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Monthly HTPC Hardware Guide – February 2010

Ben — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:22:44 +0000

Welcome to the latest monthly home theater PC hardware selection guide. In this guide, I’ll review some of the suggested components for your media center PC.

I break down each component by “least expensive” and “top of the line”. If you’re looking to build your HTPC without too many extra frills, go for the “least expensive” options. If you want something that has the finest components (which has the added benefit of being more future-proof), then go with “top of the line”. Either choice will get you a solid, works-as-it-should media center PC.

This month, we focus on Intel processors.

Case

Least expensive.

hec Black 7K09. One of the best budget cases out there. Space is tight, but you can’t beat the quality and features for this price.

$54.99 | Form factor: Micro ATX; Power supply: 270 W; Expansion cards: Low profile

Top of the line.

Moneual LAB Black Aluminum MonCaso 312B. This slim and sleek case will fit into just about any media center. It takes a Micro ATX board but still supports a full ATX power supply. Includes a built-in IR receiver and a remote.

$249.99 | Form factor: Micro ATX; Power supply: None (supports ATX); Expansion cards: Low profile

Power Supply

Least expensive.

Since our selected case (hec 7K09) already includes a 270W power supply, a separate PS is not needed.

Top of the line.

SeaSonic X650 Gold 650W. This power supply has plenty of juice, and is modular, so you can remove any cables you don’t need — which helps with airflow and cooling. It’s also practically silent – the fan only spins when the unit starts to get warm – and is 90% energy efficient. It’s one of the few power supplies to achieve an 80 PLUS Gold certification, and is simply one of the best power supplies available on the market right now.

$159.99 | Form factor: ATX; 650 Watts; 80 PLUS Gold Certified; Modular

Motherboard

Least expensive.

GIGABYTE GA-H55M-USB3. Tons of ports including USB 3.0, eSATA, display port … the list goes on. This board will do everything you need today and in the future.

$109.99 | Form factor: Micro ATX; Video chip: Intel H55; Video output: VGA / DVI / HDMI / Display Port; Audio: 7.1, Optical / Analog; CPU Socket: LGA 1156; CPU: Core i7 / i5 / i3 / Pentium; Memory: DDR3 1800/1600/1333/1066/800

Top of the line.

ASUS Maximus III GENE. This board features a built-in X-Fi sound chip, so you won’t need an extra sound card if you just need optical out. Tons of ports, including 9 USB ports, an eSATA port, Firewire (1394), & 7 SATA ports.

$199.99 | Form factor: Micro ATX; Video: none; Audio: X-Fi Optical / Analog; CPU Socket: LGA 1156; CPU: Core i7 / i5; Memory: DDR3 2133(O.C.)/2000(O.C.)/1600/1333/1066

Processor

Least expensive.

Intel Core i3-530 Clarkdale 2.93GHz. The dual-core price / performance leader, and can handle anything you throw at it, including HD / Bluray content. Includes embedded graphics chip, so you don’t need a separate video card. Only 73W.

$124.99 | Dual-core; 2.93 GHz; Socket LGA 1156

Top of the line.

Intel Core i5-670 Clarkdale 3.46GHz. Dual-core, and smoking fast, while still running cool at 73W. What’s not to like?

$299.99 | Dual-core; 3.46 GHz; Socket LGA 1156

Memory

Least expensive.

G.SKILL 2GB DDR3 1600 Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-2GBNQ. Fast, cheap, latest DDR3 memory.

$64.99 | 2 GB (2 x 1 GB); DDR3 1600

Top of the line.

G.SKILL 4GB DDR3 1600 Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ. Same as above, just more of it.

$104.99 | 4 GB (2 x 2 GB); DDR3 1600

Hard Drive

Typically our recommendations do not include power or data cables. Your motherboard kit will usually have enough cables for at least 1 hard drive and 1 optical drive. If you think you’ll need a few extras, they are cheap and readily available. Check out Newegg for tons of options.

Least expensive.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB. Enough space to store all your music, movies, and downloads.

$54.99 | 500 GB; 7200 RPM; 16MB Cache; SATA

Top of the line.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB. Runs cool and has plenty of space for storing everything from music to HD movies. If you’re going to use your media center as a backup server this is definitely a must.

$89.99 | 1 TB (1000 GB); 7200 RPM; 32MB Cache; SATA

If you intend to use your media center as an extender (i.e. you’ll have a media server that stores all of your music / movies / etc.), then you should consider getting an SSD drive. SSD (solid-state disk) drives are very fast, very quiet, and very cool. A good choice is the Corsair P128 CMFSSD-128GBG2D 2.5″ 128GB, which runs about $375.

DVD Drive

Least expensive.

LG Black 8X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Combo LG Blu-ray Reader & 16X LightScribe DVD±R DVD Burner. Plays Blu-ray and DVDs.

$89.99 | SATA; Playback: Blu-ray, DVD, CD; Burn: DVD+R/-R, DVD+RW/-RW, DVD-DL, DVD-RAM, CD-R/RW

Top of the line.

