TVS-H1288X vs TVS-h874-i0

[Enquiries]

I'm getting ready to upgrade my NAS and am stuck bwtween the 874 and 1288. Primary use case will be a large media library with a desire to have good transcoding performance (assume 8 bays of raidz2 for the main volume pool). Additionally, will be running a number of VM's.

The edge I give the 1288 is the flexibilty of additional bays. I can add a SSD pool for VM's and containers (plex + plex db) to allow better performance for those apps than spinning rust would permit while still having M2 slots available for future l2Arc. 128GZB RAM capability is a bonus as well.

The edge I give the 874 is pure CPU power at the cost of the flexibility of the additional drive slots. I could use the M2 slots as a pool for VM/containers, but if I ever want to add L2 Arc the path forward is an expansion chassis or a PCI card with M2 slots.

I'm leaning towards the 874-but am curious what QNAP's refresh cycle on the 1288 may be? I could hold out a year or maybe two for something with big CPU+bays

[ed]

Considering your options between the QNAP TVS-H1288X and TVS-h874 for your NAS upgrade, both series are relatively recent and are likely to remain relevant for the next few years.

The TVS-h874 is noted for its robust CPU performance, which is advantageous for transcoding and running multiple VMs efficiently. On the other hand, the TVS-H1288X offers more space for GPU cards, which will be essential for handling the tasks you've outlined, especially for media transcoding and VM operations.

Given your requirements, including a large media library and the need for good transcoding performance, the TVS-H1288X's GPU expansion potential could prove beneficial over time. Both series provide solid options depending on your immediate and future needs.