- May 4, 2011
- 7
- 0
- 18,510
Getting ready to build a Kaby Lake HTPC/home system, looking to see if anyone has any advice or recommendations based upon the build I've assembled below:
Purchase Date: Over the next 2-3 weeks.
Budget Range: Looking to keep it in the ~$500-700 range, can stretch it if needed.
System Usage from Most to Least Important: 1080p/4k streaming to TV, centralized network storage, photoshop, web browsing, potentially future gaming.
Are you buying a monitor: No - Streaming to Sharp LC-50N7000U 50" 4K TV and/or Toshiba Regza 54" 1080p TV. Potentially purchasing a monitor later.
Do you need to buy OS: No
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Amazon, Newegg
Location: City, State/Region, Country - New York, NY
Parts Preferences: See below
Overclocking: Maybe
SLI or Crossfire: Maybe
Your Monitor Resolution: 4k UHD and 1080p
Additional Comments:
System is going to be primarily used for streaming stored media (HD/4k) to my 4k TV in my bedroom + 1080p TV in the living room. Looking to centralize and share my storage across my network (accessible by laptop, ipads, phones, etc), photoshopping, web browsing, etc. I had originally looked at Android TV boxes but decided to go ahead and build a system that I can use alongside my laptop (custom Sager i7 Sandy Bridge).
I've got like 2 2.5" SSD's (Intel 520 120GBs SATA 6) and a couple 3.5" HDD's (1TB & 500GB 7200RPM - Not positive if they're SATA II or III), along with like 4 portable HDD's - 1 USB 3.0 1TB,
three USB 2.0s (240GB, 320GB, 320GB ) that I basically want to consolidate in this machine and use as a NAS for my other devices.
Haven't gamed in a while so I'm looking to utilize Kaby Lake for the embedded 4k decoding to save on a GPU now, but with the option to add one later.
Here's what I've picked out so far:
Case -
Thermaltake Core V21 - $58 on Amazon
Thermaltake Core V21 Amazon Link
or Corsair 240 Air - $84 on Amazon, found a used (like new) one locally for $50
Corsair 240 Air Amazon Link
CPU - Any Kaby Lake CPU (prefer i5 or higher but I'm not positive). Not worried about OC'ing right now but need the 4k decoders and a decent speed. This I could use some help on. Is this something I can get away with an i3 for or is an i5+ necessary to do 4k@60hz?
I've been looking mainly at the i5-7400 or 7500 with the possibility of an i3-7100.
i5-7400 - $194 Amazon
i5-7400 Amazon Link
i5-7500 - $204 Amazon
i5-7500 Amazon Link
i3-7100 - $115.09
i3-7100 Amazon Link
CPU Cooler - I really am not sure. I believe the V21 has a max cooler size of 120mm. I've heard the Cooler Master Vortex is a good buy?:
Cooler Master Vortex Plus - $25.99 Amazon
Cooler Master Vortex Plus Amazon Link
Motherboard - I'm all over the road with this. I really don't know what my best option/need is. I don't intend on overclocking but wouldn't be opposed to it later. Doing 4k@60hz I also believe I need either a Displayport output or HDMI 2.2(?), or heard something about the Club 3D converter cable? Can anyone help with this?
I included one Z270 below to keep the option of overclocking open later. Other than the Z270, I believe a H270 board would be my best bet, followed by B250. I know the Z170/H170 boards will work with updated firmwares but I wont have a non kaby CPU to boot it to update the firmware..
I'd really prefer one with on board AC Wifi but not a deabreaker. Is onboard AC Wifi really that necessary or should I just get a board without it and buy a USB adapter? Again, my main intention is to use this box next to my TV as a centralized network storage system.
I would really like to keep the cost ~$100 but wiling to go ~$120 if there's a board that really sticks out and gives me what I need. I really need the best recommendation for this:
MSI Gaming Intel H270 DDR4 HDMI USB 3 mini-ITX Motherboard (H270I GAMING PRO AC) - $99.99 Amazon - AC Wifi, Single HDMI output
H270I GAMING PRO AC Amazon Link
MSI Gaming Intel B250 LGA 1151 DDR4 HDMI mini-ITX Motherboard (B250I GAMING PRO AC) - $101.95 Amazon - ITX board, AC Wifi, single HDMI output
B250I GAMING PRO AC Amazon Link
MSI Gaming Intel B250 LGA 1151 DDR4 HDMI VR Ready micro-ATX Motherboard (B250M MORTAR) - $86.99 - mATX board, no AC Wifi, HDMI + DP outputs, USB Type C
B250M MORTAR Amazon Link
MSI Arsenal Gaming Intel Z270M DDR4 HDMI USB 3 CrossFire micro-ATX Motherboard (Z270M MORTAR) - $119.99 Amazon (no AC wifi) - Both DisplayPort + HDMI outputs, USB 3.1 Type C
MSI Z270M MORTAR Amazon Link
MSI Pro Series Intel B250 LGA 1151 DDR4 HDMI USB 3.1 micro-ATX Motherboard (B250M PRO-VDH) - $74.99 Amazon - Single HDMI out, USB 3.1 Type C
MSI B250 M PRO-VDH Amazon Link
GIGABYTE GA-H270N-WIFI LGA1151 Intel H270 Mini ITX DDR4 Motherboard - $118.60 Amazon - AC Wifi, double HDMI connections, upgraded sound, USB Type C
GIGABYTE GA-H270N Wifi Amazon Link
If there's something else that you guys recommend, I'm all ears. I don't even know which out of these to really choose give the pricing is so similar.
RAM - Either 8 or 16GB, not picky as long as it's DDR3/4 (dependent upon the mobo I choose).
Recommendations?
PSU -
Recommendations?
