Building a HTPC (SFF Build) Some advise please !!

[x2dazee]

Hello,

I am planning to build as stated above a SFF (HTPC) and have narrowed it down to the following :

1st. Build

- Silverstone SST-SG01-B Black
- Abit AN-M2HD Socket AM2
- Zalman CNPS8000 Socket
- AM2 Athlon 64 6000+ Dual Core
- Samsung SpinPoint T 500GB
- Corsair TWIN2X2048-6400 (2GB)

Roughly costing me about £397.00 and even cheaper if i go for an OEM AMD CPU...

2nd. Build

- Silverstone SST-SG01-B Black
- ABIT Fatal1ty F-I90HD Socket 775
- Zalman CNPS8000 Socket
- Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66 Ghz
- Samsung SpinPoint T 500GB
- Corsair TWIN2X2048-6400 (2GB)

Roughly costing me about £423.00..

Now my dilemma begins because initally i was bent on getting the AMD CPU but from what i have seen so far the (1.) E6750 out performs the AMD in nearly every respect.

(2) So do i spend a bit more or keep with the cheaper price (Money isnt that much of an issue atm)

(3) Due to me being keen on the AMD initially i know the mobo i have chosen is pretty decent but for the intel one i sort of chose it on the fly but have seen some decent reviews (with some minor issues)

Are there any better S775 mATX mobos out there...

(4) Besides not getting a stock cooler with the OEM package is there much of a difference between the AMD retail pack and OEM pack..

(5) Best price so far i have found for the E6750 is around £115.00 from YoYoTech you guys aware of any better deals..

(6) The PSU i will be using is a fairly new Akaka 400W so thats sorted but i haven't chose a graphics card either as i haven't done much extensive research on whats a good HDMI card. Also i will be planning to add iMON VDF which will bump up the price a little..

Thanks in advanced for any replies...

[staffsMike]

If you do choose the e6750 you'll want a G33 chipset motherboard.

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...Thumbnails=yes

If this going to be your main pc for games etc..?

If so the 8800GTS fits in the SG01 if not then the boards in question have onboard graphics which are fine for desktop applications and the mobo you picked out for the AMD has onboard HDMI from memory.

Thats cooler although im sure it will do the job may struggle with the AMD as the 6000+ is borderline as far as the AMD chip its based on can be pushed.. im sure it will work though.

The intel chip of the G33 boards will actually overclock to further out do the AMD if you wanted to.

Difference between OEM processor and retail is perhaps the warranty? as well as the cooler as mentioned

[x2dazee]

Just out of interest whats makes the G33 chipset mobo a better choice, because i was looking for a mobo with an HDMI output...(as both mobos i listed below have HDMI output)

Yeah the PC will be my main PC which i may play the odd game (not a hardcore PC Gamer more into consoles)

Also does the 8800GTS have any HDMI output as i cant see it anywhere from what i have searched

Lastly you stated that "If so the 8800GTS fits in the SG01" (Is that to say most PCIx16 Graphics will have a hard time fitting in the SUGO, as this was the case with the cooler because i had to settle for a low profile one)

Thanks Again...

Lastly AMD or Intel - lol....

[staffsMike]

well the G33 has native 1333mhz fsb support (the e6750 has 1333FSB) the ATi board I believe only supports 1066mhz so you may have trouble getting the e6750 to work at all. Thats no big loss as the e6600 will work and is better imo than the 6750 but will cost £15 or so more.

the 8800GTS is the longest card that fits the sg01 without removing the Hard Drive cage. The GTS is pretty much as long if not longer than almost every other graphics card currently avaliable except the 8800GTX/Ultra so you wont have trouble finding one that fits

The 8800GTS doesn't have a HDMI out, but you can buy a DVI to HDMI convertor for about £20 i think.

[x2dazee]

Cheers for the swift reply..

Hmmm £15 it does bump up the price considerably than the AMD is there much of a difference between the e6600 and e6750..

You aware of any graphics card with HDMI output direct from the card because one direct from the mobo does sound tempting. (But i am looking to generally build one without a dedicated graphics card initially, than add one later when it falls a bit cheaper)

Or does a direct HDMI output not matter that much..

Can't think of anything else to add but anything you could enlighten me upon from my first post would help or some better alternatives..

[staffsMike]

well am2 boards are supposed to support the next offering from AMD so you won't be short of upgrade potential afaik.

Another Idea would be to get something like the E4400 and overclocking it with the ATi board. that would save you a fair bit of moeny and will overclock to 3.0ghz and beyond with a decent cooler.. I'm not sure what you would get out of it with the cooler you specced.

