Upgrading System-Keep as Streaming Only or Combine with HTPC?

[JHTom]

Hi, I currently have three different computer systems in my one bedroom apartment (with only one user at this time), and am thinking about my options and whether it might be worth combining my unRAID system with my HTPC. First, some specs:

 

unRAID: AMD Sempron 145 (806 Passmark), ASRock 880GM-LE, 4GB Ram, 3 x NORCO SS-500 and 14 usable drives for 96TB of storage housed in AZZA Helios 910. One parity drive.

 

HTPC: i5-3570k, Asus P8Z77-M, GeForce 970, 8GB Ram, Fractal Design Node 605 Case

 

Desktop: i7 9700k & GeForce RTX 2070 Super, 32GB Ram.

 

I currently use unRAID for streaming content (4k, Blu-ray and DVD) to HTPC or Vero 4K+ to watch on a 4k tv with KODI interface. I do not transcode anything. I also use system for music files for itunes and Sonos and backing up my Desktop system.

 

Looking ahead I am thinking about upgrading in order to:

• Add more power so I can watch a 4k movie while pre-clearing a disk or adding another movie at the same time. If I am doing a parity check, adding a movie, or pre-clearing than I have trouble watching a movie at the same time.
  • For pre-clearing I currently open the side panel and connect a new drive to a SATA cable since a docking station through USB 2.0 would take forever.
• Add the ability to transcode 1-2 streams to ipad or other device with Plex.
• Possibly add 2nd parity drive
• Possibly add pfsense
• Possibly add home security camera system
• Possibly move system to Fractal 7 XL in order to remove Norco cages and create quieter system.

 

At the same time, I want to use as little electricity as possible due to high rates.

 

For my HTPC, I currently use it for KODI and Dolphin Emulator. I am considering upgrading my graphics card so I can add madVR and increase quality of dvd content. In the meantime I use my Vero 4k+ exclusively.

 

So, might it make sense to combine unRAID and HTPC or should I keep my unRAID separate and continue to use as a NAS but with option to build up? I will not do anything to my desktop which I use for productivity, photos (lightroom & photoshop), and gaming (Forza).

 

Any thoughts on if it would be worth combining, or should I continue to keep everything separate? Any thoughts on a good CPU to upgrade to?

 

Thanks