There are various different uses for a PC. For some, it is merely an office peripheral to do the boring day to do tasks. For others, it is a way to play computer games.
However, one of the most recent trends is to use it as a Home Theatre PC (HTPC). This is a PC that has been built with the intention of using it to playback content such as movies. This can range from movies that are owned on a disk, on a hard drive or via streaming methods, such as Amazon Prime.
It is possible to buy these off the shelf, but the problem with this is that it can be a pretty expensive prospect to do so.
Choosing a Case
Basically though, when it comes to an HTPC, the case itself is in the smallest form factor available, which is Mini ITX. There are many cases available, although some are better than others. When it comes to making a decision on which one you should buy, it is important that you opt one that will suit your needs. For example, there are specific cases that still offer optical drive support, which is a must for those that have a wide collection of movies on DVD and Blu Ray.
Despite these HTPC cases being in the Mini ITX format, the overall shape and size of the cases can vary dramatically. Therefore, it is important that you choose one that will fit perfectly into your entertainment centre at home. Also, if you need a lot of internal storage, some cases provide better options than others. Because there are some many available, it would be impossible to fit them all in here since it would result in an extremely long article. However, the best Mini ITX HTPC cases can be found over here. These cases should be sufficient enough for your HTPC build.
Selecting a motherboard
However, it isn’t just the case itself that you need to think about when you are building an HTPC. Another aspect that is crucial is whether or not an Intel or AMD CPU is used. Both have their merits. The AMD Ryzen platform is deemed as the more efficient platform, as well as being more economical. The Intel family of CPUs was previously the champion of high powered CPUs however, this isn’t necessarily the case now. They are generally more expensive than their AMD counterparts, although they still have a strong following. It really depends on what your overall needs are.
The choice of CPU that you go for (AMD or Intel) will dictate the motherboard that you can use. Intel CPUs cannot be used on an AMD motherboard just like an AMD CPU cannot be used on an Intel motherboard. One of the big advantages of Intel is that they have Optane technology which can seriously boost the speeds of hard drives and SSDs. Whether you really need this boost is up to you to decide. It is crucial that when building your HTPC that you pick a mini ITX motherboard that will suit your needs. This can include the number of fan headers included in the system, as well as the memory supported (be it DDR3 or DDR4). Another thing to look out for is the number of SATA connectors available. Depending on the money spent, you can also get an ITX motherboard that supports RGB. You can read more about the best mini ITX motherboards over here.
Tied to the motherboard choice is the choice of cooler that you go for. Generally speaking, the two types of cooler used in an HTPC build would be an all in one cooler, or using a low profile cooler. Generally, these will fit onto all motherboards, but some of the newer coolers may require a different mounting bracket. Given that cooling is an important consideration when building an HTPC, you really need to choose the right one for your case. As with the situation with the best cases and motherboards, there are too many to mention. However, this list will give you a rundown of the best low profile CPU coolers.
These should really give you a great starting point when it comes to building your HTPC.