Ideal Plex Server

[Enquiries]

Hi there,

I currently have a qnap ts-462 (unused, new) but thinking that this will not meet the needs of my Plex server (nothing too big - I have about 250 movies - majority at 1080p, some ripped 4k/UHD) and about 25 or so shows (5TB). I am thinking unless I buy an expansion card (QM2-2P2G2T : 2 x PCIe Gen3 M.2 NVMe SSD & 2 x 2.5GbE port expansion card to enhance performance) to improve performance and expand memory to 4GB this may not be enough. I am thinking if I am spending that additional money, maybe it's better to buy another unit all together much more robust. I was planning to spend about 1200 and was wondering what you would recoomend? Thanks so much!

[ed]

Thanks for reaching out! Based on your current setup and needs, here are a few thoughts and recommendations:

Option 1: Stick with Your QNAP TS-462
The QNAP TS-462 is a good NAS for media use. With some upgrades, it could serve well for your current needs:

Expansion Card: Adding the QM2-2P2G2T expansion card would enhance performance with SSD caching and 2.5GbE ports, which can improve streaming quality.
Memory Upgrade: Upgrading the RAM to 4GB or more will help handle multiple streams and improve overall responsiveness.
This setup can work well, especially if you’re mainly streaming 1080p content. It’s a cost-effective way to utilize what you already have.

Option 2: Upgrade to the QNAP TS-664
For a smoother experience, especially if you have a mix of 1080p and some 4K content, the QNAP TS-664 could be a better fit. It has more powerful hardware than the TS-462, offering better performance for media streaming. It also supports more RAM, which is beneficial for multitasking and handling more demanding applications.

Option 3: Future-Proof with QNAP TS-873A or TVS-h674
If you ever foresee the need to handle 4K transcoding, it’s worth considering a NAS that supports GPU card installation for even more power. The QNAP TS-873A or the QNAP TVS-h674 are excellent choices. Both models:

Support GPU card installation, which significantly boosts transcoding capabilities, especially for 4K content.
Provide higher processing power and more RAM capacity, making them ideal for intensive media tasks and future-proofing your setup.