An entertainment desktop will enable you to watch and record TV programming on your PC, as well as make the most of your digital music, video, and images.
PROCESSOR
You don’t need the fastest available processor to take advantage of the Media Center features in Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate. Get a CPU one or two steps down from the fastest, but make sure it’s at least a dual-core, a must for surviving the multitasking entertainment required by PCs. Also, consider getting a system that uses a mobile processor. Though somewhat less powerful than their desktop equivalents, these chips generally use less power and give off less heat, meaning you’ll save more on energy and will need fewer noisy fans inside your case.
MEMORY
The more memory you have, the better your system will run. You’ll want a minimum of 2GB for running Vista.
GRAPHICS
You can get away with integrated graphics, but we recommend a dedicated graphics card with at least 256MB to take some of the edge off Media Center’s intensive processes. This should also give you enough power for video editing and modest 3D gaming. If you plan to watch protected high-definition (HD) content, buy a card that supports High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) decoding; some also have HDMI ports for outputting video and audio signals to an HDTV.
HARD DRIVE
Media files—especially digital video—take up a lot of space. Go with the largest drive you can afford, and definitely select nothing smaller than 250GB (500GB would be even better.) A multidrive RAID Level 1 array ensures your data is always backed up, which is essential if you’re storing your digital audio, video, and photography on your hard drive.
OPTICAL DRIVES
A DVD±RW drive should be your first choice for storing and sharing your media, and it should be at least a double-layer. You’ll want another drive (probably a DVD-ROM) for copying discs. Consider getting a Blu-ray drive, too: If you just want a reader for watching HD movies, you can add one for around $200; one that also burns high-capacity Blu-ray discs will run you $500 or more. Combo drives that read Blu-ray and write to DVD and CD are a reasonably priced compromise.
CASE
An A/V-style case looks best in the living room. Alternatively, you can opt for one of the ultra-small-form-factor PCs available from companies such as WinBook and Shuttle. Keep in mind, though, that their low-profile enclosures leave little room for internal expansion.
SOUND
Integrated six- or eight-channel sound will suffice, but audiophiles will prefer a dedicated card. Expect to pay about $70 more for a high-quality dedicated card in place of onboard audio.
MONITOR
If you intend to use your computer for work and entertainment, we recommend a dedicated computer monitor. Definitely go for a wide-screen LCD so you have the most screen real estate available (and for playing movies in their original aspect ratio). Televisions, on the other hand, are not ideal for general computer use unless they have an RGB or DVI connection. If you want to pair your PC with an HDTV, be aware that Media Center supports only broadcast HDTV; you'll also need an external antenna for reception.
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