Conclusion
It appears as if 200FSB compatibility has given the i845PE chipset a new lease of life. Don't get us wrong, there was very little that was poor about the 133FSB i845PE's performance, but as the benchmarks graphically show, a faster FSB and associated PC3200 memory put the i845PE 200FSB within touching distance of the Canterwood chipset. Hell, if we weren't privy to the actual benchmark scores posted by either chipset, there would be no discernable method of distinguishing between the two.
Shuttle have decided that a fully-featured i845PE 200FSB motherboard is not really the way to go on this occasion. The added features will bring the overall price perilously close to the imminent Springdale-based boards. Instead, the Shuttle AB48PN keeps some of the more useful features like 6-channel sound and 10/100 LAN, but sacrifices PCB-consuming add-ons like RAID and Firewire support. The end result is a motherboard that utilises considerably less PCB real estate than the conventional ATX board. Measuring 190mm across, the fitting in all the requisite components and extras has been done well. The board, although undeniably busy-looking, doesn't feel cramped or confined. Rather, the lack of PCB space has forced Shuttle to intelligently position power and drive connectors. It was easy to install and un-install from a midi-sized case.
Stability and performance were both excellent, even with no voltage adjustment and 200FSB operation. We would have liked just a little voltage adjustment, as the board seemed to be especially stringent on the pre-tested RAM. 200FSB usage only permitted DDR-400 and DDR-500 memory usage, so you'll need some decent RAM to get the most out of it. When tuned, though, it generally matched the impressive ABIT BH7's benchmarks.
Appreciating that the AB48PN is aimed at the budget-conscious user who wants 200FSB goodness at the lowest possible price, we feel it remiss of Shuttle not to bundle at least one 2-port USB2.0 cable. This inexpensive 'extra' would double the board's high-speed connection ability. A second ATA100/133 cable would not have gone unnoticed, either.
In summary, a stable, potentially fast motherboard that should appeal to system integrators and budget-orientated enthusiasts. A little voltage adjustment and a slightly better package would have made it that much more appealing.
Highs
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Runs at 200FSB (800FSB QDR) flawlessly
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Integrates a couple of decent features
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Board is well laid out for such a small CPB
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Should be cheap. £75 or so.
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Decent performance when tuned
Lows
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Accessories are a bit thin on the ground
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A little voltage adjustment would have been nice
Bottom line - it meets its design brief of a stable, cheap 200FSB platform.
