New HTPC Build

[andresj]

I’ve built a few PCs but this will be my first HTPC. I want to see what the pros have to say about it so please comment, especially if you see a way I can lower the price while maintaining quality and aesthetics.

My goal is to build a small, good-looking HTPC (with NAS capabilities) to go in our living room. It needs to do the following well:
1. Play movies (Blu-ray, streaming and archived) over HDMI with good audio output
2. Always-on NAS serving/storing files, music and videos for 2 to 3 computers to access
3. Stay cool, stable and quiet
4. Last priority is minimal gaming, word processing and internet

I would really like to lower the price but I am willing to pay for a product that will do what I want it to do well for the next 3 to 5 years so I guess my main questions are:
1. Do all of these components come together to form the best/most effective system for the price?
2. Can I cut costs anywhere while maintaining quality?
3. Will this do what I want it to do well?

Here is what I have currently put together:
Case: Moneual Moncaso 312B – $239.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811280014&Tpk=moneual%20mocaso%20312b
Power Supply: Antec EarthWatts Green 430W ATX12V – $59.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371034
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-785GMT-USB3 – $94.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128432
Processor: AMD Athlon II X2 240 Regor 2.8GHz AM3 65W Dual Core – $58.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103688
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2x2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM 1600 – $119.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231303
Hard Drive: OCZ Vertex OCZSSD2-1VTX30GXXX 2.5″ 30GB SATA II SSD – $79.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227393
Optical Drive: LG Black Blu-Ray Disc SATA – $104.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136183

TOTAL: $758.93

I know the price of the case is out of control…I want a good-looking case with card readers and USB on the front and access to the BD drive that can fit at least 2-3 hard drives. Are there similar cases for cheaper? My current plan is to put the system files on the SSD and then add HDs I have laying around and maybe a 2 drive RAID array in the future for data storage.

Is that Mobo/Processor combo powerful enough/too powerful? Is it versatile enough to serve whatever I throw at it into the next 3-5 years? Could it accommodate some gaming? Are the on-board graphics and audio enough to play home theater quality movies on par with or better than a devoted Blu-Ray player?

Thanks in advance to the Missing Remote community for any advice or edits.

– J

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