Scan 3XS Z77 FT03 Nanu review

£1314
Price when reviewed

We’re all for innovation when it comes to desktop PCs, so we’re pleased that Scan has stepped outside of the box with its 3XS Z77 FT03 Nanu. The key component of this machine is SilverStone’s FT03-Mini – a mini-ITX chassis that’s strong, stylish and looks good.

It’s a miniature version of the FT03, which we’ve seen a few times before and, while its dimensions have shrunk, there’s still plenty to like. It’s clad entirely in tactile, brushed-metal panels, with a small logo and ports beneath a plastic lattice at the top, and the build quality is admirable. The panels snap off with an easy tug but the entire case feels durable.

Scan 3XS Z77 FT03 Nanu

Crucially, this small-form-factor system is also much more compact than its nearest rival. Both the Overclockers Titan Prodigy Arctic and the Scan system are around 400mm tall, but the Scan is 189mm wide and 235mm deep – much smaller than the 250mm wide, 340mm deep Overclockers PC.

That doesn’t leave much room inside, but the combination of SilverStone’s intelligent design and Scan’s fastidious build quality pays off handsomely. The motherboard is attached to a side panel – the only panel that can’t be removed – and components are expertly slotted around the Asus P8Z77-I Deluxe motherboard. The graphics card occupies one side, and the slot-loading Blu-ray reader, hard disk and SSD are arranged vertically at the front of the case.

Scan 3XS Z77 FT03 Nanu

A small SilverStone power supply is screwed into the top of the case, with cables running through the middle of the machine. Cooling comes from a Corsair H60 water-cooling unit, which Scan has squeezed into the bottom of the chassis. Underneath this unit is the only fan in the whole enclosure – a 140mm unit that clips out of the enclosure for easy cleaning.

It’s a remarkable amount of hardware to cram into such a small space, but it has a caveat. Upgrade room is practically non-existent, with only one 2.5in drive bay vacant, and the motherboard’s single PCI Express x16 slot and two memory sockets are both occupied.

Warranty

Warranty3 yr return to base

Basic specifications

Total hard disk capacity2,120GB
RAM capacity8.00GB

Processor

CPU familyIntel Core i5
CPU nominal frequency3.40GHz
CPU overclocked frequency4.40GHz
Processor socketLGA 1155
HSF (heatsink-fan)Corsair H60

Motherboard

MotherboardAsus P8Z77-I Deluxe
Motherboard chipsetIntel Z77
Conventional PCI slots free0
Conventional PCI slots total0
PCI-E x16 slots free0
PCI-E x16 slots total1
PCI-E x1 slots free0
PCI-E x1 slots total0
Internal SATA connectors4
Wired adapter speed1,000Mbits/sec

Memory

Memory typeDDR3
Memory sockets free0
Memory sockets total2

Graphics card

Graphics cardNvidia GeForce GTX 660 Ti
Multiple SLI/CrossFire cards?no
3D performance settingHigh
Graphics chipsetNvidia GeForce GTX 660 Ti
Graphics card RAM1.00GB
DVI-I outputs2
HDMI outputs1
VGA (D-SUB) outputs0
DisplayPort outputs1
Number of graphics cards1

Hard disk

Hard diskCorsair Force 3 SSD
Capacity120GB
Hard disk usable capacity111GB
Internal disk interfaceSATA 6Gbit/s
Hard disk 2 make and modelSeagate Barracuda
Hard disk 2 nominal capacity2,000GB
Hard disk 2 formatted capacity1,810
Hard disk 2 spindle speed7,200RPM
Hard disk 2 cache size64MB

Drives

Optical disc technologyBlu-ray reader/DVD writer combo

Additional Peripherals

Sound cardRealtek HD Audio

Case

ChassisSilverstone FT03 Mini
Case formatSmall form-factor
Dimensions189 x 397 x 235mm (WDH)

Free drive bays

Free front panel 5.25in bays0

Rear ports

USB ports (downstream)4
eSATA ports2
PS/2 mouse portno
Electrical S/PDIF audio ports0
Optical S/PDIF audio output ports1
Modemno
3.5mm audio jacks3

Operating system and software

OS familyWindows 7

Noise and power

Idle power consumption74W
Peak power consumption254W

Performance tests

3D performance (crysis) low settings97fps
3D performance settingHigh
Overall Real World Benchmark score1.12
Responsiveness score1.05
Media score1.19
Multitasking score1.11

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