Final Verdict

Once again Shuttle is the first to come out with an SFF for a new platform, and does this very well. Reusing its newest P2 chassis, Shuttle has created an SFF that provides performance equal to the largest motherboards. Shuttle’s new SD37P2 is also the only SFF to support Core 2 CPUs and is also first to support Crossfire.

This new XPC follows Shuttle’s superior way of making SFFs. It is sleek on the outside, well organized and managed on the inside, and packs strong performance without a hitch. We did not encounter any stability or compatibility issues either.

There are a few tradeoffs Shuttle has implemented however. While the SD37P2 is fully CrossFire-ready, the motherboard itself lacks enough space to run two dual-slot graphics cards like ATI’s Radeon X1900 XTX and X1950 XTX. You can run one dual-slot card as we did in this review, but there just isn’t enough space for two. Therefore if CrossFire is a feature that interests you, you’ll be limited to single-slot cards like the Radeon X1950 Pro.

Another drawback to the SD37P2 is that it lacks a PCI slot for expansion: if you want to add a TV tuner or sound card, you’re forced to go the PCI Express route or use an external solution.

If neither of these limitations is important to you, the SD37P2 has more than enough to appeal. The SD37P2 packs quite a bit of performance into its diminutive chassis, all while running quietly. If you’re looking to build a good gaming rig for use alongside your HDTV, the SD37P2 would be a good choice. Prospective media PC users who don’t need high-end graphics may want to wait for a G965 Shuttle system however, particularly if you planned on using a PCI-based TV tuner.