Asus P5N7A-VM

The ASUS P5N7A-VM microATX, which uses the Nvidia Nforce 9300 chipset, is a perfect example. Even with DDR2-800 RAM and a modest CPU, if you're using this board, games that don't fare well with integrated graphics become playable. For video, this chipset and motherboard are awesome. You get loads of connections, excellent 7.1 audio and HDMI repeater/receiver support, and top-tier video decoding and performance in a compact, passively cooled board. Energy efficiency is great, too. This feature-rich and well-designed motherboard will make a great base for your next HTPC.