Motherboard Question for an HTPC Build

[GamingDaemon]

Hello Everyone!

Here's another PC build for you to review, pick apart and debate. But let's start with my requirements for this build.

Here’s what I want in a HTPC:

• Play all of the 1080p Blu Ray movies I have ripped to my Home Server PC
• Play any other personal videos I have taken that are stored on my Home Server PC
• Access the internet to round out my ability to see movies and TV online (I have DirecTV and Vudu, but I know there are other options open to me like Hulu and YouTube)
• Future-proof to some degree, as much as is possible

And here's my current list of components:

• GIGABYTE GA-Z68M-D2H LGA 1155 Intel Z68 $104.99
• SILVERSTONE Black Aluminum skin ML03B Micro ATX Media Center $59.99
• ASUS ENGT430 DC SL/DI/1GD3 GeForce GT 430 (Fermi) (out of stock, $69.99)
• SILVERSTONE SST-ST40F-ES 400W $48.99
• Intel Celeron G530 Sandy Bridge 2.4GHz LGA 1155 65W $51.99
• G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 $44.99
• SAMSUNG Black Blu-ray Combo SATA Model SH-B123L $59.99
• Intel EXPI9301CTBLK 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI-Express Network Adapter $27.99

I was considering the ASRock H61M/U3S3 motherboard, but I was concerned that it would not be able to support an Ivy Bridge CPU down the road (I think Z68 will), and this chipset does not allow you to overclock the CPU.

While I don't plan to overclock immediately, I am betting it will be hard for me to look at the i3-G530 proc and not want to overclock it.

Should I care about any of this and go with the ASRock H61 micro ATX? Or, should I go for the Gigabyte Z68 micro ATX?

Thank you in advance!

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

While I can't say for sure with ASRock's H61, a number of manufacturer's boards have a Bios update for support of 22nm chips. So while there is a good chance that these boards will support our processors build with the 22nm process they may not be able to support all of the features of those processors when they are released.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

 

[GamingDaemon]

Ok, thank you. I think I may still go with the Z68 Gigabyte mbo because of the better reviews it has on NewEgg.