[User 189237]

.... How is it when it is running XMBC? I plan to run a Windows 8.1 OS on the machine, for being able to run Netflix and Viaplay (Scandinavian alternative to services like Netflix)....

I intended do nothing on the machine besides running XBMC, and as mentioned, some streaming apps, but no gaming or anything....

I have the i5 - however I think you would still be fine with the i3 for what you are doing.
If undecided you are presumably being budget conscious (nothing wrong with that!)
You can save even more money than the difference in the two processors by running XBMC over Linux rather than Windows 8.1 - which is considerable cost on its own!
I have some notes on installing Linux Mint and XBMC a few pages back.
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...pid1647383

You then have to do a couple of extra things in order to play Netflix (because Netflix uses Microsoft SilverLight - presumably Viaplay might also?)

1) Install Chrome browser;
2) Install Pipelight - this enables Silverlight to run.
3) Add a User Switcher Agent (to trick Netflix into seeing a Windows based browser)

Those sound complicated but quite easy.

1. Install Chrome
Open the Firefox browser (comes pre-installed on Mint)
Search for Chrome for Linux - download the Chrome application for Linux (Ubuntu).
You will get a self-installing deb package and installation should be quite straight forward.

2. Install PipeLight
Open Terminal
Get the repository:

Code:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pipelight/stable

Install the application

Code:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install pipelight-multi

Start the application and enable it to run Silverlight

Code:

sudo pipelight-plugin --enable silverlight

Close the Terminal

3. User Switcher Agent
Open Chrome Browser and open 'Settings' (click on the icon with three bars on right side of toolbar and then 'Settings' from the menu)
Select 'Extensions' and click on 'Get More Extensions' link
In the search field type 'User Switcher Agent'
Select the User-Agent Switcher for Chrome by Glenn Wilson
Click on the 'Free' tab and then 'Add'
Once the extension is loaded, the preferences icon will appear on right side of toolbar (next to the 'Settings' icon - looks like a mask)
Select 'Firefox and then Windows Firefox 15 from the sub-menu.

That's it! Point to Netflix in Chrome and it should open up.
The first time confirm on the prompt to "always run Silverlight on this site"

Note that you can try all of this on ANY pc you already own - even a Windows system - as a test/trial by running off the Mint 'Live' USB stick, without actually permanently installing anything on your test rig - this can give you a feel for what you have to do and that both of your streaming apps will actually work!

Hi. Thank you for your post.

I will keep Linux in my consideration. A couple of years back, when I bought my first HTPC I tried Ubuntu with (I think it was called) Moonlight, which also should be able to run Silverlight, but I couldn't make it work, why I haven't really considered it.

The reason I am in doubt is to save a few bucks. But also because I have a thing where I buy hardware way to powerful for what I actually need, because I get "greedy" and think "for just a little more, I get a better CPU", but if you take a little more, a lot of times, it adds up ;-)