Best high use NAS for plex

[Enquiries]

I currently have a Synology DS920+ NAS with about 64 TB of raw storage, which I’ve been using to host my Plex media server. I’m running into space limitations much sooner than I anticipated — I’m down to roughly 20 % free — largely due to the number of shows and movies I store, many of which are in 4K.

At this point I’m considering a larger solution, potentially an eight-bay NAS, that would give me more room and also support hardware transcoding for 4K content.

I’d really appreciate your feedback on what you think would be the most suitable NAS to select:

What brands/models should I be considering?

Are there specific CPUs or features you recommend for smooth Plex hardware transcoding?

Any advice on drives (capacity, RAID configuration, hot spares, etc.) for a setup like this?

Thanks in advance for your help — looking forward to your recommendations.

Best regards,

Chike

[ed]

If your DS920 plus is already sitting at twenty percent free with a mostly 4K library, then yes, it’s the right moment to move up to an eight bay class system. Plex with high bitrate 4K files grows fast, and the DS920 plus CPU (J4125) is also quite limited for modern hardware transcoding. A bigger chassis gives you both the capacity and the headroom you’re missing.

For a straightforward, reliable upgrade with proper hardware transcoding, the Synology DS1825 plus is the easiest recommendation. It takes eight drives, two NVMe slots and supports Synology’s SHR2. You can comfortably reach around one hundred ninety to two hundred terabytes usable with ten or twelve terabyte drives or well over that with sixteen or twenty terabyte drives. The Intel processor inside supports Plex hardware transcoding, including 4K, and will feel like a real upgrade over the J series in the DS920 plus.

If you want more raw power and flexibility, QNAP’s TS h874 or TVS h874 families sit a tier above. These are Intel Core based systems with full Quick Sync and noticeably stronger performance. They offer PCIe expansion so you can add a GPU later, which is useful if you ever move into heavy Plex transcoding or want to run containers and virtual machines alongside Plex.

In terms of CPUs, look for any recent Intel generation with Quick Sync built in. Even an entry level Core i3 will comfortably handle several 4K SDR transcodes and a few 4K HDR tone mapping jobs. Avoid AMD unless you plan to install a GPU for encoding.

On drive choices, if your goal is long term Plex storage, use CMR NAS drives such as WD Red Plus or Toshiba N300 in large capacities. In an eight bay system, RAID6 or SHR2 is the sweet spot. It protects you from two drive failures and is safer for large volume rebuilds. You do not necessarily need a hot spare unless you prefer reduced maintenance; capacity wise it is simply one more slot sacrificed. Most heavy media libraries skip the hot spare and use all eight bays in a dual parity configuration.

If you want a single, simple recommendation that drops into your current workflow without complications, go for the Synology DS1825 plus with large capacity drives and SHR2. If you want maximum Plex performance and expansion potential, the QNAP h874 series is the stronger choice.