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Assassin's Simple/Beginner HTPC Buying Guide - Page 428

post #12811 of 15483
4/30/12 at 11:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mfusick View Post

The 430 is lower than the 440 I recommended above.

So a 430 would be lower performance in gaming than a 6670 or a 5670 Radeon or a GeForce GT 440 GDDR5.

But nothing wrong with what you linked.

I have been seeing some good deals on the newer cards. Specifically to you - take a look at the Radeon HD 7750. It would be a step up if you wanted to go a bit higher in performance.

I would look at

GT440 or 5570/5670/6670 first. Should meet your needs.

Above that you can look at the 5770/6770 which should be higher performance. Nothing Nvidia makes really compares in performance around the $79 mark.

I just put in a Sapphfire OC 7770 in my new build pretty slick ... $150 for the OC version $130 standard " EDIT (EDIT this Card does need a 6 pin power connector , So Make sure you have one )EDIT "
matches up well with the 77 Chipset PCI 3.0 .
But it does cost more ....than what Mfusick has stated above ^^^^^
I'm not trying to spend your money here .......& all the above cards will work
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

post #12812 of 15483
4/30/12 at 11:44am
Thanks to the great guides and forum help I am about ready to pull the trigger on my first HTPC build, but would like to get some approval. Most of the items are directly from the guides, but my OCD wants to be sure in case I accidentally selected the wrong memory or something.

CPU: Intel Core i3-2125 Sandy Bridge
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB
PSU: PC Power and Cooling Silencer MK III 400W Modular
SSD: OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G 2.5" 120GB (seems to be the best deal right now for ~120gb SSD?)
Case: LIAN LI Black Aluminum PC-C37B
Optical Drive: LITE-ON Blu-ray Combo Model ihes112-04
Remote: Harmony One w/HP IR adapter
OS: Windows 7 64bit Home Premium
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post #12813 of 15483
4/30/12 at 11:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shanndogg View Post

Thanks to the great guides and forum help I am about ready to pull the trigger on my first HTPC build, but would like to get some approval. Most of the items are directly from the guides, but my OCD wants to be sure in case I accidentally selected the wrong memory or something.

CPU: Intel Core i3-2125 Sandy Bridge
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB
PSU: PC Power and Cooling Silencer MK III 400W Modular
SSD: OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G 2.5" 120GB (seems to be the best deal right now for ~120gb SSD?)
Case: LIAN LI Black Aluminum PC-C37B
Optical Drive: LITE-ON Blu-ray Combo Model ihes112-04
Remote: Harmony One w/HP IR adapter
OS: Windows 7 64bit Home Premium

Looks good! good luck and post some pics!
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post #12814 of 15483
4/30/12 at 12:10pm
Nice !!!!!!
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post #12815 of 15483
4/30/12 at 3:07pm
I am looking to select similar components for my new HTPC build, but just wondering why you decided to go with the 2125 CPU, instead of 2105?


Quote:
Originally Posted by Shanndogg View Post

Thanks to the great guides and forum help I am about ready to pull the trigger on my first HTPC build, but would like to get some approval. Most of the items are directly from the guides, but my OCD wants to be sure in case I accidentally selected the wrong memory or something.

CPU: Intel Core i3-2125 Sandy Bridge
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB
PSU: PC Power and Cooling Silencer MK III 400W Modular
SSD: OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G 2.5" 120GB (seems to be the best deal right now for ~120gb SSD?)
Case: LIAN LI Black Aluminum PC-C37B
Optical Drive: LITE-ON Blu-ray Combo Model ihes112-04
Remote: Harmony One w/HP IR adapter
OS: Windows 7 64bit Home Premium
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post #12816 of 15483
4/30/12 at 3:19pm
Here is my current component list, for an HTPC, no gaming. I would like to be able to play 3D, hopefully the 2105 can pull it. Please provide any feedback. Thanks!

CPU: Intel Core i3-2105 Sandy Bridge
Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-M Pro LGA 1155 Intel Z68
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB
PSU: PC Power and Cooling Silencer MK III 400W Modular
SSD: Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III
HDD: SAMSUNG EcoGreen F4 HD204UI 2TB SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
Case: nMEDIAPC Black Aluminum / Acrylic / Steel HTPC 5000B Micro ATX Media Center
Optical Drive: LITE-ON Black 12X Blu-ray Burner with Blu Ray 3D Feature SATA IHBS112-04
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post #12817 of 15483
4/30/12 at 3:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by h_pranav View Post

Hi,

Just need an advice I am building a HTPC, below is the configuration do you recommend any changes or does it seems fine.

PSU: SeaSonic S12II 430W 80+ PSU

Forgot to point out that with this PSU you'll end up with a big bunch of unused cables so double check the case internals to make sure you've got somewhere to stick them where they won't get in the way. I overlooked this and now it's probably going to be a tight fit if I ever want to add another HDD as the spare cables occupy the mount point (see photos). Consider a modular PSU if this will be an issue for you. Otherwise I have the SeaSonic S12II 430W and am very happy with it.
LL
LL
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post #12818 of 15483
4/30/12 at 3:40pm
Thanks for the input, good to know I have the seal of approval to go ahead!

