NAS For Plex Media Server Only

[Enquiries]

Hello Robbie,

I am 71 with only a basic knowledge of computers and no knowledge of NAS systems.

I have 2 computers and 2 OLED TVs, both with nVidia Shields, which are all hard wired to my 1Gb ethernet connection. To stream Plex, I have been using one of the nVidia Shields as the Plex Media Server with an 8Tb WD Elements attached to it via USB3 for video storage. Unsurprisingly, after 4 years of daily use, this set-up has become extremely slow to access.

May I therefore kindly ask for your advice as to what NAS you would recommend bearing in mind that it will be used solely as a Plex Media Server and for nothing else.

For what it is worth, I have checked the Plex NAS Compatibility Chart and the TERRAMASTER F4-424 Pro is listed as being able to hardware accelerate transcode everything. Additionally, I have your wonderful videos to follow on how to set it up.

What do you think?

Many thanks in advance,

David

[ed]

For a system that will be used solely as a Plex Media Server, the Terramaster F4 424 Pro is a very good choice. The Intel platform inside it supports proper hardware acceleration for H264, H265, and most common formats used in home libraries. That means the NAS can handle the occasional transcode without stressing the CPU, although your Shields will still direct play almost everything, so transcoding will be rare. You also get plenty of memory, two NVMe slots for fast SSDs, and four drive bays for your 32TB library.

It fits your budget comfortably and the performance is well above what is needed for a single household Plex setup. Your nVidia Shields are already the best playback devices available, so pairing them with a solid NAS like the F4 424 Pro is a perfect match.