/r/htpc Wiki
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Sample Pre-Built / DiY Builds
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HTPC Pre-builts/Mini-PCs
- 1080p PLAYERS
- 4K HDR PLAYERS
- Specialized: Emulation/Light Gaming/Game Streaming
- Specialized: 4K@120Hz
- Specialized: Dolby Vision / HDR10+
- Specialized: Fanless
- Specialized: Optical/Toslink output
- Specialized: HDMI-CEC
- Specialized: Media Server w/Transcoding
- Specialized: Media client, server, storage system combos
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HTPC DIY builds
- CHEAPEST 4K HTPC PLAYER - USED
- 4K HDR PLAYER (2-3L)
- 4K HDR ALL-IN-ONE PLAYER (8-9.6L)
- CHEAPEST 4K HDR/ALL-IN-ONE PLAYER - NEW (14L)
- AV1 DECODING ALL-IN-ONE PLAYER (14L)
- FANLESS 4K HDR PLAYER (4.6L)
- Super low power all-in-one fanless player (3.3L)
- MadVR upscaling all-in-one player (14L)
- UHD MakeMKV Ripping/Handbrake Transcoding Machine (12-20L)
- NAS/Media Server builds
- Gaming Emulation builds
- Gaming builds
- VR builds
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HTPC Pre-builts/Mini-PCs
Sample Pre-Built / DiY Builds
Here you’ll find some pre-builts/mini-pcs and some sample DIY PC builds for HT, Emulation, Media Server and NAS purposes in their relevant sections. Before going through this page, look at the common scenarios in the I want a HTPC/media device recommendation, but don’t want to get into the complicated details section of the FAQ. You may find your specific scenario there and a device to match before you go down this rabbit hole. If what you want is not there, then read on here.
Keep in mind, these are meant as examples for certain usage scenarios, even though they are real builds. You can add/subtract/change certain components to match your specific budget or requirements, but these should be a good starting point. If you’re un-sure, check our Hardware Components Guide, or post and ask us.
You can use PCPartPicker to help you select parts that will all fit and work together.
For current deals/promotions on parts for your build, try r/buildapcsales.
HTPC Pre-builts/Mini-PCs
The SBC options below will have the highest power efficiency, but also lowest comparative performance. Intel N/NUC CPUs (e.g. N5105/N95) have high efficiency. Intel T CPUs (e.g. i3-7100T) medium efficiency. Intel non-T/AMD CPUs, low efficiency.
Choosing the least expensive option is attractive, but not always the best course of action. Be mindful of the added costs like storage, adapters, shipping. Other factors can include limitations like operating system support, warranty, QC and reliability.
Respected mfgrs are: intel, hp, dell, apple, lenovo, asus, asrock, simply nuc, zotac, shuttle.
1080p PLAYERS
TL;DR If you need extreme power efficiency, then a small ARM-based SBC is ok; but a used Intel 7th gen USFF/SFF/NUC off ebay for $75-125 has better perf / $ and more hw flexibility. For new, an Intel N95 based mini pc <= $150 with mem/storage.
$35-$55: SMALLEST: SBC: (Linux/Coreelec/Libreelec only): ROCK64-2GB / Orange Pi 3 / Odroid C4. Just good enough, small and cheap.
$60-100: SMALL/MEDIUM: Used HP/Dell/Lenovo - Intel - i3/i5-7100T/7400T/7500T, >= 8GB RAM, >= 120GB disk. [Ebay]
$100: SMALLER: Used Intel NUC7i3/NUC7CJYH, >= 8GB, >= 128GB disk. Lower power than HP/Dell/Lenovo above. [Ebay]
$125-175: SMALLER: New Intel N95/N5095 Mini PC (Minisforum/Beelink/etc..), 8GB RAM, 256GB disk
$150-200: SMALLEST: New Intel N5095/N5105 Nano PC (GMK Nucbox/Mele Quieter3Q), 6-8GB RAM, 128GB-256GB disk
4K HDR PLAYERS
TL;DR If you’re on a budget, then an Intel N95/N100 based mini pc for $150 with mem/storage is fine. If you can afford it, look at a Beelink SEI 11/12 for $300 for better future-proofing.
$70-$85: SMALLEST: SBC: w/CoreELEC OS, 32GB MicroSD, AC Adapter
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Odroid C4 ($60)
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Odroid N2+ ($72)
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Used for: H26x/VP9 local content, Kodi-based interface, ext. storage
$125-$400: SMALLER: Intel/AMD Mini PC, 8GB (2x4GB) RAM, 256GB SSD
- Intel: Beelink S12/S12 Pro (N95/N100) ($150+)
- Intel: Intel NUC 8i3/8i5 - Ebay ($125+)
- AMD: Beelink SER5 ($250)
- Intel: Beelink SEI 11/12 ($300+)
- AMD: Beelink SER6 ($375)
- Used for: H26x, VP9, AV1 (S12, SEI 11/12, SER6) local content + 4k netflix/YT, web browsing, int. 2.5” storage, plex server (intel), light gaming (SEI11, SER6).
$100-$725: SMALL/MEDIUM: Intel - i3/i5-7xxx/8xxx/9xxx+ 8GB (2x4GB) RAM, 256GB ssd/1TB hdd:
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USED: Dell Optiplex xx50-xx90 + CableCreation Active DP 1.4->HDMI Cable ($100-$300)
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NEW: Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini / Lenovo Neo 50s Gen 4 SFF ($500)
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Used for: H26x/VP9 local content, 4k netflix/YT, web browsing, int. 3.5” storage (SFF/MT models), plex server, low power (xxxxT cpu models).
$175-$550: SMALL/MEDIUM: AMD - Ryzen 3x00G-5x00G, 8GB (2x4GB) RAM, 256GB ssd/1TB hdd
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USED: HP EliteDesk 705 G5 + CableCreation Active DP 1.4->HDMI Cable ($175-$300)
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NEW: Lenovo M75s Gen 2 SFF + CableCreation Active DP 1.4->HDMI Cable ($575)
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Used for: H26x/VP9 local content + 4k netflix/YT, web browsing, int. 3.5” storage (SFF/MT models), light gaming, low power (xxxxGE cpu models).
Specialized: Emulation/Light Gaming/Game Streaming
- Game Streaming:
- <= 4K@60Hz: Beelink S12/S12 Pro (N95/N100)
- 4K@120Hz: See “Specialized: 4K@120Hz” section
- Emulation/Light Gaming:
- $85: Low (<= Gamecube)
- Odroid N2+ (S922X)
- $175: Med (<= Wii/PS2)
- HP EliteDesk 705 G5 (AMD 3400G)
- $300: Med+ (<= Switch)
- Beelink SER5 Max (AMD 5800H)
- $400: High (<= PS3)
- $500: Ultra (<= Xbox 360)
- Minisforum UM773 Lite/UM760 Pro/UM690S
- $85: Low (<= Gamecube)
See ETA PRIME YT channel for Emulation device reviews
Specialized: 4K@120Hz
- Intel NUC 12/13 + Cable Matters Thunderbolt->HDMI 2.1 Cable + Display w/HDMI DSC support, Minisforum Venus UM760.
