Lolight

The plot thickens:

According to Robbie his next video build will be the Jonsbo N3 + Intel Core. He's already working on it.

Also:

Robbie at NASCompares did a fantastic job creating a tutorial for the build of a bargain based Unraid system!! I wouldn't buy the Jonsbo N2 myself but for those who're absolutely set on the cost-effective hot swap hardware, it's probably the best you can get at the moment if shopping for a 5 bay case or the Jonsbo N3 for an 8. https://nascompares.com/2023/09/01/jonsbo-n2-nas-build-with-topton-motherboard-build-complete-guide/

@SpencerJ has confirmed that their system will come with the Basic Unraid license. Guess will have to wait on setup arrangement details until Robbie at NASCompares receives a test unit or Limetech releases additional info.

That's something that I was totally unaware of. I was under impression that Unraid devs still don't recommend installing SSDs in parity protected arrays. As per Unraid docs: "SSD support in the array is experimental. Some SSDs may not be ideal for use in the array due to how TRIM/Discard may be implemented. Using SSDs as data/parity devices may have unexpected/undesirable results". https://docs.unraid.net/unraid-os/manual/storage-management/

How did you set fan curves in the BIOS?

Well, they must use SSDs in the array to have parity protection. In that case TRIM will be disabled in Unraid, but it's not the only garbage collection mechanism implemented by SSDs. It seems every SSD manufacturer has their own proprietary algorithm written internally into the controller, which functions independently of the OS. And since parity calculation depends on knowing the exact location and value of every single bit on every drive, given enough time, SSDs in the array will inevitably corrupt parity.

A SSD based Unraid NAS? It seems they've designed an Unraid oriented product that is not fully compatible with the Unraid array due to the SSD TRIM issue that can/will invalidate parity.

LincPlus have announced a new 6-bay SSD NAS system that will come with Unraid pre-installed. https://www.lincplustech.com/products/lincstation-network-attached-storage-pre-order Robbie at NASCompares has been provided some info directly from LincPlus. They claim that it's powered by Unraid Standard (??) Version. They state: "The NAS will include a license and customers do not need to buy another license." @SpencerJ Are you aware of the development? Has the product and its configuration been tested and/or approved for full compatibility with Unraid? Is the license legit? Did they mis-label the license version?

Do you need to use transcoding in Plex? The hardware transcoding support on the built-in AMD graphics chips is still a work-n-progress, but it won't matter if only using direct-play. Software transcoding would work but it's highly inefficient in comparison. If shooting for transcoding support and maximum idle efficiency then Intel is considered to be a better choice in a home NAS. No reason to run any apps in a VM if they're stable in Docker unless there's a specific need like is the case with Blue Iris.

If buying new then any of the later gens Intel i3s (non-F SKU). Why are you concerned with low TDP? Low TDP doesn't mean better efficiency, especially at idle.

For a media server capable of a few of 4K transcodes and no VMs even the cheapest 12-13th generation Intel CPU (non-F SKU) would do. e.g. the i3-12100. The motherboard choice would depend on the number of HDDs and their connection method. If connected to motherboard's SATA get one with 8 SATA ports, e.g. the ASRock Z790 Pro RS/D4. Samsung NVMe drives tend to be more compatible with low power CPU modes if maximum efficiency is desired. Instead of getting a single big SSD, you might want to get at least a couple of smaller ones for multiple cache pools - ATX motherboards usually feature 3 or 4 NVMe slots. https://cz.pcpartpicker.com/list/

Do you mean hardware transcoding? Plex' HW transcoding support is still work in progress on AMD CPUs. Intel CPUs and their iGPUs have been fully supported for years.

OK, he did, all the way towards the end of the video. Yet, he's chosen not to even mention Intel and QuickSync while discussing affordable starter systems in the beginning. He could make it very simple for viewers to follow by presenting a few variations of the most popular and pretty affordable hardware for various tastes. Starting with cheaper, later gens Intel i3 CPUs (or i5s if desired) with Quiksynk and bundling them with most popular NAS cases, sorted by capacity and HDD mount varieties: Non hot-swappable: 6 disk - Fractal Node 304 8 disk - Fractal Node 804 14 (18) disk - Fractal's Define 7 (XL), Meshify 2 (XL) Hot-Swappable: 5 disk - Jonsbo N2 8 disk - Jonsbo N3 And only after speaking of those maybe mention rack-mounted cases. Besides, why to even bring them up? How many of initial turn-key users would ever want to look at rack mounted hardware if decided to switch over? Judging by some of the comments posted below the video on YouTube, some of the viewers are still left confused about benefits of a self-built Unraid system over popular turn-keys. Some have even questioned if Plex could be set on Unraid. But wasn't it the sole purpose of the video, as in clearly spelling out of when and why one should consider switching to Unraid? IMO it was a lost opportunity on the Spaceinvader's part as he looked unprepared. I'd say that it also looked to me as he hasn't done enough of research on the most popular NAS hardware and failed to clearly spell out Unraid's software benefits. Before hand, he should've gotten a clear understanding on the subject of component efficiency, PSUs in particular, since it has become such a popular subject due to rising electricity costs. I know, it sounds quite ridiculous to criticize Spaceinvader, but IMO a figure of his reputation which is universally admired in the Unraid community could do a much more effective job at spreading the Unraid message on popular NAS channels by improving his understanding of related hardware. I hope he reads this thread and makes adjustments. What do you guys think? Is my criticism being un-grounded?

