FreeNAS hardware advice for build: Plex, VMs and Media storage

zdesigns

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Aug 7, 2019
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Hi, i recently made a post about my original build plan: PREVIOUS POST

I thought I had chosen the right hardware, but today I discovered the Intel E series CPUs.
So I need some advice on two slightly different builds. Will it be worth it to spend about $100 more?
Also if there is anywhere I could save some money, it would be much appreciated, since my original budget was around $1.500.
If you see anything missing in the build, let me know as well.

I've made an spreadsheet with some details on the two builds: SPREADSHEET
The prices shown, are the pricing in Denmark. See picture below for details as well:
Screenshot_2019-08-13_at_23.11.07_70.png


Here are some of the things the server will be running:
  • Plex server: 2-3 devices at max (No 4k content so far)
  • Backup service: 1-2 devices
  • Media storage: for storing photos and video
  • VMs: Linux web server (might be multiple), Grafana, MySQL
VMs to maybe come in the future:
  • Home Assistant
  • Pi-hole
  • Mail server
  • Mediawiki
  • Security camera recording
  • More Linux servers for other tasks and development
  • Mail server
  • pfSense
I mainly will be running FreeBSD and Debian on my linux VMs

Both CPUs do not come with any CPU cooler, so I am looking for one that will fit.

*UPDATE: I have changed the cabinet to a Define R5 instead to save some money.
 
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Bizarro252

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Jul 1, 2019
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I will just toss out there (since I was not aware when I was looking, perhaps you already are) i3 CPUs work with ECC, and the i3 9100 is just a tinnnny bit slower (according to passmark) than the quad core you are considering and a third of the cost. You will need to find a mobo that supports 9th gen CPUs (I dont see that the one you are looking at does, perhaps it will with a BIOS update) or look at the 8300 as its an 8th gen and very close in spec and will be easier to find a mobo for.

I used this cooler and am very pleased with it, low profile and during burn in still had very good temps (low 60C on Prime 95, high 60s/low 70Cs on LINPACK.

https://noctua.at/en/nh-l9x65
 
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Instead of buying all the parts have you considered buying a used server? Many on the forums have had success at great prices...
 

anmnz

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I encouraged OP to look at used in the previous thread but they appeared pretty reluctant, citing concerns over warranty and reliability. To each their own, in the end.
 

zdesigns

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Aug 7, 2019
Messages
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I encouraged OP to look at used in the previous thread but they appeared pretty reluctant, citing concerns over warranty and reliability. To each their own, in the end.

I know that there are a ton of used servers on the market, both two of the main factors for my build is relatively low power consumption and silence.

That is why I dont buy a used rack server, since there are tons of them with pretty good processors... They are noisy and they consume a lot of power.

Also it is nice to have warranty and to know that there is nothing wrong with the component.
 

anmnz

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I know that there are a ton of used servers on the market, both two of the main factors for my build is relatively low power consumption and silence.

That is why I don't buy a used rack server, since there are tons of them with pretty good processors... They are noisy and they consume a lot of power.

Also it is nice to have warranty and to know that there is nothing wrong with the component.
Oh yeah, I would not suggest you buy a whole rack server.

The suggestion was about used parts. The system in my signature idles under 65W and is extremely quiet. @Chris Moore has been posting priced-up parts lists for similar and lower-end builds, showing huge savings over buying new.

Many of us would say that the warranty you don't get on used motherboards / CPUs / memory / etc. would not be worth a lot in practice anyway because those parts tend to either die very young or keep going a very long time, well past any warranty period.

(Hard drives are a different matter.)

It's your money, your preferences, your call. I do not wish to say you are making the wrong call, just want to be sure the suggestion about used hardware is clear and I've got it across correctly.
 
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zdesigns

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Aug 7, 2019
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Oh yeah, I would not suggest you buy a whole rack server.

The suggestion was about used parts. The system in my signature idles under 65W and is extremely quiet. @Chris Moore has been posting priced-up parts lists for similar and lower-end builds, showing huge savings over buying new.

Many of us would say that warranty on used motherboards/CPUs/memory/etc. is not worth a lot in practice because those parts tend to either die very young or keep going a very long time.

(Hard drives are a different matter.)

It's your money, your preferences, your call. I do not wish to say you are making the wrong call, just want to be sure the suggestion about used hardware is clear and I've got it across correctly.

A CPU like the one in your build, cost about $1000+ even used its more expensive than the CPU i chose to go with... I guess that is just the disadvantage of living in Denmark. 25% Tax on everything and just computer components are just more expensive here in general...
 
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Wow! 25% makes the 15% seem good in my part of Canada :eek:
 

anmnz

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A CPU like the one in your build, cost about $1000+ even used its more expensive than the CPU i chose to go with

I don't know where you are getting your prices from.

I see many EU sellers advertising the E5-2680 v2 that I used in my build for EUR 200-250. Even a simple search on ebay.de turns up a whole lot of them.

And that's a terrible example anyway -- a wiser choice for a NAS would be something like an E5-2650 v2, and I see plenty of EU sellers advertising those in the region of EUR 100-140.

And E5 is still high-end. You can come a long way down from there in power and price and have a great build. Look at @Chris Moore's often-posted examples.

I admit current prices are more than I paid. Prices do seem to have risen a bit.

But none of these prices are anywhere near "$1000+".
 
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zdesigns

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Aug 7, 2019
Messages
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I don't know where you are getting your prices from.

I see many EU sellers advertising the E5-2680 v2 that I used in my build for EUR 200-250. Even a simple search on ebay.de turns up a whole lot of them.

And that's a terrible example anyway -- a wiser choice for a NAS would be something like an E5-2650 v2, and I see plenty of EU sellers advertising those in the region of EUR 100-140.

And E5 is still high-end. You can come a long way down from there in power and price and have a great build. Look at @Chris Moore's often-posted examples.

I admit current prices are more than I paid. Prices do seem to have risen a bit.

But none of these prices are anywhere near "$1000+".

My prices are not taken from eBay, but from local websites like dba.dk and guloggratis.dk. i know a Lot og people buy from eBay, but I like to meet the seller and check that the product is okay, before i buy it
 
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