I3 2100 vs 2105 vs A8-3850 - HTPC

The i3 2100 coupled with a cheapish HD graphics card will probably be best. If your going to be using integrated graphics, even for watching TV it wont be a good experience. Something like the NVIDIA GT220 should be fine, even the G210 will be much better and can be picked up for about £17. I wouldnt bother with the Z68 either.

A strictly HTPC doesn't need much CPU power, so the A-series would work great, as the IGP is much better.

Though something in the A6 series would work better IMO, especially the ones with 65W.

A8-3850..looks good for a media PC.

Best answer selected by burnedby89.

I built an HTPC a month or so ago, and chose the i3 2125. Mostly because it was the same price as the 2105 at the time, and I wanted the extra breathing room of HD 3000 vs. HD 2000. It look slike pricings have changed now, so the

I haven't yet tried to play anything that it couldn't handle, including BR quality media on my 51" Plasma. For a lot of streaming and direct play i3 has enough oomph to make up for any lack of graphics horsepower. To the point, many people regard the lower powered i3 2100t as being the current standard in pure HTPC applications. (avsforums.com is a great source for HTPC's in general.)

I haven't even considered trying even light gaming with the integrated graphics, but for everything I've thrown at it media playback wise, its handled it like a champ.

I run XBMC as my primary player, WMPC as a back up. Most stuttering I've come across has been a result of the media player or codec in use, and not the CPU/GPU (or lack there of).

I wouldn't suggest the A8 unless you have serious intentions of mid range gaming on the thing, in which case the A6 should be sufficient, and cheaper. Anything more than that, then you will likely need a discrete card anyway, in which case it tilts back towards the i3 imo.

I was quite paranoid about needing to add a discrete card to my setup to have everything run smoothly, and I'm quite glad I didn't need to.