03-07-2025, 08:52 AM
You’re definitely on the right track, and it’s great to see you putting in the research before diving in. The Jonsbo N3 + UnRAID combo is a solid choice for long-term flexibility, and your build is mostly well thought out. A few thoughts:
CPU Choice (i5-14600K) – Great for QuickSync hardware transcoding with Emby, but it might be overkill. If you want to save a bit, the i5-13500 or i5-13400 still have QuickSync but run cooler and use less power. Since UnRAID isn’t CPU-intensive, the 14600K might be more than you need.
Motherboard (ROG Strix B760-I) – While it has two M.2 slots, only 4 SATA ports is going to be limiting long-term. Since you want 8 drives, you’ll need that M.2 to SATA adapter, but it might be better to just go with a board that has 6 or more SATA ports natively. Something like the ASUS PRIME B760M-A or ASRock B760M Pro RS would be a better fit for a NAS.
RAM (Crucial DDR5, Non-ECC) – ECC isn’t a must for UnRAID, but if you want long-term stability, some Intel B760 boards do support ECC with certain DDR5 modules (even though Intel doesn’t officially push it). Worth checking if you want a bit of extra protection.
Storage Strategy – Your parity-first approach is smart. Adding the 16TB data drive first, then migrating your 6TB drives before adding parity is the best way to avoid data loss. UnRAID makes this pretty easy, but just be sure to double-check drive assignments before adding parity.
Power Supply (CoolerMaster V750 SFX) – Solid choice, but SFX power supplies can run loud under load. If the case allows, an ATX PSU with a larger fan (like a Corsair RM750e) would be quieter and run cooler.
Budget Consideration – If £1300 feels steep, swapping to an i5-13500 + a B760M board with more SATA could shave off a bit without impacting performance.
Final Thoughts: Your approach makes sense, and this setup should last a good 10+ years, just like your HTPC. If you’re comfortable tweaking things a little for better SATA expandability and lower power draw, you’ll have an even better long-term system.
CPU Choice (i5-14600K) – Great for QuickSync hardware transcoding with Emby, but it might be overkill. If you want to save a bit, the i5-13500 or i5-13400 still have QuickSync but run cooler and use less power. Since UnRAID isn’t CPU-intensive, the 14600K might be more than you need.
Motherboard (ROG Strix B760-I) – While it has two M.2 slots, only 4 SATA ports is going to be limiting long-term. Since you want 8 drives, you’ll need that M.2 to SATA adapter, but it might be better to just go with a board that has 6 or more SATA ports natively. Something like the ASUS PRIME B760M-A or ASRock B760M Pro RS would be a better fit for a NAS.
RAM (Crucial DDR5, Non-ECC) – ECC isn’t a must for UnRAID, but if you want long-term stability, some Intel B760 boards do support ECC with certain DDR5 modules (even though Intel doesn’t officially push it). Worth checking if you want a bit of extra protection.
Storage Strategy – Your parity-first approach is smart. Adding the 16TB data drive first, then migrating your 6TB drives before adding parity is the best way to avoid data loss. UnRAID makes this pretty easy, but just be sure to double-check drive assignments before adding parity.
Power Supply (CoolerMaster V750 SFX) – Solid choice, but SFX power supplies can run loud under load. If the case allows, an ATX PSU with a larger fan (like a Corsair RM750e) would be quieter and run cooler.
Budget Consideration – If £1300 feels steep, swapping to an i5-13500 + a B760M board with more SATA could shave off a bit without impacting performance.
Final Thoughts: Your approach makes sense, and this setup should last a good 10+ years, just like your HTPC. If you’re comfortable tweaking things a little for better SATA expandability and lower power draw, you’ll have an even better long-term system.