+- ASK NC (https://ask.nascompares.com)
+-- Forum: Q&A (https://ask.nascompares.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=1)
+--- Forum: Before you buy Q&A (https://ask.nascompares.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=2)
+--- Thread: building first nas (/showthread.php?tid=11784)
building first nas - Enquiries - 03-04-2025
I currently have a 5 bay synology nas DS1019+ with 16gb of ram. I bought the jonsbo n5 case to build my forever Nas for PLEX and data storage. With my current setup I am having transcoding issues as about 10 people have access to my current server. looking to build a powerful nas with low to moderate power consumption. I was watching your video about not using itx motherboard in n5 case and information is so confusing about witch motherboard / processor to use. Any assistance would be apricated. thank you for your time
RE: building first nas - ed - 03-07-2025
Great choice going with the Jonsbo N5—it’s a solid case for a long-term NAS build. Since your DS1019+ struggles with transcoding for multiple users, you’ll need a setup with hardware-accelerated Plex while keeping power consumption reasonable.
Best Motherboard & CPU for Your Build
Since ITX boards don’t fit well in the N5, I’d recommend going with Micro-ATX for better expandability. Given your $2000 budget and 100TB goal, here’s an ideal combo:
CPU: Intel Core i5-13500 or i7-13700
QuickSync for Plex Hardware Transcoding (smoother remote playback)
Efficiency Mode Available (lowers power usage)
More than enough power for multiple Plex streams & storage tasks
Motherboard: ASUS PRIME B760M-A D4 or ASRock B760M Pro RS
Micro-ATX (better fit for Jonsbo N5)
6 SATA ports + M.2 slots (expandable storage)
PCIe x16 for a future GPU (if needed for AI or local streaming)
Memory & Storage Setup
32GB DDR4 RAM (plenty for storage & Plex, no need for ECC)
Boot Drive: 1TB NVMe SSD (Samsung 980 or Crucial P3)
Storage: Your existing drives + additional IronWolf/Exos 16TB-18TB drives
Power Supply: Corsair RM750e (ATX, quiet & efficient)
NAS Software: UnRAID or TrueNAS Scale
UnRAID = Easiest for Plex & drive expansion
TrueNAS Scale = Better for ZFS & snapshots