If Shuttle can provide mini-ITX support for their cheaper SFF systems,then why not the high end ones like this case??
I am a massive Shuttle fan,but I am not going to look at their actions through rose-tinted glasses too.
The market has changed unlike, even in the time when I assembled my SF37P2 based computer.
The higher end Shuttle SFF PCs are expensive for what they offer now(if you consider the lack of upgradeability) and even if you look at the motherboard in SZ68R5, it seems basic for a Z68 motherboard - probably fine for an H67 one. A 4 phase VRM is probably OKish,but open chokes and only a 4 pin ATX power connector?? I have only seen open chokes on sub £50 socket 1155 mATX motherboards and usually OEM ones at that too. Intel used to have them on their reference motherboards have now moved away from using them.
They seriously need to get off their backsides and improve BIOS development too.
In the past this was fine as the competition was non-existent. It is not the case now. It is a shame as they make lovely cases IMHO.
On top of this you have ZERO upgrade paths making most Shuttles a one shot disposable system. I can put up with the limitations of their motherboards but this is not an excuse any more.
Do Shuttle sell you motherboards as an upgrade cycle?? Can I get a Haswell(or whatever Intel has at the time) compatible motherboard for the SZ68R5 in two to three years??No.
The next best thing is mini-ITX compatibility,but they gimp this on the high end systems too!
Shuttle keeps making noises(official ones) about selling the motherboards and even the cases and PSUs but nothing ever happens.
So basically the WHOLE system is a dead end. You have a lovely case and a decent SFF 300W or 500W PSU which essentially you will need to chuck away if you want to get a new Shuttle system. For the higher end systems which cost £300 to £350,that means chucking away around £200 to £250 of case and PSU away.
Even if your newish system is outside the warranty and the motherboard dies,you will be lucky to even find a replacement motherboard,and even then they charge so much it might make more sense to get just another Shuttle system(or not).
You basically are buying another case and another PSU again. In most instances the newer case and PSU are probably similar too.
In 2007 Shuttle made noises about selling motherboards:
http://www.techspot.com/news/25531-shuttle-to-sell-standalone-xpc-motherboards.html
That never materialised.
They then say the market for their motherboards is too small nearly 4 years later. Fair enough. They add mini-ITX support to the steel J1,J2 and J3 series. They then find a way to do it with the all-aluminium R4 series but then decide it is not possible for the newer Z5 series.
Have a look at this interview last year:
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/pcs/2011/02/24/shuttle-talks-shop-and-previews-its-sh67h3/1
"However, this conversation did lead onto the exclusive revelation that Shuttle will be launching a series of standard mini-ITX bare chassis. This is a clever move, because current mini-ITX cases are often too expensive or lacking in aesthetic appeal, and Shuttle's XPC designs are consistently some of the best out there. Shuttle explained that these cases will all feature space for a dual PCI-E, and will likely come pre-fitted with its 250W, 300W and 500W PSUs, the latter of which is 80Plus Bronze certified."
So,if they are developing mini-ITX compatible Shuttle cases,using their existing SFF PSUs,why does the new high end range not have mini-ITX support??
However,its been a year now and I guess that there is a good chance we won't see the mini-ITX compatible cases now!!
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