Want to build small form factor Plex server with some Steam capabilities

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Nelluk

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Jan 17, 2014
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10,510
This will be my first build and first post, so sorry in advance for my screw-ups!

My priority is for a small form factor and quiet machine. The main ability is to act as a Plex server, which has very low hardware requirements. But a friend sold me on the new AMD A10 Kaveri APU, which looks powerful enough to do some respectable Steam Big Picture gaming without a GPU.

I'd like one 3.5" drive for mass storage and one 2.5" drive for the system.

Budget: $300-600
OS: Windows 7 (already own)
Requirements: Small and quiet are my main priority. If small sacrifices there will really make a difference elsewhere, I'm open-minded.
HDMI out, optical audio out would be a nice (it is in the motherboard I link below)
No monitor
I do not think I need a blu-ray or DVD drive.

This build from another thread is similar to what I had in mind, except for the case:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2CDgN

Except I'd probably go for the A10-7850k:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113359

 
Solution
Transmaniacon
The discrete GPU will be better for gaming hands down. While the GPU would use more power, the Intel CPU uses less than the APU so it's really a wash in the end.

You could look at the Antec ISK cases if you want something small, but then you can not add a GPU.

Another option for you, if you don't need to game, you could get a $100 Roku 3 and use it to stream PLEX. It works great and you won't be able to get anything nearly as compact.
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Transmaniacon

Transmaniacon

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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A10-6800K 4.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($139.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A88XN-WIFI Mini ITX FM2+ Motherboard ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($88.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($43.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: Antec EarthWatts Green 380W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($47.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $565.90
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-17 08:50 EST-0500)

Something like this would work well. The APUs benefit from fast memory, which is why I spent a little more there. The WD Blue is the quiet version, and you may want to consider an aftermarket silent CPU cooler.

For cases, if you want something that looks like home theater electronics, go for the Silverstone ML04B instead.
 
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N

Nelluk

Honorable
Jan 17, 2014
15
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10,510
Thank you for the ideas.

I've been looking at cases all day. It looks like that Cooler Master Elite is about as small as you can get in the Mini-ITX category.

I put together two builds very similar to yours, one using the AMD A10 APU, and one using an Intel Celeron with a Radeon HD 7770 (which is highly recommended in January's video card list). The price is almost identical.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Pentium G3220 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($62.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($110.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($62.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial M500 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($84.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7770 2GB Video Card ($125.91 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case ($49.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $576.84
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-17 13:03 EST-0500)



and



PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A10-6700 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A88XN-WIFI Mini ITX FM2+ Motherboard ($89.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($82.05 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Crucial M500 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($84.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case ($49.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $576.98
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-17 13:03 EST-0500)



Is there any big trade-off between the two I should be aware of? My instinct says that the Intel build will be better for gaming but that comes at the higher power usage with a discrete GPU. Is that basically the difference?


I had been hoping for an even smaller case but I don't think such a thing is practical. I was looking at the MiniBox M350 micro-enclosure, but I think the A10 would be too hot for that.
 
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Transmaniacon

Transmaniacon

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The discrete GPU will be better for gaming hands down. While the GPU would use more power, the Intel CPU uses less than the APU so it's really a wash in the end.

You could look at the Antec ISK cases if you want something small, but then you can not add a GPU.

Another option for you, if you don't need to game, you could get a $100 Roku 3 and use it to stream PLEX. It works great and you won't be able to get anything nearly as compact.
 
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Solution
N

Nelluk

Honorable
Jan 17, 2014
15
0
10,510
I will check out those cases.

I already have a Roku, the majority of my video watching will be streaming from the machine I build to Roku/Plex.
But if I want to be able to use this thing as a Steam Big Picture gaming machine, then it will need to be near the entertainment system, where space is at a premium.



 
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