Building a plex server how much power I need?

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

Server Version#:none
Player Version#:

Would this be enough cpu power to run 2 4k movies at the sametime locally and some transcoding AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core, 16-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Prism LED Cooler

or AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12-core, 24-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Prism LED Cooler

And 32 ram and linux the server gonna be seprate I guess no graphic card since I dont need one ?

2

No.

Assuming the worst case scenario that the media will be h.265(HEVC) and you won’t be using a Nvidia Shield wired to an AVR wired to the TV, thus no direct play.

h.265 and future decoding is best performed by discrete chips present on GPU’s.

3

How much cpu and gpu do I need ? I’am mostly gonna use direct play I have nvidia shield and fire tv cube

4

An Nvidia P2000 or a GTX1050 with hacked drivers.

1 Like
5

Whats hacked drivers ? dont I need cpu to ?

1 Like
6

Hi,

I use an i7 8700 for my server (Debian 10), not so far from your Rizen. My values for only one 4K transcoding at the same time:

  • Software transcoding
    CPU: 90%
    Audio out of sync: sometimes for high bitrate files
    Image freezes: no
  • Hardware transcoding:
    CPU: 20%
    Audio out of sync: sometimes for high bitrate files
    Image freezes: yes - about one every 3 minutes

I disabled hardware transcoding due to image freezes and I re-encode now my files to prevent software transcoding which is just too high about consumption.

Good luck.

7

So I might need a i9? or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core, 16-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Prism LED Cooler

or AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12-core, 24-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Prism LED Cooler ?

8

This is not power related.
You can just cross fingers it will work with your config but my message is to warm you that your project can fail.
I expected a lot of issues last weeks/monts starting to transcode 4k. Last example: I cannot start a 4K movie on a 1080P TV, I have directly a message that informs me that the connection to the server has been lost. If I start a 1080P movie, there is no error message anymore…

9

To do any software transcoding (ie cpu) for 4K/hevc you need approximately 17000 cpu pass marks per transcode.

Gpu transcoding requires plexpass.

10

I always forget the Plex Pass.

Looking at the latest releases from AMD, the 3950x(Ryzen 9), 3960x and 3970x(Threadrippers) could do 2 concurrent 4k >1080p streams in software.

11

AMD, the 3950x(Ryzen 9), 3960x and 3970x(Threadrippers) could do 2 concurrent 4k can I do it with direct play running these chips ?

12

As long as you use .srt subtitles and lossy audio tracks, otherwise Plex will transcode your 4K down to 1080.

13

I’d spend less on the CPU and put the money towards a Quadro P2000.

14

He would need a plex pass to use the quadro.

And if you are going that route, why spend ~400$ on a quadro, and then even more on a new cpu, when you can buy an intel cpu with a gpu built in.

15

I just spent the last month dealing with problems with intel quicksync via bad drivers, PMS bugs and RDP issues.

The P2000 has a lower power draw and just worked for me.

16

so will a gtx 1050/1650/1660 for way less.

but yes, the p2000 is great and doesn’t need any driver hacking, if one wants to spend the extra money.

17

Your saying buy Quadro P2000 and cpu ? If so which cpu should I buy ?

18

Which ones have built in intel cpu with a gpu built in ?

19

Intel CPUs with Quick Sync Video.

Avoid the F series Core processors (ex: i7-9700KF). They have no embedded GPU.

Also, you want 7th gen or later, as they support decoding 10-bit HEVC video.

Using Hardware-Accelerated Streaming

Intel Quick Sync Video capable processors

20

You wouldn’t need much, you could probably cut your CPU budget in half or less.