Jonsbo N3 build

[Swedie]

Hi!
I'm planning on building a Jonsbo N3-build. Main usage will be media storage and Plex Server.
Just ordered three 18TB drives, since I've already got one. Planning to use these in a raidz1, giving me about 50TB to start with.

Was pretty set for a build as follows.

• Gigabyte B760I Aorus PRO, 4x sata ports and 2x m.2 (one which could be used for additional sata ports in the future)
  
• Intel Core i5-12400
  
• 1x32GB of ram
  
• be quiet! SFX Power 3 450W
  
• 1TB nvme drive as boot drive.
  

My plan was to run Proxmox and having truenas inside of that along with a debian VM.

But the I saw the CWWK Q670 which looks interesting. If I would go that route I wouldn't need a m.2 -> sata converter if I were to expand. But I would aslo need a more expensive CPU as the minimum supported is 12500.

Is there anything more that I really need to take in consideration before choosing?
Thanks for any feedback!

[ed]

It sounds like you've got a solid plan for your Jonsbo N3 build! I would lean towards sticking with the Gigabyte B760I Aorus PRO motherboard for several reasons, primarily its build quality and reputation.

Gigabyte boards are known for their durability and reliability, which are crucial for a NAS and media server setup like yours. The B760I Aorus PRO offers a good balance of features with 4x SATA ports and 2x M.2 slots, providing flexibility for future expansions. Plus, the option to use an M.2 to SATA converter if needed gives you additional upgrade paths without immediately needing more SATA ports.

While the CWWK Q670 might offer more native SATA ports, it requires a higher CPU investment and may not necessarily provide better overall quality and compatibility for your specific use case. Gigabyte's boards are generally well-regarded for stability and longevity, which are critical for a 24/7 server setup.

[Swedie]

Went with the Gigabyte, mainly because of the reasons you mentioned. And in addition to that, it will be much easier with warranty if anything would break.
As of right now I'm just waiting for the case before I can start building.

[lowell]

For whatever it's worth, the Gigabyte B760I Aorus PRO is listed on Gigabyte's website as only having 2 SATA ports.  The Gigabyte B760I Aorus PRO DDR4, on the other hand does have 4 SATA ports (and quite a number of other changes), but surprisingly that switches to an ATX for factor (not mini-ITX).  This was quite confusing on Amazon's listing, for example, where both options were listed together and the DDR4 version is incorrectly listed as Mini ITX!

I was also looking at the Q670, which is how I stumbled across this information.

[Swedie]

For whatever it's worth, the Gigabyte B760I Aorus PRO is listed on Gigabyte's website as only having 2 SATA ports.  The Gigabyte B760I Aorus PRO DDR4, on the other hand does have 4 SATA ports (and quite a number of other changes), but surprisingly that switches to an ATX for factor (not mini-ITX).  This was quite confusing on Amazon's listing, for example, where both options were listed together and the DDR4 version is incorrectly listed as Mini ITX!

I was also looking at the Q670, which is how I stumbled across this information.

Hi!
I've reccived the board and it's M-ITX with 4 sata ports. I've included a picture of the box for reference.

[Swedie]

Just a small update. Built the server over the last couple of weeks, very happy with it so far. Added a 240gb 2.5" SSD as I didn't really know that truenas would occupy the whole boot disk. The 1Tb nvme is now used in a separate pool.
All and all really happy with the build so far.