Specialized: Dolby Vision / HDR10+
- Local: Ugoos AM6B Plus/Dune HD Box R Plus + CoreElec. Local+Streaming: Nvidia Shield Pro (DV), FireTV Cube (HDR10+/DV)
Specialized: Fanless
- Asus PN42, Zotac CI6xx, Asus PL64, Mele Quieter, Intel/Asus NUC+Akasa Case, SimplyNUC PorCoolPine, OnLogic NUCs
Specialized: Optical/Toslink output
Specialized: HDMI-CEC
- RPI4 / ROCK64-2GB (full)
- Intel branded NUCs (just power states, or full with pulse8 adapter)
- Asus PN41 / PN42 / PN50 / PN51 / PN64 / PL64 (just wake state)
Specialized: Media Server w/Transcoding
- Light: Beelink S12/S12 Pro, NAS/Media Server Builds
- Medium: Beelink SEI 11/12, Intel NUC 11/12/13 i5
Specialized: Media client, server, storage system combos
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$350 - 1080p, low-medium 4k content, Light Transcoding: Fire TV 4k (client) + Beelink S12 (server) + Terramaster F2-210 (storage)
- 4k HDR10/DV-5/8, Dolby TrueHD Atmos, DTS, 3x4k,10x1080p transcodes, 2xHDDs (WD Ultrastar/Seagate Exos), Ubuntu/Windows, Plex Pass/Jellyfin
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$600 - 4k, high-bitrate, Light Transcoding: Nvidia Shield Pro (client) + Beelink S12 (server) + Terramaster F4-210 (storage)
- 4k HDR10/DV-5/7/8, Dolby TrueHD Atmos, DTS:X, 3x4k,10x1080p transcodes, 4xHDDs (WD Ultrastar/Seagate Exos), Ubuntu/Windows, Plex Pass/Jellyfin
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$710 - 4k, high-bitrate, Medium Transcoding: Nvidia Shield Pro (client) + Beelink SEI 12 i5-12450H (server) + Terramaster F4-210 (storage)
- 4k HDR10/DV-5/7/8, Dolby TrueHD Atmos, DTS:X, 6x4k,20x1080p transcodes, 4xHDDs (WD Ultrastar/Seagate Exos), Ubuntu, Plex Pass/Jellyfin
- For more transcodes, switch server to Morefine i5-1350p
HTPC DIY builds
CHEAPEST 4K HTPC PLAYER - USED
TL;DR: Cheapest hardware for 4k@60Hz, HDR and/or 4k netflix player, or a dead simple media server.
For the insanely frugal, the absolute cheapest way to buy/build a PC for use as a 4k@60Hz player - using used hardware off eBay.
We will use a i5-4570 CPU and Nvidia GT 1030 GDDR5 GPU (not DDR4).
If you have more specific GPU usage needs, then..
4K local+youtube: The quoted config
4K local+netflix: AMD RX 550 4GB ($50)
4K local+netflix+youtube: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti 4GB ($70) + Mini Tower case or low-profile card for $20 more.
1080p: no dGPU
The quoted config here is with a SFF form factor case, for use with a low-profile GPU, but if you want one of the Mini Tower form factor versions shown as ALT: below , that’s fine as well.
If you don’t even need 4k or are using it as a dead simple media server, drop the GPU and you have yourself a very capable all in one 1080p box for $50. Getting one with an included SSD for your OS drive will be very helpful for responsiveness on these low-end machines.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | HP Prodesk 400/600/800 G1, Dell Optiplex 3020/9020/XE2, Lenovo M73/M83/M93p, HP Z230 | $50 | Ebay | ALT: Mini Tower: Dell 3020/7020/9020/3647 MT, HP 600/800 G1 MT, Lenovo M73, HP PRO Z230 |
| CPU/MEM | Intel i5-4570 w/4-8GB DDR3 RAM - Included in above | NA | Ebay | CPU Passmark: 5000-7000 |
| STORAGE | 250GB-500GB HDD/SSD - Included in above | NA | Ebay | ALT: 128GB 2.5” SSD ($15) |
| GPU | Nvidia GT 1030 GDDR5 | $50 | Ebay | ALT: RX 550 4GB Low Profile ($50) |
| TOTAL | $100 |
4K HDR PLAYER (2-3L)
TL;DR: You want a small 4K@60 HDR player and don’t need any or only a small amount of storage.
Tiny, simple 4K player. For local content, 4k netflix, youtube, browsing, light 1080p gaming.
Not the cheapest hardware; just a nice setup. You have the option to bump up to a better 5600G/5700G CPU for $25-50 more. If you can’t afford the optional CPU cooler, pop the top off the stock AMD one to make it fit.
If you can’t find the Deskmini case and still want to build, look at the Inwin Chopin alternate build. There’s also a stack of good Tiny cases in the Cases section of the Wiki FAQ. You should use Pico PSU 150W+-style kits for these.
You could add some media storage with a 2.5” HDD, but these cases are not for internal 3.5” HDD media storage - they’re too small for that. If you want to stay within this size case, either use external USB HDDs or buy/build a NAS for backend storage. Otherwise, look at the all-in-one builds below.
Deskmini - MOBO built-in, PSU external, 1.9L
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
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| CASE/PSU | Asrock Deskmini X300W | $170 | Amazon | MOBO/PSU included - 6.1” x 6.1” x 3.1” |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 4600G APU (65W) | $100 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Ryzen 5600G-5700G ($125-175) |
| MEM | Crucial 2x8GB DDR4-3200 SODIMM - CT2K8G4SFRA32A | $40 | amazon | ALT: 2x8GB DDR4 SODIMM ($30) |
| STORAGE | Samsung 970 Evo+ 250GB NVMe M.2 SSD (OS) | $25 | pcpartpicker | ALT: WD Black SN770 500 GB M.2 ($40) |
| COOL | Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 CPU Cooler, 37mm | $45 | pcpartpicker | OPTIONAL. Quieter than stock cooler |
| TOTAL | $380 |
Inwin Chopin - MOBO separate, PSU internal, 3.3L
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE/PSU | Inwin Chopin/BQ656T | $90 | pcpartpicker | PSU included - 8.6” x 9.6” x 3.3” |
| MOBO | Gigabyte A520I AC ITX | $120 | pcpartpicker | ALT: ASRock A520M-ITX/ac |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 4600G APU (65W) | $100 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Ryzen 5600G-5700G ($125-175) |
| MEM | TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 2x8GB DDR4-3200 | $35 | pcpartpicker | ALT: 2x4GB DDR4 DIMM ($35) |
| STORAGE | Samsung 970 Evo+ 250GB NVMe M.2 SSD (OS) | $25 | pcpartpicker | ALT: WD Black SN770 500 GB M.2 ($40) |
| COOL | Thermalright AXP90-X47 CPU Cooler, 47mm | $30 | pcpartpicker | OPTIONAL: Quieter than stock cooler |
| TOTAL | $400 |
4K HDR ALL-IN-ONE PLAYER (8-9.6L)
TL;DR: You care about 4K@60 quality, 4K Netflix and HDR, may want HDD media storage and want a value build that doesn’t break the bank.
An AMD Ryzen APU is the best way to get 4k Netflix and HDR at the same time. Light 720p/1080p gaming can also be had on it. An Intel alternative is also provided in the part list if you want to future proof a little more with AV1 decoding, but plan to give up any light gaming vs the Ryzen.
Expect HDR processing and upscaling with madVR to operate at a basic level - don’t expect to be doing heavy upscaling here without a dGPU.
You can add 3.5” HDD content storage for an all-in-one. Since optional, it’s not included in the price.
Choose the DeskMeet option if you don’t have a height restriction (like a small media cabinet) or want a full-height ITX GPU, otherwise choose the Apex or one of the slimmer variations.
