Self build, qnap alternative for plex media server (transcoding)

[Enquiries]

Hi
Your channel is amazing, very descriptive, informative and just helpful in every way.

I cant tell you how nice it is to hear these tutorials on YouTube from a fellow Englishman as opposed to all the yanks out there


I was wondering if you could help me put together a hardware list (pcpartpicker) for my new plex media server to service my family (10 people in total, usually on average 6 people utilising in one go) as well as a network storage for sharing files and backup in my small home office with 2 additional people having to access at any one point locally

I would like the system to run docker for other work needs (testing and sandpit environments)

I was looking at something similar to the QNAP TVS-H874-I9-64g
I know its a 3.5k machine

However i was wondering if you believe possible to get similar performance from a custom build keeping pricing below 1500£

If yes what would be your selected parts (would you reckomend IPMI, hot swap, intel, integrated graphics etc )

[ed]

Thank you for the kind words about the channel—it means a lot! I’m happy to help you put together a custom Plex media server and network storage solution that rivals the QNAP TVS-H874 but stays within your £1,500 budget. Let’s dive into the build:

Key Requirements for Your Use Case:
Plex Transcoding:

Plex performs best with Intel Quick Sync Video for hardware transcoding. A recent Intel CPU with iGPU (e.g., 12th/13th Gen) is ideal.
NVIDIA GPU (e.g., Quadro or GTX) is a solid alternative for demanding transcoding.
File Sharing & Backups:

A reliable NAS software solution like TrueNAS or Unraid.
Docker Support:

A multi-core CPU for running containers efficiently.
Hot-Swap & Expandability:

Useful for future storage upgrades and ease of maintenance.
Recommended Hardware Build
Core Components:
Processor:

Intel Core i5-13500 (~£250)
14 cores (6P + 8E) for multitasking and Docker.
Integrated Intel UHD 770 for Plex hardware transcoding.
Motherboard:

ASRock Rack E3C256D4U (~£300)
Supports IPMI (remote management).
ECC memory support for added data integrity.
Multiple SATA ports for storage.
RAM:

32GB DDR4 ECC (2 x 16GB) (~£120)
Reliable for 24/7 operations and Docker workloads.
Storage:

Cache Drive (for Plex metadata and Docker):
1TB NVMe SSD (e.g., Kingston KC3000) (~£90).
HDDs (for media and file storage):
4 x 6TB Seagate IronWolf or WD Red Plus (~£600).
Configured in RAID 5 for 18TB usable space with redundancy.
GPU (Optional):

If transcoding multiple 4K streams, add NVIDIA Quadro P2000 (~£300).
Case & Power Supply:
Case:

Fractal Design Node 804 (~£125)
Compact micro-ATX case with 8+ drive bays and great cooling.
Supports hot-swappable drive cages.
Power Supply:

Seasonic Focus GX-650W 80+ Gold (~£100)
Efficient and reliable for NAS workloads.
Software Recommendations:
TrueNAS Scale:
Open-source, ZFS-based storage OS with built-in Docker support.
Unraid:
Easy to use, supports mixed drive sizes, and great for Docker.
Estimated Total Cost:
Core Components: ~£1,485
Optional NVIDIA GPU: ~£1,785