# Which QNAP is best for PLEX? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Created:** [April 3, 2017, 7:25pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/which-qnap-is-best-for-plex/187319 "2017-04-03T19:25:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shawn.fenstermacher\_fensty.org](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@shawn.fenstermacher\_fensty.org](https://forums.plex.tv/u/shawn.fenstermacher_fensty.org)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 7:25pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/which-qnap-is-best-for-plex/187319/1 "2017-04-03T19:25:29Z")
Hello, I am looking at purchasing a QNAP NAS to run PLEX Media Server and uTorrent. I looked at the different models and I get confused on which one I should pick as I DO NOT plan on connecting this to a TV, I DO NOT plan on connecting IP cameras, and I DO NOT plan on using this as a virtual PC unless it is for Plex or uTorrent. The want to have 8 drives (6TB WD Red) but not sure what the benefit would be for me to have the SSD drives that some models have. I know Processor and RAM are important so these are what I have the selection down to (but open to alternative QNAP suggestions): TVS-871-i7-16G TVS-1282-i7-32G TVS-EC1080±E3-32G TVS-873-16G Cost is not the priority but Plex quality is. Any assistance is appreciated on this. I wanted to post this in the QNAP forum under NAS but didn’t have access so hopefully the QNAP NAS guys/gals see this. ---
**Author:** ![Lowlander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/df705f/32.png) [@Lowlander](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Lowlander)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/which-qnap-is-best-for-plex/187319/2 "2017-04-03T19:47:35Z")
It depends mostly on transcoding needs which is the bottleneck. The higher the resolution the more is required of the CPU. Combine that with how many simultaneous streams you’ll be watching. My primary decision point would be around CPU as Plex can’t do the hardware transcoding feature by some QNAP models, and instead has the CPU do the transcoding. I don’t know if Plex can transcode 1 stream on multiple cores or just on a single core. If the latter a higher speed CPU would be beneficial. ---
**Author:** ![spikemixture](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/spikemixture/32/7233_2.png) [@spikemixture](https://forums.plex.tv/u/spikemixture)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/which-qnap-is-best-for-plex/187319/3 "2017-04-05T05:50:58Z")
I not trying to be a smart ass (I put a r s e in here but it came out as \*\*\*\*) here but if cost is not a priority , buy the best one ( usually the most expensive) . AND if later it fails to do the job as a server. Buy a Skull NUC as a server and use the NAS just as storage! ---
**Author:** ![Stephen3001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Stephen3001](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Stephen3001)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 6:21am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/which-qnap-is-best-for-plex/187319/4 "2017-04-05T06:21:50Z")
I have the TVS-1282T-I7-32 NAS and its perfect for Plex. Did a check the other night, it ran six transcoded streams simultaneously…all transcodes were high bitrate Bluray original rips converting MPEG2 to MPEG4. Maxed the CPU but the transcodes were playing okay on a desktop PC. Playing and transcoding in the local LAN is ridiculously fast to iPads etc. I have a crap Internet connection to the outside world (approx 700kb/s) and the QNAP provides nice quality transcoded streaming to my phone for stuff on the road. Works very well. Happy to answer more questions if you have them. ---
**Author:** ![spikemixture](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/spikemixture/32/7233_2.png) [@spikemixture](https://forums.plex.tv/u/spikemixture)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 2:04pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/which-qnap-is-best-for-plex/187319/5 "2017-04-05T14:04:42Z")
> @Stephen3001 said: > I have the TVS-1282T-I7-32 NAS and its perfect for Plex. Did a check the other night, it ran six transcoded streams simultaneously…all transcodes were high bitrate Bluray original rips converting MPEG2 to MPEG4. Maxed the CPU but the transcodes were playing okay on a desktop PC. > > Playing and transcoding in the local LAN is ridiculously fast to iPads etc. > > I have a crap Internet connection to the outside world (approx 700kb/s) and the QNAP provides nice quality transcoded streaming to my phone for stuff on the road. > > Works very well. Happy to answer more questions if you have them. Nice setup u got there. The OP did say cost is not a priority. With that setup cost better not be 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Stephen3001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Stephen3001](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Stephen3001)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/which-qnap-is-best-for-plex/187319/6 "2017-04-06T01:29:23Z")
> Nice setup u got there. > The OP did say cost is not a priority. With that setup cost better not be 😃 Well it does do some other things like Video editing, photo editing store, not just for Plex… ---
**Author:** ![ehren9](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ehren9/32/6743_2.png) [@ehren9](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ehren9)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 4:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/which-qnap-is-best-for-plex/187319/7 "2017-08-08T16:23:41Z")
> @Stephen3001 said: > I have the TVS-1282T-I7-32 NAS and its perfect for Plex. Did a check the other night, it ran six transcoded streams simultaneously…all transcodes were high bitrate Bluray original rips converting MPEG2 to MPEG4. Maxed the CPU but the transcodes were playing okay on a desktop PC. > > Playing and transcoding in the local LAN is ridiculously fast to iPads etc. > > I have a crap Internet connection to the outside world (approx 700kb/s) and the QNAP provides nice quality transcoded streaming to my phone for stuff on the road. > > Works very well. Happy to answer more questions if you have them. I am considering a TVS-x82 model to serve my 4K movies. Have you streamed 4K to your TV? Or, have you connected it directly via HDMI connection? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Stephen3001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Stephen3001](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Stephen3001)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 11:49pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/which-qnap-is-best-for-plex/187319/8 "2017-08-08T23:49:23Z")
Hello @ehren9 I haven’t really dabbled too much with 4K. I have played some 4K THX tags through my system using PHT, but nothing substantial. It played those 4K clips okay though, no problem. I don’t use the HDMI out on the QNAP. It is used purely as a server. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 11:04pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/which-qnap-is-best-for-plex/187319/9 "2020-01-07T23:04:09Z")