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I need a NAS for both Plex and Apple macOS Time Machine back ups. I mostly watch Plex using my latest gen Apple TV 4K on a Sony Z9K or Sony Z9G so picture quality is important. But, I may need hardware transcoding as I'm starting to playback using more devices since I'm traveling more. Also, my family is growing and so many people with many different devices are starting to use it. Finally, I intend to put the device in my home office so I need it to be quiet so if SSDs are needed to be quiet I'm willing to stretch my budget a bit more. Thank you for your help. You are very generous and a great resource. I learned a lot from your YouTube channel as well.
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Thank you for your kind words, and I'm glad to hear you've found our content helpful!
For your use case, where you need to support both Plex streaming (with hardware transcoding) and Apple Time Machine backups, I recommend considering the QNAP TVS-874 series or Synology DS923+. Both of these models will give you a great balance between performance, storage expansion, and quiet operation, and they support the features you're looking for.
Here’s why:
Plex & Hardware Transcoding:
QNAP TVS-874 series comes with Intel i5 processors and supports hardware transcoding (via Intel Quick Sync), making it perfect for managing multiple devices streaming at once, especially as your family grows.
The Synology DS923+ also has a good CPU (AMD Ryzen) and is a solid choice for Plex, though you might need to add a GPU for hardware transcoding for smoother performance under heavy load.
Quiet Operation: Both of these NAS models are designed for home office environments and are relatively quiet. If you're particularly concerned about noise, consider using SSDs for the OS and Plex library, as they’re quieter than HDDs and will still provide excellent speed for media access.
Time Machine Backups: Both NAS models have Time Machine compatibility built into their DSM (Synology) and QTS (QNAP) software, allowing seamless backup for your Apple devices.
Storage & Expandability:
With QNAP TVS-874, you get 4 bays, which gives you ample room for your needs and the ability to expand in the future.
Synology DS923+ is a great 4-bay NAS, but its expandability via expansion units gives you flexibility if you need more storage down the road.
With your budget of $2,000 to $3,000, you should be able to get a NAS with ample storage and performance to handle your Plex server, hardware transcoding, and backup needs.
