HTPC Build Help

[I_Like_Games]

Hi, I'm wanting to build a HTPC that can handle 5.1 1080p movies flawlessly and also handle some light gaming in case. I want to keep costs low as possible.

Intel Pentium G3240/G3258 or Core i3 4160 or AMD A10-7850k
400W Zalman ZE-LE-400
8GB ( 2x 4gb) G.Skill Ares 1600mhz RAM
Sapphire Dual-X R9 270x GPU
Kingston V300 120gb SSD
2TB HDD

I am unsure about which CPU. I want to buy the cheapest available, but if one CPU is marginally better, or is worth the extra money, I would be more than happy to shell out some more.

Also, I am unsure if 8GB of RAM is necessary, some people say 2GB is enough, 4GB is enough a nd 8GB is enough.

Will the G3240/G3258 bottleneck a R9 270x?

Is a SSD really neccessary? is it worth the money when I could get a 4TB drive for the sam price as a 120/240gb SSD?

 

[arossetti]

1. When building an HTPC don't skimp on the CPU - especially if you are planning on using it for light gaming. And light gaming may mean different things to you than me - so understand what you really want to do with it.

2. If you plan to have multiple devices connected and streaming content you'll want a CPU that can handle multiple tasks, to include transcoding, at once.

3. Depending on where you'll have the box, and the airflow, you'll want a CPU with a low TDP with a good aftermarket cooling solution.

4. I always recommend a small SSD for the OS/Main programs, and a good HDD or NAS for the storage.

5. My opinion -Go with at least with i3. I am running it in my media server which is running Plex to host my media. I can have multiple devices pulling different movies both locally and remotely and it streams without a problem.

6. Go with at least 4GB of RAM - you'll need need that much for a 64 bit OS.

 

[I_Like_Games]

I have Plex too. How do you set it up so other devices can stream movies from your computer?

 

[arossetti]

I have Plex too. How do you set it up so other devices can stream movies from your computer?

Just download the media server to whichever device will be the server and set it up. Then download the player to your other devices.