PERFECT HOME THEATRE PC
COMPLETE GUIDE: CONSTRUCT A LOUNGE ROOM-READY RIG TO HANDLE ALL YOUR VIDEO-STREAMING, MEDIA-SERVING & GAMING NEEDS
THE CONCEPT
Well, here we are: our latest attempt at an HTPC style build. We knew from the get-go that the Phanteks Shift was the case of choice for our home theatre aspirations. Having worked with its cases extensively over the last few years, we’ve learned that the top-quality materials and consideration toward builders ingrained into every facet of Phanteks’s design make most builds in its cases a cakewalk. Knowing we’d be working in a tight chassis with an ITX system meant we would definitely hit problems, so having a quality case was an important first step.
The Shift comes in two variants: the shorter, stubbier standard Shift, and the longer, water cooler supporting Shift X. As our build is aimed at longevity, rather than brute power, the Shift X is a little overkill for what we had in mind. Air cooling is the name of the game, along with designing a compact machine that can happily sit next to a set-top box or amplifier, and not be that noticeable.
But why build this machine in the first place? What can an HTPC provide that a good smart TV can’t? The answer? Control and versatility. For us, it’s the control element of an HTPC that’s most appealing. You’ve probably seen it: a smart TV that gets slower over time as the hardware ages, the storage fills up, and you’re just left with a frustrating menu system that chugs away, wasting your time. Our media consumption is no longer as on-demand as we’ve generally come to expect.
If you build your own home theater PC, however, you know exactly what you’re getting, and if you have any issues, you’ll likely know exactly what the problem part is. Being able to choose your spec is a big deal. Couple that with the fact that you can run practically any streaming service on a Windows PC via a web browser, and load your own media from masses of affordable local storage, or even from a network attached device, and the PC quickly pulls ahead, more so than a Raspberry Pi, Fire Stick, or anything else, for that matter.
SPEC OPS
How did we spec out this rig? Well, we didn’t have a budget in mind. We knew we wanted a processor with integrated graphics with HDCP 2.2 support ( for 4K streaming), and we knew we wanted a system that had a dedicated GPU, too, so we could do a bit of couch gaming on the side with Steam’s big picture mode, but that was about it.
The decision, therefore, was: AMD or Intel? Both offer processors with integrated GPUs, but in seriously different configurations. Intel has the integrated GPU buried within all of its lineup, while AMD only has it in two parts, the Ryzen 3 2200G and Ryzen 5 2400G, both of which lack the full complement of PCIe lanes for a dedicated GPU (running eight dedicated PCIe 3.0 lanes, as opposed to the full 16).
We decided to go with AMD’s Ryzen 5 2400G. We had the option to run an Intel Core i3-8100, but for the sake of trying something new (and seeing if AMD’s HDCP 2.2 driver had been launched), we went for Team Red. That’s not to say the 2400G is a bad part; it’s an affordable option, that packs a punch when it comes to integrated performance. We chose to couple it with an Asus GTX 1060 3GB, again with HDCP 2.2 support. It should be more than enough to power through any of our local co-op titles, and maintain a steady 60fps in the process.
As for memory, we’ve gone with a simple 8GB (2x 4GB) HyperX Fury DDR4 2,666MHz kit (we didn’t have that on hand for this example build, so we used HyperX Fury 2,666MHz instead). And for storage, rather conservatively, and something of an “on the fly” adjustment, due to chassis limitations, we’ve picked a single 1TB Samsung 860 Evo M.2 drive, the same one we featured in our liquid-cooled ITX build a few issues back.
It’s also worth noting that for this build we’re running with an X470-I motherboard. In reality, we’d recommend you instead go with the Asus ROG Strix B450-I Gaming, especially in an ITX build — the boards are identical bar name and chipset, and the B450-I should save you a sweet buck in the process.
1 ALL HANDS ON DECK
Would you believe that when we unpacked our chassis, it came with instructions on how to empty the actual cardboard box? Yep. Then further instructions on how to disassemble the case. That’s a first. But, to be fair, it’s not that obvious. This baby has a pop-hinge top cover (which hides all your cables from the rear I/O), then six individual captive thumbscrews inside, two for each panel (bar the rear-most panel). Loosen those screws, gently grab the tempered glass side panel, and pull it up to pop it out of its secure housing. You might find some of the screws are a little too tight — we had to remove one entirely because it must have been tightened too much in the factory.
2 AMD PROCESSOR INSTALLATION
Ahh, the PGA grid — how wonderful you are. To install any of the latest Ryzen processors on the AM4 platform, simply lift the retention arm up from the CPU socket, carefully slot the Ryzen chip into place, making sure to align the golden triangle corner on the chip with the one on the socket, push down until it fits snuggly, then lower the retention arm back down until it clicks into place. Your processor is then secure. On the Asus ROG Strix-I mobos, there’s also an M.2 slot located under the ROG logo, just south of the chipset. Use a tiny screwdriver to undo the two screws on the bracket, install your M.2 drive, then resecure back down, remembering to remove the film from the thermal pad on the underside of the M.2 heatsink (aka the big bit of metal with the ROG logo on it).
3 PRIORITIES
For this build, we’re flipping things on their head by installing the motherboard first. We installed our Wraith Prism cooler outside the chassis first, along with the memory, then installed the motherboard directly into the case, before the PSU. Things are a little tight in this chassis, so getting the mobo in first is of paramount importance. The Shift also comes with a PCIe riser cable, which needs plugging in to your PCIe slot. It’s removable, and you can shift the position of this to the other side, but more on that later. Also, that Phanteks logo just above the rubber grommets? That’s actually a rotating bracket, secured by magnets that you can rotate down, which makes installing your cables a little easier. Neat, huh?
4 GPU INSTALLATION
And here we have that PCIe bracket/GPU installation we mentioned. It’s secured in place at the back by a single thumbscrew, which can be a bit awkward. The bracket itself, however, can be adjusted, and slides up and down, to give more PSU clearance, or allow for better airflow. There’s a single 140mm fan up top, which provides either exhaust or intake air for both your CPU and your GPU compartment. It is possible to reorient this bracket, so it’s facing the other way, but Phanteks only recommends you do this if you’re liquid cooling, otherwise airflow becomes an issue. You can also see the ton of mounting options at the bottom of the chassis for radiators and AIOs.
5 THE LITTLE DETAILS
It’s the extra effort that Phanteks puts into its case design that always amazes us. Take installing the PSU, for instance. Phanteks has made a tiny cutout in the aluminum chassis here to give you an easier time when tightening one of the screws for the PSU. It’s a tiny detail, but one we very much appreciate. There’s a full-sized rectangular cutout on the other side for the other screw, too. It’s also worth noting here that due to the PSU cable pass-through, you’re going to want to make sure the power switch on your PSU is set to on before both installing the cable and securing the PSU itself.
6 SFX WOES
This is the only place we wish Phanteks had given us an extra inch (although there is the Shift X…). Modular SFX power supplies in this build are a nightmare. Install the cables first, and you can’t fit the PSU in place; install them afterward, and there’s not enough room to even push them in. On top of that, the rubber grommet bracket, with the magnetic folding Phanteks cover, is annoyingly pop-riveted into place. If you could remove that, or temporarily move it upward, it would make PSU installation so much easier. To get around this, we ended up pre-installing the cables into the PSU before securing it, then pushing the cables down as much as possible, in an attempt to flatten them. We then removed one of the rubber grommets from the cable pass-through to give us enough wiggle room to slide the PSU in and secure it in place.