Advice on Budget Build HTPC + Plex Server (all in one)

[Capefearless]

Approximate Purchase Date: 2-4 Weeks

Budget Range: $400-$500 or less??? With room to upgrade/grow down the line.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Run Plex Media Server and Plex Client on the same machine. This machine will need to serve up to 3 Clients as well as act as HTPC to the connected TV & Audio Receiver.

Parts Not Required: Monitor, Mouse, Keyboard & Speakers

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg & Amazon

Country: USA (Greensboro, NC)

Parts Preferences: I'd prefer it to be reasonably quiet and low power consumption.

Overclocking: Maybe?

SLI or Crossfire:Maybe?

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

Additional Comments:
I currently run the Plex Server on my office machine and pull the media from external HDD's.
The current clients are:
1) Laptop running Plex Client on windows (connected to main TV and would be replaced by the new build)
1) Roku Box
2) Raspberry Pi Boxes (running RasPlex)
misc) Sometimes a Laptop or a Remote Android instead of one of the above.

Generally speaking, no more than 3 simultaneous streams/events from above.

Other fun facts:

• 
  ~I don't care about gaming on this system.
  ~Will likely run 24/7 so I probably don't need SS drives.
  ~The connected Audio Receiver has no HDMI but does have both digital coaxial & SPDIF inputs and so a mobo with either would be nice (but not super critical)
  ~I rarely if ever bother with 1080p - especially for streaming. If so, those would be as h264 and so shouldn't require transcoding.
  ~I'd like to (initially at least) plug the external HDD's into the new machine and save the expense and trouble of moving it all to internal HDD's
  ~I'll probably use Windows 7 as I have an extra (legal) copy already and it would be nice to use Hulu/Netflix/Amazon all of which require windows.
  • 
    
    Below are 2 builds I'm considering but I'm really wanting some feedback/suggestions...
    
    Build #1:
    PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks
    
    CPU: AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
    Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver Arctic Alumina Premium Ceramic Polysynthetic 14g Thermal Paste ($4.98 @ Outlet PC)
    Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75 Pro4-M Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($69.98 @ Outlet PC)
    Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($49.98 @ Outlet PC)
    Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($98.79 @ Amazon)
    Case: nMEDIAPC HTPC 1080P HTPC Case ($59.98 @ Newegg)
    Power Supply: SeaSonic 300W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
    Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
    Total: $451.67
    (Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
    (Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-05-05 02:22 EDT-0400)
    
    Build #2:
    PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks
    
    CPU: Intel Pentium G2120 3.1GHz Dual-Core Processor ($77.69 @ Amazon)
    Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver Arctic Alumina Premium Ceramic Polysynthetic 14g Thermal Paste ($4.98 @ Outlet PC)
    Motherboard: ASRock H77M Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($74.99 @ Amazon)
    Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($49.98 @ Outlet PC)
    Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($98.79 @ Amazon)
    Case: nMEDIAPC HTPC 1080P HTPC Case ($59.98 @ Newegg)
    Power Supply: SeaSonic 300W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
    Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
    Total: $414.38
    (Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
    (Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-05-04 23:52 EDT-0400)
    
    
    So are either of these up to the task? Any thing an overkill? Is the first build worth the extra money?
    
    More to the point, any better suggestions or things to consider?
    
    Thanks in advance!

 

[ScrewySqrl]

overall, I like the A10 as a better all-around pc. it can do 1080p video, encoding, and light gaming just fine. I have spotted a 7200 rpm 2TB drive for a bit less, which would be faster. you also don't need arctic silver, the coolers with the cpu already come with the exact right amount of thermal compound

 

[Capefearless]

overall, I like the A10 as a better all-around pc. it can do 1080p video, encoding, and light gaming just fine. I have spotted a 7200 rpm 2TB drive for a bit less, which would be faster. you also don't need arctic silver, the coolers with the cpu already come with the exact right amount of thermal compound

Ahhh, thanks for the tip on the Thermal Compound, I wasn't sure if it would come included. Which 7200 rpm drive were recommending? I've heard that the 7200 rpm drives are louder, and the WD Caviar Greens came recommended, and so that was my thinking.

I redid my build with 2 x 2GB memory. As I've done some reading and it seems like 8GB might be overkill. Either way, do you recommend 2 sticks over 1 stick (say 2 x 2GB vs 1 x 4GB / 2 x 4GB vs 1 x 8GB)? Is this so that it can take advantage of dual channel? I'm still confused on this.

Here is the new build:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75 Pro4-M Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($69.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($30.98 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Case: nMEDIAPC HTPC 1080P HTPC Case ($59.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 300W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $423.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-05-06 16:28 EDT-0400)

Again, my goal is to use this as a HTPC (via Plex Client) to an attached TV and also potentially stream to as many as 3 simultaneous Plex Clients (Roku's, Pi's, etc.). You think this will do it?

Thanks for the input!

 

[ScrewySqrl]

overall, I like the A10 as a better all-around pc. it can do 1080p video, encoding, and light gaming just fine. I have spotted a 7200 rpm 2TB drive for a bit less, which would be faster. you also don't need arctic silver, the coolers with the cpu already come with the exact right amount of thermal compound

Ahhh, thanks for the tip on the Thermal Compound, I wasn't sure if it would come included. Which 7200 rpm drive were recommending? I've heard that the 7200 rpm drives are louder, and the WD Caviar Greens came recommended, and so that was my thinking.

I redid my build with 2 x 2GB memory. As I've done some reading and it seems like 8GB might be overkill. Either way, do you recommend 2 sticks over 1 stick (say 2 x 2GB vs 1 x 4GB / 2 x 4GB vs 1 x 8GB)? Is this so that it can take advantage of dual channel? I'm still confused on this.

Here is the new build:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75 Pro4-M Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($69.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($30.98 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Case: nMEDIAPC HTPC 1080P HTPC Case ($59.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 300W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $423.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-05-06 16:28 EDT-0400)

Again, my goal is to use this as a HTPC (via Plex Client) to an attached TV and also potentially stream to as many as 3 simultaneous Plex Clients (Roku's, Pi's, etc.). You think this will do it?

Thanks for the input!

yes that should work just fine

 

[jk47_99]

Do you plan to overclock? You can consider the A10-5700 instead, it runs on less power so it will run cooler in a small HTPC enviroment.

 

[Capefearless]

Do you plan to overclock? You can consider the A10-5700 instead, it runs on less power so it will run cooler in a small HTPC enviroment.

I probably will overclock, but thanks for the heads up!

 

[manofice]

Edit: shit I just realized this was an old thread....

I like your choice of the amd APU. I built a htpc last year with a triple core A6, 4gb of fast ram (2 sticks of 2gb). Used the paste that came on the heatsink, using stock heatsink too. Just recently put a bluray drive in. Let me tell u, it plays anything I throw at it, very very high quality bluray rips, with no lag. So your build with a A8 or A10 will be awesome

Edit: get faster ram, I got DDR3-1866. Because it will make your APU run faster