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New HTPC Build

RymRym
edited July 2011 in Technology
I'm building a new HTPC to replace the ancient Mac mini. Definitely going Windows, and I want it to be powerful enough to play Steam games for a while to come.

Crab People Build

I expect to get a slower processor (though that one is the plateau of the price chart for Core i5s), better motherboard, etc... Mostly I was just scoping out the rough price. As much as I would like a Mac mini, the price-to-power ratio is ludicrous.

On a side note, RAM is so cheap it's practically free. I think I'm doubling the RAM in my primary PC (the old Core i7 920) to 12GB. I actually use it with the video editing. =P
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Comments

  • RymRym
    Some guy made one with a fanless PSU that looks doable too.

    Before anyone suggests AMD, I'm pretty married to Intel for this one. I'm considering a Core i3 instead of the Core i5, as the difference in performance does not appear to be a substantial bottleneck for what I intend to do.
  • CremlianCremlian
    I'd Suggest AMD. :-p
  • NeitoNeito
    Yeah, I'm not sure how much you need the i5. I have an i5 in my laptop, and the only thing that holds it back sometimes (mostly in a couple of games) is the lack of a "Real" video card, but I hardly ever notice it.

    This is the i3 equivilent of the i5 you have in there right now, and it's $100 cheaper.
  • AprecheApreche
    Better Power Supply
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371035
  • RymRym
    This is the i3 equivilent of the i5 you have in there right now, and it's $100 cheaper.
    Yeah. I'm heavily leaning that way.

    The fanless PSU is intriguing to me as well, especially since the HTPC would be relatively idle most of the time. (Unless I run a CS server on it).
  • AprecheApreche
    Get an HD video capture card so we can record playing XBox/Atari games and such.
  • NeitoNeito
    (Unless I run a CS server on it).
    Honestly, SRCDS isn't that "heavy", even with a lot of people on. So a fan would be nice, but don't get a super crazy off the fucking wall fan because you think it's going to eat up all your cycles.

    On a 4 core fake Xeon (the Linode I run the server on), I've maxed out at about 50% usage with 18 people on at once.
  • RymRym
    Get an HD video capture card so we can record playing XBox/Atari games and such.
    Good call.
    Honestly, SRCDS isn't that "heavy", even with a lot of people on. So a fan would be nice, but don't get a super crazy off the fucking wall fan because you think it's going to eat up all your cycles.
    It means only that the PC would be "on" all the time, rather than sleeping/hibernating when I'm not home.
  • AprecheApreche
    It means only that the PC would be "on" all the time, rather than sleeping/hibernating when I'm not home.
    Network, not CPU, will be the limiting factor for a CS server. My HTPC was taking it easy while playing CS:S. The problem was the network failed. With your FiOS it should be no problem. Instead, you actually want to get a weaker CPU that uses less electricity if it's going to be on all the time to reduce the electric bill.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    That's a sexy case. I want that.
  • AprecheApreche
    That's a sexy case. I want that.
    It's the one I already have. It's pretty much the only decent HTPC case out there.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    I'd Suggest AMD. :-p
    Seriously, they're stupid cheap. If not that, then definitely the i3.
  • AprecheApreche
    Seriously, they're stupid cheap.
    For a reason.

    The first computer I built was a Pentium 3. It would probably still work.

    Then during the shitty Pentium 4 era I used AMD. Those computers had many many hardware problems. That's why I had such a huge pile of AMD parts as Scojo can attest.

    Since then I've been all Intel with no hardware failures whatsoever.

    Anecdotal? Sure. But that's enough for me.
  • CremlianCremlian
    For a reason.

    The first computer I built was a Pentium 3. It would probably still work.

    Then during the shitty Pentium 4 era I used AMD. Those computers had many many hardware problems. That's why I had such a huge pile of AMD parts as Scojo can attest.

    Since then I've been all Intel with no hardware failures whatsoever.

