Nas/gaming pc build

[Enquiries]

Good evening,

I love watching your videos, and I bought a ds920+ based off your recommendations and videos on them. It has been fantastic for a few years, now I am looking to upgrade and build a much larger storage device. However I also want to build a gaming pc, so my hope is to build an all in one.

This is a link to a build I made on Newegg I just don't know if there would be any issues with it.

https://newegg.io/ce23daa8

I've seen some of your videos saying how certain CPUs are better for servers. To make this I basically googled best gaming components added those, searched best tower pc cases for nas build, and looked up cards needed for 10gbe and sata cards.

Any input would best fantastic.

[ed]

Thanks for reaching out, and I’m really glad the DS920+ worked out well for you. It’s a solid little system, but your new goals sound like a serious leap in both performance and storage — combining a high-capacity NAS with a gaming PC is definitely doable, though there are a few key things to keep in mind to avoid future headaches.

Looking over your Newegg build link, here’s what stands out and what you might want to reconsider:
1. CPU Choice – Gaming vs NAS/Server
Gaming CPUs (like Intel i9 or Ryzen 9) offer excellent single-core performance, but lack server-grade features like ECC memory support and higher PCIe lane availability. If you’re planning to run 12–16+ drives, NVMe cache, 10GbE networking, and maybe a GPU for transcoding or VMs, then workstation-class CPUs like AMD Ryzen Pro, Intel Xeon W, or even Ryzen 7000 series with ECC-compatible motherboards will offer much more stability and scalability long-term.
2. Motherboard and PCIe Lane Budget
Double-check the motherboard’s PCIe slot configuration. Many consumer boards only offer one or two full-speed x16 or x8 slots, which can bottleneck if you’re trying to install a GPU, a 10GbE NIC, and a SATA/SAS HBA card. For example, if you’re using a full-size GPU and a 16-port HBA like an LSI 9300-16i, you’ll need a board with sufficient PCIe bifurcation and bandwidth.
3. Storage Backplane and SATA Expansion
You’ll likely need an HBA (host bus adapter) card like the LSI 9300-8i or 9305-16i for 12+ drives. Avoid RAID cards unless you’re using hardware RAID — HBA in IT mode gives you flexibility for ZFS, UnRAID, or software RAID setups.
4. Case Choice
Cases marketed as “NAS-friendly” should support hot-swappable bays or allow neat cabling to backplanes. Popular ones include Fractal Define 7 XL, SilverStone CS381, or the Jonsbo N100 series. Check how many 3.5” drives can fit natively without weird brackets or limited airflow.
5. Power Supply (PSU)
With 280TB+ planned, make sure to use a platinum-rated PSU, ideally 850W or more, with enough SATA/Molex lines. Avoid using splitters if possible to reduce risk.
6. OS Consideration
You’ll need to decide upfront: are you building this as a NAS-first machine (TrueNAS, UnRAID, Proxmox with NAS VM), or as a Windows gaming machine that runs file sharing and Plex in the background? That will influence your partitioning and storage pool layout.
7. Noise & Thermals
Combining a high-performance GPU with lots of spinning drives can generate both heat and noise. Look into fan curves and isolation mounts if you’re planning to have this in a semi-quiet space.
8. Networking
A 10GbE NIC is a great choice — go with Intel X550-T2 or a Mellanox ConnectX-4 if your OS supports it. Just make sure your switch and cabling are ready for the throughput.