I've been vacillating towards building an htpc and i kinda had my parts mapped out: itx mobo, ivy bridge i3, ssd, lian li case, etc. close to $700 in parts and who knows how many hours in putting it together and configuring (something i've done numerous times before but find harder and harder to do as i get older and have less free time to futz around). With
apple's recent announcement, it hit me. i could get this new mac mini with ivy bridge and 4000 graphics, i have an antec 4 drive encloser with usb 3. I am a relatively recent apple computer convert (the previous mac mini server 2011) and that worked out great.... why not get a mac mini for an htpc? low wattage, small, easy on the eyes (and easy to hide if need be... but really). my question is, is the quad core i7 mini overkill? here is what it would do initially:
Utorrent
Plex server / xbmc / Boxee (i'm figuring this out, i'm transitioning away from my boxee box)
some blu-ray to mkv conversion
with the very real possibility also being a cable box through either homerun hd or ceton's infinity4 (which probably means installing windows, i know).
it should be able to do all or at least most of these at the same time with out crapping out.
there's probably more that i'm forgetting but that should give you a general idea.... what do you think? i7 or go with the cheaper i5?
apple's recent announcement, it hit me. i could get this new mac mini with ivy bridge and 4000 graphics, i have an antec 4 drive encloser with usb 3. I am a relatively recent apple computer convert (the previous mac mini server 2011) and that worked out great.... why not get a mac mini for an htpc? low wattage, small, easy on the eyes (and easy to hide if need be... but really). my question is, is the quad core i7 mini overkill? here is what it would do initially:
Utorrent
Plex server / xbmc / Boxee (i'm figuring this out, i'm transitioning away from my boxee box)
some blu-ray to mkv conversion
with the very real possibility also being a cable box through either homerun hd or ceton's infinity4 (which probably means installing windows, i know).
it should be able to do all or at least most of these at the same time with out crapping out.
there's probably more that i'm forgetting but that should give you a general idea.... what do you think? i7 or go with the cheaper i5?