Pioneer Black Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD Writer SATA Model BDR-205BKS. Plays Blu-ray and DVDs, and burns Blu-ray discs. Clean black bezel.

$199.99 | SATA; Playback: Blu-ray, DVD, CD; Burn: BD-R, BD-RE, BD-DL, DVD+R/-R, DVD+RW/-RW, DVD-DL, DVD-RAM, CD-R/RW

Video Card

Least expensive.

Since our monthly motherboard recommendation includes solid on-board video and case recommendation includes a fairly low wattage power supply, we suggest not using a separate video card, which will save on cost, power consumption, and heat. However, should you want something with more power, we recommend the SAPPHIRE 100253HDMI Radeon HD 4650. This card is low profile, and packs more than enough power to handle any content you throw at it, including HD. Note that it does have a fan in order to keep the heat down, so it will put out more noise. If you’d prefer something without a fan (i.e. passively cooled), check out the SAPPHIRE 100252HDMI Radeon HD 4550 512MB.

$69.99 | Chipset: Radeon HD 4650; Memory size: 512MB; Memory interface: 128-bit; Ports: HDMI / DVI; Low profile: yes

Top of the line.

SPARKLE SX98GT512D3L-NM. This is a solid and fast card that is also relatively quiet. We could go for something faster — but heat (and therefore loudness) always becomes an issue. Low-profile, so will fit in our slim case.

$99.99 | Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT; Memory size: 512GB; Memory interface: 256-bit; Ports: HDMI / DVI; Low profile: yes

Sound Card

Least expensive.

Since our motherboard recommendation includes build-in 7.1 audio (with optical output), we suggest not using a separate audio card.

Top of the line.

ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3. This is the only audio card to support HDMI and full DTS-HD / Dolby TrueHD audio when used with a Blu-ray player. You can also pass your video through this card first, so that you only need one HDMI connection back to your home theater receiver.

$149.99 | HDMI 1.3, Coaxial; Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital Plus

Keyboard / Mouse

Least expensive.

ADESSO WKB-3000UB Black 2.4 GHz RF Wireless Mini Keyboard w/Optical Trackball. Solid wireless keyboard, with a built-in optical trackball. Nice layout of mouse buttons (includes shoulder buttons much like an Xbox / PS3 remote) make it easy to use.

$69.99 | 2.4 GHz RF

Top of the line.

Gyration GYR4101US Mini Air Music Remote w/ MotionSense & Compact Keyboard. This unique set includes a compact wireless keyboard and an “air” remote, which is both a universal remote and an air mouse. The air mouse takes a little getting used to, but it pretty intuitive once you learn how to use it. The universal remote features can potentially replace your other remotes, although we still recommend the Logitech Harmony for ultimate control of your media center.

$122.99 | 2.4 GHz RF

Bluetooth.

We’re including this category for bluetooth fans out there. This is also useful if you have a PS3, which require bluetooth.

SolidTek KB-3962B-BT Black Bluetooth Wireless Mini Keyboard with Touch-Pad Built-in

$99.99 | Bluetooth

Remote

Least expensive.

Logitech Harmony 550 Advanced Remote Control. The Harmony 550 is easily the best universal remote in this price range. It can control up to 12 devices.

$79.99 | IR

Top of the line.

Logitech Harmony One Advanced Remote. Color touch screen, rechargeable with included stand. Controls up to 15 devices. The fan (and our) favorite Harmony.

$209.99 | IR

Video Capture Card (optional)

Unless you want to view and record OTA (over the air) television, you won’t need one of these. However, we’re including it in the “top of the line” build for this month.

Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250 Media Center Kit Dual TV Tuner. This kit includes a media center remote and a dual tuner card, capable of grabbing and recording up to two programs at the same time over analog or digital TV.

$129.99 | Dual analog / digital tuner; remote

Summary

That’s it for this month. Some totals for you -

Least expensive: $649.92

Top of the line: $2000.23

Monthly HTPC Hardware Guide – January 2010

Ben — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 09:10:43 +0000

Welcome to the latest monthly home theater PC hardware selection guide. In this guide, we’ll review some of the suggested components for your media center PC.

We break down each component by “least expensive” and “top of the line”. If you’re looking to build your HTPC without too many extra frills, go for the “least expensive” options. If you want something that has the finest components (which has the added benefit of being more future-proof), then go with “top of the line”. Either choice will get you a solid, works-as-it-should media center PC.

This month, we focus on AMD processors.

Case

Most unique.

nMEDIAPC HTPC 8000. This is a red wood & steel ATX case, which, as you can see, is in its own category. Yes, it’s pretty big — 14″ high x 19″ tall — but it’s about as unique as they get, and looks a bit like an old-school radio or TV console. It’s got plenty of room inside, and fits a full-size ATX as well as Micro ATX motherboard.

$89.99 | Form factor: ATX / Micro ATX | Power supply: none

Least expensive.

hec 7K09. One of the best budget cases out there. Space is tight, but you can’t beat the quality and features for this price.

