The new DS61 mini-PC from Shuttle sports quite small dimensions (190x165x43mm / LWH) and is shipped with the VESA mount preinstalled. The unit supports both Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge processors, but only the models that do not exceed the specified power envelope, which is 65W.

The CPU cooler is preinstalled and comes with a dual-heatpipe system for a more efficient heat evacuation and the top surface is ventilated by two fans, both connected from the same header on the motherboard. We can mount up to 16GB of RAM onto the motherboard and for storage we can have a 2.5’’ HDD or SSD, with a maximum height of 12.7mm. Additional storage can be mounted on the provided mini-PCIe slot, but we can also use this for installing a WiFi card. Audio signal can be offered through the analog ports or via the HDMI connector in the back. The device is also equipped with a card reader, which is compatible with SD, SDHC and SDXC memory flash cards. Dual LAN is also available for load balancing or maximum availability via failover. Only two USB 2.0 ports are available, which makes OS installation a little difficult since most Windows kits do not have drivers for the USB 3.0 ports in the back; however, this problem should be solved by using an USB powered hub.

The overall system performance is also dictated by the CPU which we will install into the unit so we must choose wisely, depending on the activity the small computer will have to perform. In the performed tests, we pitted the small system with the Viako Mini Letter ML55, which had an i3 2100 CPU preinstalled; if we would have installed the same processor inside the DS61 Shuttle Barebone, the system performances would have been identical.

As a barebone, the Shuttle DS61 can be found online for about 175 Euros, which we think that it’s fair for what it is offered.

Shuttle DS61 Barebone is Recommended For:

I would like to thank again to Shuttle Europe for sending the test sample!