Yes you need one. And the world Router is self explanatory.

You need to be deaf to not hear an HDD, and Helium one are generally very noisy.

I don’t use Plex, but for what i know:

" Limitations

When relaying a connection through us, there are limitations for the streaming qualities you can use:

- Free users are limited to 1 Mbps maximum for streams

- Plex Pass subscribers are limited to 2 Mbps maximum for streams

If the content you’re trying to stream has a higher bitrate, then your Plex Media Server will need to transcode the content down to fit the limitation. "

​

https://support.plex.tv/articles/216766168-accessing-a-server-through-relay/

​

Anyway, those are all stuff an integrated iGPU can do, for a much lower power consumption. The point is, it’s preferable avoiding spending more money in electricity bill and on HW to buy an external GPU.

All consumer Nvidia cards are limited by software to 1. Even a 4090. You need to hack the firmware and modify it to get more than 1 at the same time. Then with a Quadro card you are limited by the power. But it’s not worth getting a 200€ GPU for 5 transcodes when you can have an 80€ CPU that does the same with the integrated iGPU. Not only, why do I need an external GPU that idles at 20/30W more when my Intel CPU can idle at 1/2W.

External transcodes are limited to 720p, so it’s obvious your GPU is doing it fine. A G5400 can do around 21x1080p transcode at the same time, so 720p is probably double, for comparison.

You don’t need another GPU, you already have one, and a very good one as decoder and encoder. The iGPU on the Intel CPU.

Anyway, if you don’t plan to have VMs, the i5 is overkill, if you need a new system, the i3 still overkill but better, a G7400 would be another alternative. A dual core is fine, with 16GB of ram, 32 are overkill. Both the i3 and the G7400 would be fine, and would give you space for HW transcoding with the iGPU. For reference, an i3 13th gen is capable of 5/6 4k stream at the same time. External GPU like Nvidia desktop are limited to 1 transcode at the same time, you need an expensive Quadro to match the iGPU capability, no worth the money, and you would just add more power consumption for nothing.

Nice PSU, finally someone that understand that you don’t need 800W to run a NAS that idle a 10W.

As OS, i suggest to look into unRAID, is a Hypervisor that run on RAM, very light, easy to setup and maintain. It’s a pay software, but you can try it free for 30 days.

Get something with an 8th gen Intel CPU, if it’s only a Nas and a few Dockers without VMs, you can get a G5400. Or an i3 8100 if you want more estate. With the G5400 I was idling 10W on my system, but the i5 8400 I’ve now idle just one watt more, so.

Old Hardware, and very power hungry.

Look for desktop systems from main brands like Lenovo, Dell and HP, go for a G5400 or i3 8100 with 16gb of ram. Those are generally limited on hdd space, so if you need more than 2/3 HDDs, it would be better going DIY.

Nice products for tinkering. I suggest to sell it for a higher price and get proper hw for a Nas.

If you need a lot of VMs, going with an i5 is fine, better a normal one, avoid the F.

Just to say, NAS and docker (even 100), work easy on a dual core or quad core CPU, more is just for the VMs.

I would avoid the Gaming VM and get a Gaming PC. For obvious reason, compatibility, latency, anti-piracy software like Denuvo etc normally don’t like VM etc.

Instead of 4 3TB drives, i would get a single 12TB drive, maybe 2 for parity.

The PSU is overkill, get a 300/400W one.

No need for the GPU, HW transcoding work a ton better with the integrated iGPU, using an external one would be a massive downgrade, of course you need a normal CPU, avoid the F one.

For the sata card, i think an HBA would be better, but i’m not an expert on that.

No. If you don’t run strange software that someone give you or open link and download stuff, no.

Your is just a WiFi problem.

For Retro stuff, is very good. Like tinkering with old OS, old standard etc.

If only something like a search engine, existed, I could search for a manual. Fuck. What a life.

UDIMM DDR4 2133mhz, memory module from 4,8 and 16GB. Max 64GB. It can support ECC.

Ah, UDIMM is unbuffered DIMM.

Stick with the 16Gb you already have and it’s fine.

It’s a premium for everything. Two years ago I got 12TB WD elements for 180€ on amazon.de, today it is 259€ on amazon.de and 280€ on Amazon.it and the price is going up. Ridiculous.

Your electricity company loves you.

I have my gaming setup almost always on, like 12 hours a day, in fact I was thinking about getting another Lenovo Tiny and doing a hackintosh, and use it for general purpose like watching anime and browsing, but would be a pain having to share all 3 monitors, keyboard and mouse with two system. So, amen, when I build my next gaming PC, I would remove all RGB and go MITX.

With xeon it is a bit more difficult to have lower power consumption, they aren’t made with power consumption in mind but performance 24/7. But 30/40W I think it’s likely possible. L variant can idle a bit lower but not as good as desktop CPU.

The problem with gaming PCs is that generally they have a lot of RGB, fans and VRM, mine too idle around 80W, even if I tweak it very well, and fun fact I can lower my 9900k to 6W and my 2080 is around 12W, but I’ve 6 fans, RGB on the motherboard and ram, I’ve 32gb of ram too, and my motherboard have tons of VRM for good OC. Not only, I’ve a 850W PSU so the efficiency curve is around 450W, at 60W load the PSU takes 80W from the grid, and generally efficiency is around 80%.

Going for an OS without a UI, no monitor mouse and keyboard. All HDDs idling, I would say less than 20W.

HDDs generally idle at 0,3W, spinning and writing/reading around 6W and from idle to spinning around 12W for a peak.

Very plastic, i would prefer a R6/R7. But nice!