Best HTPC CPUs for 2018

LAST UPDATED ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

The main reason why you need to pay special attention in selecting a low power CPU is that processors with over 65W TDP tend to generate so much heat that the cooling fan noise is not any more comfortable for media center use.

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When choosing a processor, it is advisable to check not only the performance but also its Thermal Design Power (TDP) and power consumption.

The TDP describes the maximum amount of power the cooling system in a computer is required to dissipate. You should choose a low-TDP processor with a max TDP (Thermal Design Power) of no more than 65 watts. The low-power CPU runs at reduced voltages and emits less heat which requires less cooling.

However, it is recommended to go with a “more than adequate” CPU for a HTPC, because a more powerful, 65W TDP CPU at 10% load will dissipate less heat than a less powerful, 45W TDP CPU at 80% load.

Value for money (Value for $) highlights the CPU value (performance / price) using the lowest price from Amazon.com.

Recommended Intel CPUs

Intel Kaby Lake and Coffee Lake processors are currently the latest and optimal choices when it comes to performance and power efficiency.

	Tier	Recommendation	TDP	Value for $	Reviews	Price
	Tier Budget	Recommendation Intel Pentium G4560Maximum price / performance Perfect for builders who have tight budget, but still want to opt for an Intel processor.	TDP 54 W	Value ★★★★★	Reviews ★★★★★	Price Check Price
	Tier Value	Recommendation Intel Core i3-8100Strong and low wattage CPU This is excellent low wattage processor with enough horsepower for any media center task. If you are looking for something that needs to be low wattage for a completely silent HTPC, this is as good as it gets, especially for the price.	TDP 65 W	Value ★★★★☆	Reviews ★★★★★	Price Check Price
	Tier Performance	Recommendation Intel Core i5-8400Performance for games This lower power 65W CPU runs super cool and keeps everything quiet while providing enough performance even for games.	TDP 65 W	Value for $ ★★★☆☆	Reviews ★★★★★	Price Check Price

In case you are wondering, different numbers in Intel Core i3 and i5 often indicate what processor clock speeds they are using, which Intel HD graphics model and whether the voltage has been adjusted or not.

The letters at the end of Intel Core processor models mean whether it is possible to overclock the processor or whether the processor has already being underclocked for better power efficiency.

Recommended AMD CPUs

I have not yet update the AMD recommendations for 2018, so these are a bit older models.

	Tier	Recommendation	TDP	Value for $	Reviews	Price
	Tier Value	Recommendation AMD Ryzen 3 2200GBest performance/price APU AMD Ryzen 3 2200G processor has great performance/price APU for a HTPC. It has strong enough GPU to play 1080p video without issues.	TDP 65 W	Value for $ ★★★★★	Reviews ★★★★☆	Price Check Price
	Tier Performance	Recommendation AMD Ryzen 5 2600Great performance/price APU AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a great choice for a gaming focused HTPC. It provides similar performance as Intel Core i5-8400.	TDP 65 W	Value for $ ★★★★☆	Reviews ★★★★★	Price Check Price

AMD has been leading Intel in the integrated GPUs while the CPU processing performance has been lagging behind Intel’s processing power.