In the spotlight today is Shuttle’s SFF NC01U which is a mini-PC which utilises 0.5 litres of volume and is backed by the Intel Core i5-5200 (Broadwell) processor.
Product on Review: NC01U Mini-PC
Manufacturer & Sponsor: Shuttle
Street Price: £300 GBP / $445 USD
Shuttle has been producing small form factor (SFF) PCs for over 30 years and are therefore regarded as specialists in this designated field. Their portfolio is packed with an abundance of products which span many Intel and AMD socket generations.
Demand for the humble mini-PC has risen in recent years as more and more consumers transform their living rooms into home-entertainment arenas. The Mini-PC is able to allow users to access view movies, play music, showcase photo slideshows and much more. Today, in our first outing with Shuttle we’re to examine a system which is based around Intel’s Broadwell architecture.
In the spotlight today is the Shuttle NC01U5 – a mini-PC which sits within the XPC Nano series. Not only is this system available in an assortment of CPUs but it also supports DDR3L, M.2 and SATA-based SSDs and wireless connectivity via 802.11ac. Is this the ideal companion for the home-entertainment space? Let’s find out!
Shuttle on their NC01U5
Shuttle XPC, the world’s famous Mini PC, launches a brand new SFF to create a volume of only 0.5-liter super mini PC called XPC nano. This series has elegant and stunning outlook to make it easy fit anywhere at home or office use. XPC nano is introducing NC01U series, which provides different CPU options: Intel® Celeron®, and Core™ i3/i5/i7 as well as supports DDR3L-1600 low-voltage memory. NC01U3/U5/U7 equipped with Core ™ i3/i5/i7 can support 4K / Ultra HD video playback, providing stunning visual experience. The series features diverse I/O ports for great connectivity, including USB2.0, USB3.0, RS232, SATA 6G, M.2, and Intel® Gigabit LAN as well as 802.11 ac/b/g/n high-speed networks. The NC01U series has one unique extension design to provide users a variety of choices by adding a docking station. Whether for seamless desktop performance to run an efficient office or to play 4K video (except for NC01U) for multimedia, XPC nano is your perfect choice.
Technical Specifications
Below are the technical specifications supplied directly by Shuttle:
FORM FACTOR
Shuttle 0.57L Form Factor
PROCESSOR
Intel Celeron 3205U Processor,
Optional support i3-5005U, i5-5200U, i7-5500U
MEMORY
2 x 204 pin DDR3L SODIMM slots, 8GB per DIMM (Max 16GB)
Dual Channel DDR3L 1333/1600 Mhz
VGA
Intel® HD Graphics
AUDIO
Realtek ALC269 HD Audio
ETHERNET
Intel I218LM support 10/100/1000Mbs
Built in Wireless 802.11 b/g/n/ac with Bluetooth 4.0 combo
STORAGE INTERFACE
Support SATA 6.0Gb/s bandwidth
FRONT PANEL
(1)Power button
(1)Power LED
(1)HDD LED
(2)USB 3.0
(1)SD cardreader
BACK PANEL
(1)HDMI
(1)mini DisplayPort
(2)USB 2.0
(1)Ethernet
(1)DC-in Jack
(1)Headphone+Mic in combo jack
(1)RS232
(1)Kensington Lock
DRIVE BAYS
(1)2.5″ 7mm HDD / SSD
DIMENSIONS
141(L) x 141(W) x 29(H) mm
POWER
Automatics Voltage adjustment between 100 and 240VAC 50/60Hz
65 Watts (19V/3.42A), 2 pin
ACCESSORIES
Quickguide
DVD driver
VESA mount
Stand
Power adapter and cord
EXPANSION SLOT
M.2 2230 AE key
M.2 2242 M key (SATA interface only)
2.5″ 7mm SATA
OS SUPPORT
Windows 7
Windows 8.1
Windows 10
Linux
Shuttle 0.57L Form Factor
PROCESSOR
Intel Celeron 3205U Processor,
Optional support i3-5005U, i5-5200U, i7-5500U
MEMORY
2 x 204 pin DDR3L SODIMM slots, 8GB per DIMM (Max 16GB)
Dual Channel DDR3L 1333/1600 Mhz
VGA
Intel® HD Graphics
AUDIO
Realtek ALC269 HD Audio
ETHERNET
Intel I218LM support 10/100/1000Mbs
Built in Wireless 802.11 b/g/n/ac with Bluetooth 4.0 combo
STORAGE INTERFACE
Support SATA 6.0Gb/s bandwidth
FRONT PANEL
(1)Power button
(1)Power LED
(1)HDD LED
(2)USB 3.0
(1)SD cardreader
BACK PANEL
(1)HDMI
(1)mini DisplayPort
(2)USB 2.0
(1)Ethernet
(1)DC-in Jack
(1)Headphone+Mic in combo jack
(1)RS232
(1)Kensington Lock
DRIVE BAYS
(1)2.5″ 7mm HDD / SSD
DIMENSIONS
141(L) x 141(W) x 29(H) mm
POWER
Automatics Voltage adjustment between 100 and 240VAC 50/60Hz
65 Watts (19V/3.42A), 2 pin
ACCESSORIES
Quickguide
DVD driver
VESA mount
Stand
Power adapter and cord
EXPANSION SLOT
M.2 2230 AE key
M.2 2242 M key (SATA interface only)
2.5″ 7mm SATA
OS SUPPORT
Windows 7
Windows 8.1
Windows 10
Linux
Unboxing & Closer Look Video
For this review we’ve produced a video which reveals the packaging, bundle and a close, detailed overview of NC01U5. Please check out the video below for a comprehensive look at this new product:
Benchmarks: Temperatures
For our first benchmark test we observe the max. CPU/GPU temperatures of the system during 3DMark. To report back on the temperatures we use RealTemp which provides the peak figures.
