Is this an ok HTPC?

[AndyOHart]

Hey.
I previously said I would be making my family a HTPC for Christmas and I just want to show you guys the parts to see if it's okay.
I would prefer it to be cheaper so if you guys see anything I could do to make it cheaper please let me know.
Here is the part list:

Motherboard: http://www.dabs.ie/products/asrock-fm2a55m-amd-fm2-a55-ddr3-matx-8BFC.html

Processor: http://www.dabs.ie/products/intel-celeron-g530-2-4ghz-lga1155-2mb-7P81.html

Hard Drive: http://www.dabs.ie/products/seagate-3tb-barracuda-sata-6gb-s-64mb-7200rpm-3-5--hard-drive-7W95.html

RAM: http://www.dabs.ie/products/kingston-4gb--1-x-4gb--hyperx-blu-ddr3-1600mhz-dimm-240-pin-cl9-7K8K.html

Disc Drive: http://www.dabs.ie/products/liteon-ihos104-4x-sata-internal-bd-rom-drive-bare--includes-power-dvd-software--80WF.html

Wireless: http://www.dabs.ie/products/tp-link-150mbit-wlan-lite-n-pcie-x1-adapter-7X91.html

Case: http://www.dabs.ie/products/best-value-d100-enlight-desktop-case---fsp-250w-80--bronze-psu-82YM.html


All of the stuff is from www.dabs.ie

If you can help me make it cheaper it would be great! I still need to find a good remote of some sort to control it so it would be appreciated if I can get some help

 

[jmsellars1]

I'd go for something with better graphics for a HTPC to be honest. See if you can stretch to an A6 maybe. If not, the A4's are still OK.

 

[AndyOHart]

Why do you say that

 

[jmsellars1]

You're going to want to play high quality videos presumably, for that it is best to have decent graphics as well as a decent CPU. An A6 would be ideal in my opinion, an A4 is also good though. The best Intel option would be the i3-3225 but that looks a bit out of budget.

 

[vaguemedia]

Go for an AMD A6 or A4 build. For the price, you can't beat it. I think right now amazon.com still has the a6 quad core for $60 usd.

 

[AndyOHart]

Is this processor okay?

http://www.dabs.ie/products/amd-a4-5300-3-4ghz-fm2-1mb-65w-black-edition-89K2.html

Will it allow for high quality videos? That's all that really matters. Anything else I could change to make it cheaper?

 

[jmsellars1]

That's one of the new Trinity CPU's, you might get an old Llano one a bit cheaper but it will only be a couple of Euros cheaper and you will have last gen stuff. I'd just grab something based on the one you linked. If you do, be sure to get 1600Mhz+ memory to make the most of it. 1600Mhz is generally the same price as 1333Mhz.

 

[AndyOHart]

Would I be better off getting a Raspberry Pi and a 2tb hard drive. Was talking to a friend about it and it sounds like the Pi can do everything I want it to for my family. What do you think? Just hook it up to a external HDD and run XMBC on it and leave it on for a HTPC. Good idea or?