I think my money would be on the AMD to be honest. If offers you everything you are looking for and is the cheapest option.

The 6000+ is comparable at stock speeds to the E6600 so it will be nipping at the e6750's heels anyway.

[x2dazee]

Haven't a clue about overclocking so i will stay well clear of that

I was reading a review about e6750 : hexus.net/content/item.php?item=9323&page=5

and it seems the e6750 almost rips apart the AMD 6000+

Money isnt too much of an issue but i doubt i will douse into the realms of getting the e6600 but would stretch for the e6750 with the G33 motherboards (from the scan link you sent me which would be the best mobo)

Lastly the AMD 6000+ would there be any cooling issues with it as i read recently that generally AMD's run at a higher temp and than intel's anything to take into consideration for the SFF pc....

[staffsMike]

yeah i think i mentioned it in the first place that the 6000 is at the amd's limit so temps will be high.

With regard to the G33 board i would normally recommend the asus board but i dont know much about that particular one.

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=605384 this is the one to go for imo as it has all solid capacitors so should be very reliable.

When it comes to the perfomance you wont see much difference between the two day to day.. only if you're benchmarking or doing lots of video encoding etc would you find any difference..and the amd is still going to be good even if the intel is better.

You seem to get more choice for HTPC's with AMD as you've found with the abit HD boards.

[x2dazee]

"When it comes to the performance you wont see"...
Very Good point its true i wont be doing a lot of encoding anyways...

Temperature wise do you think it would be dangerously high not something that would instantaneously damage the CPU but would not be "healthy" so to speak...

Atm it looks like you got me leaning to the AMD even performance wise is slightly lacking but everyday job wise it will more than suffice just the temp issue..

[staffsMike]

With the retail HSF i believe it runs around 50 degrees which is tolerable but not fantastic.

I think this HSF fits in the sg01 which should keept it nice and cool (check the dimensions first though lol)

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Thermaltake/BlueOrb2

EDIT: Most places say its 66mm high and you have 78mm to play with so its would be fine.

[x2dazee]

thanks, 140 x 66 mm

Which ones the height as on custompc when they reviewed the SUGO, ST stated the HSF shouldn't be taller than the 78mm.

So thats why i went for the Zalman my only concern with buying anything else would be that it would block the RAM slots this might occur with the Zalman as well but i don't see myself putting anything like 8GB /16GB of ram lol...2GB for now and 4GB maybe laaaaaaaaaater on....

http://www.frostytech.com/articlevie...id=1991&page=4

[staffsMike]

zalman looks good actually.

[x2dazee]

Cool looks like i am going for the AMD lol..hoping the Zalman will keep it cool..

If you were me would go for the AMD or Intel just of curiosity..

Since i will save a bit with the AMD could you advise me of a graphics card with HDMI output which i could keep my eye on as knowledge on graphics cards is my weak point

I just see the memory and i am like...yeah that looks good lol...

[staffsMike]

It's difficult. If I wasn't buying a dedicated graphics card i'd have the AMD becuase i prefer the mobos you can get..

with a dedicated graphics card I would get an intel with a g33 motherboard but i would probably overclock as well.

I wouldnt mind having the amd though as i quite like using my brothers x2 3800 amd.. its very nice to use.

I think the latest ATi graphics card have hdmi but i cant be sure if its just a dvi to hdmi convertor thrown in..

[x2dazee]

It's difficult. If I wasn't buying a dedicated graphics card i'd have the AMD becuase i prefer the mobos you can get..

with a dedicated graphics card I would get an intel with a g33 motherboard but i would probably overclock as well.

But i would be getting a AMD and a dedicated graphics sooner or later lol....

Do you think i should kick up much of a fuss with a graphics card with HDMI output...also if i didnt would the 8800 GTS (you were referring to the 320MB version one right ??) suffice

Last thing sound wise a HDMI cable would output both sound and video from the mobo but i have a creative audigy 2 ZS PCI card (7.1)

Do you 1. think that my card is now outdated compared to the onboard 7.1 sound or
2. if not when i default my sound driver to the creative one the audio would come from my card and video from the onboard HDMI port right ?

Last Last thing lol...the 8800 GTS which one do i get because the price varies from like £80 to like £170+...and i would be looking to spend like £100 max on a graphics card..

[x2dazee]

Mike,

Many thanks for the help but its time i get some ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's so speak to you soon..!!