Anything else you guys can recommend or tips/ recommendations of something I missed would be greatly helpful. TIA
Purchase Date: Over the next 2-3 weeks.
Budget Range: Looking to keep it in the ~$500-700 range, can stretch it if needed.
System Usage from Most to Least Important: 1080p/4k streaming to TV, centralized network storage, photoshop, web browsing, potentially future gaming.
Are you buying a monitor: No - Streaming to Sharp LC-50N7000U 50" 4K TV and/or Toshiba Regza 54" 1080p TV. Potentially purchasing a monitor later.
Do you need to buy OS: No
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Amazon, Newegg
Location: City, State/Region, Country - New York, NY
Parts Preferences: See below
Overclocking: Maybe
SLI or Crossfire: Maybe
Your Monitor Resolution: 4k UHD and 1080p
Additional Comments:
System is going to be primarily used for streaming stored media (HD/4k) to my 4k TV in my bedroom + 1080p TV in the living room. Looking to centralize and share my storage across my network (accessible by laptop, ipads, phones, etc), photoshopping, web browsing, etc. I had originally looked at Android TV boxes but decided to go ahead and build a system that I can use alongside my laptop (custom Sager i7 Sandy Bridge).
I've got like 2 2.5" SSD's (Intel 520 120GBs SATA 6) and a couple 3.5" HDD's (1TB & 500GB 7200RPM - Not positive if they're SATA II or III), along with like 4 portable HDD's - 1 USB 3.0 1TB,
three USB 2.0s (240GB, 320GB, 320GB ) that I basically want to consolidate in this machine and use as a NAS for my other devices.
Haven't gamed in a while so I'm looking to utilize Kaby Lake for the embedded 4k decoding to save on a GPU now, but with the option to add one later.
Here's what I've picked out so far:
Case -
Thermaltake Core V21 - $58 on Amazon
Thermaltake Core V21 Amazon Link
or Corsair 240 Air - $84 on Amazon, found a used (like new) one locally for $50
Corsair 240 Air Amazon Link
CPU - Any Kaby Lake CPU (prefer i5 or higher but I'm not positive). Not worried about OC'ing right now but need the 4k decoders and a decent speed. This I could use some help on. Is this something I can get away with an i3 for or is an i5+ necessary to do 4k@60hz?
I've been looking mainly at the i5-7400 or 7500 with the possibility of an i3-7100.
i5-7400 - $194 Amazon
i5-7400 Amazon Link
i5-7500 - $204 Amazon
i5-7500 Amazon Link
i3-7100 - $115.09
i3-7100 Amazon Link
CPU Cooler - I really am not sure. I believe the V21 has a max cooler size of 120mm. I've heard the Cooler Master Vortex is a good buy?:
Cooler Master Vortex Plus - $25.99 Amazon
Cooler Master Vortex Plus Amazon Link
Motherboard - I'm all over the road with this. I really don't know what my best option/need is. I don't intend on overclocking but wouldn't be opposed to it later. Doing 4k@60hz I also believe I need either a Displayport output or HDMI 2.2(?), or heard something about the Club 3D converter cable? Can anyone help with this?
I included one Z270 below to keep the option of overclocking open later. Other than the Z270, I believe a H270 board would be my best bet, followed by B250. I know the Z170/H170 boards will work with updated firmwares but I wont have a non kaby CPU to boot it to update the firmware..
I'd really prefer one with on board AC Wifi but not a deabreaker. Is onboard AC Wifi really that necessary or should I just get a board without it and buy a USB adapter? Again, my main intention is to use this box next to my TV as a centralized network storage system.
I would really like to keep the cost ~$100 but wiling to go ~$120 if there's a board that really sticks out and gives me what I need. I really need the best recommendation for this:
MSI Gaming Intel H270 DDR4 HDMI USB 3 mini-ITX Motherboard (H270I GAMING PRO AC) - $99.99 Amazon - AC Wifi, Single HDMI output
H270I GAMING PRO AC Amazon Link
MSI Gaming Intel B250 LGA 1151 DDR4 HDMI mini-ITX Motherboard (B250I GAMING PRO AC) - $101.95 Amazon - ITX board, AC Wifi, single HDMI output
B250I GAMING PRO AC Amazon Link
MSI Gaming Intel B250 LGA 1151 DDR4 HDMI VR Ready micro-ATX Motherboard (B250M MORTAR) - $86.99 - mATX board, no AC Wifi, HDMI + DP outputs, USB Type C
B250M MORTAR Amazon Link
MSI Arsenal Gaming Intel Z270M DDR4 HDMI USB 3 CrossFire micro-ATX Motherboard (Z270M MORTAR) - $119.99 Amazon (no AC wifi) - Both DisplayPort + HDMI outputs, USB 3.1 Type C
MSI Z270M MORTAR Amazon Link
MSI Pro Series Intel B250 LGA 1151 DDR4 HDMI USB 3.1 micro-ATX Motherboard (B250M PRO-VDH) - $74.99 Amazon - Single HDMI out, USB 3.1 Type C
MSI B250 M PRO-VDH Amazon Link
GIGABYTE GA-H270N-WIFI LGA1151 Intel H270 Mini ITX DDR4 Motherboard - $118.60 Amazon - AC Wifi, double HDMI connections, upgraded sound, USB Type C
GIGABYTE GA-H270N Wifi Amazon Link
If there's something else that you guys recommend, I'm all ears. I don't even know which out of these to really choose give the pricing is so similar.
RAM - Either 8 or 16GB, not picky as long as it's DDR3/4 (dependent upon the mobo I choose).
Recommendations?
PSU -
Recommendations?
Anything else you guys can recommend or tips/ recommendations of something I missed would be greatly helpful. TIA
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