Larger Slimmer variation: 12-16L, 4” (H): Change CASE to InWin BL040/Apex DM-387 (PSU still included) ($75-100) or a Silverstone ML03/ML04 (3xHDD), (add an ATX PSU). You can change to a uATX mobo with these cases, which is cheaper than ITX. LP dGPU possible
Larger Cube variation: 12-16L: $50 more. Change CASE to Silverstone SG13B (1xHDD) or Sharkoon QB One (2xHDD), add an ATX PSU. ITX dGPU possible
DeskMeet - Cube, 8.8L
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE/MOBO/PSU | Asrock DeskMeet X300W w/500W PSU | $170 | newegg | 6.6” (W) x 9.3” (D) x 8.7” (H), 2xHDD, specs |
| CPU | Ryzen 5 4600G (65W) | $100 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Ryzen 5600G-5700G ($125-175) |
| MEM | TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 2x8GB DDR4-3200 | $35 | pcpartpicker | |
| STORAGE | WD Black SN770 500GB NVMe M.2 SSD TLC | $40 | pcpartpicker | |
| STORAGE | Hitachi Ultrastar 7K3000 3TB 7200rpm 3.5” HDD | $46 | amazon | OPTIONAL. ALT: 6TB WD Red ($100), 8TB Ironwolf ($130) |
| COOL | Thermalright AXP90-X47 CPU Cooler, 47mm | $30 | pcpartpicker | OPTIONAL: Quieter than stock cooler |
| TOTAL | $345 |
Apex - Slim, 9.6L
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE/PSU | Apex MI-008 Mini ITX w/250W PSU | $65 | pcpartpicker | 8.7” (W) x 13.5” (D) x 5.1” (H), 2xHDD, specs |
| CPU | Ryzen 5 4600G (65W) | $100 | pcpartpicker | ALT: INTEL: Intel i3-12100 |
| MOBO | ASRock B550M-ITX/ac | $130 | pcpartpicker | ALT: INTEL: ASRock Z690M-ITX/ax |
| MEM | TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 2x8GB DDR4-3200 | $35 | pcpartpicker | |
| STORAGE | WD Black SN770 500GB NVMe M.2 SSD TLC | $40 | pcpartpicker | |
| STORAGE | Hitachi Ultrastar 7K3000 3TB 7200rpm 3.5” HDD | $46 | amazon | OPTIONAL. ALT: 6TB WD Red ($100), 8TB Ironwolf ($130) |
| COOL | Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 CPU Cooler, 37mm | $45 | pcpartpicker | |
| TOTAL | $415 |
CHEAPEST 4K HDR/ALL-IN-ONE PLAYER - NEW (14L)
TL;DR: You want 4K@60 local/youtube/netflix HDR on a real PC, may want HDD media storage and want the cheapest build with new hardware that we’re comfortable recommending.
Not the prettiest case, but slim and gets the job done at 14 liters.
Light 720p gaming can be had here, if you need.
You can add one or more 3.5” HDD content storage for an all-in-one.
Tiny variation: 1.9L: $25 more. Change CASE & MOBO to a ASRock Deskmini X300W ($180) (mobo included), change MEM to SO-DIMMs. No 3.5” HDD content storage possible because of size, only 2.5” HDD.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Apex Slim MicroATX DM-387 Case w/275W PSU | $80 | newegg | 17.0” x 12.8” x 3.9” |
| MOBO | Gigabyte A520M S2H MicroATX | $50 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Intel H610M ($80) |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 4600G (65W) | $100 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Intel G6900 ($70) |
| MEM | G.Skill Value DDR4-2400 2x4GB | $25 | pcpartpicker | |
| STORAGE | Silicon Power 256GB 2.5” SATA SSD (OS/APPS) | $20 | pcpartpicker | ALT: M.2 SSD ($25) |
| STORAGE | Hitachi Ultrastar 7K3000 3TB 7200rpm 3.5” HDD (MEDIA) | $45 | amazon | OPTIONAL |
| TOTAL | $275 |
AV1 DECODING ALL-IN-ONE PLAYER (14L)
HTPC that can hardware decode the next-gen AV1 codec without buying a dGPU, which costs as much as this whole system. Also can do 4K local/youtube/netflix HDR as well as fit a couple 3.5” HDDs.
MicroATX is the cheapest, but ITX alternatives aren’t much more.
Tiny variation: 1.9L: Change CASE & MOBO to a ASRock Deskmini B660W ($180) (mobo included), change MEM to SO-DIMMs. No 3.5” HDD content storage possible because of size, only 2.5” HDD.
Larger Slim variation: 16L: Change CASE to Silverstone ML03/ML04. Add an ATX PSU.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Apex Slim MicroATX DM-387 Case w/275W PSU | $80 | pcpartpicker | ALT: ITX: Apex MI-008 Mini ITX w/250W PSU (9.6L) ($60) |
| MOBO | MSI PRO B760M-P DDR4 MicroATX | $100 | pcpartpicker | ALT: ITX: pcpartpicker |
| CPU | Intel i3-12100 - 60W | $120 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Intel G7400 ($80) |
| MEM | Teamforce Vulcan Z DDR4-3200 2x8GB | $35 | pcpartpicker | ALT: pcpartpicker |
| STORAGE | Teamgroup MP33 512GB NVMe M.2 SSD | $40 | pcpartpicker | ALT: WD Black SN770 500 GB M.2 ($40) |
| TOTAL | $375 |
FANLESS 4K HDR PLAYER (4.6L)
Completely fanless solution for 4k HDR media playback and/or 720p/1080p gaming emulation.
You could add some media storage with 2.5” HDDs, but this is not for internal 3.5” HDD media storage -
it’s too small for that. Look at the HD Plex H3 (11L) or FC8 Alpha chassis or the next super low power build instead.
These cases are popular and low production, so don’t be surprised if they’re out of stock.
A comparable, similarly priced alternative is the Streacom FC8 Alpha. The DB1 is also an option and much cheaper than the others, though will limit you to 45W ECO mode on the CPU.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | HD Plex H1 v3 | $215 | HD Plex | no psu/backplate, 10.6” x 10.4” x 2.5” |
| CPU | Ryzen 4600G APU (65W) | $100 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Intel i3-12100 |
| MOBO | ASRock B550M-ITX/ac | $130 | pcpartpicker | ALT: ASRock Z690M-ITX/ax |
| MEM | Teamgroup Vulcan Z DDR4-3200 2x8GB | $35 | pcpartpicker | ALT: pcpartpicker |
| STORAGE | WD Black SN770 500 GB NVMe M.2 SSD | $45 | pcpartpicker | ALT: SK Hynix P31 1TB M.2 |
| PSU | 192W AC-DC adapter | $65 | Mini Box | ALT: 150W AC-DC Adapter |
| PSU | picoPSU-160-XT 160W DC-ATX PSU | $45 | Mini Box | NA |
| TOTAL | $655 |
Super low power all-in-one fanless player (3.3L)
Low power, fanless CPU (6W), 4k@60Hz playback, 4k netflix/YT, HDR. Case specced can fit 1x3.5” HDD. This is for someone who wants a low power build with the flexibility to choose ram/ssd/HDD/PCIe vs a pre-built mini PC which does not afford that flexibility or expansion.
For 2x3.5” HDDs, use a Apex MI-008 case (you will not use the PSU) and a SATA power splitter.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Goodisory MX01 SECC ITX | $35 | amazon | 8.4” x 7.9” x 3” ALT: Apex MI-008/ML03 |
| CPU/MOBO | ASRock N100DC-ITX, 6W | $130 | newegg | specs. |
| MEM | G.Skill Ripjaws V 1x16GB DDR4-3200 DIMM | $35 | pcpartpicker | ALT: 1x8GB ($20) |
| STORAGE | Teamgroup MP33 256GB NVMe M.2 SSD TLC | $25 | pcpartpicker | |
| STORAGE | Hitachi Ultrastar 7K3000 3TB 7200rpm 3.5” HDD | $46 | amazon | OPTIONAL. ALT: 6TB WD Red ($100), 8TB Ironwolf ($130) |
| POWER | 19V 65W AC-DC Adapter | $25 | amazon | |
| TOTAL | $250 |
MadVR upscaling all-in-one player (14L)
This is a build with a dGPU for MadVR upscaling/tonemapping that’s going to provide better visual quality than the iGPU on a CPU. Other features include 4k@60 playback, 4k netflix/YT, HDR, and medium 1080p gaming.
