Plex Media Server is a media platform that allows one to store, catalog, and stream music, movies, shows, photos, and more using their own purchased/owned files. Think of it as combining Spotify, Google Photos, Netflix, and OneDrive all into one service. It’s free, with an optional upgrade to unlock additional benefits, including hardware transcoding. This allows the server PMS is running on to utilize the CPU (and GPU if present) to convert media files for streaming on almost any device. We’ve compiled a list of the best NAS for Plex that will happily transcode and stream 4K movies and then some.
The QNAP TS-464 is the NAS you should go for if you want decent specs at a reasonable price. It has an Intel Celeron N5095, a 4-core processor with a burst speed of 2.9GHz. The four drive bays available can be populated with NAS drives for a capacity of more than 80TB. Two additional M.2 slots can be used for SSD caching or expanding the storage pool. 4GB of DDR4 RAM is present by default, and this can be bumped up to 16GB as officially supported by QNAP.
The Celeron N5095 processor is brilliant for running Plex Media Server. You can transcode 4K content on the fly while other users take advantage of the remaining computing power for other storage tasks on the NAS. In addition, two 2.5GbE connections ensure the NAS can keep up with future network upgrades, and the HDMI port can eliminate the requirement for transcoding if you plan to position the NAS near your big screen in the living room.
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The Synology DiskStation DS220+ may be slightly old now, having been released in 2020, but it’s still worth considering for running Plex Media Server, even in 2023. This is because Synology created a fantastic two-bay NAS that stands the test of time and is only recently being bested by the competition with far better (and more recent) specs. It may be limited by the two drive bays, but if you have a small collection of movies, shows, and songs, you won’t require much more than this for some time (if at all).
Inside the Synology DiskStation DS220+ is the dual-core Intel Celeron J4025 with a burst of 2.9GHz. 2GB of DDR4 RAM is a great starting amount, and this can be expanded up to 6GB should you require additional capacity. Because this is an older NAS designed as more of a value offering with Intel hardware, you won’t find any M.2 slots, PCI expansion, or an HDMI output. Even without these specs, however, the Intel CPU contained within is capable enough to transcode 4K content.
It’s also reasonably priced, coming in at $300. That’s not including the price of hard drives that must be purchased separately (like most other diskless NAS enclosures), but it’s well worth considering for running your own streaming service from home. We still view it as one of the best Synology NAS you can buy today.
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Synology DiskStation DS220+
The ASUSTOR Lockerstor Gen2 (AS6704) has it all. ASUSTOR decided to take its four-bay NAS and turn everything up to 11. Let’s start with the CPU — the trusty Intel Celeron N5105. It’s a quad-core processor capable of bursting up to 2.9GHz and supports hardware transcoding with an integrated GPU. 4GB of DDR4 RAM is pre-installed and can be expanded up to 16GB, though the base capacity is more than enough for most use, including running Plex Media Server.
Four drive bays are included, storing up to 80TB using the best NAS hard drives. This can be expanded using ASUSTOR’s expansion units, allowing the NAS and ASUSTOR ADM operating system to handle up to 12 bays. Knowing that it can be expanded when you inevitably run out of space with the default drive bays makes the ASUSTOR Lockerstor Gen2 (AS6704) perfect for starting your first Plex NAS.
Four M.2 SSD slots can be used for SSD caching or storage, depending on your needs. Finally, there’s a solid selection of ports, including HDMI out, which can be used to connect the server to the big screen directly. Overall, this is an immensely capable NAS enclosure.
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ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen2 (AS6704T)
The TerraMaster F2-221 is an affordable two-bay NAS with enough power to run Plex Media Server and transcode some media. 2GB of DDR4 RAM is present out of the factory, and you can bump this up to 6GB. The Intel Celeron J3355 is a killer processor with two cores that can bump up to 2.5GHz and integrated graphics processing that can handle 4K. The two drive bays will be a limiting factor, especially given this NAS doesn’t have any M.2 slots or expansion support.
