Plex Server Build

Self-Hosted & Services Plex
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Hello,
I currently have a laptop running plex server which is 8 years old and really slow. My data is on NAS-synology(9 TB). I wanted to see whats the best build to have the plex server and also which is faster so that when i download something i can upload them to the NAS using this machine. I wont be using this machine anything other than the plex server and copying the files. If anyone has already answered these questions and share their builds also, i am happy to look. The following is my friends but i cannot find those parts anymore. Or is it better to get a server like dell and run Plex, Doc sharing and cloud on that? Will it be too much to run windows dedicated along with those?? Thank you !!!

The mini-PC has the following parts :

Cost: 80 $

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Give this a read:

I would reccomend that you consider a cheap used laptop on eBay with a 7th or 8th gen CPU

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so since the streams are direct from the laptop, currently there is no need for transcoding on the devices where i am using plex? Or the nvidia or the quick sync needs to be installed on the laptop for the transcoding to happen so the files work on all the devices?
Is it a good idea to have a laptop as the media server since it is on 24/7 or a desktop?

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A couple of things to unpack.

  1. if the streams are local there should be no need to trans-code.

  2. Quick-Sync is actually on-board the CPU

  3. If the streams are remote they will be trans-coded directly on the CPU down to the cluient.

  4. GPU is not needed for trans-coding with this setup because all trans-coding happens on the CPU.

In this setup it is assumed that your actual media lives elsewhere. The Laptop as your Plex server would be on 24/7. The bonus is that you get a free keyboard, monitor, mouse, and battery backup.

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Thank you @Etumos for answering these questions, thats my current config where the plex server is installed, i map the nas drives on the laptop to move the files from this laptop to NAS and thats where i am having issue with the speed. I can post any other details as well??
so based on your earlier reply, if i install Quick-sync it should take care off playing of any files playing on different devices(where plex is used) - if that is correct thats good

i have not done or doing any transcoding, i select the folders in the plex web interface where to read them from thats all - so i am assuming thats direct
Dell Inspiron N5110- Purchased Nov 2011 -

Intel core i5-2430M CPU @ 2.40Ghz
RAM -4GB
64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

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well lets be clear. QuickSync is not a piece of software that you install. It is part of the CPU if you have one of the proper gen in your machine. In essence it is as easy as enabling hardware trans-coding once you have Ubuntu and Plex installed on your hardware (per the guide)

Again please note per the guide that Intel Chip generation matters. Based on several chats in the discord server I would aim at something in the 7th or 8th gen intel chip realm.

The chip and hardware you have indicated in this last post WILL NOT be able to do this for you. You will want to look at picking up a used laptop. I also encourage you to drop by discord and talk about your build or concerns in the #quicksync-hardware-transcoding channel.

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whats the discord name for the channel??

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