12-23-2025, 04:34 PM
Great choice going with the Minisforum N5 Pro. It is very capable, but I understand how overwhelming all the extra hardware choices can feel. Here is exactly what you need based on your requirements.
Storage for about 60 TB usable with strong redundancy
For RAID6 on 5 drives you will need either:
• 5 x 18 TB HDDs
or
• 5 x 20 TB HDDs
RAID6 on these will give you roughly 60 to 70 TB usable.
Recommended drives:
• Seagate IronWolf 18 TB or 20 TB
• WD Red Pro 18 TB or 20 TB
WD Red Plus stops at 14 TB so it cannot reach your required capacity. IronWolf (non Pro) is the best value because it comes in the larger sizes and costs less than Pro versions.
RAM recommendations
The N5 Pro supports DDR5 ECC SODIMM.
For your workload (Emby, Proxmox, containers, backups):
• 32 GB is the ideal amount
• Crucial or Kingston are the safest brands
If ECC is out of stock, you can temporarily use standard DDR5. ZFS already includes end to end checksumming, so data migration is not at risk. You can upgrade to ECC later with no issue.
SSD layout for VMs, apps, and fast workloads
The N5 Pro supports:
• 3 x M.2
or
• 1 x M.2 + 2 x U.2 (using the included adapter)
Recommended setup:
• 1 x M.2 2 TB to 4 TB SSD for apps, VMs, or Proxmox
• Optional: 1 or 2 U.2 SSDs if you want a dedicated high speed pool
Recommended SSD models:
• Samsung 990 Pro (M.2)
• Solidigm P44 Pro (M.2)
• For U.2: Solidigm P4510 or similar
Do not use SSD cache for media workloads. A dedicated SSD pool is always faster and more reliable.
Summary of what to buy
• 5 x 18 TB or 20 TB IronWolf HDDs
• 32 GB DDR5 SODIMM ECC (or non ECC temporarily)
• 1 x M.2 SSD (2 TB to 4 TB)
• Optional U.2 SSDs depending on your VM and workload plans
This setup gives you a reliable RAID6 array, a fast SSD workspace, and enough RAM for the applications you listed.
Storage for about 60 TB usable with strong redundancy
For RAID6 on 5 drives you will need either:
• 5 x 18 TB HDDs
or
• 5 x 20 TB HDDs
RAID6 on these will give you roughly 60 to 70 TB usable.
Recommended drives:
• Seagate IronWolf 18 TB or 20 TB
• WD Red Pro 18 TB or 20 TB
WD Red Plus stops at 14 TB so it cannot reach your required capacity. IronWolf (non Pro) is the best value because it comes in the larger sizes and costs less than Pro versions.
RAM recommendations
The N5 Pro supports DDR5 ECC SODIMM.
For your workload (Emby, Proxmox, containers, backups):
• 32 GB is the ideal amount
• Crucial or Kingston are the safest brands
If ECC is out of stock, you can temporarily use standard DDR5. ZFS already includes end to end checksumming, so data migration is not at risk. You can upgrade to ECC later with no issue.
SSD layout for VMs, apps, and fast workloads
The N5 Pro supports:
• 3 x M.2
or
• 1 x M.2 + 2 x U.2 (using the included adapter)
Recommended setup:
• 1 x M.2 2 TB to 4 TB SSD for apps, VMs, or Proxmox
• Optional: 1 or 2 U.2 SSDs if you want a dedicated high speed pool
Recommended SSD models:
• Samsung 990 Pro (M.2)
• Solidigm P44 Pro (M.2)
• For U.2: Solidigm P4510 or similar
Do not use SSD cache for media workloads. A dedicated SSD pool is always faster and more reliable.
Summary of what to buy
• 5 x 18 TB or 20 TB IronWolf HDDs
• 32 GB DDR5 SODIMM ECC (or non ECC temporarily)
• 1 x M.2 SSD (2 TB to 4 TB)
• Optional U.2 SSDs depending on your VM and workload plans
This setup gives you a reliable RAID6 array, a fast SSD workspace, and enough RAM for the applications you listed.