Two 1GbE ports are at hand for getting the TerraMaster F2-221 online, and USB-A 3.0 ports can connect your external storage for quick data transfer. A highlight feature of this NAS is the inclusion of the HDMI port, which is great and something you don’t typically see at this price point. This means you can hook up the F2-221 to your TV to negate the need to transcode anything, allowing the processor to be used for other NAS tasks.
TerraMaster continues to improve its OS, though you may find it a little rough compared to Synology, QNAP, and ASUSTOR. However, if you want to save money and still get something that can become a great Plex Media Server, you cannot go wrong with the TerraMaster F2-221.
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The Intel Core i3-12100 is a quad-core desktop-class processor you’d typically find in a PC, but here it is in the QNAP TVS-h674 NAS. This makes it an incredibly potent machine capable of supplying all your stored media without breaking a sweat and everything else you’d want to do on a NAS. I’m talking virtualization, big data processing, creator collaboration, and more.
16GB of RAM from the factory makes this possible, and you can push the capacity of system memory up to a whopping 64GB. In addition, six drive bays can be populated with the largest drives on the market for a capacity of more than 120TB. Two M.2 slots are also included for SSD caching or expanding the storage pool with rapid drives. And yes, the TVS-h674 supports the addition of expansion units for even more drive bays.
On the rear, you’ll find two 2.5GbE ports, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2s, and an HDMI 1.4b port. Should you require them, two PCI slots are available inside the NAS that can be used for upping the network connectivity to 10GbE. This is about as good as you can get for a Plex NAS. Also, an Intel Core i5 version is available for even more performance.
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The Synology DiskStation DS220j is a little underpowered compared to every other NAS we’ve recommended, which means you won’t be able to transcode media on it for streaming to almost any device. Where the DS220j comes into play with Plex Media Server is streaming music and photos. If you want to purchase and use your own music and move from subscription services, this is a solid enclosure to start with if you wish to continue using movie and show services such as Netflix.
It’s also incredibly affordable, coming in at less than $200. Sure, you only get two drive bays with no expansion support and only 512MB of DDR3 RAM, but it still runs the excellent Synology DiskStation Manager OS. It’s an exceptional choice for storing files and streaming songs while out and about.
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Synology DiskStation DS220j
What is Plex?
Plex is an online media streaming service, much like Netflix and Spotify. It specializes in providing TV shows, podcasts, DVR, music, and movies, but is capable of so much more. The Plex Media Server is a server package that can be run on a PC or NAS and is essentially a DIY media streaming service. So if you’ve purchased movies, shows, or music in the past and need somewhere to catalog, store, and stream it all, Plex Media Server can do precisely that.
It’s capable of pulling art for albums, shows, and movies, as well as necessary metadata, descriptions, and genres. There’s an optional account upgrade that unlocks hardware transcoding, which is vastly more efficient and powerful than software transcoding. The upgrade also has the ability to skip show credits and intros and so much more. If you’re serious about creating your own media library, you’ll want to consider using this service.
What is transcoding?
Transcoding is the process of taking a media file and converting it to a format that can be used on the receiving device. For example, you may have a 4K movie with all the HD bells and whistles, yet your TV doesn’t support the format. Plex will then transcode the file while streaming it to the device. This takes a fair share of computing power, which can be alleviated through hardware transcoding.
Most Intel (and AMD, such as the one inside the Synology DiskStation DS1522+) processors in NAS enclosures can use hardware transcoding with accelerators. In contrast, more affordable servers with ARM CPUs will struggle to achieve similar results, especially with FHD (1080p) or UHD (2160p) files. Some NAS may have an HDMI port, which can connect the server to the recipient device and negate the need to transcode anything.
How to choose the best NAS for Plex
Picking the best NAS for Plex depends on what you plan to use the server for, so we’ve compiled a list of reasons you should buy a NAS. If you’d like to check that out before shopping around, here are a few factors to bear in mind:
Conclusion on Best Plex NAS in 2023
If you have any query let me know in comment section.
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