Quote:
Originally Posted by UncleCemka View Post

I am looking to select similar components for my new HTPC build, but just wondering why you decided to go with the 2125 CPU, instead of 2105?

I choose the 2125 because I can get it at Micro Center for less than even the 2105. I just linked all my parts to New Egg for viewing ease.

After reading some more, I might switch the OCZ V3 to the Crucial M4 like you have listed... unless New Egg puts the Samsung's back to ~$140.
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post #12819 of 15483
4/30/12 at 3:54pm
Hey flocko, Fastslappy thanks a lot for your suggestions.
I get i3 2105 CPU without extra fan & 128 SSD
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post #12820 of 15483
4/30/12 at 3:56pm
UncleCemka, just saw that Asus board you listed and the G Skill Ram we want is a shell shocker right now. I might have to jump on that.
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post #12821 of 15483
4/30/12 at 4:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by h_pranav View Post

Hey flocko, Fastslappy thanks a lot for your suggestions.
I get i3 2105 CPU without extra fan & 128 SSD

No ProblemO ::::::> you will be much happier with the 128 SSD
I have a i3 2105 & a 128 Plexor SSD in this new build & Damn ! they're a Fast combo !
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post #12822 of 15483
4/30/12 at 4:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shanndogg View Post

UncleCemka, just saw that Asus board you listed and the G Skill Ram we want is a shell shocker right now. I might have to jump on that.

Asus is a good motherboard. If you can get a Z68 Asus on EggSaver special under $100 that's a solid option.

Not many motherboards under $100 are better than an Asus Z68 PRO. (IMO actually none are)
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post #12823 of 15483
4/30/12 at 5:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mfusick View Post

Asus is a good motherboard. If you can get a Z68 Asus on EggSaver special under $100 that's a solid option.

Not many motherboards under $100 are better than an Asus Z68 PRO. (IMO actually none are)

++11oo Big Time !

Asus has really cleaned up their act since I got the 775 socketed MoBo's .. the BIOS is beautiful
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post #12824 of 15483
4/30/12 at 5:31pm
$48 Asus H61 also on newegg right now.

That is a nice deal.

Combine that with a $50 OCZ 60GB SSD, and 4GB of Gskill DDR3 for $19 and a $38 G630 CPU and a $11 Samsung DVD burner you got a nice little machine for not much cash.

Yes, You could actually build this machine right now for $170. $200 with a case and PSU.
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post #12825 of 15483
4/30/12 at 6:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by h_pranav View Post

Hey flocko, Fastslappy thanks a lot for your suggestions.
I get i3 2105 CPU without extra fan & 128 SSD

No biggie on this end either !

Word :

Keep a close eye on Assassin , Mfusick and other top names here . These fellas put out some of the (if not the ) best info and current pricing related to the industry . If it is cutting or leading edge , you will find it here .

Thanks guy's !
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post #12826 of 15483
4/30/12 at 6:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shanndogg View Post

Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB

SSD: OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G 2.5" 120GB (seems to be the best deal right now for ~120gb SSD?)

Optical Drive: LITE-ON Blu-ray Combo Model ihes112-04

Heads ups.

10% OFF All Desktop Memory*
(72 HOURS ONLY!)
CODE : BTENFGN47

15% OFF All OCZ Internal Solid State Drives*
BTENFGN45

Yes that means that Vertex3 120GB is under $100!

15% OFF All Internal CD/DVD Burners *
(72 HOURS ONLY!)
BTENFGN55

Quote:
Originally Posted by UncleCemka View Post

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-M Pro LGA 1155 Intel Z68


SSD: Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III

HDD: SAMSUNG EcoGreen F4 HD204UI 2TB SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
[/url]

Go back to the Vertex3. It's better/faster/cheaper than the crucial.

Asus > Gigabyte for sure. $99 for the Asus Z68 is very nice indeed. Act quick or it's gone.

Oh,

ANd since I like you:

Here is help on the HDD's ($10-$20 off)

http://www.neweggbusiness.com/promot...-_-0426-_-0508

Cliff notes:

Go Asus over gigabyte with Eggsaver
Go back to OCZ and save the extra 15%
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post #12827 of 15483
4/30/12 at 6:45pm
Thread Starter 
To be fair and balanced its MFusick's opinion that the OCZ is "better".

There are many on AVS and elsewhere that don't necessarily agree.

It is cheaper. The speed of any and all SSDs for HTPC is a moot point and I don't even look at the reported speeds --- nor do I care. Any of them are plenty fast for HTPC.
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post #12828 of 15483
4/30/12 at 8:07pm
Went ahead and grabbed the Asus Z68 Pro and 8GB GSkill Ripjaw X's for the extra $10 off with the shell shocker deal.

