I'm looking to update my server hardware because my requirements have changed, eg I no longer need a dedicated VM, and I'd like to have a much more energy efficient server due to the current electricity prices in the UK. The server is also in my home office, which will very shortly become baby number twos room, so I'd like to make it smaller and quieter, and move it to the living room.

 

Current build:

- Ryzen 2700
- 32gb ddr4
- 2 x hgst 4tb drives
- 2 x wd red 2tb drives
- 1 x old seagate 1tb drive that won't seem to die!
- 1 x 2tb ssd for cache
- ENIGMA G2 650W power supply

- gtx 1080

 

The above spec idles around 90-110w, but is now overkill for my needs. I would like it to function as a file server, as well as plex (and 1-2 transcodes tops, the rest is local streaming), file downloads and home assistant.

 

After some research, I've been looking at the following:

- ASRock j5040
- 16gb ddr4
- Jonsbo N1 case
- Loose the old 1tb drive and stick to 4 drives plus ssd
- A sata expansion card of some sort

- power supply unknown

 

I'm wondering if this would be suitable? And if anyone has other build suggestions that would be great. 

Hi,

Really depends on your budget.

 

Your old system consumption seems quite high, I have a old Xeon E5 V3 10 core with P2000 (GTX 1060) class GPU and 8 drives idling just over 50W.

Is the GTX 1080 going to idle properly? should be in power state P8 with only a few watts consumption.

 

On the new setup, it really depends on your budget.

The ASRock is a nice board, but quite limited with 4 SATA and a PCI-E 2.0 x1 slot.

5 drives and 1 SATA SSD max without performance impact assuming native SATA for the SSD and a 2 port SATA board in the PCI-E slot.

 

A more expensive option would be an Mini-ITX socketed CPU such as LGA1200 which would get you a board with 4 SATA, 1 or 2 M.2 for an SSD and a X16 PCI-E slot for expansion.

Power consumption shouldn't be signficantly more, though you may need to consider the T or S versions of the intel CPU's to limit the maximum thermal power in a small case.

I'd have no hesitation in buying a used CPU with a new motherboard to balance the cost and a CPU such as the I3 10100T is available used from CEX with warranty in the UK for just £45 , or £65 for the 10400T. Both are 35W parts but will idle at a fraction of that and include HD630 graphics which is great for transcoding.

 

My money would be there... for the high speed M.2 cache slot, CPU flexibility and x16 expansion. 

 

Add in a low wattage Gold or better PSU from a good brand, Corsair RM550X V2 is well rated but you main need a SFX PSU in that case.

 

@Decto Thanks a lot, that was a really helpful reply and has given me some more options I hadn't considered. 

 

I've had a look at motherboard options based on LGA1200 and came back with Gigabyte Z590I VISION D - what do you think? The options for available mini itx boards seem fairly slim. 

 

In terms of drives, I have a 2.5" ssd that I'd like to carry on using for the cache, at lease for now. For expanding the sata ports, can I then use an m.2 or pci express expansion card to achieve this? 

 

The board has 2.5G lan as a bonus too. 

2nd hand processors from CEX sounds like an excellent suggestion too. 

11 hours ago, bsm2k1 said:

 

I've had a look at motherboard options based on LGA1200 and came back with Gigabyte Z590I VISION D - what do you think? The options for available mini itx boards seem fairly slim. 

 

In terms of drives, I have a 2.5" ssd that I'd like to carry on using for the cache, at lease for now. For expanding the sata ports, can I then use an m.2 or pci express expansion card to achieve this? 

 

The board has 2.5G lan as a bonus too. 

2nd hand processors from CEX sounds like an excellent suggestion too. 

 

Hi,

Does seem to be a lack of ITX boards, just before Christmas sorted a collegue with a couple of ITX LGA1200 boards for the kids budget builds... perhaps everyone had the same idea!

 

Looks like a nice motherboard, just need to watch compatibility as it seems the topside M.2 is only active with an 11th Gen CPU, those are more expensive and the T series low wattage 11th Gen likely to remain rare until business PC's with those in start to hit the refresh cycle. The back side expansion would usually only be good for an M.2 drive due clearacnes but in that case you may get away with M.2. to SATA.

 

You could use a 10 series CPU for now, and add an ASMEDIA SATA X2 or X6 card to the x16 slot, then have the option to upgrade CPU when available to utilise the second M.2 later as cache or to replace the SATA card and free the slot for something else.

 

As the LGA1200 boards are rare, the next option would be LGA1700 which are in free supply + I3 13100T

 

Based on cost, I think I'd go the 10100T / 10400T with a cheap ASMEDIA for the extra ports, 2 ports is £10

 

 

 

 

 

So I'm still trying to source parts and make a final decision on what I use. 

 

CEX are out of stock of the 10100t which would probably be my first choice. The 10400t is in stock - do you think this is likely to have any difference in power consumption over the 10100t?

 

I'm also still trying to decide on a case. I discovered the Streacom DA2 which has about the same footprint as the Jonsbo N1, would allow for the same amount of drives (I checked with their support) and is available 2nd hand. Just wondered what opinions on that were? 

Does your budget allow you to get a 13th gen processor?

 

If I were making a small home NAS box, I'd go with something like:

 

- Intel 13100 ($150)

     - Latest onboard GPU for QuickSync transcoding

     - 4 "P" cores with hyperthreading

- ASRock Z690M-ITX/ax ($140)

    - 4x SATA

    - 2x PCIe Gen 4 x4 M.2 with heat spreader

    - Intel 1G and Realtek 2.5G NICs

- Crucial DDR4 3200 2x16GB ($70)

 

I found this In-Win case recently that I think would make a nice home NAS ($160).  You'd have to check if the stock CPU cooler would fit, though.  Otherwise get the Noctua low profile one for like $40.

https://www.newegg.com/black-in-win-iw-ms04-01-s265/p/N82E16811108471