I have modified this i am now looking for the cheapest laptop that has/can/will
- MUST HAVE HDMI AND USB 3 and preferably Intel Haswell
- low power consumption
- plays 1080p no problem
- can multitask on light tasks

for the purposes of home server and play the role of HTPC to connect to my receiver.
I will control it with remote desktop.
I will probably stick in the the biggest hard drive i can find and run windows 7? (8 is like a Vista reborn??)

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Hi - essentially i'd like to have a PC OR Laptop that is on 24hrs connected to Wired LAN or WIFI to play music or videos or live TV (HDMI to my receiver). I'd like it to be under 60W or better, under 40W now that there is Haswell.

I think I'd use Windows 7 and control it with remote desktop.

Advantage of a PC is I can use it as a server and install 2-4 3+TB hard drives to backup my photos ...

Advantage of a Laptop is I don't have to build anything! (and probably quite easily achieve low power consumption??)

Now if I were to build a PC, what would you suggest to get the lowest power consumption with what I need?

Thanks

Edit: Budget <$500 for the htpc-server bit (excluding hard drives) otherwise probably more cost efficient for me to get a haswell touch screen laptop during pre Christmas sales (would like it during labour day sales but I don't know if the slow MS laptop builders would have made anything by then)