Planning first HTPC

[justintech16]

Hello. I already have a desktop computer for myself, but I want to build one for the living room for my whole family to enjoy. Except I'm not sure what parts would be best for a build like this.

 

My budget is around $600. I would be playing blu ray movies, possibly saving movies and music to the computer, and playing a few games.

My hopes are that this pc will at least out perform the current consoles because this HTPC is what I am talking the family into getting instead of a new console.

 

I'm not sure whether a cheap AMD quadcore or the new Pentium Anniversary would be better for my purposes.

I was maybe thinking a r9 280 if it could fit in the budget.

Probably 8gb of memory.

A small case that would fit in a cabinet.

Large hard drive for storage.

A blu ray drive

 

Any tips and advice are appreciated!

 

Thanks.

[bobhays]

If you hold out a little bit the new 960 should be with nvidia's next release. It will be a great budget card and very efficient so less heat, noise and power for the htpc.

 

Also the pentium overclocked performs better than the amd quadcore's according to Austin Evan's bencharks, but it also requires a more expensive motherboard (which supports future upgrades).

 

The benchmarks are when it's pushed to the limit and if you aren't going to encode anything AMD is fine and cheaper cause of the motherboard. If you are going to encode or thinking of upgrading later the Intel platform is better.

[watts300]

My only input is about graphics processors.  

 

Any modern integrated GPU/APU will handle any sort of video media.   I had a (not modern) dual core Pentium G6950 in a media-center computer for a couple years and it played everything just fine. 

 

I would probably get a high-end AMD APU.  They're more than enough and relatively inexpensive to help stay within your budget.  $600 is easily do-able. 

[justintech16]

Also the pentium overclocked performs better than the amd quadcore's according to Austin Evan's bencharks, but it also requires a more expensive motherboard (which supports future upgrades).

 

The benchmarks are when it's pushed to the limit and if you aren't going to encode anything AMD is fine and cheaper cause of the motherboard. If you are going to encode or thinking of upgrading later the Intel platform is better.

Good to know.

Although because it will be in a cabinet and my family will be using it a lot (and with a factor of possible heat problems), I will most likely run the cpu at stock (with the stock cooler....at least for now).

Would the AMD be the better choice?

[bobhays]

Good to know.

Although because it will be in a cabinet and my family will be using it a lot (and with a factor of possible heat problems), I will most likely run the cpu at stock (with the stock cooler....at least for now).

Would the AMD be the better choice?

if you are running a pentium at stock because of heat, a 960 would be much better because its more efficient.

 

After a 2nd look at Austin's video, the pentium is still a bit better at stock vs amd and it has a lower tdp as well

[justintech16]

if you are running a pentium at stock because of heat, a 960 would be much better because its more efficient.

 

After a 2nd look at Austin's video, the pentium is still a bit better at stock vs amd and it has a lower tdp as well

Great!

Would it be bad if I ran it on a z87 board instead of a z97? I'm trying to pick a good motherboard (itx).

[bobhays]

Great!

Would it be bad if I ran it on a z87 board instead of a z97? I'm trying to pick a good motherboard (itx).

You can run it on either but if you are not even planning on overclocking there is little benefit to a z series, especially for itx.