Which is the best value SFF AMD64 unit ?

[Nickysteveo]

Can anyone help me?
I want to move from my old desk top and would like to make my own sexy looking SFF, but I see that there are many to choose from, but which one is the best, and the best value for money.
Qbic, Bioteck Shuttle etc ?

I obviously want it to be reliable, made well, quiet, easy to upgrade and install, and I want it to be relatively future proof, hence want an AMD64 platform. I'm not a big gamer so don't necessarily want to overclock or need the best graphics and sound. I don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for the best if a better value SFF would suffice for.

So any suggestions?

[Rexticle]

In my opinion, I wouldn't get anything other than a Shuttle.
The SK83G would suffice as an entry level A64 with integrated graphics. If you want future proof (like that is possible) then I suggest you get the SN95G5.

[Nickysteveo]

Is the shuttle that much suppirior to its other SFF competitors, that it warrents such a higher price ?

[Gordy]

I'd get an sn95g5 tbh as its more future proof, being s939.

[Rqyteqto]

The SN95G5 is a great value, I certainly wouldn't go for anything not AMD socket 939. In that category, there's not a lot to choose from. There's also the consideration of PCIe, the now and coming thing. Unfortunately, the only offering with PCIe is Shuttle's SN25P, a new and untried rig but surely nice to dream about. There's also the coming ST20G5 that will be available in a couple of months. Can you wait? Should you wait?

If not, the SN95G5 is a sweet little box, a very sweet little box. I just love mine, best rig I've ever had in almost 15 years of computing.

[Pirate Pete]

didnt the new ati chipset shuttle come out today?

thats what im gonna buy, when it goes down in price a little from the 300 mark

Pete

[Gordy]

Its the first of the ati chipset shuttles but its bigger than the sn95g5 which may put you off.

[Rqyteqto]

I believe it was shown at CeBit but it will be a while before its actually available. The model number is ST20G and being its a G chassis, I don't believe it is bigger.

[Kef9]

I have just got the SN85G4 V3 and its great value and looks great. If you want value, get this and stick a 3400+ in it at 2.4 GHz. People who talk about an upgrade path are talking rubbish. AMD will bring out socket M2 (1207 pins) early next year so what are all these people with 939 going to do? Not to metion the move to the btx form factor. Anyone who buys a pc thinking seriously about the upgrade path IMHO is foolish. You need to buy what is the best value at the time and go with it.

Check out this article and think about the fact that a 3400+ is £140 and a 3500+ is £180 and the fact that the G4 is around £35 cheaper than the G5.

http://www.behardware.com/articles/531/page7.html

Conclusion youve got a faster system and its £75 cheaper. £75 which could be spent on a better graphics card, sound etc.