Shuttle SB86i

The SB86i is Shuttle's first BTX case, adopting Intel's new design for controlling airflow within the PC. The idea behind the standard is that as processors become more powerful, these cases allow for more efficient and quieter cooling.

Available from the end of February, the SB86i we reviewed is a smart looking aluminium case. However, its white or black fascia panel comes with a curved upper lip that detracts from the overall appearance.

It's also one of the heaviest small form factor cases we have encountered and the reason became clear when we took the innards apart - the cooling unit weighs a whopping 1.25kg. Being BTX, the cooling unit's fan sucks in cool external air from the front, which then flows over and under the motherboard.

The motherboard uses Intel's 915G chipset and is Socket 775, so will take the latest Pentium or Celeron D processors. It has spare PCI and PCI Express slots, and can take two sticks of DDR400 memory. This leaves little room for expansion, but with integrated 7.1 audio you'll only really need to add a graphics card.

The case can handle two hard drives for Raid setup, which slot in neatly at the top of the case. There are also four USB2 split between the front and back of the case, an eight-in-one memory card reader and a slot for an optical drive.

It was easy to take the unit apart and, although there's little space inside, the logical layout makes it simple to add in extras. The main instruction booklets are clear and anyone using them to build their own PC will have little problem following them - the installation guide takes you from disassembly through adding extra components to completion.

Contact:
Shuttle
www.shuttle.com

Specifications:

• Socket 775 for 533/800 FSB Pentium 4 or Celeron D
• Intel 915G/ICH6R chipsets
• 2 DDR400 memory slots
• 16x PCI Express & PCI graphics slots
• 7.1 sound
• 4 USB2, 2 Firewire, 2 PS/2, 2 S/PDIF out, 1 S/PDIF in, Ethernet, 8-in-1 card reader
• 275w power supply
• 240 x 375 x 195mm (w x d x h)