Thanks for the codes Mfusick, but it says my email address isn't valid with it. Was trying for the OCZ V3.
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post #12829 of 15483
4/30/12 at 10:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shanndogg View Post

Went ahead and grabbed the Asus Z68 Pro and 8GB GSkill Ripjaw X's for the extra $10 off with the shell shocker deal.

Thanks for the codes Mfusick, but it says my email address isn't valid with it. Was trying for the OCZ V3.

you have to on the email list for some codes to work
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post #12830 of 15483
5/1/12 at 5:54am
Thanks for all of the suggestions. Unfortunately, I missed out of the MOBO and the RAM. I will keep shopping around and will pull the trigger when the deals get a little better again.

EDIT: Looks like the Crucial SSD is back to $200, so the OCZ is the only option right now.
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post #12831 of 15483
5/1/12 at 6:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shanndogg View Post


Thanks for the codes Mfusick, but it says my email address isn't valid with it. Was trying for the OCZ V3.

Check slick deals. They have it posted up.
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post #12832 of 15483
5/1/12 at 6:55am
What is a good cheap wireless keyboard/mouse? Doesn't need to be a combo as I don't use it much with the htpc.
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post #12833 of 15483
5/1/12 at 7:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by UncleCemka View Post

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Unfortunately, I missed out of the MOBO and the RAM. I will keep shopping around and will pull the trigger when the deals get a little better again.

EDIT: Looks like the Crucial SSD is back to $200, so the OCZ is the only option right now.

Still $109.99 at Buy.com. I've gotten lots of things from Buy.com with no issues.
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post #12834 of 15483
5/1/12 at 9:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cburbs View Post

What is a good cheap wireless keyboard/mouse? Doesn't need to be a combo as I don't use it much with the htpc.

I use my Harmony 880 90% of the time. For the 10% I need a keyboard I use the Lenevo N5902 for light duty: http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/c..._menu_area=yes
And for heavier typing I use the Logitech M320 combo: http://mobile.logitech.com/en-us/key...-desktop-mk320
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post #12835 of 15483
5/1/12 at 9:04am
M4 Crucial 64GB update...

Well it was the firmware. I was on version 0009 and I hit the 5128 hour mark where it would lock up after an hour of use. Upgraded firmware to 000F and been running great since Friday.

Boy did I miss my SSD! Running the OS off of a 4 year old 500GB WD was painfully slow and loud!
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post #12836 of 15483
5/1/12 at 9:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wilky13 View Post

M4 Crucial 64GB update...

Well it was the firmware. I was on version 0009 and I hit the 5128 hour mark where it would lock up after an hour of use. Upgraded firmware to 000F and been running great since Friday.

Boy did I miss my SSD! Running the OS off of a 4 year old 500GB WD was painfully slow and loud!

Great. Thought so.

I have seen that issue a lot with crucial m4's.

Glad it was easy fix and happy ending .
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post #12837 of 15483
5/1/12 at 9:48am
Any thoughts on this (or alternatives for a 3TB drive):
Western Digital offers the factory-refurbished Western Digital Elements 3TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive, model no. WDBAAU0030HBK-NESN, for $129.99. Coupon code "WDCARES" cuts is to $114.99. With free shipping, that's $0.04/GB and the second lowest price we've ever seen for this drive. (It's also a current price low for a refurbished unit by $55.) This drive uses GreenPower technology to reduce power consumption by up to 30%. A 6-month Western Digital warranty applies.
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post #12838 of 15483
5/1/12 at 10:51am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by cburbs View Post

What is a good cheap wireless keyboard/mouse? Doesn't need to be a combo as I don't use it much with the htpc.

I like the Lenovo with backlighting. Works fairly well for HTPC and is under $40.
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post #12839 of 15483
5/1/12 at 11:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LastButNotLeast View Post

Any thoughts on this (or alternatives for a 3TB drive):
Western Digital offers the factory-refurbished Western Digital Elements 3TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive, model no. WDBAAU0030HBK-NESN, for $129.99. Coupon code "WDCARES" cuts is to $114.99. With free shipping, that's $0.04/GB and the second lowest price we've ever seen for this drive. (It's also a current price low for a refurbished unit by $55.) This drive uses GreenPower technology to reduce power consumption by up to 30%. A 6-month Western Digital warranty applies.

$114 for 3TB is cheap.

Seems good if your not scared of a refurb. (I am not)

after 6 months- the likelyhood of it failing is low... untill life is run out.

My experience is most drives fail early.. or late. Or- for some accident reason like a drop- or disconnect type event.
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post #12840 of 15483
5/1/12 at 11:05am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mfusick View Post

$114 for 3TB is cheap.

Seems good if your not scared of a refurb. (I am not)

after 6 months- the likelyhood of it failing is low... untill life is run out.

My experience is most drives fail early.. or late. Or- for some accident reason like a drop- or disconnect type event.

I don't like to buy refurbished anything. But that's just my personal preference.

You can get a Seagate 3TB external at Staples for $122 shipped when they are in stock. Seems like a better deal to me. But to each their own.

Buying hard drives right now is a bit of a game anyway to find a deal.
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