Taiwanese computer manufacturer Shuttle Inc. has launched its first small form-factor PC that supports Intel Corp.’s dual-core and 64-bit processors.
The Shuttle XPC Barebone SD31P, introduced Tuesday, features the Intel 945G Express chipset and is the first small form factor PC to support the chipmaker’s 64-bit technology, according to Shuttle spokesman Sebastien Messier.
Shuttle has already launched small form factor PCs with Advanced Micro Devices Inc.’s (AMD) Athlon 64 chips and hopes to see fresh interest in the Intel-based model, Messier said.
The company hopes to attract gamers and other high-end users who need additional computing power to support graphics and multitasking. The new PC is also designed to appear sleeker than a regular desktop computer, coming in at one-third of the typical size. It is 32.5 centimetres wide, 22cm deep and 21cm high, Messier said.
The Barebone SD31P has faster memory channels and more storage than previous small form factor models and comes with new high-definition audio, Shuttle said. Gamers may be interested in the inclusion of Intel’s tweaked Graphics Media Accelerator 950, which improves 2D and 3D DirectX 9 performance and increases game speed, it added. Noise levels and cooling have also been improved.
The Barebone SD31P will be available worldwide in July with a suggested retail price of US$449.
Shuttle sold around 700,000 small form factor PCs last year and expects to reach 800,000 this year, Messier said.
