Newbie here to the forum, need help with first HTPC build

Read the sticky threads.

Start with Assassin's sticky and Renethx' sticky. For $800 you should be able to build something very nice. Since this is your first time building a computer there are a multitude of howto pages as far as actually assembling the components go. Just google it. Most of them are oriented towards gamers but the same rules apply.

I would be happy to list components that total $800 that would kick major ass if that is what your asking ???

Why do I have this funny feeling it would include an OCZ Vertex 3 SSD?

I'll second that thought.

Probably a Samsung 830 actually. Killer deal after rebates now. $10 cheaper. lol

I do like the OCZ though. I have several and had excellent luck. I was early adopter of the Vertex2 and 5+ drives later I have yet to report a single issue or problem.

This month I purchased and installed two Vertex3 60GB, two vertex3 120GB's, and then two more Vertex2 120GB for the non sataIII machines. These are all for my office PC's. My employees have never been happier.

I am building a new PC for myself at home with a MAX IOPS edition Vertex3. I might fool around with RAID 0 if I can figure out the TRIM work around. I am thinking 1000MB/Sec is possible.

I don't understand why they get such a bad rep. It got popular in a few PC forums a while back to bash OCZ and it just stuck, and most of the people that bash them or think they are no good never even owned one or had a bad experience with them.

Makes no sense. I guess I just prefer them given the excellent performance to price ratio. If money was no object I would look at the CHRONOS and Patriot Wildfire also. The Samsung830's not a bad drive all around either.

I know people like Intel- but I don't buy into the reliability or warranty garbage. It's just not important to me. I reinstall my OS clean at least once per year - and can do it in 15 minutes. I keep nothing important on my PC that is not backed up, and it's purely for fun. In my office the network holds all the data- and it's redundant. SSD's just speed up the boot up times and programs installed tremendously. It increases productivity and finally the complains about slow PC's have stopped. I don't regret the $ I spend to upgrade all the PC's at all. Money well spent.

Now,


My build for $800 would probably be:

2500k $200
Asus Z68 LGA1155 $200ish depending on model
Nice Full ATX Case if size is allowed- $50-$80
16GB DDR3 1600mhz RIPJAWZ $89
6870 Double OC version from VisionTek (A total steal at $129)
Modular Power Supply $50
Asus Bluray $50
Sammy 830 or Vertex3 60GB ($80)

That's probably in his budget. It could do it all- and be a full function PC or overpowered HTPC. You could game or do whatever with it.

His budget is high for a plain old HTPC. You could go integrated HDMI in motherboard. Any $99 mobo would do fine. Pair a much cheaper G620 CPU for $69. Cut DDR3 PC12800 from 16MB to 8MB and save another $40. Cut out the video card. Cheapen the power supply to like a $16 Corsair enthusiast (new egg daily deal today).

You can make a nice HTPC for half his budget easily. You could even go (gasp) with a normal HDD... lol.