The Nvidia GTX 1660 chosen is the most powerful, reasonably-priced, GPU you will find, with the GTX 1060 6GB also capable and a little cheaper.
We don’t go beyond a mid-level GPU here for MadVR because we feel you start to get into diminishing returns on visual quality, while incurring more power usage and heat.
You can alternately change the CASE to a Silverstone GD09 (26.8L) w/a ATX PSU, to get more room for storage, better cpu and/or a bigger, quieter cooler. For a low profile dGPU, look at the ML09 (7L)/ML03 (15.7L)
If you can’t afford to do a new build or only need reasonable upscaling, you can buy a 2nd-hand SFF pre-built off ebay and pop a GTX 1050 Ti low profile in it.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Silverstone ML07 | $105 | amazon | specs. ALT: Silverstone GD09 |
| CPU | Intel i3-12100F, 60W | $100 | pcpartpicker | Passmark CPU Mark: 14000. ALT: Intel i5-12400F |
| MOBO | ASRock Z690M-ITX/ax | $135 | pcpartpicker | ALT: GD09: MSI PRO B660M-A DDR4 MicroATX ($120) |
| MEM | Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB 2x8GB DDR4-3200 | $40 | pcpartpicker | |
| GPU | Nvidia GTX 1660 6GB | $125 | ebay | <= 330 mm. ALT: Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB ($80) |
| STORAGE | Teamgroup MP33 Pro 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD | $40 | pcpartpicker | OS/App Drive |
| STORAGE | Hitachi Ultrastar 7K3000 3TB 7200rpm | $45 | amazon | OPTIONAL: Content drive. 6TB WD Red ($100), 8TB Ironwolf ($130) |
| COOL | Thermalright AXP120-X67 CPU Cooler | $35 | pcpartpicker | OPTIONAL. ALT: GD09: Thermalright Silver Soul 135 ($40) |
| PSU | Silverstone SX500-G 500W SFX | $110 | pcpartpicker | ALT: GD09: 500W+ ATX |
| TOTAL | $655 |
UHD MakeMKV Ripping/Handbrake Transcoding Machine (12-20L)
A build for ripping DVD/FHD Blu Ray and UHD Blu Ray discs. As such, it has space for an internal 5.25 drive and 2-3 HDDs to make this into a NAS/
media server as well.
If you don’t need the drive space and want something smaller, consider the Silverstone ML03/ML04 (16L) w/the i5-13400 instead and no additional CPU Cooler; or the In Win CE685 (12L) w/i5-13400, no cooler or PSU.
Alternatively, if you want MORE HDD space look at Silverstone’s GD06 (4)/TJ08B-E (6)/GD07 (8)/GD08 (9).
This uses a modern 10-core CPU w/IGPU for very fast Handbrake transcoding performance. This is a high watt part and necessitates an additional CPU cooler. If you don’t need best-in-class performance, you can switch to something like a i5-13400 with the stock cooler. and B660 mobo
Standard software for ripping is: MakeMKV to rip a disc to a full quality file, and then Handbrake to optionally transcode it down for size and client compatibility. Check the ripping section of our FAQ page for detailed instructions. Check this post on the makemkv forum for firmware for your drive.
For automated ripping on disc insert, look at Automatic Ripping Machine (ARM), which is a front-end to makemkv/handbrake. Its setup on Linux is not for the faint of heart.
Alternatively, on Windows look at Staxrip or the old Autorip.
If you can’t afford to spend this much, buy a 2nd-hand pre-built and make some upgrades. Look at the “Medium NAS / Media Server (9-26L)” build below; they come with DVD drives standard. You can then upgrade to FHD/UHD ripping with a LG BU40N FHD/UHD blu-ray drive, a Slimline SATA Adapter, and be out for $250.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Fractal Design Core 500/1000 | $75 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Silverstone ML03 |
| CPU | Intel i5-12600K CPU, 125W | $200 | pcpartpicker | ALT: i5-13400 ($200) |
| MOBO | ASRock Z690M-ITX/ax | $135 | pcpartpicker | ALT: ASRock B760M-ITX/D4 ($150) |
| MEM | Ripjaws V 32GB 2x16GB DDR4-3200 | $65 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Ripjaws V 32GB 2x8GB DDR4-3200 ($40) |
| STORAGE | LG WH16NS60 UHD Blu-Ray Drive | $110 | pcpartpicker | ALT: LG WH16NS40 UHD Friendly ($65) |
| STORAGE | Sabrent Rocket 4.0 1TB M.2 SSD | $70 | pcpartpicker | ALT: WD Black SN770 1TB ($80) |
| COOL | Thermalright Silver Soul 135 CPU Cooler | $40 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Thermalright AXP120-X67 ($40) |
| PSU | EVGA GA 650W Fully Modular ATX PSU | $60 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Thermaltake Smart BM2 Semi 550W ($60) |
| SOFTWARE | MakeMKV Beta/Full | FREE/$60 | makemkv | Free with beta license key posted each month |
| TOTAL | $755 |
NAS/Media Server builds
There are many tiers of builds depending on what tasks you want to accomplish, how much internal capacity you need and your budget level. We’ll provide a couple common builds here in increasing complexity. There is no one-size-fits-all and the options can be wide and varied.
$100 Small Media Server (1.2L) - Used
This is a good setup to get your feet wet in media serving in a very small package. A used pre-built is cheaper and easier to get going if you’re new to this. If you’re not comfortable buying used, this is comparable.
Most people will use it with Plex Media Server to serve media up to clients, but you can serve media up to Kodi clients over a network/samba share just as well.
If you’re using it with Plex, it will Direct Play content to multiple clients just fine (even 4k). If you need to transcode content either internally or remotely, it will transcode 2x 1080p streams or 4x 720p streams using software/cpu transcoding in the free version of Plex Media Server.
If you need to transcode more streams than this (either because your internal clients don’t support your media’s codecs and/or because you have a lot of remote users), pay for a Plex Pass (or use Jellyfin) and it will then hw transcode more 1080p and 4k streams.
It’s preferred to use an SSD for your OS drive and for storing Plex Metadata. Purchase one separately as per the parts list below or get one included.
With a form factor this small you should use USB external drives, like a WD Elements/Easystore for media storage. It is possible to use an internal 2.5” HDD up to 5TB if you use an M.2 SSD for your OS. If you want an internal 3.5” HDD instead, look at the next build.
See our Storage Setup Guide for more information on software, drives and pre-built NASes.
Will handle 1080p video front-end duties fine.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | HP/Dell/Lenovo | $70 | Ebay | Prodesk G3, Optiplex 3050/5050/7050, Thinkcentre M710q/M910q |
| CPU/GPU | Intel i5-7500T | Included | NA | ALT: i5-8500T ($+30) |
| MEM | 8 GB+ DDR4 | Included | NA | NA |
| STORAGE | 256GB M.2 SSD (OS/APPS) | $25 | pcpartpicker | OPTIONAL, If not included in ebay build. |
| STORAGE | WD 8-20TB USB HDD (MEDIA) | $160-350 | Best Buy | OPTIONAL, if not included in ebay build or don’t have. ALT: 2.5” SATA HDD |
| ACCESSORY | DP to HDMI Cable | $10 | Amazon | OPTIONAL, for mgmt. 6 ft |
| OS | Ubuntu 22/Windows 10 Pro | $0 | Ubuntu | |
| SOFTWARE | Plex Media Server | $0 | Plex | Free |
| LICENSE | Plex Pass | $120 | Plex | OPTIONAL. Lifetime cost or $40/year, $5/month. |
| TOTAL | $95 |
$125 Medium NAS / Media Server (9-26L) - Used
This is also a good setup to get your feet wet. A used pre-built is cheaper and easier to get going if you’re new to this. A NAS/media server with these specs has the potential to handle anything you can throw at it with the ability to have some internal media storage. If you’re not comfortable buying used, these are comparable.
