HTPC/Gaming build critique please

jermany755

Weaksauce
Joined
Nov 24, 2008
Messages
93
edit: I HAVE TO RUN OUT OF THE HOUSE REAL QUICK. I'l lbe back later to put down what my current idea for the build is so you can critique it. =p /edit

Hi G[H]. I would like to build a HTPC that I can also play Skyrim/ME3 on. My goal is a quiet, cool pc that can still run modern games at high settings on a 50" tv and play back blueray rips and such. I'm not looking for silent, and I'm not looking for the beastliest gaming rig ever... just that sweet spot in the middle.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Media playback (no cable card), web browsing, gaming.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
~$900 shipping and tax included but this is not firm.

3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
Seattle area.

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
CPU, Mobo, RAM, case (thinking about a Silverstone GD05B), SSD (120-128GB), GPU, blueray drive. Do I need a sound card if I'm running the audio through a receiver?

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Antec EA430, WD 640GB Caviar Black, all peripherals. I'll be buying more storage when HDD prices come back down.

Is an EA430 enough to push something in the 6870 range? Cause that's about where I'm looking as far as video cards go. Obviously I'm up for suggestions.

6) Will you be overclocking?
No. I would like to stay on the stock intel hsf if possible.

7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
50" 1920x1080.

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Possible asap, depending on CPU choice. This is my main hang-up with the build. What is the best bang-for-the-buck HTPC CPU when you take integrated graphics out of the equation? All the way up to an i5-2400? One of the Celerons? Would it be worth it to wait on the IB i-3's? :confused:

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video (as a backup or main GPU)? UEFI? etc.
Sata 6Gb/s would be nice. I don't think anything on this list is a requirement.

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Yes, win 7 64bit.
 
edit: I HAVE TO RUN OUT OF THE HOUSE REAL QUICK. I'l lbe back later to put down what my current idea for the build is so you can critique it. =p /edit
Then I shall wait until you post that list to post my own :)

Is an EA430 enough to push something in the 6870 range? Cause that's about where I'm looking as far as video cards go. Obviously I'm up for suggestions.
Yes the EA430 is enough for the HD 6870.

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Possible asap, depending on CPU choice. This is my main hang-up with the build. What is the best bang-for-the-buck HTPC CPU when you take integrated graphics out of the equation? All the way up to an i5-2400? One of the Celerons? Would it be worth it to wait on the IB i-3's? :confused:
For just media playback, the regular Pentium G620 or G840 CPUs would be enough. If playback is being offloaded onto the GPU (integrated or dedicated), even the Celeron would work. For gaming however, I'd go with the Core i3 2120 or Core i5 3450 for non-overclocking HTPC/gaming setup. The IB CPUs do run cooler at stock speeds than current SB CPUs so that does help. Really no point in witing for the IB i3s since you're planning on gaming which means that the HD4000 GPUs on those IB i3s are kinda useless to you.

EDIT: Though why not reuse the PC in your sig as the HTPC?
 
EDIT: Though why not reuse the PC in your sig as the HTPC?

Hey now there's an idea. I briefly considered that, but the Antec 900 is not spouse-approved living room furniture, and I was concerned about the GTX260's ability to play modern games at acceptably high settings. But I guess I don't have to throw the rest of the computer out with the bathwater. I could get the GD05B, a micro-ATX board, and upgrade my video card in the future if it proves necessary. Very cheap! So here's what I'm thinking:

CPU: E8400 - have
HSF: Stock intel heatsink - $0-$5 from craigslist or wherever
Mobo: ECS micro-ATX board - have
RAM: 2x2GB GSkill 2.0V - 2.1V - have
Case: Silverstone GD05B - $88 shipped
PSU: Corsair TX750 - have. I'm thinking about getting a smaller modular PSU for this build cause I think wire management is gonna be a pain in this case.
SSD: Crucial M4 256GB - $199 shipped. I probably don't need 256GB but how can I not at that price?
HDD: WD 650GB Caviar Black - have
GPU: XFX GTX260 Black Edition - have
Blueray: Meh. I'm starting to think I don't need one of these.
Sound card: I'm looking for input as to whether a sound card is still advisable if I'm running the audio into a receiver.

edit: After looking around for reputable DDR2 775 mobos, I think I may just have to suck it up and buy some DDR3 memory. That opens my motherboard options up considerably, and RAM is super cheap right now so it's not that big a deal.

edit2: Nevermind. I sourced a low-end ECS board for free.
 
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Wait, is this HTPC gonna be your sole gaming PC?
 
For a little bit. I will probably build an IB/GTX6xx rig later this summer, but I will be very busy the next few months with work. My entertainment requirements for the immediate future are:

Play Skyrim, ME3, and Diablo3 on the tv at decently high quality
Watch Blu-ray rips and streamed tv shows

Not very extreme, I know, but thus is life.
 
Yeah you definitely need to upgrade the GPU then. Something like the HD 6870 should do the trick. Not only will it provide higher performance, it'll also use dramatically less power and generate less heat. After the GPU upgrade, it'll be the CPU that's the bottleneck.
 
Ok thanks for your help as always Danny. I've ordered the SSD and case and I'll keep an eye out for video card deals.
 
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