$54.99 | Form factor: Micro ATX | Power supply: 270 W | Expansion cards: low profile

Top of the line.

LIAN LI Black Aluminum PC-C33B. LIAN LI is well-known for making some of the best cases out there, and this is no exception. The black brushed aluminum steel case will fit in with the even highest end home theater components. This case supports a standard ATX motherboard and power supply, as well as two 5.25″ external drive bays and four 3.5″ internal bays. You should have plenty of room to expand with this beauty.

$189.99 | Form factor: ATX, Micro ATX | Power supply: none (supports ATX) | Expansion cards: regular profile

Power Supply

Least expensive.

Since our selected case (hec 7K09) already includes a 270W power supply, a separate PS is not needed.

Top of the line.

CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX 620W. This power supply has plenty of juice, and is modular, so you can remove any cables you don’t need — which helps with airflow and cooling.

$149.99 | Form factor: ATX | 620 Watts | 80 PLUS Certified

Motherboard

Least expensive.

GIGABYTE GA-MA785GMT-UD2H. This board uses the latest in DDR3 memory, includes a powerful ATI Radeon HD 4200 video chip, and in general has everything you need to load up your HTPC.

Top of the line.

MSI NF980-G65 AM3 NVIDIA nForce 980a. Tons of expansion slots and use of latest memory & CPU makes this pick fairly future proof. Other touches such as fast boot and an excellent BIOS put it at the top of our list. Note that this board lacks optical audio out, but you’ll want to get a separate audio card anyway.

Processor

Least expensive.

AMD Athlon II X2 240 Regor 2.8GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Processor. This is a solid dual-core processor that is light on the wallet. It’s only 65W so should be well within the limits we need for a cool and quiet PC.

$58.99 | Dual-core | 2.8 GHz | Socket AM3

Top of the line.

AMD Phenom II X4 905e Deneb 2.5GHz Socket AM3 65W Quad-Core Processor. 65W, quad-core, what more could you ask for?

$194.99 | Quad-core | 2.5 GHz | Socket AM3

Memory

Least expensive.

G.SKILL 2GB DDR3 1600 Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-2GBNQ. Fast, cheap, latest DDR3 memory.

$64.99 | 2 GB (2 x 1 GB) | DDR3 1600

Top of the line.

G.SKILL 4GB DDR3 1600 Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ. Same as above, just more of it.

$99.99 | 4 GB (2 x 2 GB) | DDR3 1600

Hard Drive

Least expensive.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB. Enough space to store all your music, movies, and downloads.

$54.99 | 500 GB | 7200 RPM | 16MB Cache | SATA

Top of the line.

$89.99 | 1 TB (1000 GB) | 7200 RPM | 32MB Cache | SATA

DVD Drive

Least expensive.

LITE-ON Black 4X Blu-ray Reader SATA Model iHOS104-06. Plays Blu-ray and DVDs.

$59.99 | SATA

Top of the line.

Pioneer Black Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD Writer SATA Model BDR-205BKS. Plays Blu-ray and DVDs, and burns Blu-ray discs. Clean black bezel.

$219.99 | SATA

Video Card

Least expensive.

$44.99 | Chipset: Radeon HD 4550 | Memory size: 512MB | Memory interface: 128-bit | Ports: HDMI / DVI / VGA

Top of the line.

GIGABYTE GV-N98TOC-1GI. This is a solid and fast card that is also relatively quiet. We could go for something faster — but heat (and therefore loudness) always becomes an issue.

$129.99 | Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT | Memory size: 1GB | Memory interface: 256-bit | Ports: HDMI / DVI / VGA

Sound Card

Least expensive.

Since our motherboard recommendation includes build-in 7.1 audio (with optical output), we suggest not using a separate audio card.

Top of the line.

$149.99 | HDMI 1.3 | Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD

Keyboard / Mouse

Least expensive.

$69.99 | 2.4 GHz RF

Top of the line.

$122.99 | 2.4 GHz RF

Bluetooth.

We’re including this category for bluetooth fans out there. This is also useful if you have a PS3, which require bluetooth.

SolidTek KB-3962B-BT Black Bluetooth Wireless Mini Keyboard with Touch-Pad Built-in

$99.99 | Bluetooth

Remote

Least expensive.

Logitech Harmony 550 Advanced Remote Control. The Harmony 550 is easily the best universal remote in this price range. It can control up to 12 devices.

$79.99 | IR

Top of the line.

Logitech Harmony One Advanced Remote. Color touch screen, rechargeable with included stand. Controls up to 15 devices. The fan (and our) favorite Harmony.

$209.99 | IR

Video Capture Card (optional)

Unless you want to view and record OTA (over the air) television, you won’t need one of these. However, we’re including it in the “top of the line” build for this month.

$149.99 | Dual analog / digital tuner | remote

Summary

That’s it for this month. Some totals for you -

Least expensive: $533.92

Top of the line: $1,862.88