Did he? I got an impression he was only considering building a new Intel system that would allow him to save on energy costs by getting rid of the power consuming GPU and HBA cards while retaining similar to then current AMD system functionality - during that time he was running 3 discrete GPUs and an HBA card in his AMD system. At the time he's already purchased an Intel motherboard bun not a CPU. Since then I haven't seen any related review videos posted - he's mentioned of his intention at the end of the video. I remember seeing that video and back then it was the usual Spaceinvader - no nonsense, clear and concise. Which makes his comments in the latest video very strange in comparison, at least in regards of the system platform recommendation.

Can't comment on the exact setup involved and inner workings of the System Autofan and System Temp plugins - didn't bother to install and test since my HDDs don't ever run hot under load. My system fans reside on a separate fan controller (included with the case). All three of my daisy chained HDD fans are attached to the motherboard's fan header and controlled according to a fan curve set in BIOS. After experimenting a little with the BIOS fan curve to see what kind of noise my fans produce at different speed percentages, in the end I just left it at around 50% as far up the temp range as it had allowed me. My HDD cooling fans don't ever need to be spun up - they keep HDD temps relatively stable regardless of load. They flow enough of air at half speed without producing much of noise.

Very much surprised to hear of Spaceinvader's recommendations for a cheap Unraid starter system and other hardware-related comments. He recommends an AMD based system, requiring a discrete GPU. Talks about CPU passmark numbers as if they're of particular importance in a basic NAS. Claims the Ryzen's overall CPU energy efficiency (only valid under load) while ignoring the Celeron's (and Intel's in general) superior efficiency at idle - the NAS's main running mode. Then talks about his AMD server with discrete cards using only 86 Watts at idle as if it is a really low number for an efficient home NAS. Recommends a junky hot-swap case as a good starter unit (Inwin IW-MS04-01) that cooks HDDs (Amazon reviews) without any mention of non-hot swap options that would likely keep HDDs cooler. Also made some confusing comments regarding PSU wattage selection for maximum efficiency. Is SpaceinvaderOne anti-Intel? How else can you explain him Ignoring Intel CPUs along with their super-efficient built-in iGPUs as a go-to option for anyone building a starter NAS?

The AMD version BIOS: The latest update:

The Antec P101 is attractively priced but I'd question its HDD cooling properties, especially when fully stuffed. Only matters if you care about HDD temps. Many don't but should, IMO. If you prioritize energy efficiency then you should try to use as few drives as possible - easily achievable with the latest high-capacity HDDs. e.g. a couple (parity + data) of 16TB drives will yield 16TB of storage space, three - 32TB, four - 48TB Each HDD on average uses aprox. 8W under load. With just a few HDDs in the system there's no requirement for an ATX case/motherboard combo. You might want to look into getting a smaller form factor system. Here's an example of smaller NAS oriented cases that are priced the same or just slightly more expensive than the above-referenced Antec: The Fractal Node 304 (6 HDD capacity mini ITX form factor)- $109 The Fractal Node 804 (8 HDD capacity mATX) - $138 No, the iGPU's QuickSync will not be disabled. A monitor is needed only for the initial Unraid setup, after that it can be left unplugged. There have been reports of some systems refusing to boot up without a connected screen, but that to my knowledge, usually only happens with discrete GPUs. Then a HDMI dummy plug could be used as a work-around. Bios tweaking would involve disabling as many of of unused peripheral circuitry as possible, in addition to enabling the energy saving mode and all available CPU C-states. There's a thread on this forum discussing maximum power savings.

Sounds like you've made your mind. 😉 Please post about your experience when you complete the system.

Just to add to it... It's impossible to know before hand which temperature sensors are installed on any particular board. Unless someone on the forums has the exact same mobo model and already run sensor-detect. You'd need to try those plugins on your hardware first. If they don't work then you'd need to detect your mobo's sensor chip and then research the forum if there's a solution.

There's a thread on this forum called Dynamix - V6 Plugins where you can ask for feedback on System temp and System Autofan plugins implementation success.