- Mar 20, 2011
- 92
- 0
- 18,630
Hi all, I'm not as concerned about specific links to deals,etc as I am about a critique of the system itself and recommendations on part specifics.
I've built my own gaming desktop but this will be my first HTPC and I want to make sure I've got everything I need and am not going overboard. As stated below, I just want to be able to run netflix, amazon, in HD as well as watch ripped movies of mine,etc. No gaming or anything fancy needed. Had a hard time finding a decent case that wasn't too expensive..Please take a look and let me know. I've vacillated over the Intel vs AMD, but it looks like a Trinity can be had for quite cheap and you get the graphics vs the integrated GPU on the Intel..I wasn't sure what the integrated chip on the Intel on Sandy Bridge Pentium was capable of and it seems Ivy Bridge Pentiums are in short supply now...
Approximate Purchase Date: In the next couple of weeks/month
Budget Range: $350 before rebates / ~$275-$300 after rebates - Not worried about shipping (Amazon Prime if possible)
System Usage from Most to Least Important: HTPC: Streaming Netflix, Amazon, ripped home movies and documentaries (mostly .avi and .mp4)
Monitor: No
Do you need to buy OS: No
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg, Amazon
Location: Bay Area, CA USA
Parts Preferences: None
Overclocking: No
SLI or Crossfire: No
Your Monitor Resolution: 42" LCD HDTV (living room)
Additional Comments: Just want to play HD Netflix, rent the occasional Amazon movie, and watch ripped movies and docs
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Current blu-ray netcast feature conflicts with DLNA, missing a lot of functionality
POTENTIAL SYSTEM (please critique, esp on CPU and case):
Case: (I'm concerned about PSU size limitations here--some have said it's too tight w/ optical, others have said its ok)
SilverStone Aluminum/Steel Micro ATX Media Center/HTPC Case ML03B (Black) - $60
CPU:
Intel Pentium G630 or G840/50/60 - $70
Intel Pentium G2120 $89 OR
AMD A6-5400k Black Trinity - $70
Motherboard:
Any decent H61 or H67 for Intel.. (~$50-75) OR
ASRock FM2A75M-DGS FM2 AMD A75 (Hudson D3) SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - (Newegg) $50
HDD:
WD Green 500GB or 1TB - $65-85
RAM:
Any 4GB - $25-35
PSU:
Antec EarthWatts - $44 OR
Antec VP-450 - $40 OR
Corsair CX430 v2 - $30,
Blu-Ray: None needed now, will retain old standalone player for the time being
I've built my own gaming desktop but this will be my first HTPC and I want to make sure I've got everything I need and am not going overboard. As stated below, I just want to be able to run netflix, amazon, in HD as well as watch ripped movies of mine,etc. No gaming or anything fancy needed. Had a hard time finding a decent case that wasn't too expensive..Please take a look and let me know. I've vacillated over the Intel vs AMD, but it looks like a Trinity can be had for quite cheap and you get the graphics vs the integrated GPU on the Intel..I wasn't sure what the integrated chip on the Intel on Sandy Bridge Pentium was capable of and it seems Ivy Bridge Pentiums are in short supply now...
Approximate Purchase Date: In the next couple of weeks/month
Budget Range: $350 before rebates / ~$275-$300 after rebates - Not worried about shipping (Amazon Prime if possible)
System Usage from Most to Least Important: HTPC: Streaming Netflix, Amazon, ripped home movies and documentaries (mostly .avi and .mp4)
Monitor: No
Do you need to buy OS: No
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg, Amazon
Location: Bay Area, CA USA
Parts Preferences: None
Overclocking: No
SLI or Crossfire: No
Your Monitor Resolution: 42" LCD HDTV (living room)
Additional Comments: Just want to play HD Netflix, rent the occasional Amazon movie, and watch ripped movies and docs
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Current blu-ray netcast feature conflicts with DLNA, missing a lot of functionality
POTENTIAL SYSTEM (please critique, esp on CPU and case):
Case: (I'm concerned about PSU size limitations here--some have said it's too tight w/ optical, others have said its ok)
SilverStone Aluminum/Steel Micro ATX Media Center/HTPC Case ML03B (Black) - $60
CPU:
Intel Pentium G630 or G840/50/60 - $70
Intel Pentium G2120 $89 OR
AMD A6-5400k Black Trinity - $70
Motherboard:
Any decent H61 or H67 for Intel.. (~$50-75) OR
ASRock FM2A75M-DGS FM2 AMD A75 (Hudson D3) SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - (Newegg) $50
HDD:
WD Green 500GB or 1TB - $65-85
RAM:
Any 4GB - $25-35
PSU:
Antec EarthWatts - $44 OR
Antec VP-450 - $40 OR
Corsair CX430 v2 - $30,
Blu-Ray: None needed now, will retain old standalone player for the time being
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