Server Version#: Version 1.13.5.5332
Player Version#: Whatever Roku says
Hey all,
So, putting together a dedicated Plex server. I have toyed with the idea of another NAS, but…I have TB of space so… right now, was thinking of just doing the whole “it only hosts Plex” thing.
Here was what I was thinking:
MB…blah blah… nothing special there.
CPU - I7-8700-K. This looks to be the price break/performance top? I do not know about the Xeon CPUs much so figured to stick to desktop CPUs. I also like the price of the AMDs but am told the Intel would actually perform better for Plex. Thoughts?
SSD - Was debating just getting like a 120GB SSD… maybe a 240-ish because ALL it would have is winblows and Plex, nothing else.
RAM - Does it need more than 16GB? Will 8GB do fine or does it use the 16GB?
Video card - I have an extra 6gb nvidia here, can throw that in.
The case would be generic but should not need a lot of power. Hoping to find the smallest form I could get, but a NUC is too small to handle the CPU, so… a PC case… period.
Am I missing anything?
Oh…figured to lock it down tight… only plex in or out, plus my personal IPs.
Intel desktop is a good choice, because it will have Quicksync support. And this is what Plex server supports best for hardware-accelerated transcoding.
(AMD doesn’t have it, and only some Xeons have it).
Go as large as you can afford. Plex data has a habit of growing. Particularly if you use all features like video previews, in-depth analysis, DVR and mobile sync.
8 GB should be fine. Unless you do some crazy de-duplication file system stuff or software RAID.
More than 8 will only add some user comfort when copying data to and from the server storage (bigger file cache).
Would be a waste. You have a QuickSync-capable CPU.
Get at least a ‘80plus Gold’ or ‘Platinum’ certified PSU. Your Plex server will spend quite some time in IDLE mode and you can’t really send it into hibernation. So you want at least to ensure it consumes minimum energy during these times.
If you have a lot of ‘spinning rust’ drives, make sure you can add a low-RPM fan to coole these drives.
CPU cooler should be big. For three reasons:
your cpu load will be at near maximum for extended amounts of time. Good cooling is essential to not run into ‘thermal throttling’ after a while.
bigger coolers support bigger fans - bigger fans need less RPMs to produce sufficient air flow - less noise
bigger coolers don’t get clogged by collected dust/fluff as fast as smaller coolers
Why bother building your own? Save money & buy a cheap used ex-corporate desktop PC on eBay. Anything made in the last 6 years will be fine. A good pointer is if that it has USB 3.0 ports then in will be a new enough generation. CPU performance has improved very little over the last 6 years except the most recent 6-core Coffee Lake CPUs. Generally an i3 will be OK if you don’t need much transcoding& if you are only using in your home then you shouldn’t be transcoding for quality reasons alone. HP, Dell, Lenovo all make good solid systems & they are a real bargain. It’s easy to find them at under £100 (or equivalent in local currency) e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HP-ProDesk-600-G1-SFF-Core-i3-4130-3-4Ghz-4GB-Ram-1TB-HD-Windows-10-Pro/232922832575?hash=item363b485ebf:g:bckAAOSw-RJbM4W6
Okay, well… you have a great point, I was just “steered” in the direction of passmark etc so have been working on a stand alone PC solution. Originally, I was going to simply add a qnap, but I got a free 4-bay synology, so adding another NAS is sorta pointless… heh.
I host my PMS, currently, on the same PC I use for eeeeeeeverything else, with a 960 Alienware Intel i7 CPU. It does “okay” most the time, but has had an issue when I am multi-tasking AND… I share my libraries with about 6 people not in the house.
I do not download, nor do I care about, 4k… so… was simply thinking i7 because I am told it is way better and supports software transcoding, vs the less expensive AMD cpu.
All I care about is not having to watch shows at under 2mbps all the time to make sure I have a good picture.
So, I am fine with a cheaper PC… but hate plex going down when I am using my VPN…heh
Another important point: how many streams do you expect to serve concurrently?
If you already have a good media storage, you could simply go with a mini PC as Plex server.
I do not generally have more than 1-2 streams going at the same time… a couple times, I had 3… but normally most the folks sync and watch later.
I usually just download to the local C drive, then when it is completely downloaded, I transfer it to the NAS. The Plex server just reads that. I can afford a larger SSD, but figured that since this is ALL it would run (the host)… maaayyybbee I might run BI on it, then I figured all I needed was like a 240gb, but if a 500 makes it feel better, I have no issue doing that heh…I mean, my C drive literally is under 150gb used right now and I have tons installed, so…I am thinking a 1tb drive would be a waste of money.
Not trying to be cheap, but also do not want more server than I need.
Okay, so CPU… check. 8gb instead of 16, check (unless I just find a great deal), mb…find a small form factor that will allow these parts to fit…check. small case, lots o’ cooling and a quality psu… check.
Video card, I already have spare 6gb, but can add the 2-3gb one I am currently using to that PC if it will fit, and save the money… so check again… heh
Looks like I am close to having what I need. Then, I will lock down the ports and security so the only thing it does is plex… excellente’
