Any prebuilt HTPC recommendations?

[SumedhDevi]

 I am adding a home theater to my house. I want to explore all my options. I most likely will build my own, but are there any known companies out there? LTT mentioned some overpriced german one a while back, I cant remember the name.

[chicksoup]

Do you want a small system? You could look into a ZBOX from Zotac if you wanted something smaller with decent specs except for gaming? 

 

Building your own would be better if you are looking a into a bigger sized PC, since you can upgrade and choose all your parts

[Guest]

To be 100 % honest... If you're going prebuilt, get an Intel NUC. They're good enough at playing games and their pretty cheap.

[MrBucket101]

@SumedhDevi

 

I'd get an ouya, $100 comes with everything you need.

 

Plex and XBMC/Kodi are official apps you can install from there store, or you can install them yourself. You don't need to root it or do anything else of the sort.

 

Course this only works if you have your content shared on your network, or have plex setup on another PC...but it is pretty cheap and effective

[SumedhDevi]

@SumedhDevi

 

I'd get an ouya, $100 comes with everything you need.

 

Plex and XBMC/Kodi are official apps you can install from there store, or you can install them yourself. You don't need to root it or do anything else of the sort.

 

Course this only works if you have your content shared on your network, or have plex setup on another PC...but it is pretty cheap and effective

 I was thinking for something more on the lines of an atx motherboard and a gtx 970 .

[MrBucket101]

 I was thinking for something more on the lines of an atx motherboard and a gtx 970 .

That would be one hell of an overkill build for a HTPC

 

Are you wanting this to just watch movies and shows on, or a SFF gaming PC?

[GarnetDevil]

 I was thinking for something more on the lines of an atx motherboard and a gtx 970 .

Why would you need a GTX970 for an HTPC home theater anyway? They will not fit

[BlazingGunnerFTW]

I was thinking for something more on the lines of an atx motherboard and a gtx 970 .

That's extremely overkill for a streaming HTPC, and that is going to be one huge HTPC. You can go MATX with a Bitfenix Phenom and got ITX 970. that would be more HTPC suitable.

[Stagea]

 I was thinking for something more on the lines of an atx motherboard and a gtx 970 .

 

If you'd just be playing movies, the GTX 960 would be a better choice. You get hardware HEVC decode with the 960.

[neon]

You will have to tell us exactly how you plan to use it but if you are looking for a home 'theatre' as opposed to a home 'gaming arena' then something like an Intel NUC would be more than enough.

Remember if the computer is going to be in the same room as the screen then you want it as damn near silent as you can.

If you're going to be using something like Plex where another computer is going to be doing the heavy lifting then something like a Chromecast would be more than adequate.