Acer AS5517-1216 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - Up to 2.5 Hours of Battery Life
Choosing a Pre-Built HTPC
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If you are considering setting up your first HTPC, you may have found that many HTPC websites focus on build-your-own options. If you don’t have any experience with building computers or simply don’t have the time, there are a few pre-built systems available that are ideal for an HTPC. I will discuss a few of them in this article.
ViewSonic VOT132 Mini PC
The ViewSonic VOT132 features a stylish design, compact dimensions and includes an option of discretely attaching to a VESA mount on the back of your LCD monitor. With an Intel Atom dual core processor and NVIDEA ION graphics, the VOT132 provides plenty of power for 1080p HD playback. I/O options include 6 x USB2.0 ports, HDMI, DVI, SPDIF, Ethernet and 3.5mm audio. An optical drive is not build included but the ViewSonic VDD100 DVD RW Super Multi Drive can be purchased as an optional extra. The price is around US$390 with an additional $80 for the VDD100 DVD RW drive.
Dell Inspiron Zino HD
An increasing popular choice for a pre-built HTPC is the Dell Inspiron Zino HD. This is a compact trendy looking unit with the option of interchangeable colors and designs. Powered by an AMD Athlon dual core processor and an ATI Radeon HD 4330 512MB GPU, the Dell Inspiron Zino HD provides plenty of power for HTPC video requirements. However, a more highly spec’ed unit should be purchased if 1080p HD playback is required. I/O ports include 4 x USB 2.0, 1 HDMI, 1 VGA, Ethernet, line-out and 2 eSATA connectors. An 8x DVD/CD RW drive is included and an optional Blu-ray disc drive is also available. Prices vary from US$450 for the most basic unit up to $850 for the top of the range unit.
Acer Aspire Revo R3610
The Acer Aspire Revo R3610 is a very compact unit featuring a stylish piano black finish. Like the ViewSonic VOT132 mentioned above, the R3610 also has the option of attaching to the VESA mount on the back of an LCD monitor. 1080P HD playback is supported with NVIDEA ION graphics and a dual core Atom processor. This unit includes 6 x USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, VGA, HDMI, Optical S/PDIF and eSATA IO options. No optical drive is included but an external drive can easily be plugged in. The cost for the 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD option is around US$400.
There are three good options for a pre-built HTPC. They all have similar specifications but the Dell Inspiron Zino HD is the only option with an internal optical drive. The Acer Aspire Revo and ViewSonic VOT132 both have the option of an LCD monitor VESA mount.
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