ASRock Core 100HT-BD HTPC

Conclusions

We liked the concept of the Core 100HT-BD a lot: it is a very small home theater PC (HTPC) computer that may be an option for users that are willing to buy a Blu-Ray player and may want to buy this unit instead in order to have a complete PC hooked up to their home theater setup.

The problem, however, is its price. At USD 650 it is somewhat expensive, especially because it doesn’t come with an operating system. If you decide, let’s say, to buy Windows 7 Home Premium, you will spend at least USD 175 more just to put this computer to work, for a total of at least USD 825.

To put things into perspective, consider that an Acer Aspire AS7741-7870 laptop, which is currently sold for the same USD 650 and comes with the same amount of RAM and same hard drive size, comes with a more powerful CPU (Core i3-370M) and comes with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit already installed. It is true that this particular model doesn’t have a Blu-Ray drive, but on the other hand it comes with a 17.3” screen. Of course we are comparing products with different purposes, but you get the idea.

Compared to laptops that come with a Blu-Ray drive and same amount of RAM and same hard drive size, the ASRock Core 100HT-BD also loses, when we factor in the price of the operating system. For example, the MSI FX-600-003 comes with a more powerful CPU (Core i3-350M) and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and is sold for USD 775, and the Sony Vaio E Series VPCEB35FX/WI comes with the same OS and a Core i3-370M and is sold for USD 800.

Once again, the focus of the Core 100HT-BD definitely is not the same as a laptop; the above comparisons are just for you to keep in mind how expensive the product is. If you don’t mind the price, we believe the Core 100HT-BD is a nice home theater PC, especially for its reduced size and nice looks.

Strong Points

• Ultra small
• Nice looks
• Configuration compatible with usage model

Weak Points

• Expensive
• Doesn’t come with operating system