06-02-2023, 11:28 PM
(06-02-2023, 09:22 AM)ed Wrote: When deciding between the i5, i7, and i9 processors for your NAS, there are a few factors to consider. Based on your description and requirements, it seems that the i5 processor should be sufficient for your needs.
The i5 processor with 6 cores and 12 threads should offer ample performance for running VMs, file serving, and backing up your devices. It will likely handle your workload without any issues, especially considering that you primarily work alone and have occasional visitors.
The i7 processor could provide a slight performance boost, but it may not be necessary unless you anticipate running more demanding applications or increasing the number of users significantly. The i9 processor, as you mentioned, is likely overkill for your requirements unless you already know that you need its extra power for specific resource-intensive tasks.
Considering your future plans, such as installing a 2x10GbE SFP+ card, running ZFS for replication, and potentially adding a GPU for cloud gaming, the i5 processor should still handle these tasks effectively.
To summarize, unless you foresee an increased workload or specific demanding tasks, the i5 processor should be a suitable choice for your NAS. It offers a good balance of performance and cost-effectiveness for your needs.
Thanks! This is exactly what I needed.
I'll admit I'm still a bit paranoid that I've somehow underestimated myself and will find myself in need of the i7 one day, but I think by the time that's actually a problem I'll have newer options to choose from. The pricing on the i5 8-Bay is pretty much exactly in my sweet spot, too.
If I were going to host services off the NAS that were public-facing, I have to think I'd need a pretty unrealistically heavy amount of incoming traffic to over-strain an i5.
I've thought a lot about building my own--I'm already building one all-SSD NAS--but I've decided for my NAS that's going to do mass storage and be a central backup point for everything else, including the other NAS, I want a warranty and a support team behind it. If I built my own, that'd just be an an extra opportunity to lose data if I did the wrong thing in two separate places, without the safety net of a warrantied product.