"What is that noise?” is the question many computer users ask after they have spent hours agonizing over websites, carefully planning every purchase, and finally bringing all the parts together to build a barebones computer. Size and performance are no longer the main issues. Computer manufacturers are now tackling the issue of noise. This brings us to the Pentium 3 derived Pentium-M ("P-M"). The lower clock speeds and voltages bring the promise of quiet computing in the age of jet-engine sounding Prescott heat-sink/fans.

We recently published our first review of a desktop Pentium-M motherboard. Now Shuttle enters this relatively new territory. Today we present a review of Shuttle’s first Pentium-M barebones the SD11G5. Carrying on the G5 chassis, this unit sports a brushed silver finish with the obligatory stealth drive bays on the face of the unit. This look is unchanged from previous G5s. We continue to find this a pleasing look; eye-catching in a refined way.

This motherboard integrates the P-M socket 479 spec. These chips are significantly more expensive than other Pentium offerings. In fact, while a new buyer can find 775/Prescott chips for as low as near $100, it will take double that to put a P-M in this computer. But, before we go too far, let us take a look at the basics:

Processor	Intel Pentium M 533/400 MHz FSB, Intel Pentium M LV 400MHz FSB and Intel Celeron M
Chipset	Intel 915GM + ICH6M
Memory	2 x 240 pin DDR2 SDRAM at 400/533 MHz Dual channel DDR support up to 2GB
Audio	Creative Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit with 7.1 channel support and Digital SPDIF I/O
LAN	Broadcom 5789 Gigabit LAN Network Controller 10/100/1000Gbps
PSU	External 220W adapter 100/240V AC
Dimensions:	310mm(L) x 200mm(W) x 185mm(H)
Parallel ATA	One
Serial ATA	Two
On-Board Video	Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900
PCI Express	1 x X16, 1 x X1
AGP	None

Front Panel Connections

2 x USB 2.0 1 x Firewire 1394a (6-Pin) 1 x Mic In 1 x Headphone Out 1 x Power Button 1 x Reset Button 1 x IDE Activity LED 1 x Power LED

Rear Panel Connections

2 x USB 1 x PS/2 Mouse 1 x PS/2 Keyboard 1 x Firewire 1394a (6-Pin) 1 x Audio Front Out 1 x Audio Rear Out 1 x Audio Center/Bass Out 1 x Audio Line In 1 x SPDIF In 1 x SPDIF Out 1 x RJ45 Gigabit LAN 1 x Clear CMOS Button 1 x PCI-E x1 1 x PCI-E x16 1 x VGA connector 1 x DVI connector 1 x Composite video out

This unit comes with Shuttle?s standard compliment of accessories. Opening the box, you will find the following contents: The typical manuals, CDs containing drivers for 32 bit and 64 bit chips, drive rails for floppy and hard drives, thermal paste, a floppy disk drive cable, an extra SATA cable, a spare IDE cable and a molex y-adapter power splitter and an external power supply (in two parts). Yes, you read correctly: There is no internal power supply - a move that appropriately takes advantage of the P-M’s lower thirst for power and at the same time eliminates the power supply fan, which, in theory, should greatly decrease the noise output.

Interior design...

After removing the three thumbscrews at the back of the unit, the interior of the SD11G5 initially looks like any G5, but subtle, and some not so subtle, differences emerge when you take a closer look.

First, the drive tray. Like all fifth generation Shuttles, the drive tray is free after removing two easily accessed screws. The tray itself holds one optical drive, one hard drive, and one floppy drive. This latter space can be used for another hard drive as long as you are willing to sacrifice the floppy (with cheaply available USB and optical drives, who needs one anyway?).

The biggest difference is, with the absence of an internal power supply, there is a vast amount of space inside this unit. Perhaps we have become used to working with very little interior room, but the SD11G5 seems downright cavernous! Power comes into the computer from the rear left, crosses over to the other side of the computer in front of the fan, and is routed around the top and down the front.

While we are on this side of the motherboard, we can look at the PCI-E x1 and PCI-E x16 slots. Both are easily accessible. The thoughtfulness which we come to expect with Shuttle designs can be seen in little ways. Here, we see such attention to detail: aft of the PCI-E x16 slot, the motherboard is covered with a plastic shield to protect the components from damage when installing a card.

With so much open space in the inside, anything will fit in there. Given the low heat/low sound, we look forward to putting an AIW and a high-end sound card into these slots to make, what we suspect would be a very nice HTPC.

SATA and IDE cable plug into the motherboard adjacent to the PCI-E slots. In other units, we would be critical of this design because it would be inaccessible after the cards are installed. However, with no power supply to deal with, there is room to reach them from the other side. Although we concede that this is less than ideal, the reality is that this should not be an issue because you will not be changing these cables often, if ever.

The next obvious difference is the CPU socket. First, it is located at the very front of the unit. Second, the heat pipes run all the way across to the back of the computer. Compare this with the CPU placement on the SB83G5 (which bears a striking exterior resemblance) and you begin to appreciate the differences. Cooling is clearly less an issue, as it should be with the Pentium M. The decreased temperatures associated with the Pentium M allow the manufacturer to place the CPU anywhere and allow the heat-pipes to whisk away the heat without increasing the interior temperatures. As a result of this change, the interior is much more spacious than we have become used to seeing, especially compared with the P-Series Shuttles. We recognize that given the completely different architecture between the P-Series and the G5-Series, this is a rather weak comparison, but since the two are being marketed at the same time, the temptation to compare is hard to resist.

The Intel 915GM + ICH6M chipset runs down the middle of the motherboard and are covered with heatsink/fan combinations.

Finally, moving to the other side of the unit, we see the metal plate protecting the audio-port's daughterboard mentioned earlier. While we are not fans of daughterboard's, as they can be used in place of more considered design, we understand that this is necessary due to the external power supply port. At least the board is protected.

You will notice that there is mini-PCI Slot. The only practical application for these is for a mini-PCI wireless LAN card. This is a nice addition to the unit that is (in our estimation) due to the extra space in this unit.

The board supports up to 2GB of DDR2-533 ram over two slots.

The on-board sound is provided by Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit EAX HD 7.1. We can argue about the quality of this on-board sound versus other on-board sound solutions, but the bottom line is that this should be more than sufficient for most uses. True audiophiles will want aftermarket sound regardless of what onboard is provided.

Even though we have come to expect tool less design, and the SD11G5 does not have it, installation, nonetheless, went smoothly. At times, we wonder whether tool less design is anything other than marketing hype. Sure, it is nice to put a computer together without a screw-driver, but does tool less vs. non-tool less really enter into your purchasing decision?

In sum, the interior is easy to work with and provides the appropriate options given the intended use of this computer.

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• External design... (1 of 5)
• Interior design... (2 of 5)
• Test bench setup, overclocking... (3 of 5)
• Benchmarks & cooling... (4 of 5)
• Conclusion (5 of 5)