Best HTPC (Home Theater PC) 2022: including HTPC 4K builds
We Go Through The Best HTPCs On The Market For Each Price Point
Sometimes the average user would just like a nice small form factor prebuilt PC to run in the lounge and not interfere with how the room looks, enter the HTPC. A home theatre PC isn’t that different from a smart TV however it is a lot more powerful and gives you much more flexibility with what you can achieve in your home theatre. These mini PCs can be mounted to TV’s and gaming monitors and can be kept completely hidden whilst giving you extra entertainment options in your home.
An HTPC will allow you to browse the web, watch movies, and in some cases even play some pretty impressive game titles too! It is no secret that over the last few years HTPCs have become smaller in size and price, making them a more attractive option.
HTPCs vary in terms of performance and cost so it is important to know what your needs may be. A higher-end HTPC will handle your day to day tasks and entertainment with no issues. These types of HTPCs will also feature a powerful CPU with integrated graphics that can handle a range of games with fast storage solutions to back it up.
Lower-end HTPCs may not feature the most powerful CPUs, with many sometimes struggling with games and even multi-tasking. Despite this, less powerful HTPCs can still handle 4K viewing and with the low-cost factoring in make a great little entertainment unit for the home.
Our Top Picks
The 5 Best HTPC Systems 2022
In-depth Review
Intel NUC8 NUC8i7HVK
Intel NUC8 NUC8i7HVK
An all-rounder barebones gaming PC like the Intel NUC8 NUC8i7HVK could be considered ideal for most gamers needs in the mini-PC realm. This smaller form factor PC packs a powerful punch and has one of the more interesting designs on the list with a glowing skull on top of the case.
Looking at the connectivity department, you have the following:
- 3x USB 3.1 (Gen2)
- Type-C ports (two at the rear and one on the front), two of which support Thunderbolt 3
- 2x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 output
- Can support up to 6x displays with excellent expansion
This NUC (Next Unit of Computing) model is also loaded with a Core i7-8809G processor on top of having a decent Radeon RX Vega M GH graphics card. That’s more than enough to handle AAA titles and even VR!
Its compact size and design make it ideal in the living room and small spaces. Out of the box, it comes with the power adapter and VESA plate. This means you can hook this to the back of the monitor or television to give the appearance of a smart TV/ no wire setup.
The performance from this HTPC is very surprising but with its high price tag makes sure you plan on playing games with this otherwise it could be a bit overkill.
Apple Mac mini
Apple Mac mini
This mini Mac from Apple is a brilliant little device. The 8th Gen CPU paired with the Intel UHD graphics makes light work of tasks and is a seriously good option for an all-around home theatre “PC”. However, as with all Apple products, you do pay extra than you would with a Windows device relative to the amount of actual power you get, purely to use the Mac OS.
The space grey case is something we are all familiar with but it is its simplicity that makes this so elegant in its design.
Looking at the connectivity department, you have the following:
- 2 x USB 3 ports
- 4 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
- 1 x HDMI 2.0
This Mac mini has more than enough power for industrial grade tasks and the CPU can be overclocked to a whopping 4.6GHz. The RAM is adequate for some rendering tasks but what’s great about this is the fact you can install up to 64GB if required.
Not only does this HTPC feature a compact form factor but it is incredibly low profile at just 1.4 inches in height making it ideal for the living room or tight office space. This features 256GB of SSD storage which can be upgraded to as much as 2TB which is more than enough to store your media files.
You are getting Thunderbolt 3 technology with this mini MAC and the ability to run 2 x 4K displays at once which offers great flexibility. A great little machine.
AWOW NYi3 Mini PC
AWOW NYi3 Mini PC
The NYi3 Mini PC from AWOW offers something quite surprising for such a small computer. The power is good enough to keep your home theatre running smoothly with ample memory and a fast storage solution. This unexpectedly can run certain games (albeit in low graphics) and makes light work of general computing tasks.
The design is pretty plain but seeing as it’s designed to be tucked away it isn’t exactly a bad thing. Indeed the AWOW NYi3 Mini PC is the smallest HTPC on this list.
Looking at the connectivity department, you have the following:
- 2 x USB 2 ports
- 2 x HDMI ports
- 1 x DCIN port
- 1 x USB-C port
This mini PC is really responsive and that is down to the reasonable i3 CPU paired with the 8GB of RAM. If that wasn’t enough this HTPC features an M.2 storage solution making this ideal as a small workstation also.
This little barebones PC can also display in two 4K displays at once which isn’t too bad from such a small machine.
This can be mounted with ease on the back of a monitor and will be easily hidden if you look to use it as part of your home theatre setup in the living room. A solid and affordable option from AWOW that’s worth picking up.
ACEPC AK2 Mini PC
ACEPC AK2 Mini PC
The ACEPC AK2 mini PC features a quad-core Intel Celeron J3455 which reaches speeds of 2.3 GHz. The processor is joined with some integrated graphics and all though it’s not the best for multi-tasking, the Intel HD 500 does well enough for your everyday tasks and is capable of running a single 4K screen.
Within the small form factor case, there is 8GB of RAM and a 120GB M.2 storage solution giving you enough to make light work of your work and entertainment.
The design is quite sleek with some nice LEDs to show you the machine is switched on and interesting vents around the outside.
Looking at the connectivity department, you have the following:
- 2 x USB 2.0
- 2 x USB 3.0
- 2 x HDMI ports
This little machine can, of course, be mounted making it ideal as a home theatre PC that can be easily hidden. Like the other PC’s this comes with windows 10 pre-installed meaning it is ready to go out of the box.
This may not be the most powerful on the list but it is a reliable little PC and with a small price to go with it, it is certainly worth considering.
Minis Forum Mini PC
Minis Forum Mini PC
This HTPC from Minis Forum has the lowest profile and price on the list and has the weakest components, but for budget use its no slouch. The CPU can run up to 2.24GHz and when paired with the SSD storage still offers fast loading times for mundane tasks. The chip features onboard Intel HD 400 graphics which will play few games but is still great for entertainment and day-to-day uses, though be advised it may struggle to support a 4K screen.
The design is basic with a brush aluminum effect on the top but the case is the second smallest on the list-making this really easy to tuck away.
Looking at the connectivity department, you have the following:
- 2 x USB 2.0
- 2 x USB 3.0
- 1 x HDMI port
- 1 x VGA port
This little machine can be mounted with the included bracket making it ideal for the home theatre.
The incredibly low price makes this little portable PC a great budget option.
Final Word
There you have it! These HTPCs (and one Mac) cover various needs in the home theatre area, however, it could be worth your time and money investing in a new PC build instead seeing as you do get plenty more bang for your buck.
Any questions on our selections or if you think your HTPC should have made this list, then please comment below.