2 Requests - PC for Old Games and HTPC

Cossax

Hey, I'm being efficient by only starting one thread, I swear! Or maybe just greedy, who knows!

Looking build two computers currently, was initially hoping they'll be identical, after typing out the needs I recognise they may be rather different.

Computer 1 is for my room.
I'm looking at putting together a PC so I can play some older games (Age of Empires, Age of Kings, Civ2, Alpha Centurai, Star Trek: Armada 2 and similar - a lot of late 1990s or early 2000s games) with friends online so wireless and a DVD drive are needed.
A massive HD isn't necessary.
Case size isn't terribly important but a smaller size is preferred.
Budget is around the €300 but preferably below this.

Computer 2 is for a common sitting room.
I've been streaming from a server computer (albeit one on its last legs) to the XBox360 but more recently I've just connected a HD to a media player connected via HDMI to the tv.
Will mostly be using this computer to play downloaded movies/series on a 32 HDTV so would want a HDMI connection.
Must run very quietly.
A small case is preferred but quiet running is more important.
A DVD drive isn't necessary.
As I'll quite possibly be plugging an external HD into it, a massive HD isn't necessary.
I have an ethernet cable available so wireless isn't necessary.
Budget is around €300 but I can move over this - this gets the bigger share of the budget of the 2 computers.

All suggestions much appreciated! Have monitor and all peripherals for both.

Solitaire

Do you have operating systems for them? Not to mention a monitor for the first machine?

Assuming you do, here's some flagrant overkill for ~€610 shipped:



The first sample build was kept as an mATX build. You probably don't need the graphics card but I've put it in just in case you want to play some not-so-old 3D games on it at some point Separate case and PSU are likely overkill too :P



The second sample actually has the beefier CPU, but no discrete GPU (the onboard video has a HDMI port anyway). I've added a better CPU cooler to quieten down the CPU and a small rear fan, but not sure about the quality of the included 120mm front fan on that case - Fractal are better known for upper-mid-range ultraquiet cases, so I'm hoping that the fan (and system in general) will be nice and quiet

Cossax

Thank you sir, much appreciated!

I have OSs for them and the first one is being hooked up to one of two pre-existing monitors.

Solitaire

Do you know its maximum resolution?

AFAIK the second machine has HD decoding of some sort on its onboard GPU anyway, and enough CPU grunt to hide any discrepancy. So given you won't be gaming on the home server its grand for Full HD

Cossax

Solitaire wrote: »

Do you know its maximum resolution?

AFAIK the second machine has HD decoding of some sort on its onboard GPU anyway, and enough CPU grunt to hide any discrepancy. So given you won't be gaming on the home server its grand for Full HD

Don't know TBH, it's a couple of years old but was top-end in its day and it has successfully displayed Armada 2 and AoK before. I have another, more recent, monitor I could use instead if necessary.

Solitaire

Nope, more resolution is bad when it comes to trying to run 3D. Looks prettier but needs more CPU/GPU to remain playable,which means more noise, power and cost!

Still, unless you decided to play a brand new game and it was a 1080p monitor the HD5570 should be raging overkill

Cossax

Solitaire wrote: »

Nope, more resolution is bad when it comes to trying to run 3D. Looks prettier but needs more CPU/GPU to remain playable,which means more noise, power and cost!

Still, unless you decided to play a brand new game and it was a 1080p monitor the HD5570 should be raging overkill

Wouldn't be worried about that! Minecraft is the only modern-ish game I'd plan on playing on it.

Solitaire

AFAIK that's all rendered in software (using CPU) anyway!

Cossax

Unless I'm mistaken, it seems the Gigabyte GA-MA78LMT-US2H, AMD 760G, ATX is gooooone from the site. Any suggestion for a replacement? HDMI being the only real over-riding concern.

Solitaire

Ugh. This might work but the onboard audio isn't specified and may be of dubious origin. This might work too and claims to have superior onboard audio/video/chipset but its a bulk part and if that dodgy pic isn't inverted then its not even mATX, so you'd need to ask HWVS about that! Oh, and there's only one of them left

deconduo

Solitaire wrote: »

Ugh. This might work but the onboard audio isn't specified and may be of dubious origin. This might work too and claims to have superior onboard audio/video/chipset but its a bulk part and if that dodgy pic isn't inverted then its not even mATX, so you'd need to ask HWVS about that! Oh, and there's only one of them left

The MSI one seems to have Realtek audio, if you check the driver download page:
http://www.msi.com/product/mb/760GM-E51.html

I've used that board before and while I wouldn't be an audiophile it seemed decent enough to me.

Solitaire

Beat me to it. But it still doesn't say the model. It could just be Realtek codecs running on a dodgy VIA VT1708S Still, if you haven't had an issue with EMI on the audio channels then its more than good enough

Cossax

Solitaire wrote: »

Beat me to it. But it still doesn't say the model. It could just be Realtek codecs running on a dodgy VIA VT1708S Still, if you haven't had an issue with EMI on the audio channels then its more than good enough

And when I went to order it all today (payday at midnight, woohoo!) and that is gone again.

Cossax

El bumpo.