Shuttle SZ68R5 Review

Some questions regarding drives though. I take it the optical drive setup is the standard "tray opens the flush fit/spring loaded door" effort? How do you think a slim optical would shape up in there maybe with the sping loaded door removed and a slot loading slim fitted flush with a fresh bit of black aluminium plate cut to fit/match?

Yes the DVD bay setup is standard shuttle. I would think that the conversion for a slim drive would be complex and spoil the look of the front... My personal view would be to go for an external USB powered slim dvd drive which u just plug in as needed.
 
Hi guys,

I've in my hands an Shuttle Sz68R5 with Intel i7-2600K and last bios 1.05

I added an other fan to better cooling, and push rpm in I.C.E. from bios.
This CPU works in other mainboard over 5 GHz.

I tried to overclock CPU and testing with prime95, first to 4 GHz and after 4.5 GHz, but to 4 GHz CPU starts to 40x but drops up to 3.7 GHz in maximum test, and after push to 40x.

It's a Thermal Throttling problem, in this bios I notice isn't possible change Watt power but I checked in BIOS the following option:

Power Limit 1 Value (1/8 watt), default 520
Power Limit 2 Value (1/8 watt), default 650

I increased about 960 (120W x 8) but the problem is the same.

I see this screen:
http://www.motormice.com/reviews/SZ68R5/reviewImages/image069.jpg

in this screen, there is a power technology setting, but in my bios this setting is no displayed. I downgraded to 1.04 but in this case the setting does not exist.

Congratulations on getting one :)

With regards the throttling... Its not temperature based, its all to do with power. I also found that the Power Limit values don't help in the Bios. If you read my comments on overclocking in the review you will see that I found a hidden bios setting which sets the maximum power the CPU can draw. Unless you change that it will keep throttling as the CPU uses more power.

Unfortunatly all my attempts to get Shuttle to allow us to change this setting in the standard Bios have been ignored so far... The only way is to modify the bios and enable this function.
 
For anyone looking to mod the Bios I provide the following information, but you use it
at your own risk, if you mess up you may damage your Bios or machine.

I use AMIBCP version 4.53 to alter the Shuttle bios file. I have done this same process on 1.04 and 1.05. The only thing to note is that on 1.05 when I flash the machine will only display via the pci-e slot by default (not the intergrated)... not sure why, but just in case if using 1.05 and doing this ensure that you have a pci-e graphics card available in case the same happens for you.

Basically using AMIBCP you can alter the access to certain menu items. This does not work for all as it depends what is actually wired up.

In the Advanced > CPU Configuration section you will find an entry for Long Duration Power Limit. Simply change the Access from Default to User (I think this is the one that we want, but if you change from Factory TDC Limit down you will be sure to get the right one). Once the bios file is saved and flashed you should find the additional setting in your bios as per my photos.

Alter the Long Duration power limit - it defaults to 95w (displayed as 0), type in the value in watts that you want to allow the CPU to draw as a maximum before it will throttle (Remember this will increase heat significantly on both the CPU and VRM's)
I have mine set to 120w which seems plenty for 4.8GHz

AMI Bios.png


DSC05771.JPG


DSC05772.JPG


Hope this helps... but please, remember you use this guide at you own risk.
 
Last edited:
Can anyone tell me whether this case excepts m-ITX boards. I'm just interested for future-proofing purchases, although it's not a deal breaker. There was an argument earlier on that it couldn't, but then I found this line in a review:-

'...and this motherboard is no different being longer and wider than Mini-ITX. Great news for anyone looking to upgrade though, this machine is designed to accept a standard Mini-ITX motherboard as an alternative. There are two additional screw holes that can be populated with motherboard risers for the narrower Mini-ITX board.'

Review: http://www.motormice.com/reviews/SZ68R5/settingup.htm

Yes it can 100% take m-ITX motherboards. Shuttle have confirmed this to me and shown me photos of how it fits.
 
The 680 is wonderful in the Shuttle.

Its much cooler and quieter that the 570 also about 1cm shorter and the Power cables are a little lower.

Performance is awsome.

An expensive upgrade, but superb
 
The SZ77R5 is already available in Canada it seems. It is around £240 excluding tax over there.

More information about the system:

http://data.shuttle.eu/CeBIT/en_sz77r5.html

It seems the SZ68R5 might be a short lived model.

There were sites claiming to have SZ68R5's over a month before it really hit, they tend to jump the gun somewhat. It will be Late April / May by the time we really see them arrive.

The SZ77R5 is not much different really, same VRM, case and layout... just the Z77 chip instead of the Z68, which will be nice to have. I expect the SZ68R5 will drop in value a bit and the Z77 will take over at arround the £300 mark
 
Hmmm do I cancel and wait for sz77 .....

If you are going to keep the machine for quite a while I would not worry about Z77 over Z68. The Z68 will support Ivy Bridge and as I say, there really is no difference between the chipsets really.
You could be waiting and waiting if you delay for the Z77 and then something else will be just around the corner, so you will end up waiting forever.
 
Yeah I guess your right, thing is I like the look of it and as its mobo is upgradable I could always just buy a z77itx or something else, ah stuff it, ill be waiting for ever like you say :)

I'm also going to keep the pressure on Shuttle to supply motherboard upgrades at a reasonable price. So it maybe that you will be able to upgrade the Z68 motherboard to a Z77 in the near future without needing to buy a new case, PSU and heatsink.
 
BTW,the site which advertised the SZ77R5 is NCIX which is one of the biggest computer parts retailers in Canada.

Even Crucial is starting to list compatible memory on their website. The SZ77R5 is being released soon it seems.

Waiting a few weeks makes more sense than wasting money down the line on a new motherboard.

Its a difficult call... but i would just add that Shuttle have not shipped the SZ77's yet and actually the Z77 chipset is not even launched until mid April. So they may be advertising it, but they wont have stock for a while. Also remember that the UK did not get stock of the SZ68 until quite late and its only just come down in price. So actually to get an SZ77 at under £300 will probably not happen until June.

I also ask, what does SZ77 give that SZ68 does not?
 
My only slight concern is how noisy it might be, ive got a spare fractal 92mm fan I will probably use, and my 570 will probably get a little noisy being a twin frozr iii type in a case with little airflow, whats the psu like noise wise?

PSU noise is non existant :)
Fan upgrade would be worthwhile.
Can't really comment on the GPU as i don't know the cooler.
 
Right its arrived, and im happy with it other than the fact it is running my ram at 1333 and there is no option to change it?

I'm putting pressure on Shuttle over this. They said they would be adding mem adjustment in the bios back in january and its still not there :(

Personally. 2x4GB sticks works fine and is seen at 1600MHz while 4x4GB sticks is only picked up at 1333MHz

I must say, however, that the performance difference between the 2 is really tiny.

I just brought 16GB of the 30nm Samsung ram that should clock well, so i'm really keen for a bios that lets me use it.
 
Just put my Samsungs in and all 16GB is at 1600MHz :)
Although SPD is CAS 11 :( and again I cant alter as it will do much better.
These things are tiny. The ram sticks dont even come up above the ram clips LOL
 
Back
Top Bottom