Comparing HTPC Manufacturers

There are many companies which offer home theater PCs to consumers, but some companies which offer such products are doing so only because the market exists. There are only a few companies that offer HTPCs which provide a good value, and each has their respective strengths.

Buying an HTPC

Generally speaking, building a home theater PC can save a lot of money. That said, building an HTPC isn't for everyone. It takes a lot of time to research all of the correct components and put them together. Those who would rather have a pre-built HTPC have many options available to them. But which manufacturers build HTPCs which are really worth your money?

Cyberpower

If you've ever opened a copy of Maxmium PC, PC Pro, or some other large print publication, you've probably seen an advertisement for Cyberpower. Cyberpower has been around for a while now and has slowly gained a solid reputation in the market of budget computers. That doesn't necessarily mean that they are less powerful then computers available from competitors like Dell. Instead, Cyberpower tries to keep competitive by keeping their overhead costs low and therefore providing a lower price on comparable hardware.

It seems that Cyberpower is certainly winning the price wars when it comes to HTPCs. Their Media Center X64, a small media center PC with an Athlon X2 7750 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a TV tuner can be purchased at the surprising price of $499. That is extremely low for a pre-built home theater PC. Of course, this base configuration is missing a video card (the motherboard does have integrated Radeon graphics) and the TV tuner seems to be quite generic. But these problems can be rectified with a few upgrades, and Cyberpower also offers more expensive versions with far more robust features. Those more expensive products are much more powerful but still follow the Cyberpower creed of providing good bang for the buck.

Dell

Oddly, Dell no longer seems to offer any dedicated HTPC configuration. In the past Dell had sold a very robust and very expensive HTPC called the Hanger 18 though its Alienware division, but that product no longer appears to be for sale. That does not mean that Dell has nothing on offer, however, as Dell's Studio XPS 435, available with a base price of $899, is available with a TV Tuner slot. While that base price is far higher then the above Cyberpower PC, the Dell XPS 435 is much more powerful. It offers a Core i7 920 and a Radeon 4350 as standard. The TV Tuner options aren't overpriced or off-brands, either. The base Hauppauge TV Tuner with Remote only tacks $60 dollars to the price.

Overall, the Dell is a good pick for those wanting a powerful yet affordable HTPC. The only real problem is that it is not designed from scratch for HTPC use and so it looks like any other tower PC. This can make it difficult to blend into a home theater setting. Also, while Dell's TV tuner upgrade is affordable, their Blu-Ray upgrade is a rather steep $120 dollars.