The newest HTPC design to come out of Gigabyte is the “H971” and it improves on the now somewhat outdated H663, in quite a few ways. The new version is a little bigger and implements a new style which is modern and subtly sophisticated, brings support for Core 2 Duo through the use of the Intel G965 chipset, adds in HDMI and HDCP support by means of a GeForce 7600GS graphics card and generally just brings it more up-to-date with the technology you’d expect this year.

Strap yourself in – if you’ve been looking to build or buy a stylish HTPC system for your lounge room that will last you for many years to come, read on. We’ll take a close look at the Gigabyte H971, what’s inside the system, how it looks on the outside and how it actually works as a home entertainment system along with what it is capable of doing - such as, if it can playback HD-DVD movies.