Shuttle XS35GTA v3 review
4. Final thoughts
With the Radeon HD7410M chipset onboard ensuring playback of HD content and Blu-ray movies, the Shuttle XS35GTA v3 is a complete mini PC and a great solution for your entertainment placed in your living room (HTPC). That's something was not possible with the Intel 3650 IGP graphics processor typically found in other Atom-based boxes.
The device is lightweight, space saving and well-built, while it will remain completely silent as long as you choose to install an SSD drive instead of a HDD. Combined with 4GB of DDR3 RAM, this box can also cover most of your office needs as well.
If we had to complain about something, that would be for the extra cost required for a VESA mount and the lack of USB3.0 ports. The retail price of this barebone reaches the €233 exc. VAT, but reports say that this product can be also found online for €10 less , VAT included! Since the Shuttle XS35GTA v3 is barebone, you'll have to bear some extra cost for SO-DIMM memory (2x2GB ~ €25) and a fast SSD (Crucial v4 128GB ~ €95, OCZ Vertex 4 128GB ~ €120). So the total cost for the complete system would be €350 (without OS), reaching the typical price of competitive mini PC boxes . The extra advantage of the the Shuttle XS35GTA v3 is its fast Radeon HD7410M GPU along with the Intel D2700 CPU, both making a winning combination.
If you are looking for a total silent mini PC with enough horsepower to playback your Blu-Ray movies, the Shuttle XS35GTA v3 could easily be your choice.
Positive
+ Noiseless operation (when paired with an SSD)
+ Intel Atom D2700 has enough process power for most office/video needs
+ Included Radeon HD7410M has enough power to support DX9 titles
+ Supports Blu-Ray playback
+ Option to take slim line ODD or an extra HDD/SDD (with extra adapter)
+ Radeon HD7410M provides HDMI & VGA simultaneous display
+ 5x USB2.0 ports
+ 1Gbit LAN Port and Wifi b/g/n adapter included
+ Low power consumption and 24/7 guaranteed operation (placed on the vertical stand)
Negative
- No USB3.0 ports
- Extra costs for VESA mount + second HDD/SDD adapter
- Lack of memory/HDD/Operating system