If you want to build a home theater PC, you won’t find a better starting point than Intel’s Next Unit of Computing kits. This tiny box contains an Intel Core i7 chip, Intel Iris Plus 650 graphics (which should be sufficient for moderate gaming), 16GB of RAM, various display outputs, and integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas, all for an all-time low $529.
Update: The 16GB of Intel Optane memory is fast access storage device, not RAM. You’ll need to purchase RAM separately.
The catch is that you’ll need to add storage to get it up and running, but once you do, you can install XBMC, Kodi, SteamOS, or Plex, and you’re up and running.