Shuttle KPC K-4800 review: Shuttle KPC K-4800

We'll refer you to our review of the KPC K-4500 for the ins and outs of this model's Foresight Linux operating system. This prebuilt, easy-to-use operating system is common to both models, and remains largely unchanged in the K-4800. Instead, the biggest difference between this model and the last is its hardware. By opting for a larger case with the K-4800, Shuttle has expanded the available hardware options. The price has also gone up correspondingly, which is the chief problem.

Our review unit represents the K-4800's base configuration, which is only barely different than the KPC K-4500. The biggest changes include an extra 512MB of RAM, for 1GB total, and the DVD/CD-RW optical drive. To Shuttle's credit, the codec for playing DVD movies came preinstalled on this system, we had to download it separately on the K-4500. The K-4800's resulting standard definition movie playback was perfectly acceptable, giving this system some basic capability as a home entertainment PC.

The other added hardware, while an improvement from the K-4500, is underwhelming compared with budget-priced Windows systems like those from eMachines. Both of eMachines current $299 PCs come with 160GB hard drives and dual-layer DVD burners. Better, the eMachines E1161-01 also supports 7.1 audio output and also includes a media card reader. Even if you're adamantly anti-Microsoft, you would still get a better deal with eMachines from a pure hardware standpoint, and you can always wipe Windows and install the Linux operating system of your choice. The Shuttle's lone advantage is that you can configure it with a wireless networking card, but for an extra $55.

As before, we don't think any reasonable shopper would look to sub-$300 computers with performance in mind. That said, we still find these systems worth testing, on the grounds that even if the price and your expectations are low, you might as well get the fastest computer you can.

We've updated our Linux tests since the K-4500 review, so we aren't able to compare that model with these, but the scaling between the Linux and Windows systems remained roughly the same. On the JAlbum test, in which we create a simple photo album, the Windows-based eMachines W3653 outperformed the Shuttle by a large margin. However, when converting 19 WAV files to MP3s, the Shuttle system showed a surprising advantage. The gap is less significant than on the JAlbum test, so overall we think the eMachines is the better bet, but perhaps if you have this Shuttle system in mind for a cheap audio converter, it would make sense.

If you have a mind to expand the Shuttle's hardware, your options are extremely limited. You don't get any expansion card slots, only two memory slots, and no front panel bays aside from the singe optical drive opening, which is already occupied. The integrated Intel GMA 950 chip isn't powerful enough to handle HD video, so we wouldn't recommend popping a Blu-ray drive into this system. You can add a second hard drive, but Shuttle doesn't offer a secondary drive on its configurator.

Finally, Shuttle's support also keeps this system best left to those who know what they're doing with Linux and PC hardware in general. The standard warranty covers the hardware for a year after purchase, and Shuttle says its own support staff has basic capabilities with this operating system, but in general it intends to rely on the Linux community to provide help to those who need it. Hope you're handy with Google.

Find out more about how we test desktop systems.

System configurations:

Shuttle KPC K-4800
Foresight Linux; 1.8GHz Intel Celeron D 430; 1GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 224MB (shared) Intel GMA 950 graphics chip; 80GB 7,200rpm Seagate hard drive.

eMachines W3653
Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit; 1.6GHz Intel Celeron E1200; 1GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 32MB (shared) Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics chip; 320GB, 7,200rpm Western Digital hard drive