Zotac is a favorite here at Smidgen PC. While big names like ASUS and Gigabyte rule the roost when it comes to most motherboards, Zotac has quietly making a name for itself in the area of mini-ITX motherboards. Zotac’s LGA775 mini-ITX motherboard made the Smidgen PC list of best HTPC motherboards, and now Zotac has a similar offering using the new H55 chipset for Core i3 and i5 processors.
The Zotac H55′s feature list is long. While the board itself is only about 7 inches by 7 inches in size, it includes wireless N networking, 6 SATA ports, a PCI Express x16 slot, two RAM slots, and 7.1 integrated audo.
Being an H55 chipset, there are no integrated graphics – you’re supposed to be using the graphics integrated onto the Core i3 or Core i5 processor. That won’t please everyone. On the up side, however, H55 based HTPCs should run even cooler and use less energy than any other type of HTPC system. The will set you back between $140 and $160 bucks at most retailers.
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