Most people will use it with Plex Media Server to serve media up to clients, but you can serve media up to Kodi clients over a network/samba share just as well.
If you’re using it with Plex, it will Direct Play content to multiple clients just fine. If you need to transcode content either internally or remotely, it will transcode 2x 1080p streams or 5x 720p streams using software/cpu transcoding in the free version of Plex Media Server.
If you need to transcode more streams than this (either because your internal clients don’t support your media’s codecs and/or because you have a lot of remote users), pay for a Plex Pass (or use Jellyfin) and it will then hw transcode 6x 4k streams or 20x 1080p streams using the iGPU.
Internally this server will support 1x M.2 NVME SSD drive, 1x 2.5” SSD/HDD and 1x 3.5” HDD.
If you want to fit more than 1x 3.5” HDDs internally, look at these versions:
2x HDDs: Lenovo M710T version (15.5L)
3x HDDs: HP 800 G3/G4 TWR (20.8L)
4x HDDs: Dell Precision 3620 (27.4L), HP Z2 G4 Tower (26.1L).
It’s preferred to use an SSD for your OS drive and for storing Plex Metadata. You can either buy the system with an SSD included, or buy it bare, purchasing one separately as per the parts list below. The latter is preferrable as you have more control over size/brand/form factor.
For media content storage, either use the HDD (if provided in the one you buy), or replace it with a bigger one. You can get an 8TB drive for about $100. Check our Storage Setup Guide drive list for more options. If you want to throw a bunch of drives at it, either go with one of the bigger cases above or add a Terramaster F4-210 NAS. If you want to go beyond this you’ll want to build everything internally with the next NAS/Media Server build below as a starting point.
A good serving solution with the below system would be a M.2 SSD for OS/apps, a large 3.5” internal HDD, Ubuntu 22, docker and the plex docker container.
Windows would be fine for ease of administration, but you should go with Ubuntu, OpenMediaVault or Unraid on the Linux-side for more advanced usage, like Docker, and/or have better multi-disk volume management.
See our Storage Setup Guide for more information on software, drives, and pre-built NASes.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC | Lenovo M710S SFF PC | $90 | Ebay | specs. ALT: HP/Dell |
| CPU | Intel i5-7400 | Included | NA | 65 W, 4C/4T. ALT: i5-8400 (+$20) |
| MEM/STORAGE | 8GB RAM, HDD/SSD/Bare | Included | NA | |
| STORAGE | WD Blue SN570 500GB M.2 NVMe SSD (OS/APPS) | $35 | Amazon | OPTIONAL, if not included in ebay build. |
| STORAGE | WD 8-20 TB 3.5” SATA HDD (MEDIA) | $100-350 | Serverpartdeals | OPTIONAL, if not included in ebay build or don’t have. |
| ACCESSORY | DP to HDMI Cable | $10 | Amazon | OPTIONAL, for mgmt. 6 ft |
| OS | Ubuntu 22/Windows 10 Pro | $0 | Ubuntu | |
| SOFTWARE | Plex Media Server | $0 | Plex | Free |
| LICENSE | Plex Pass | $120 | Plex | OPTIONAL. Lifetime cost or $40/year, $5/month. |
| TOTAL | $125 | NA |
$650 Medium NAS / Media Server (19.5L) - New
This build can be seen as a culmination of the previous two builds, a media server and a NAS combined, while using new hardware.
The Node 304 is tailor made for this kind of NAS and the Intel CPU will give you hardware media transcoding and video out for administration and even all-in-one use, if you really wanted.
Nothing else here is too surprising. High value ram and ssd perform well and don’t break the bank.
This is configured below with 16TB of usable space with protection (8TBx3 = 24TB - 8TB parity drive = 16TB), but you can pack it all the way up to 110TB usable with protection (6x22TB-22TB parity). We use highly reliable, well-priced Ultrastar HDDs here. Alternatively, you can buy external USB WD Elements drives and shuck them, which will yield you
similarly performing White drives. It’s market-dependent which way is cheaper at any given time.
If you want to bulk up past 6 drives, look at the Coolermaster N400 or Node 804 case for up to 10 drives, with the uATX motherboard and the optional 9207-8i HBA in the parts list.
If used as a Plex server, you can Direct Play a couple dozen stream and transcode 6 concurrent 1080p streams with software transcoding. If you need more transcodes than that, do hardware igpu transcoding with a purchased Plex Pass and a linux docker/VM in Unraid. That’ll get you 8x4k/17x1080p transcodes. Alternatively, if you didn’t want to buy a Plex Pass, use JellyFin; or use an i5-12400 to get software transcoding for 9x1080p/1x4k 50Mbps streams and upgrade to a Plex Pass later.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Fractal Design Node 304 | $100 | newegg | ITX, 14.7”x9.8”x8.3” ALT: Node 804 ($120), CM N400 ($80), DIY NAS Case List |
| CPU | Intel i3-12100 CPU, 60W | $115 | pcpartpicker | Passmark CPU Mark: 13800. ALT: i5-12400 ($150) |
| MOBO | ASRock Z690M-ITX/ax | $135 | pcpartpicker | ALT: B660M/B760M uATX mobo |
| MEM | Team T-Force Vulcan Z 16GB 2x8GB DDR4-3200 | $40 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Team T-Force Vulcan Z 32GB 2x16GB DDR4-3200 ($60) |
| STORAGE | Samsung Bar Plus 64GB USB Flash Drive (BOOT) | $12 | amazon | |
| STORAGE | Sabrent Rocket 4.0 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD (APP/CACHE) | $70 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Crucial P5 Plus ($70) |
| STORAGE | 3 x Ultrastar HC320 8TB HDD (DATA) | $540 | newegg | SEPARATE. ALT: Ultrastar HC530 14TB (better $/GB) |
| STORAGE | LSI 9207-8i, in IT/HBA mode | $40 | ebay | OPTIONAL. For more than 4xSATA ports/better controller support. ALT: SATA card |
| COOL | Noctua NH-U12S Redux CPU Cooler | $50 | pcpartpicker | ALT: be quiet Pure Rock 2 ($40) |
| PSU | Corsair CX650M 650W | $75 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Super Flower Leadex III Full 550W ATX |
| SOFTWARE | Unraid - 6 device license | $60 | limetech | |
| TOTAL | $657 |
$4000 Almost Ultimate NAS (126TB) + Media Server (59L)
If you have massive storage requirements now, or plan on in the future, and don’t want to go hot-swap or rackmount, this build will fit the bill. The Meshify 2 case is quality and well-priced for 13xHDDs and has fan slots up front to cool your data HDDs sufficiently, as when maxed out they will collectively produce a lot of heat. See our Storage Setup Guide for additional case options.
The CPU may seem meager, not being a K sku, but we don’t need much power, we mostly want the iGPU for hardware media transcoding and the Noctua cooler is more than enough for this 65W CPU. If you opt for the 12600K, move up to the Peerless Assassin cooler.
