Small Quiet PC for Plex

topgazza · 28 Oct 2019 at 18:24

I was going to buy a NAS but frankly they are way overpriced IMO for a simple storage device. All I want it for is to run as a Plex server. My son has a HP Microserver gen 8 which is dual core with 8GB of mem and a couple of hard drives running Unraid OS and it does great at transcoding and running as a Plex server only.

But it sits in a nice cupboard away from everything and mine will sit in my office. So needs to be small, take two HDD and not overly powerfull but 2.5 Ghz as a minimum and preferably 4 cores but 2 will probably do as its dedicated to Plex only.

Any pointers for ready made appreciated. As its basically a very simple desktop PC setup but needs to be fairly quiet as I will leave it running 24/7 I guess

Steveocee · 29 Oct 2019 at 13:03

How much storage are you anticipating to be needing? HDD's will be the expensive part of a build, you could likely get away with something like an Asrock A300 for the guts of the box, drop in a 2400G and 8GB RAM but price would be around £300 before you've added storage at that.

Would likely be easier and cheaper to rent a VPS and run your Plex in the cloud, can make as much noise as it wants then.

Armageus · 29 Oct 2019 at 13:32

Lenovo M900 Tiny - I just picked one up for £60.
Has a G4400T (Skylake Dual Core Pentium) that supports Intel Quicksync transcoding. Takes both an M2 NVME and a 2.5" Hard drive SSD, as well as 2 sticks of RAM

Tiny form factor and drawing around 11W at idle.

TheVoice · 29 Oct 2019 at 17:40

I wouldn't say a NAS is "simple" really, they can be easy to use but Synology ones in particular can do quite a lot above and beyond simple storage.

Even the lowest-end Synology will do Plex with ease, my DS214se won't transcode but I can probably count one one hand the number of times that's been an issue, most media is direct play straight to whatever device/TV it's being played on.

Avalon · 4 Nov 2019 at 18:32

TheVoice said:
I wouldn't say a NAS is "simple" really, they can be easy to use but Synology ones in particular can do quite a lot above and beyond simple storage.

Even the lowest-end Synology will do Plex with ease, my DS214se won't transcode but I can probably count one one hand the number of times that's been an issue, most media is direct play straight to whatever device/TV it's being played on.

The number of variables involved mean that statement is problematic at best.

Op - For small and low power, you really want to be running something intel based with a 6th gen or ideally 7th gen CPU and using hardware transcoding (requires a PlexPass), Intel is the most efficient game in town. The Lenovo M700, HP EliteDesk G2, Dell OptiPlex 3040 (oh the irony) or newer are all 6th gen, if you go slightly larger (literally average desktop size), you will pay a lot less and have the option to upgrade/expand more easily.

Steveocee · 7 Nov 2019 at 09:54

Avalon said:
Dell OptiPlex 3040 (oh the irony)

I think it should be forum convention that we ONLY recommend Optiplex systems for people asking about Plex boxes. It has it in the name so what could possibly go wrong?

Avalon · 7 Nov 2019 at 10:06

Steveocee said:
I think it should be forum convention that we ONLY recommend Optiplex systems for people asking about Plex boxes. It has it in the name so what could possibly go wrong?

Not a lot if you combine it with a PlexPass - Dell are clearly targeting Plex users

Steveocee · 7 Nov 2019 at 10:08

Avalon said:
Not a lot if you combine it with a PlexPass - Dell are clearly targeting Plex users

If you pay for Plex does that mean you have a Dell Optiplexpass system?

Avalon · 7 Nov 2019 at 10:18

I think I’d just call it a Dell OptiPlexicusPassicus Maxicus and be done with it... the maximums would be conditional on the 6400T though, a 6100T wouldn’t warrant a maximus.

Steveocee · 7 Nov 2019 at 10:27

Love it!

topgazza · 14 Nov 2019 at 23:20

Thanks guys.

For some reason I wasnt getting notifications. But I've read and apprecieted your tips. Food for thought