with debutantes, it makes a glittering entrance.

We've seen most of the 2500G Pro before - the chassis and motherboard are the core components of the SN26P, although this system has one 16x PCI Express slot instead of two. At the time, we commented on the SN26P's remarkably full set of other features, all of which are present here. Gigabit Ethernet, eight-channel audio (complete with optical and coaxial S/PDIF connectors) and an integrated card reader leave the system well connected. Four USB ports on the back and two more on the front, as well as a pair of FireWire ports, mean that the 2500G Pro measures up well to a fully fledged desktop PC.

But Shuttle has now made the leap from the hobbyist market to supplying pre-built systems, and the 2500G Pro is brimming with high-end components. Both RAM slots are taken up, giving in total 2GB of PC3200 memory, but the real story is that Shuttle has gone for AMD's top-of-the-line FX-60 dual-core processor. Not surprisingly, this made light work of our application benchmarks - an overall score of 1.37 indicates there are few tasks this machine won't dismiss out of hand.

With so much processing power on tap, Shuttle hasn't compromised on 3D muscle either. The only drawback is that you won't be able to use the 1x PCI Express slot, as it's covered by the double-height ATi X1900 XT. With 512MB of RAM and a core speed of 625MHz, this is a card for the committed gamer, and it made short shrift of our 3D benchmarks. Call of Duty 2, at our tough settings of 1,600 x 1,200 and with 4x AA and 8x AF, ran at an average of 31fps in our benchmark, while Far Cry, with HDR and 8x AF turned on, ran at 37fps.

The issue with small-form-factor machines, and specifically those with top-end components, is that effectively dissipating heat is the devil's own work. Pleasingly, we were still able to concentrate with the 2500G Pro working hard right next to the monitor on the desk without the cooling system proving a distraction. The 2500G Pro's components have been organised in sections so that each has its own cooling system that blows out of the side of the chassis, while the PSU has its own 80mm fan. The optical drive and hard disk are located at the top of the chassis, and are cooled by two more 60mm fans. The system does belt out heat while hard at work, but we encountered no stability problems.

Upgrading the 2500G Pro with internal components is tricky - both DIMM sockets are filled, with the only expansion route being the single PCI slot, which is inaccessible thanks to the large graphics card. Those with appetites for storage will love it, though. Slide off the top, and four plastic braces are available for fitting a further two 3.5in hard disks into the machine, complete with pre-routed SATA and serial power connectors. Thanks to thumbscrews on the back, it's a tool-less process.

The pre-installed hard disk is this month's Labs Winner, a 250GB Samsung disk that's both quick and quiet. The optical drive is a Shuttle-branded DVD writer that can handle all formats except DVD-RAM.

The 2500G Pro is well engineered, and it's the most powerful small-form-factor PC we've ever reviewed. Looked at purely in terms of performance, build quality and features, it's immensely desirable. But with a price of more than £2,000, it's a significant investment. Shuttle sweetens the deal with a two-year, collect-and-return warranty, but it's difficult to ignore the Mesh X-Treme FX-60. It's £200 cheaper, features the same processor and equivalent graphics power, but also comes with all the accessories necessary to take advantage of such a powerful machine, most notably a 20in widescreen TFT with a suitably high resolution of 1,680 x 1,050. Add to this the three-year on-site warranty and it's clear which is better value.