Thoughts on Orico

[Enquiries]

Hey Mate,

been loving your thoughts on the Orico CF1000 - wondering what your thoughts are in comparison to something like the DS918+ that I'm already running, in particular in relation to Plex, which we're heavy users of.

How do you go about installing Plex on the Orico? Is it a Linux shell that you install via, or would the use case to install it with Docker? The OS Orico are using is a bit of a black box to me at this stage, vs Synology with their modified Linux implementation.

Bang for buck, it's definitely there compared to other Intel-based systems with that drive capacity, and I'm IT savvy (not terribly afraid of Docker), but the family acceptance factor is highly desirable.

Cheers,

Andrew

[ed]

Great to hear from you, and glad you’ve been enjoying the Orico CF1000 content. You’re spot on — in terms of raw hardware for the price, especially for an Intel-based 10-bay NAS, the CF1000 is incredibly hard to beat. But you’re also right to be cautious, particularly when comparing it to the very polished experience of something like the DS918+.

Here’s the breakdown:

Plex on Orico (CF1000):
Yes, Plex can be installed on the Orico, but it isn’t as plug-and-play as Synology’s Package Center. Orico’s OS is based on a customized Linux distro, and at the time of testing, there was no official app center with Plex preloaded. Your best approach would be:
• Docker – Recommended method. Docker is supported, and you can deploy a Plex container quite easily. If you’re comfortable running basic container commands and mapping volumes, you’ll be fine.
• Manual Install – Less ideal. You can SSH into the OS and install Plex manually, but long term it’s less maintainable unless you really enjoy managing your own environment.

So, while the CF1000 is clearly more powerful and scalable, especially for local playback and large libraries, it lacks Synology’s refined interface and seamless media library features (like Synology Photos or Video Station). For a power user like you, Docker-based Plex and manual share setup is perfectly doable. But if your family is used to Synology’s smooth experience, expect a bit of a learning curve.

If you’re only doing direct-play (not transcoding) and using clients like Apple TV, Shield, or Plex apps with good format support, the CF1000 will handle it brilliantly. If you’re relying on Plex to transcode 4K frequently, the N5105 can manage 1-2 streams via software, but it’s not a transcoding powerhouse like something with an iGPU-enabled Intel Core chip.