2013-09-16, 17:28
(2013-09-16, 07:47)lemnarm Wrote:(2013-09-14, 22:09)funguykk Wrote: Intel 2.9 GHz G2020 Processor
The cheapest suitable LGA1155 motherboard with USB3.0 ports
Nvidia GT520 2GB DDR3 Graphic Card (OR) NVIDIA 2GB GT610 (supports 3D and HD audio bitstream as per Nvidia's site)
I have very recently built HTPC using the same processor but without the nvidia card and I can tell you is that it runs 1080p any version without a hickup , 15% CPU usage MAX. I haven't tried any 3D because any 3D out there is rubbish but I am being told that it's a bit underpowered for that , but a i3 prefferably having Haswell inside (the latest i3) would handle any 3D without a problem. If I were you I would go with i3 and no dedicated graphics card , lower power usage , lower heat to dissipate , you can integrate it into a nice SFF case that you can place under the TV. The HD bitstream works like a charm out of the box , I have a Onkyo Receiver to handle the audio stream.
I hope this helps. PM me if you need some more info.
Thanks a lot for your advice! For some reason, not all processor models come to India OR they are not stocked everywhere. Considering the prices, I'm getting this CPU + Asus fanless GT610-SL-2GD3-L 2 GB card for a lower price than Core i3 2120 or i3 3220. Not sure if either of these processors can do 3D + HD bitstream as they have Intel HD 2XXX. I even considered the AMD A4-5300 or A6-5400 path but I'm a little worried about driver issues if I run Linux or OpenElec on it.