Advice for SFF as a server (2024)

I am been looking into making a dedicated low watt server for med Plex media server and been looking if I could go pre-build or custom built but for the needs I have with max 4 active users at once streaming directly and sometimes 2 transcode at a time.

About 95% or more of all my files are in x264/x265 very few are MPEG2 or MPEG4.

I been looking at a Lenovo SFF pre-built since they are fairly cheap for some fine hardware and yes I will be running Windows 11 Pro it's just easier for me to manage than Linux (You can say what you want but I am a Windows user...)

Been looking at this model:
Lenovo ThinkCentre M720s 10ST
PSRef (Cannot find the M720s model only non-s model): https://psref.lenovo.com/syspool/Sy...Centre_M720_SFF/ThinkCentre_M720_SFF_Spec.PDF

Specs:
CPU: Intel Core i5-8400
RAM: 8GB
SSD: 256GB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe 3x4
GFX: Intel UHD Graphics 630
OS: Win10Pro
Warranty: 1 Year Return to Base Warranty
Refurbished Grade B

Price about £222 / 277USD

I am planing on dropping my 16TB Exos drive and later one more I can always but in a PCI-E SATA controller card later or USB drive.

TheLostSwede said:

If you're going to do real time transcoding, you might want to consider a supported GPU, as the graphics in that chip isn't going to be helping you with any kind of transcoding workloads. Plex should have a list of supported hardware.

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The onboard I believe have Intel quick sync but I do not have a Plex pass refuses to pay the big bugs.

It's just for family and friends use nothing more and I want something small and cheap that's why I was thinking this sff looked fine.
I always appreciate your input @TheLostSwede

nomdeplume said:

Not sure what pricing on an off lease HP ProDesk SFF (similar spec) would be in pounds. In US they can be found cheaper than quoted price for Lenovo model you linked to.

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Not the biggest HP fan more Lenovo because they also are cheaper for me to buy.

I am based in Europe not the US.

Shou Miko said:

The onboard I believe have Intel quick sync but I do not have a Plex pass refuses to pay the big bugs.

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A very early and not very good quality implementation.

Have you considered Emby or Jellyfin as an alternative to Plex?

Shou Miko said:

It's just for family and friends use nothing more and I want something small and cheap that's why I was thinking this sff looked fine.
I always appreciate your input @TheLostSwede

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I have a NAS running OMV on an even older Core i7-6700K that I have under clocked. It's not capable of doing any kind of transcoding, but it's a damned decent NAS otherwise with 16 GB of RAM and a 10 Gbps network card in it.

TheLostSwede said:

A very early and not very good quality implementation.

Have you considered Emby or Jellyfin as an alternative to Plex?

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I have tried Jellyfin but because of their app support which they have gotten now I haven't moved to it really but still considering it and when I maybe when I get a dedicated machine I will test it out up. Emby I haven't really been messing around with.

TheLostSwede said:

I have a NAS running OMV on an even older Core i7-6700K that I have under clocked. It's not capable of doing any kind of transcoding, but it's a damned decent NAS otherwise with 16 GB of RAM and a 10 Gbps network card in it.

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I want at least Intel gen8 when doing this because I won't run any form of Linux as a server, it will be Windows 11 Pro properly since I do no need any server features.

1gbit is fine and my internet is still 300/60mbit and I the people that steam haven't had any issues because I do not have and "raw" material it's all encoded except a few things and the biggest mess is my anime collection but I am the only one having access to that one so I don't worry about it.

Shou Miko said:

I have tried Jellyfin but because of their app support which they have gotten now I haven't moved to it really but still considering it and when I maybe when I get a dedicated machine I will test it out up. Emby I haven't really been messing around with.

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It felt like a buggy version of Emby when I tried it a year ago. For some platforms you have to pay for the app for Emby, but it's a few bucks.

Shou Miko said:

I want at least Intel gen8 when doing this because I won't run any form of Linux as a server, it will be Windows 11 Pro properly since I do no need any server features.

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Well, I guess that's up to you, I was just suggesting an alternative that's quite easy to get up and running that costs zero.

Shou Miko said:

1gbit is fine and my internet is still 300/60mbit and I the people that steam haven't had any issues because I do not have and "raw" material it's all encoded except a few things and the biggest mess is my anime collection but I am the only one having access to that one so I don't worry about it.

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Oh, I wasn't suggesting 10 Gbps is needed for a media server, but it's very nice if you want to shuffle other files back and forth between the NAS and a PC. It makes the files feel "local" rather than something being on a networked system.

dgianstefani said:

Home | Sliger

Sliger Designs is an OEM/ODM based in the United States specializing in computer cases and systems.

www.sliger.com

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Too expensive for what I need plus import taxes, you want to pay for it? I don't have that kind of cash

I have to start somewhere if I had the money I would properly upgrade my current AMD Ryzen 7 7700 non-x to a 7800X3D and drop this into a A620/B560 board with some DDR5 ram and call it a day.

unwind-protect said:

For any kind of file server I would pick something that can take more than a single M.2 drive. Many SFF systems take 1x M.2 + 1x 2.5".

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The point is good but I have to look to see if there is a tower version avaliable then for the price because even pick out component even on the used market any this good value here sadly.