We use highly reliable, well-priced Seagate Exos HDDs here for our data. Alternatively, WD Ultrastar drives are just as good. Since this is the bulk of our cost, find the best price you can and, if you can, order from multiple vendors to get different batches of drives.
We configure for 126TB of usable space with dual-parity protection (14TBx11 = 154TB total - 28TB parity = 126TB usable).
If you want to start with smaller-sized or a smaller number of drives and mix-and-match sizes later, you can do that, but your parity drive(s) should be as big as the largest usable data drive you plan on having. It is also not recommended to go over 6 usable data drives per parity drive.
Keeping a backup of this much data would be a serious problem without building a second system to sync to, even if we do have a dual-parity protected array. If a backup is something you may want, consider splitting up the drives into 2 arrays. Such as 1 active array w/6 drives (5 usable+1 parity) and a backup array with 5 drives (5 usable+0 parity). Then sync the active array to the backup array nightly with something like rsync. With the configured drives, that’d give you 70TB usable and backed-up. If you wanted to make up for the lost usable space in such a configuration, you could go all the way up to 20TB drives and have 100TB usable.
For app/cache storage, such things as VMs, Docker data and media caching, we have 2 SSDs to create a 1TB parity-protected array (essentially a RAID1).
Unraid will boot off the USB flash drive, so we have a decent one here. Consider buying an extra one as a backup.
Lots of well-priced RAM for VMs, Dockers and, if you so choose, Plex media transcoding in RAM.
As a Plex server, with the purchased Plex Pass, you can transcode 8x4k or 20x1080p transcodes concurrently on the CPU’s iGPU. Without a Plex Pass, expect 8x1080p streams with CPU software transcoding. For more transcodes, add a used Quadro P5000 dGPU (11x4k,22x1080p) ($300).
The LSI HBA adapter has 8 ports for SATA drives. You can use the 8x SATA ports on the motherboard, then add on the HBA when you outgrow those or vice-versa.
For the motherboard, in theory any Z690/Z790 ATX/uATX board will work with 2 x16 slots, if you want to have support for a potential dGPU upgrade. We need at least 1 slot for our LSI HBA Adapter to connect our data drives to and then 1 slot for a potential dGPU. On the chosen board we also have dual 2.5Gb Intel LAN.
The PSU wattage may seem overkill, but we again plan for any upgrades, CPU, GPU, etc.. and remember that each HDD can pull 10W on spin-up.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Fractal Design Meshify 2 | $160 | pcpartpicker | [specs]. ALT: Fractal Design Define 7 ($160) |
| CPU | Intel i5-12500 6C/12T CPU (65W) | $200 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Intel i5-12600k |
| MOBO | ASRock Z690 Extreme DDR4 ATX | $160 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Other Motherboards |
| MEM | G.Skill Ripjaws V 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4-3200 | $70 | pcpartpicker | |
| STORAGE | Samsung Bar Plus 64GB USB Flash Drive (BOOT) | $10 | amazon | |
| STORAGE | 2x SK Hynix P31 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD (APP/CACHE) | $175 | pcpartpicker | ALT: SK Hynix P41 PCIe4 |
| STORAGE | 11x Seagate Exos X16 14TB HDD (DATA) | $2300 | amazon | ALT: WD Ultrastar DC HC530 14TB |
| STORAGE | LSI 9207-8i Adapter + Cables, in IT/HBA mode | $55 | ebay | ALT: Adaptec ASR 71605 ($140) |
| STORAGE | SATA Power Splitter Cables | $15 | amazon | |
| COOL | Arctic P14 PWM 140 mm Fan (FRONT) | $15 | amazon | |
| COOL | Noctua NH-U12S Redux CPU Cooler | $50 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE ($40) |
| PSU | EVGA GA/G5 Fully-Modular 650W 80+ Gold ATX PSU | $100 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Corsair RM650x (2021) 650W ($100) |
| SOFTWARE | Unraid Pro - Unlimited device license | $130 | limetech | |
| SOFTWARE | Plex Media Server | $0 | Plex | Free |
| LICENSE | Plex Pass | $120 | Plex | Lifetime cost or $40/year, $5/month. |
| TOTAL | $3560 |
$150 Large NAS / Utility Server (36L) - Used
A step up from the previous Medium build in internal capacity, but still used hardware, so similar in cost. It’s large and an old arch, but good for mass storage and other lightweight duties.
This is a setup with hardware off ebay using the old Ivy Bridge architecture. Plenty of power for NAS and utility task duties. Yes, it can be used as a Plex media server as well for its Direct Play and H264 transcode ability (look at the Dell 3620 option in the previous build for 4k/HEVC transcoding), but that’s not our primary focus here. Our focus is internal storage capacity.
This can fit 6x3.5 HDDs (using 3x3.5” and 3x5.25” mounts) officially. Since it has 6x SATA ports, you’ll ideally use 1x for a SATA SSD for your OS and the other 5x for any data/cache HDDs. For raw storage this has you hovering in the realm of 40TB-100TB of storage potential depending on whether you go with well-priced 8/10TB drives all the way up to new, still-pricey 20TB drives. If you get creative with space, you can fit 8x 3.5” drives using a 9210-8i SAS->SATA HBA and SATA Power Splitters.
If you go with an i5/i7 version, you’ll get non-ECC memory. With a Xeon version you can use ECC memory, which is better for data integrity. You should also have a battery-backup UPS as well if you really care about data integrity.
If you want ease-of-use management, spend the extra $$ on Unraid as your OS and its web-based system for VMs and Docker containers. Otherwise, just use Linux/OpenMediaVault and either set up drives as individual volumes or use mergerFS.
If you can’t find a HP Z220 CMT setup, you can alternatively go with a HP Z210 CMT.
See our Network Storage Guide for more information on software and drives.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC | HP Z220 CMT Workstation | $125 | Ebay | ALT: HP Z210 CMT |
| CPU | Intel i5/i7-3xxx, Xeon E3-1xxx | Included | NA | 65-77 W, 4C/4T, PASSMARK: 4500 |
| MEM/STORAGE | 8GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB (varies) HDD | Included | NA | Xeon: ECC, i3/i5: non-ECC |
| STORAGE | 256GB 2.5” SATA SSD (OS/APP/CACHE) | $25 | pcpartpicker | ALT: 512GB SATA SSD ($35) |
| STORAGE | WD Elements 4-20TB HDD - Shucked (DATA) | Varies | NA | NAS Drive List |
| OS | Unraid/Ubuntu 22/OMV/Windows | $0 | Ubuntu | Windows 10 usually included |
| SOFTWARE | Unraid - 6 device license | $60 | limetech | OPTIONAL |
| TOTAL | $150 | NA |
!$300-$500: NEW, PRE-BUILT, MEDIA SERVER, INTERNAL 3.5” STORAGE: HP TP01,Dell 3891/3910,Intel 10th-12th gen,1xHDDs (official) 3xHDDs (un-official) w/sata power splitter+creative hdd mounting. Ebay!<
Gaming Emulation builds
$100 720p/1080p Gaming Emulation Box (1.2L)
This is a good, small (Micro/USFF) emulation box for NES/SNES, Game Gear, Sega Master/Saturn/Dreamcast, PSP/PS1, N64/Gamecube, AtomisWave.
3DS, PS2 and anything >= Wii will struggle, depending on the game. If you want to run those, move up to a i5-6500 SFF and low profile Nvidia GT 1030 GDDR5 used off ebay for $75 more; if you need to stay in the Micro/USFF form-factor, look at AMD-based pre-builts ($175).
This is not for anything like PS3, CEMU, or anything >= Xbox
Make sure to get one with 2x4GB sticks of RAM, not a single stick.