    Anecdotal? Sure. But that's enough for me.
    Eh, I use AMD extensively, only problems I have are from the other cheap parts I buy (Power supplies and memory) :-p
  • RymRym
    Never skimp on the PSU. A $120 PSU that works and is quiet is worth every cent comparted to a $30 PSU that's loud and later fries your motherboard. ;^)
  • AprecheApreche
    Eh, I use AMD extensively, only problems I have are from the other cheap parts I buy (Power supplies and memory) :-p
    It's all related. A PSU failing might have been due to a shitty CPU. Then again it might have been due to some other part like the motherboard or a drive doing something to hurt the PSU. You really can't know.
  • MattMatt
    Never skimp on the PSU. A $120 PSU that works and is quiet is worth every cent comparted to a $30 PSU that's loud and later fries your motherboard. ;^)
    when I built ny HTPC, the only case I could find that was small enough to fit in my entertainment center had a custom form factor PSU and it was total shit. The +5 and +12V rails were more than 10% off! Now I have a ghetto rig where a nice big ATX power supply is cabled outside of the case and sits behind it.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    You might want to run an earth wire from the case to the PSU case.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    I've used a mix of AMD and Intel for the past 10 years or so. The only trouble I had was when I tried to do fancy things, overclocking the CPU or trying to run memory at a higher speed that it officially supported. When I left everything at default settings, it all just worked.

    Rym, you might want to look into the new A-series CPUs from AMD. They have an APU (integrated GPU) that supposed to be pretty good. Also you get quad core power for only $120.
    You might want to run an earth wire from the case to the PSU case.
    You mean bolting the metal case to the metal power supply case is not good enough?
  • GundampilotspazGundampilotspaz
    Eh, I use AMD extensively, only problems I have are from the other cheap parts I buy (Power supplies and memory) :-p
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    edited July 2011
    You might want to run an earth wire from the case to the PSU case.
    You mean bolting the metal case to the metal power supply case is not good enough?
    He said he has the PSU outside the case. As I understand it, the earth wire is attached to the casing of the PSU which is usually screwed into the case and earths the case that way. However, in this case, the case isn't touching the PSU case, you might want an earth wire to connect them.
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • MattMatt
    You might want to run an earth wire from the case to the PSU case.
    You mean bolting the metal case to the metal power supply case is not good enough?
    He's talking about my unique little situation, where I had to keep my PSU outside of the HTPC case in order to use the worlds tiniest HTPC case (my entertainment center is odd in that the slot I have available is not very tall or wide, but is quite deep, so plenty of space to fit something behind the narrow HTPC case). You'd want them to share common ground in this case, which I've set up.
  • RymRym
    edited July 2011
    Updated the crab people.

    Core i3, better PSU, all the cruft that is needed besides the base system: it's a complete build now.

    Interestingly, even with Windows added, it's very close in price to the low-end Mac Mini which, while it has a Core i5, has a relatively slow one. Also half the RAM and no Steam support, nevermind a mediocre video chipset.
    Post edited by Rym on
  • AprecheApreche
    Updated the crab people.

    Core i3, better PSU, all the cruft that is needed besides the base system: it's a complete build now.

    Interestingly, even with Windows added, it's very close in price to the low-end Mac Mini which, while it has a Core i5, has a relatively slow one. Also half the RAM and no Steam support.
    Steam is on Mac now, but has few games.
  • AprecheApreche
    You think the Mac Keyboard will work with that bluetooth dongle? The mouse will, but the keyboard? Sketchy.
  • RymRym
    Steam is on Mac now, but has few games.
    Effectively no games if I compare its games to the list of games I own/want. ;^)
  • RymRym
    You think the Mac Keyboard will work with that bluetooth dongle? The mouse will, but the keyboard? Sketchy.
    It's worth $7 to try.
  • NeitoNeito
    I was about to ask if you really needed that optical drive. Then I saw the price.
  • RymRym
    That motherboard is highly rated and cheap. But, it'll be my first non-ASUS, non-ABIT motherboard EVER. Hmmmm...
  • RymRym
    edited July 2011
    Deciding between two power supplies.

    Coolermaster
    Antec

    The Coolermaster is supposedly extremely silent, and also modular. Since I won't need the vast majority of the power connections. that's a big plus.
    Post edited by Rym on
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