Many thanks for the detailed response. I can see you are a master at using LLM/ChatGPT for assisting you with comprehensive answers 
Option 1: I think I'll leave the 3600+AM4 as is - its in a nice gaming tower with a 3080-Ti and actually is loaned out to one of the kids friends right now - so 're-purposing' it isn't ideal.
Option 3: I don't think I want a huge server - too noisy etc - I have enough machines and fans so don't really want another - as the AI workloads.... well... I'll eventually be able to buy a 5090 RTX for my gaming PC - so if I want to run some AI stuff - that will be ideal.
So option 2.... I know I said the Jonsbo N2 (or probably more likely N3) - but I'm with you on the less-than-deal Jonsbo HDD drive rubber straps - ugh - I really want to be able swap drives in an out - especially for my ongoing photo and video and HDD consolidation project - so I want something with tool-less drive bays (like i am used to on QNAP)
Oh boy - I just went looking at alternative cases.... and now I'm thinking the SilverStone CS382 looks great - 8x3.5 bays plus a 5.25 where I could put an IcyDock 4x or 6x 2.5" SSD - er... then I went down a rabbit hole on U.2 drives.... hmm... a trifle too much $$$ methinks.
Amazon is warning me that a lot of people return the CS382s... cheap plastic drive caddies, sub-optimal airflow... maybe it is too much of a compromise - trying to be a little smaller but really you are in the realm of the homelab...
This needs more consideration - and I haven't really dived into the mobo choice yet...
Thanks for the heads-up on possible earlier availability Jerry!
Maybe this will reverse all my choices - but the N5 Pro as soon as its out - retire the smaller QNAP and get started on my perfect photo and some video editing NAS...
Then take my time over a more future proof and crazy spec homelab machine in a much bigger case...
Option 1: I think I'll leave the 3600+AM4 as is - its in a nice gaming tower with a 3080-Ti and actually is loaned out to one of the kids friends right now - so 're-purposing' it isn't ideal.
Option 3: I don't think I want a huge server - too noisy etc - I have enough machines and fans so don't really want another - as the AI workloads.... well... I'll eventually be able to buy a 5090 RTX for my gaming PC - so if I want to run some AI stuff - that will be ideal.
So option 2.... I know I said the Jonsbo N2 (or probably more likely N3) - but I'm with you on the less-than-deal Jonsbo HDD drive rubber straps - ugh - I really want to be able swap drives in an out - especially for my ongoing photo and video and HDD consolidation project - so I want something with tool-less drive bays (like i am used to on QNAP)
Oh boy - I just went looking at alternative cases.... and now I'm thinking the SilverStone CS382 looks great - 8x3.5 bays plus a 5.25 where I could put an IcyDock 4x or 6x 2.5" SSD - er... then I went down a rabbit hole on U.2 drives.... hmm... a trifle too much $$$ methinks.
Amazon is warning me that a lot of people return the CS382s... cheap plastic drive caddies, sub-optimal airflow... maybe it is too much of a compromise - trying to be a little smaller but really you are in the realm of the homelab...
This needs more consideration - and I haven't really dived into the mobo choice yet...
(02-15-2025, 06:52 AM)tokyojerry Wrote:(02-13-2025, 12:21 AM)Billzabub Wrote: " The Minisforum N5 Pro looks great - but it also seem like its not going to be available until later in H2 2025."Hi. FWIW, I understand from Minisforum Support in Tokyo that the N5 Pro will be forthcoming in April. That's a lot sooner then than H2. Now whether that is globally or not or specific to Japan I don't know. But I would think it would be a global release. I also want one and I WILL wait.
I might eventually build my own NAS based on this N5 and replace my current ASUS FS-6702T all SSD 6-bay NAS, but I have not crossed the bridge yet on that decision as to to replace or keep both concurrently.
Thanks for the heads-up on possible earlier availability Jerry!
Maybe this will reverse all my choices - but the N5 Pro as soon as its out - retire the smaller QNAP and get started on my perfect photo and some video editing NAS...
Then take my time over a more future proof and crazy spec homelab machine in a much bigger case...