Shuttle rolls XPC Prima with Intel X38, dual PCIe

Shuttle this afternoon added to its barebones systems with the Prima SX38P2. The new case design is based on Intel's X38 Express chipset and not only supports the latest CPUs with a 1,333MHz bus but also includes an Intel-made utility that eases overclocking for knowledgeable gamers. It also makes room for two newer-generation, PCI Express 2.0 slots with the full X16 bandwidth and support for pairing up two ATI Radeon video cards in CrossFire mode. Up to 8GB of memory can be loaded into the system despite its small size, Shuttle adds. Builders can fit as little as a Celeron 400-series CPU but scale up to Core 2 Extreme and Core 2 Quad processors.

The system comes with a 400-watt power supply that can handle most power loads, and comes with the company's OASIS passive cooling system that uses heatsinks rather than fans. Overclocked processors will run well with OASIS in the small confines of the case, Shuttle claims. Pricing is unlisted for the Prima, though it should be available in the US shortly at resellers that specialize in custom PCs.