Creating a budget-friendly yet comprehensive TV PC?
Creating a budget-friendly yet comprehensive TV PC?
I have been utilizing HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Mini for a (struggling) TVPC, my personal desktop, and my wife’s desktop for many years. These were obtained from EBay as off-lease business computers; they are compact, dependable, nearly quiet, expandable to some degree (including dual NVME slots), often come with an HP factory warranty, serviceable at a local Microcenter (an authorized HP service center), and capable enough for MS Office tasks and even CAD, though relatively slow.
On the flip side, they tend to be slower (I5-6500t processors), lack direct video support beyond processor graphics, are limited to 1151 socket processors, and have cooling issues.
Now that I’m retired and all my consulting work done, it was time to meet these requirements. As a fully disabled Vietnamese veteran relying heavily on disability income, cost efficiency was crucial.
I’m very pleased with how effectively I addressed or surpassed the listed needs!
By employing the components mentioned below—sourced patiently and luckily from EBay and Amazon—I kept the total under $550!
The Parts List:
CPU: HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Mini (refurbished, 1-year warranty) – EBay, $324.79
Processor: I7-9700t
Ram: 32 GB
Storage: 1TB NVME
OS: Windows 11 Pro (activated)
GPU: ASUS Phoenix RTX 3050 (8GB VRAM, single fan) – Ebay, $149.97
M.2 to PCIE adapter: ADTLINK – Amazon, $34.98
GPU Power Supply: Dell ZVC220HD12S1 12V 18A 220W Power Supply D3860 8 Pin ADP-220AB – Ebay, $22.81
The assembly trick was folding the GPU onto the CPU and keeping the 7” x 7” footprint.
It works! (Photos to follow once I figure out how to share them).
Feel free to let me know if you try this or spot a better alternative.
Next project: Upgrading the old TVPC with an I9-9900KS and an RTX 3070!
Larry
This refers to numerous small computers priced between $200 and $300, ideal for a home theater computer. I own one that fits this description.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDG8TM4R
Do you plan to play games on the TVPC?
I’m still using an LGA 1150 motherboard with an i5-4160 (quad-core 3.6GHz) and a half-height (low-profile) GTX 1650. It’s enough for streaming 4K UHD at 30Hz, which is supported by my 2017 OLED TV.
The issue with purchasing cutting-edge CPUs is the high prices on eBay. I’ve looked at a few i9-9900KS listings and they’re priced between $250 and $450. That’s why I avoid upgrading all my other LGA1150 systems beyond i7-4770K.
If you need a more powerful CPU for recent titles on the TV, you might consider buying a new mATX motherboard/CPU combo and installing any functional DDR4 RAM. I’m not sure if this would be cheaper than building a full mini PC.
Another concern is fitting a standard motherboard into a proprietary case. Some of my Dell and HP systems use non-standard board sizes and power supply connections.
Additionally, upgrading the mobo or CPU can cause problems if your current Windows license is OEM—it may expire after a major hardware change. An OEM license from companies like HP, Dell, Lenovo is linked to the original hardware, whereas retail licenses are usually transferable.
One of the performance requirements mentioned was the capability to play games. For this reason, I am using an RTX 3050 over m.2. Intel's built-in graphics can manage most resolutions for basic display needs. Because I keep the original chassis, there is no problem with non-standard MB drives since the I7-9700t is a factory-installed processor. Which Beelink CPU did you purchase? It seems that unless you acquire one of the top three Beelink systems, you are restricted to Intel on-board graphics without game functionality. Only the highest three models offer Intel Arc Graphics and limited gaming performance. These range from $600 to $1200, which somewhat contradicts the "budget-friendly" goal I had in mind.
I often keep old computer chassis around, but when it becomes impractical to replace the CPU, I look for a more suitable motherboard second-hand on eBay and swap out the cards.
I’ve become more cautious with upgrading Dell office computers (though I know yours is an HP). The BIOS doesn’t always recognize every available processor model. Installing a CPU not listed in Dell’s support list could prevent the system from starting. If you manage to get an i9-9900KS, make sure it’s compatible.
The TDP for the i9-9900KS is listed as 127W by Intel:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...-1...tions.html
The existing i7-9700T has a much lower TDP of just 35W:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...o-...w=i7-9700t
I’m uncertain whether an HP desktop equipped with a 35W T-series CPU can handle the power demands of the i9-9900KS. There might not be sufficient VRM capacity on the motherboard, and you’d likely need a more powerful CPU cooler.
I may be mistaken about this if the article is accurate, but I recommend double-checking BIOS compatibility to prevent frustration. You might need a BIOS update to work with an i9:
https://www.hardware-corner.net/desktop-...0-G5-Mini/
Processor
Good Morning, Misgar.
Thank you for your attention to my project plans. At the moment I understand: the BIOS works, HP provided an I9 (the 35 wt I-9900t) from the factory, and I also talked to Tech Support about it!
I plan to use separate PSUs—ac/dc power blocks—for the CPU and GPU: a 270 wt unit from HP and a 220 unit from Dell.
HP will install a 125 wt heatsink. Since the I9-9900KS is officially around 127 wt, it should be fine until turbo-boost activates... and I’m pretty sure I won’t need anything beyond the 4GHz base clock... unless I do any work requiring more than that. Then it’s just thermal throttling.
By the way, in my situation I already have the I9-9900KS, so it’s a sunk cost—I really don’t have another place to put it!
It’s clear this option is riskier than my TVPC, but it’ll be more exciting... even if it doesn’t work out!
You know, very few Vietnam Vets are comfortable sharing their service stories, and I’m definitely not one of them. Being lucky to have someone who did was a great thing.
Best wishes,
Larry