What exactly do you want to do with this system (just watch movies or do you want a tv tuner?), what is the budget and when should the build be done by?
Just so you know, people tend to stereotype computers by their uses as if they can only contain certain hardware and nothing else. There is nothing wrong with grabbing an otherwise "gaming PC" and use it as an "HTPC". That said, the marketing of the industry that makes products towards HTPC tends to push low-power and small size; you don't have to fall in line with this thinking, I'm giving you the choice. Whatever gets the job done.
As for the equivalent rendering performance of Intel's iGPU in Sandy Bridge processors, there
isn't much to say because it is at the bottom of all lists. Depends on what you do, but anything is better than Intel integrated.
That said, consider this:
- $220 Zotac mini-ITX Z68 board with built-in GeForce GT430 with 1GB of GDDR3.
- 2x $24 A-DATA 4GB DDR3-1333 SO-DIMM
- $130 Intel Core i3 2120 3.3GHz dual-core w/HT
- $45 InWin miniITX case, 12"x10"x4" w/200W PSU (14A at 12v)
- $60 Samsung BR-ROM + DVD burner w/Lightscribe
- $120 Mushkin 60GB SATA 6Gbps SSD
- $100 MS Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium
=
$723 before tax and shipping The GT430 has 96-shaders, making it twice as fast as GT520 in the above review; and depending on the game the GT430 is faster than the AMD Fusions. No clue on the noise levels of the built-in fan, although if the CPU cooler can wash over it, that's an option. The PCIe x4 slot is open-ended so if you want to stick an x16 card or a
HDTV tuner in there later, you can but you'll need to change the case I choose. Here's the list of
supported CPU and RAM for the board from their website, the RAM I choose is on that list.
Main drives will be your choice; I'd choose a small SSD for the OS and only the program for your HDTV tuner and/or Bluray drive and maybe one virus scan software, and then a separate large 500GB-2TB mechanical drive for files and movies if you don't already have one. The SSD would gaurantee noise levels are their lowest.
Note: due to that flood in Thailand a while back where most of our hard drives are made, hard disk prices are going through the roof and SSD's might get cheaper in the next few months. If you want a larger SSD than the one I picked, go ahead, just the prices are still relatively high.
The GT430 as a dedicated card uses
49W (4A at 12v) according to nVidia, and Intel suggests if you use a 65W TDP part need
at least 8A on the 12v line. Going by this a 200W PSU with 12A on the 12v line is good. The SSD uses as much power as the RAM, which is like a case fan, < 6W. You're not cutting it close on power because Intel's power requirements are for
the entire category called "65W TDP", none of the CPUs actually draw up to 8A at full load.
Of course, if interested in watching BR's, I threw up a combo drive as BR burners are twice the cost.
Just so you know the GeForce 500 series is just the 400 series done right, it is just a refined die design. It's not like the difference compared to the 200 series. For instance, look at the specs from nVidia's site of the GT430 (linked above) and
GT530. 1W difference at about the same specifications.
All in all, what I listed is probably the physically smallest you'll be able to build with as much speed.
post edited by lehpron - 2011/11/23 20:44:23