Benchmarks: Power Consumption
In this test we monitor the total power draw observing the total wattage from the wall while the system is running 3DMark
Benchmarks: Cinebench R15 & x264 HD
CINEBENCH can measure systems with up to 64 processor threads. This test scene contains approximately 2,000 objects which in turn contain more than 300,000 polygons in total, and uses sharp and blurred reflections, area lights, shadows, procedural shaders, antialiasing, and much more. The result is displayed in points (pts). The higher the number, the faster your processor is.
Benchmarks: PCMark 8
PCMark 8 combines performance benchmarking with battery life measurement and includes tests based on popular Adobe and Microsoft applications. Whether you are looking for long battery life, or maximum power, PCMark 8 will help you find the devices that offer the perfect combination of efficiency and performance for your needs. It’s the complete PC performance benchmark for home and business.
Benchmarks: 3DMark & Heaven 4.0
The new 3DMark includes everything you need to benchmark your hardware. With three all new tests you can bench everything from smartphones and tablets, to notebooks and home PCs, to the latest high-end, multi-GPU gaming desktops. And it’s not just for Windows. With 3DMark you can compare your scores with Android and iOS devices too. It’s the most powerful and flexible 3DMark we’ve ever created.
Benchmarks: DIRT Rally & Minecraft Story Mode
The NC01U5 uses integrated graphics via Intel Graphics HD 5500, in this section we test the latest gaming titles to see how effective the 3D capabilities are. We report on the average framerate using FRAPS.
Conclusion
With this being our first look at any Shuttle products we were rather intrigued and excited as to what we’d discover. Shuttle has a solid reputation in the world of SFF and we can understand why this is the case.
The NC01U5 is a well-built mini-PC which has a small footprint thanks to its chassis and inner components. Due to the physical dimensions and weight of this unit, fitting it into tight spaces or even transporting it won’t be an issue at all.
Some may question Shuttle’s decision to opt for an Intel Broadwell-based system over Skylake – well the NC01U was released before Skylake mobile CPUs hit the scene. It’s also worth noting that DDR3L is much easier to source in the SODIMM variety and will be much cheaper to supply. Both Broadwell and Skylake use the same 14nm process and there isn’t a huge gulf in performance difference anyway. Shuttle do provide consumers with the option to utilise a number of different processors, ranging from the Celeron, to the Core i7.
In our experience with the NC01U, we found the unit very easy to access to install the necessary hardware as we’ve shown in the below video. It’s great to see both M.2 and SATA-based storage being implemented within the system as this gives plenty of flexibility. Given the layout and options, it would be wise decision to use an M.2 as the primary operating system drive and use a larger capacity SSD for the bulk of storage.
Areas which could be improved are the fact this unit lacks the infrared capabilities – whilst not all users will be using a controller, having the option to use one is invaluable for multimedia control. The unit also produces quite a bit if noise once the fan is spinning at full speed; this may be irritating to some users especially if the activities they’re engaging in are low-volume.
Priced at £300 GBP / $445 USD – the NC01U5 arrives with the Intel Core i5-5200U. There are cheaper options to go with, such as the inexpensive Celeron configuration which sits at just £100. The model we’ve looked at today with the Intel Broadwell chip is a good value for money option for good all-round performance.
With its sleek and compact exterior the Shuttle NC01U5 is able to handle everyday tasks with ease and is the ideal accompaniment for any home-entertainment system.
VIDEO REVIEW – VORTEZ TV
Pros
+ Compact & portable
+ Great multimedia system
+ Lightweight
+ Stylish design
+ Low power consumption
+ Good placement for functionality
+ Easy to install/upgrade hardware
+ M.2 and SATA functionality
Cons
– Lacks Infrared for use with controller
– Noisy under load
– Marks easily
+ Compact & portable
+ Great multimedia system
+ Lightweight
+ Stylish design
+ Low power consumption
+ Good placement for functionality
+ Easy to install/upgrade hardware
+ M.2 and SATA functionality
Cons
– Lacks Infrared for use with controller
– Noisy under load
– Marks easily
Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
