Ultra Budget HTPC: (Last updated : February 1, 2010)
| Hardware | Component | Price | |
| Processor | AMD Athlon II X2 250 | $64.99 | check prices |
| Motherboard | GIGABYTE GA-MA785GMT-UD2H | $89.99 | check prices |
| Memory | Mushkin Enhanced Blackline DDR3 1600 | $89.99 | check prices |
| TV Tuner | DIAMOND ATI Theater HD 750 USB 2.0 | $54.99 | check prices |
| Hard Drive | SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB | $79.99 | check prices |
| Optical Drive | LG CH08LS10 Blu-ray/DVD combo drive | $99.99 | check prices |
| Case | hec Black 0.7mm Thickness SECC 7K09 | $54.99 | check prices |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Logitech MX 3200 Cordless Desktop | $65.00 | check prices |
Component Info and Reviews :
AMD Athlon II X2 250
The Athlon II X2 250 dual core processor is built on 45nm prcess and features a TDP of 65 watts. It runs at 3 GHz clock speed and has 2MB of L2 cache. It has good overclocabilty and can be overclocked to around 3.8 - 3.9 GHz on air.
Reviews : Neoseeker, Xbit Labs, Firing Squad, TechSpot
GIGABYTE GA-MA785GMT-UD2H
The GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H introduces revolutionary GIGABYTE Ultra Durable 3 technology on AMD platform with featuring 2 oz copper PCB and further helps to reduce the system temperature and dramatically enhance the performance. Based on AMD 785G chipset, GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H is integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200 (DX10.1) graphics engine and supports AMD Phenom™ II quad-core processors, DDR3 memory modules, HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology links, PCI Express 2.0 graphics interface and so on. With the innovative GIGABYTE Easy Energy Saver technology, GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H is able to provide user friendly computing, reach the maximum system performance easily while still able to save the power and environment in real life at the same time.
Reviews : bit-tech.net
Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 4GB DDR3 1600
This mushkin 4GB DDR3 1600 memory kit is rated at 7-7-7-20 timings and has heat spreaders.
DIAMOND ATI Theater HD 750 USB 2.0
With HD 750 PC TV chip your Media Center PC is complete with live HDTV (where applicable). Bring it all together for a true all-in-one rich media experience and expand your digital entertainment capabilities –at home or on-the-go. Easily capture and convert recorded TV shows directly to your mobile device and take it with you for TV on-the-go.
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB
The Samsung Spinpoint F3 operates at 7200RPM and with this offering being 1TB of data storage capacity using just two 500GB per platter disks it offers suberb speeds. As well as meeting datacentre requirements for addition storage to meet rising demand and increasing performance needs, the new drives also deliver high-performance with lower power for desktop computers and servers.
This Samsung Spinpoint drive offers a superior combination of density, recording quality and reliability. It also features Samsung's industry-leading NoiseGuard and SilentSeek‚ technologies to eliminate acoustic noise. Servers, high-end desktops, RAID systems and DVRs are among the applications well suited to the Spinpoint drive.
Reviews: bit-tech.net
LG CH08LS10 Blu-ray/DVD combo drive
The LG CH08LS10 Blu-ray/DVD combo drive gives you single and dual-layer Blu-ray Disc playback, along with DVD and CD writing. Dual-layer DVD burning allows you to store 8.5 GB of data on a single DVD. You get 40X CD-R and 24X CD-RW recording too.
The included LG software will help you get started and burn all the media you need. LG thought of everything you'll need to make the most out of your disc-based media and enjoy high definition Blu-ray Disc playback!
hec Black 0.7mm Thickness SECC 7K09
hec micro ATX htpc case is a compact and stylish case. It is made of quality 0.7mm steel and includes a 270W Power Supply.
Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 3200
The Cordless Desktop MX3200 works with Windows Vista to make it easy to access advanced features such as Dynamic Search and DocFlip. The high resolution laser mouse enables ultra-precise navigation. Convenient one-touch controls allows for easy Internet call management. An integrated soft-touch palm rest provides extra support for your wrists and can help reduce fatigue. Additionally, the straight-keyboard layout, featuring Zero-Degree Tilt, offers an extremely comfortable and natural typing experience, the sculpted design of the mouse fits comfortably in your hand. The keyboard also features programmable hot-keys so you can instantly open applications, games, folders, or web pages. Dedicated search buttons help you find files faster. Both the keyboard and mouse incorporate AgION antimicrobial compound, thus providing protection against and preventing the growth of a broad range of bacteria, mold, and mildew. Finally, with Logitech SecureConnect technology, your keyboard and mouse are pre-connected to the receiver to ensure hassle-free set-up and secure keyboard encryption right out of the box. The plug-and-play USB mini receiver provides added convenience for notebook computers.
Reviews :