For your frontend, Batocera (linux) and LaunchBox/BigBox (windows) are good choices. Solus is good if you want a fully fledged linux interface.
Will handle 1080p video duties fine
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | HP/Dell/Lenovo | $90 | Ebay | Prodesk 400/600 G2, Optiplex 3040/3050, Thinkcentre M710q/M900 |
| CPU/GPU | Intel i5-6500T | Included | NA | ALT: i5-4590T |
| MEM | 2x4GB (8GB) DDR4 | Included | NA | NA |
| STORAGE | 120-500GB HDD/SSD | Included | NA | ALT: 2.5”/M.2 SSD ($30) |
| ACCESSORY | DP to HDMI Cable | $10 | Amazon | 1080p/60, 4k/30 |
| TOTAL | $100 |
$300 720p/1080p Gaming Emulation Box (13.9L)
Good for 720p internal resolution on emulators, 1080p up the Wii/Gamecube/PS2. Less demanding PS3 games are possible, but you might have to take down to 720p.
Will handle 4k video duties just fine.
This is a bottom-barrel build, due to Micro-ATX motherboard being cheaper, CPU a tick slower, a larger case and a smaller SSD.
For better quality parts, see ALT: notes, for a better case, motherboard and separate PSU. @$60 more. For more oomph, see the $500 build below.
For an even smaller box, you could go with the Asrock Deskmini A300W/X300W case at 1.9L. Skip motherboard and change ram to DDR4-3200 2x8GB SO-DIMMS. $30 more.
If you don’t want to build, you can find SFF/USFF pre-builts on Ebay with the Ryzen 2400G/3400G for around $200, sometimes cheaper.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Apex Slim DM-387 MicroATX case w/275W PSU | $75 | newegg | ALT: InWin BL040 (13.9L) ($95), Silverstone ML03b (15.7L) ($95)/Jonsbo C6 (15.8L) ($60) |
| PSU | Included | $0 | ALT: EVGA BQ 500W ($60) | |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 4600G APU (65W) | $100 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Ryzen 3400G - Ebay ($75) |
| MOBO | MSI A520M-A PRO MicroATX | $70 | pcpartpicker | ALT: 3400G: MSI A320M PRO ($80) |
| MEM | Silicon Power Gaming 2x8GB DDR4-3200 | $30 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Deskmini: 2x8GB DDR4-3200 SODIMMS |
| STORAGE | Teamgroup MP33 256GB NVMe M.2 SSD | $25 | pcpartpicker | ALT: WD Black SN770 500 GB M.2 ($45) |
| TOTAL | $300 |
$500 720p/1080p Gaming Emulation Box (3.3L)
This just uses a Ryzen 5600G APU, no dedicated GPU which is fine for light gaming and 4k video. A 5700G would give even better gaming performance.
Emulation: You should be able to play at 45-60 fps for most everything at 720p internal resolution and <= 32-bit systems at 1080p. Demanding platforms (like Xbox 360) and 64-bit titles, like BoTW, expect <= 30 fps@1080p. You can push Wii/PS3 to 60 fps@1080p, w/BoTW up to 50 fps at the extreme limits of a 5700G. Check out ETA PRIME’s 5600G and 5700G reviews for actual game data.
Gaming: Expect 50 fps@1080p Med for most games, with a 5600G/5700G pushing that up to 60 fps@1080p Med sans harder games like Doom Eternal/Cyberpunk/etc.. which you’ll have to run at 720p low. Check out ETA PRIME’s 5600G and 5700G reviews for actual game data.
For an even smaller box, you could go with the Asrock Deskmini A300W/X300W at 1.9L as shown in the Notes column. And it comes out to about $45 cheaper since you don’t need to buy a motherboard. Everything else stays the same.
For a fanless build, with same perf., for $250 more, see build in HTPC section above
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Inwin Chopin | $95 | pcpartpicker | 8.6”x9.6”x3.3” ALT: Deskmini A300W/X300W ($170) (1.9L) |
| MOBO | ASRock B550M-ITX/ac | $130 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Deskmini: Not applicable |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5600G APU | $130 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Ryzen 5700G |
| MEM | Silicon Power Gaming 2x8GB DDR4-3200 | $30 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Deskmini: 2x8GB DDR4-3200 SODIMMS |
| STORAGE | WD Black SN770 500GB NVMe M.2 SSD TLC | $45 | pcpartpicker | ALT: 1TB M.2 SSD ($90) |
| COOL | Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 CPU Cooler | $45 | pcpartpicker | |
| TOTAL | $475 |
$650 1080p Gaming Emulation Box (12L)
You should be able to play 60+ fps for most everything
Will handle 4k video duties just fine.
For a SFF case, see the VR builds
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Silverstone ML08 | $120 | pcpartpicker | 14.57” x 14.96” x 3.43” ALT: ML07 |
| MOBO | ASRock Z690M-ITX/ax | $135 | pcpartpicker | |
| CPU | Intel i3-12100F | $100 | pcpartpicker | ALT: 1440p: Intel i5-12400F ($150) |
| GPU | Nvidia GTX 1660 Super | $110 | ebay | ALT: 1440p: GTX 1070 |
| MEM | Corsair Vengeance 16GB 2x8GB DDR4-3200 | $40 | pcpartpicker | |
| STORAGE | WD Black SN770 500GB NVMe M.2 SSD TLC | $40 | pcpartpicker | ALT: 1TB M.2 SSD ($90) |
| PSU | EVGA Supernova GM 550W Full Modular SFX | $90 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Fractal Design Ion 500W |
| TOTAL | $635 |
$800 4k Gaming Emulation Box (19.5L)
You should be able to play 60+ fps for most everything, sans some demanding titles, like BoTW (60fps), Skate 3 (60fps), etc..
Will handle 4k video duties just fine.
For a SFF case, see the VR Box builds
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Fractal Design Node 304 | $100 | newegg | ITX, 14.7”x9.8”x8.3” ALT: Thermaltake Core V1 ($51) |
| MOBO | Asrock Z690M-ITX/ax | $135 | pcpartpicker | ALT: ASRock B550M-ITX/ac ($135) |
| CPU | Intel i5-12400F | $165 | pcpartpicker | ALT: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 ($140) |
| GPU | Nvidia RTX 2060 | $160 | ebay | ALT: AMD RX 5700 XT |
| MEM | G.Skill Ripjaws V 16GB 2x8GB DDR4-3600 CL18 | $40 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Corsair Vengeance LPX 2x8GB DDR4-3600 |
| STORAGE | WD Black SN770 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD TLC | $60 | ||
| COOL | Noctua NH-U12S Redux CPU Cooler | $50 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Thermalright Silver Soul 135 ($40) |
| PSU | EVGA G5 Full-Modular 650W ATX | $80 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Corsair CX650M ($90) |
| TOTAL | $790 |
Gaming builds
$225 1080p Gaming Steam Box - USED
This budget gaming build runs on Manjaro Linux w/Steam.
It’s good for 1080p, High @ 60 fps+ on normal games, Medium @ 45-60 fps on AAA games.
It uses a Pre-built PC and GPU from Ebay. Prices are for buying via auction/Best Offer. Buy It Now will cost you more.
Make sure you pick a GPU with a 6-pin (not 8) power connector and a PC with 2 sata connectors free for GPU power.
Anything HP/Dell/Lenovo with an i7-6700 up to a i5-8500 is fine. You can usually find one with an M.2 SSD so you don’t have to purchase one separately.
Manjaro linux that we use here is fine for Steam and comes pre-installed with it. Simply download the Manjaro KDE Plasma iso, write it to the USB key with Etcher, boot from it and install to the SSD. You can then Enable Proton (experimental version) in Steam preferences.
