# Build help/ advice **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-windows\ **Created:** [February 2, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/build-help-advice/686111 "2021-02-02T18:52:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hhobbs1\_hotmail\_co\_uk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/45deac/32.png) [@hhobbs1\_hotmail\_co\_uk](https://forums.plex.tv/u/hhobbs1_hotmail_co_uk)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/build-help-advice/686111/1 "2021-02-02T18:52:16Z")
Server Version#:latest Player Version#:latest So I’m a complete noob looking into starting my own Plex server. The server will be used for around 1-4 streams maybe a mix of 1080p & 4k content.there will be no gaming on this system it will be strictly used for media. I have a bunch of old pc parts which I thought I could reuse for the system , all I need is a cpu and motherboard. These are the parts I was looking at. > **[Hazard45 - Saved Part Lists - PCPartPicker](https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/user/Hazard45/saved/#view=qDqdHx)** > > Saved Part Lists What I wanted to know is if the i3 10100 is suitable for what I need it for or is it overkill ? Thanks in advance 👍🏼 ---
**Author:** ![hhobbs1\_hotmail\_co\_uk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/45deac/32.png) [@hhobbs1\_hotmail\_co\_uk](https://forums.plex.tv/u/hhobbs1_hotmail_co_uk)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 6:45pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/build-help-advice/686111/3 "2021-02-04T18:45:59Z")
Thank you for your detailed response. I will definitely be using Plex pass. For now I’ll just think about doing 1080p but I would prefer the highest bit rate possible. Would you recommend another CPU for 1080p highest/original bitrate? ---
**Author:** ![TeknoJunky](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/teknojunky/32/165055_2.png) [@TeknoJunky](https://forums.plex.tv/u/TeknoJunky)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 7:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/build-help-advice/686111/4 "2021-02-04T19:23:03Z")
if you are running only plex, with plex pass + hardware transcoding, an i3 10100 should be fine. the only other thing I would mention is, if you intend to run other services/programs besides plex, then an i5 or even i7 may be better (more threads = more simultaneous other programs can run without bogging down). The same applies with ram. It all depends on your usages. ---
**Author:** ![hhobbs1\_hotmail\_co\_uk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/45deac/32.png) [@hhobbs1\_hotmail\_co\_uk](https://forums.plex.tv/u/hhobbs1_hotmail_co_uk)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/build-help-advice/686111/5 "2021-02-04T21:06:26Z")
Right now I don’t have Plex pass but once I build a standalone pc for running only Plex or other media apps that’s when I will purchase Plex pass. I would prefer to get the highest 1080p bit rate possible do you think a 10100 would be ok for 1/3 1080p at the highest bitrate or would I be better off with something like ryzen 2600/3600 + a gpu ---
**Author:** ![TeknoJunky](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/teknojunky/32/165055_2.png) [@TeknoJunky](https://forums.plex.tv/u/TeknoJunky)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 9:09pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/build-help-advice/686111/6 "2021-02-04T21:09:33Z")
sticking with intel cpu + intel igpu is likely the most cost effective and energy efficient option, no need for an extra ~$200 or whatever gpu. ---
**Author:** ![hhobbs1\_hotmail\_co\_uk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/45deac/32.png) [@hhobbs1\_hotmail\_co\_uk](https://forums.plex.tv/u/hhobbs1_hotmail_co_uk)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 6:57am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/build-help-advice/686111/7 "2021-02-05T06:57:07Z")
Great thanks for that , is there ways to avoid transcoding ? I mean certain devices that are better at playing all/most video formats like Roku , firestick , shield , Apple TV ? ---
**Author:** ![ins0mniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/48db29/32.png) [@ins0mniac](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ins0mniac)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 4:58pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/build-help-advice/686111/9 "2021-02-05T16:58:06Z")
+1 for @trumpy81 answer. So long as your files are encoded in the right file format, you shouldn’t really have an issue with streaming a mix of 1080p or 4k. Plex server, and the hardware it’s on, has to work **hard** when it’s having to change the file format _on the fly_ (aka transcode), so as to work on the client device that’s receiving the movie. Get the right _client device_, and the Plex server (and hardware) shouldn’t be working hard at all. I have everything in .mkv, including 4k content, and it works flawlessly from my NAS to my NVIDIA pro. MKV is a _container_, so the movie picture / audio is untouched from the original. Converting to mp4 I use Handbreak, when I want to store the movies offline on an iOS device. Store in .mkv. Keep the original untouched. Convert to any format you want there after. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2021, 4:58pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/build-help-advice/686111/10 "2021-05-06T16:58:42Z")
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