my first build is going to be an htpc
the main specs that i am concerned with are my gfx card, memory, and case
i want an htpc case with enough room
Case ??? $200
Processor Athlon 64-M 3200+ 1.5V $200
Motherboard Asus K8N-E Deluxe nforce3 250gb $125
VGA Cooler Artic Cooling VGA Silencer $20
DVD Player Benq 1620a $70
Keyboard/Mouse Gyration Combo $100
Hard Drive WD2500JD $130
looking at the cases i'm deciding between the arisetec ht-400 (i dont think it was reviewed here) the ahanix d4 and the silverstone 10/m
i'm a little confused about the htpc 2004 roundup that is posted here ... the temps between the d5 and the L10/m are almost the same in every aspect yet the review lists the dvine as being a "much" hotter case ... aslo the casaully mention the d4 in terms of the sound, but not in terms of the thermal comparison... any ideas on how the d4 compares with the L10?
for a gfx card ... which cards are the quietest but remain cool, or is it worth investing in the vga cooler (listed above) ... i've heard about leadtek, his, and sapphire ... of those which would you recommend?
for memory ... is it worth the risk of getting generic ddr ram (i found a stick of 1gb pc3200 for $100 shipped) ... or should i spend the extra cash for a kingston hyperx module ($170)
thanks for all the help
any suggestions on the rest of the hardware also appreciated
the main specs that i am concerned with are my gfx card, memory, and case
i want an htpc case with enough room
Case ??? $200
Processor Athlon 64-M 3200+ 1.5V $200
Motherboard Asus K8N-E Deluxe nforce3 250gb $125
VGA Cooler Artic Cooling VGA Silencer $20
DVD Player Benq 1620a $70
Keyboard/Mouse Gyration Combo $100
Hard Drive WD2500JD $130
looking at the cases i'm deciding between the arisetec ht-400 (i dont think it was reviewed here) the ahanix d4 and the silverstone 10/m
i'm a little confused about the htpc 2004 roundup that is posted here ... the temps between the d5 and the L10/m are almost the same in every aspect yet the review lists the dvine as being a "much" hotter case ... aslo the casaully mention the d4 in terms of the sound, but not in terms of the thermal comparison... any ideas on how the d4 compares with the L10?
for a gfx card ... which cards are the quietest but remain cool, or is it worth investing in the vga cooler (listed above) ... i've heard about leadtek, his, and sapphire ... of those which would you recommend?
for memory ... is it worth the risk of getting generic ddr ram (i found a stick of 1gb pc3200 for $100 shipped) ... or should i spend the extra cash for a kingston hyperx module ($170)
thanks for all the help
any suggestions on the rest of the hardware also appreciated