Should i build a htpc

The G3 is a perfect example of that, offering up W of Gold-rated power, fully-modular cables, and a hybrid fan design that shuts off at low loads for silent operation. While you don't need W for this build, that's really the starting point for a quality PSU, and this one offers all the full range of premium features that you can actually take advantage of in an HTPC! Need a lot of storage at a great price?

WD Blue drives run cool, quiet, and consume very little energy, making them great for long-term storage of media and other files. While this drive spins at just RPM, that's a benefit for HTPC use, because it's much quieter than a standard RPM drive, and frankly, that extra "speed" doesn't do anything for reading media files. Note that you'll need to use the motherboard's lower PCIe x8 slot for this card, rather than one of the short PCIe x1 slots.

Don't hold back your HTPC with ancient wireless? Upgrade to one of our recommended routers today! Streaming devices and consoles have streamlined menus that are typically simpler to navigate.

They are low maintenance typically requiring only a wi-fi connection and a remote control. From the perspective of a device that supports photos, video, and audio playback, the HTPC is dead. While it may be gone the PC remains a powerful device providing unparalleled capability when paired with your TV.

Here are a few factors that led to that decision:. Tags: HTPC. Does a Smart TV still make more sense? Especially for optimized p gaming?

I enjoy watching all of my favorite TV shows without commercial interruptions, just like the Netflix or Prime experience, but with tv series of every source and age. I have an xfintiy flex that my internet provider gave me, and I watch it sometimes, but I am almost always watching content stored on devices attached to my HTPC gaming computer, or bought from the virtual video store, and stored on NAS Network Attached Storage. Because I am at my sofa rather than my desk, I use a cordless Logitech keyboard and trackball rather than a mouse, and I have a video monitor on the desk facing the sofa so I can do office tasks while it sends video signal and sound to my receiver and TV.

In addition, when you choose motherboards, please make sure the motherboard offers all ports you want and it is compatible with other components. If you want to upgrade the HTPC later, you should also make sure the motherboard can support hardware that's better than what you use now.

Fans are the main source of noise. They will also take a lot of space in the HTPC. Therefore, many people may recommend you to use fewer fans in HTPC build. But you should be aware that less fans means lower heat dissipation ability. For example, you should consider whether you need a dedicated sound card and internal optical drive bay. Some people may remove optical disk drive bay from their HTPCs to save room. How to check PC specs Windows 10?

Do you have determined what hardware you should use? If you still have no idea about that, you can refer to other people's configuration. The above configuration is offered by a netizen named mlknez. This configuration can be used to play 4K videos. After preparing these components, you can then assemble them into a HTPC and install system.

To install Windows on your new PC, you can refer to this post:. If you have an old HTPC, you can upgrade it directly. This will save a lot of money for you. Then, how to make the Windows run on SSD? You can reinstall Windows directly. But that was six years ago.

Fast forward to where, thanks to massive improvements to processor speed and size, there are now myriad options for those wanting small PCs for their home theater setup. HTPCs are by no means new, but the fact that you can get a powerful PC that's the size of an Xbox One S and twice as powerful in your living room is awesome and something that not enough media enthusiasts take advantage of.

Imagine browsing the web in your living room with a physical mouse and keyboard trust me, it's much faster and more efficient than using an Apple TV , playing your favorite video game on the largest screen in your house or creating a library of hundreds of movies and being able to stream them to any of your devices whenever and wherever you are using software like PLEX. HTPCs, honestly, are just as important to your home entertainment setup as your TV and cable box — and thankfully setting one up is easier than ever before.

This guide is living proof. HTPCs now come in all sorts of form factors and can be the size of a gaming consoles, or they can be as tiny as an Apple TV. Over the last few years HTPCs have not only gotten smaller, but also cheaper, too. They can be purchased — or built — at all different price points to accommodate your wants and needs.