Motherboard & CPU choice

[Enquiries]

Hi

I need some advise on what motherboard & CPU is best for my DIY NAS build.
My NAS will be used mainly for Plex media server, 2 users on same network and upto 5/6 users remotely, hopefully not all at the same time, but few occasions might be, my question is what motherboard and CPU would be best to handle all this, the case I'm looking to get with be either the Jonsbo N2 or N3, would prefer the N2 as its a bit smaller but if the CPU needs a bigger fan then might need the N3 to fit it in.

Hope you can help me decide what one to choose, I have watched and read you stuff about it all but think I need a little advice for my NAS usage.

Thanks
Peter

[ed]

Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like a great DIY NAS project you’re working on, and I’d be glad to help with your motherboard and CPU choice.

For your Plex setup with 2 users on the same network and up to 5–6 remotely, you’ll want a CPU that can handle transcoding multiple streams, especially if you need remote users to view content in different formats. Here are a couple of solid CPU and motherboard options for your budget:

Intel Core i5 or i3 10th/11th Gen CPUs – These are known for their good balance of power and efficiency for Plex, especially if you don’t need intense 4K transcoding on all streams. Intel’s integrated graphics (Quick Sync Video) does a great job with Plex hardware transcoding, which will help offload some work from the CPU. Paired with a compatible Intel motherboard, they should work well with your Jonsbo N2 case.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600G or Ryzen 3 3200G – If you’re not set on Intel, these AMD APUs also offer decent transcoding capabilities for Plex, though you’ll need to configure transcoding software slightly differently since AMD doesn’t offer Quick Sync. For the motherboard, look for a B450 or B550 micro-ATX board to keep things compact for the N2 or N3.

The Jonsbo N2 should fit these options with stock or low-profile coolers. If you go with a more powerful CPU needing extra cooling, the N3 could give you a bit more room for airflow and larger fans.