Alternatively, you can run Windows if you want, and you have an activation key.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE/CPU/MEM | Dell/HP/Lenovo Mini Tower pre-built w/8GB RAM | $100 | Ebay | ALT: i5-8500 ($110) |
| GPU | Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB w/6-pin | $80 | Ebay | ALT: Nvidia GTX 1650 Super 6-pin ($100) |
| STORAGE | 512GB Silicon Power M.2 SSD | $25 | Amazon | ALT: 2.5” Version ($25) |
| STORAGE | 16GB USB key | $5 | Amazon | OPTIONAL: For Linux install |
| ADAPTER | SATA dual to pcie 6-pin adapter | $7 | Amazon | |
| ACCESSORY | HDMI to HDMI Cable | $10 | Amazon | For mgmt. 6 Ft - Monoprice |
| OS | Manjaro Linux w/KDE Plasma | $0 | Download | |
| SOFTWARE | Steam + Proton Experimental | $0 | NA | |
| SOFTWARE | Etcher ISO writer | $0 | Download | |
| TOTAL | $227 |
$620 1080p Gaming Box (8.8L)
This is a straight up gaming build for 1080p with High settings, averaging about 90-100 fps which is good for a 120 Hz TV.
If you want a low profile case instead, look at the Silverstone Milo Z/ML-07 instead (you’ll have to add an ITX mobo and SFX PSU).
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE/MOBO/PSU | Asrock DeskMeet X300W w/500W PSU | $170 | newegg | 6.6” (W) x 9.3” (D) x 8.7” (H), specs |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 5600 (65W) | $150 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Ryzen 5500 |
| GPU | AMD RX 6600 8GB | $200 | pcpartpicker | <= 200 mm (L) |
| MEM | Teamforce Vulcan Z 16GB 2x8GB DDR4-3600 | $37 | pcpartpicker | ALT: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB 2x8GB DDR4-3600 ($40) |
| STORAGE | Solidigm P41 Plus 1TB M.2 (OS/GAMES) | $60 | pcpartpicker | |
| COOL | Thermalright AXP90-X47 CPU Cooler, 47mm | $30 | pcpartpicker | OPTIONAL: Quieter than stock cooler |
| TOTAL | $617 |
$1050 1440p Gaming Box (14L)
This is a straight up gaming build for 1440p with High settings, averaging about 90-100 fps which is good for a 120 Hz TV.
It’s low profile so is good for a media cabinet. If you can handle more height or want to beef up, look at the ALT: notes.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Silverstone Milo Z/ML-07 | $90 | pcpartpicker | 15” (W)x4.1” (H)x13.8” (D). ALT: Silverstone GD-11 (6.9” (H), 30L) |
| CPU | Intel i5-12400F | $145 | pcpartpicker | ALT: i5-12600KF |
| GPU | AMD RX 6750 XT 12GB | $330 | pcpartpicker | ALT: AMD RX 7800 XT 16 GB |
| MOBO | ASRock Z690M-ITX/ax | $150 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Gigabyte Z690 AORUS ELITE AX DDR5 |
| MEM | Teamforce VulcanZ 32GB 2x16GB DDR4-3600 | $55 | pcpartpicker | ALT: G.Skill Flare S5 2x16GB 32GB DDR5-6000 |
| STORAGE | Solidigm P41 Plus 500GB M.2 (OS) | $30 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Solidigm P41 Plus 1TB M.2 (OS) |
| STORAGE | Solidigm P41 Plus 2TB M.2 (GAMES) | $80 | pcpartpicker | |
| PSU | Phanteks Revolt 650W SFX | $90 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Corsair RM650x (2021) ATX |
| COOL | Thermalright AXP120-X67 CPU Cooler | $40 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Thermalright Silver Soul 135 (Air) / Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240 (AIO) |
| TOTAL | $1050 |
VR builds
$800 VR Box (11.5L)
The Silverstone case is a very good value, and does its job. Yes, it’s no fancy Louqe Ghost, but neither is the price.
We do go with a small SFX PSU here for more room, and it’s not much more than a good full modular ATX PSU.
You can also add a 3.5” HDD for an HTPC variation of this build, as long as you stick with the SFX PSU and the 120mm AIO. Any bigger and you run out of room quickly, especially for cables.
You can however go with the thicker H80i AIO if you want to beef up your CPU cooling with an extra fan, though it isn’t required. If you’re not keen on AIO cooling, then a Noctua NH-L12S will fit fine with the SFX PSU.
For CPU/MOBO you can replace AMD Ryzen with Intel i5-12400F/B660, if availability is a problem
We chose a pretty small GPU here, but you can just as easily choose one all the way up to 270mm in length, but still dual-slot. The Radeon RX 6600/RTX 2060 is good for 1080p VR, but expect to jump to the RX 6650 XT/RTX 2060 Super or higher for 1440p.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | SilverStone SG13B | $65 | pcpartpicker | 11.2” x 8.7” x 7.1” |
| MOBO | ASRock B550M-ITX/ac | $130 | pcpartpicker | ALT: ASrock Fatal1ty B450 Gaming-ITX/ac ($150) |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 5600 | $140 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Ryzen 5 5500 |
| GPU | AMD Radeon RX 6600 | $180 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Nvidia RTX 2060 ($200) |
| COOL | Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML120L 120mm AIO | $80 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Corsair H60/H80i 120mm AIO ($80/$120), Noctua NH-L12S ($50) |
| MEM | Corsair Vengeance 16GB 2x8GB DDR4-3200 | $40 | pcpartpicker | |
| STORAGE | WD Black SN770 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD TLC | $60 | pcpartpicker | ALT: WD Blue 6TB ($100) w/120mm AIO only, Seagate 2TB FireCuda ($80) |
| PSU | Corsair CX650M (2021) 650W ATX | $80 | pcpartpicker | ALT: EVGA SuperNOVA 550 GM SFX ($110) |
| TOTAL | $775 |
$850 VR Box - Sandwich Case Variation (9.7L)
The $800 VR Box with a Geeek sandwich case. A little bit smaller than the SG13B.
This changes the CPU cooler, PSU and fan compatibility. We can also use a longer GPU.
For CPU/MOBO you can replace AMD with Intel i5-12400F/B660, if availability is a problem
The Radeon RX 6600/RTX 2060 is good for 1080p VR, but expect to jump to the RX 6650 XT/RTX 2060 Super or higher for 1440p.
| PART | BRAND/MODEL | PRICE | VENDOR | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASE | Geeek A50 Plus + PCIe riser cable | $89 | Geeek | 13” x 5.5” x 8.4” ALT: Geeek A60 Plus ($99) |
| MOBO | ASRock B550M-ITX/ac | $130 | pcpartpicker | ALT: ASrock Fatal1ty B450 Gaming-ITX/ac ($150) |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 5600 | $140 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Ryzen 5 5500 |
| GPU | AMD Radeon RX 6600 | $180 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Nvidia RTX 2060 ($200) |
| MEM | Corsair Vengeance 16GB 2x8GB DDR4-3200 | $40 | pcpartpicker | |
| STORAGE | WD Black SN770 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD TLC | $60 | pcpartpicker | |
| COOL | Thermalright AXP90-X47 CPU cooler | $35 | pcpartpicker | ALT: ID Cooling IS-50X/55 ($30) |
| COOL | Noctua NF-A9x14 92mm Case fans 3x | $60 | Quietpc | 2x is ok too for less noise, +4-5C temp |
| PSU | EVGA SuperNOVA 550 GM SFX | $110 | pcpartpicker | ALT: Cooler Master V550 SFX Gold ($105) |
| TOTAL | $844 |
This page was last updated on 2024-05-04