There are lots of ways of going about this.  One is through the use of a small form factor desktop, similar to the Acer Aspire X1200.  Another way is through a “nettop,” like the ASRock ION 330.  Both retail for $349, have HDMI inputs and will allow you to watch HD web video on your 720p or 1080p HDTV.  

Let’s look at the two side by side and see which one comes out on top:

Size – The ASRock ION 330 has the following specs, 195mm (W) x 70mm (H) x 186mm (L) while the X1200 is 246mm (W) x 99mm (H) x 315mm (L). Both are smaller than a Tivo and about the size of a cable modem or router, but the ASRock ION 330 is definitely more tiny. Advantage: ASRock ION 330

Strength – The key to having an HTPC is knowing that you’ll be able to watch high quality streaming video without having to wait for it. Providing that you have the bandwidth, the video card and processor are going to be the two greatest possible points of failure. With the ASRock ION, you’re getting a Dual Core Intel Atom 330 processor. The bad thing here is that there isn’t much software optimized for this and in tests it was found to perform the same if not worst than a single core Atom. Its saving grace is the built in 9400M video card which will handle most of the duties when it comes to watching video on the web. The X1200 uses a 2.5Ghz AMD Athon 64 X2 and pairs it with an Nvidia 8200 video card. 9400 is higher than 8200 and the 9400 is better suited to handle 1080p but with the additional speed from the processor the X1200 will not only be great at streaming video on the web but will also allow you to copy DVD, transfer files, or play games much better. Advantage: Acer X1200

Storage – The X1200 features a 500GB 7200RPM hard drive while the ASRock ION 330 gives you a 320GB 5400RPM drive. This means that not only will you be able to store more with the X1200 but you’ll be able to retrieve your data faster. Advantage: Acer X1200

Power Consumption – Intel focused the Atom processor on low power components. The AMD Athlon 64 X2 has a total dissipation of power of 45W while the Atom processor will only use 4W. Even though both are considerably less than that of a HDTV penny pinchers will pick ASRock. Advantage: ASRock ION 330

Verdict – It’s sooo touch to call this one. The two have their strong suits, and their weaknesses. I can see someone making either one a great addition to their home. However, there can only be one winner, and I’m going to have to give it to Acer. It’s a little long in the tooth with the video card but every other specs has this machine ready to power your HD streaming and storing for years to come.

ASRock information courtesy of Newegg.com [Learn more]
Acer Aspire X1200 information courtesy of TigerDirect.com [Learn more]

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