Plex/Server Case Recommendations

[AlphaQup]

Hey Guys,

I'm kinda at a crossroads right now. I attached some pics of my full setup, so this is mind of a "how would you optimize the space" + "recommend me a case" type post.

The desktop in question i need to overhaul is the left case on my desk (the one ith the Megazord on it ):

This is my soon to be obsolete 7700k system due to Win11...

This workstation pulls PLEX and ARK:SA duties (dual instsnces at most, its for the friend group), so hw-wise, im looking at 12+C and 32GB minimum. Easy, not my problem, I'll find a Ryzen base and build thst out easily.

My issue is what case to house this all in.

Currently, I have 2x 8TB 3.5s which are 50% full with plex material, and ever growing. I'd like 4 total 3.5" drives worth of capacity, in a cage type config for expansion. No issues buying a large nvme for OS and ARK install duties, so no 2.5" slots would be required.

Why don't you buy a NAS you ask? Good question, open to suggestions here too, but i still need compute for server duties.

Like I said, really between splitting the system and going NAS plus new SFF for plex/Arkmhosting, or keeping it AIO and finding the right case.

I do want a "black box" btw: no window and no rgb, but don't mind some of the more colorful or wood tonned options out there.

EDIT: I do think a NAS and SFF PLEX/ARK/whatever else I want to to do type workstation build is my way forward, but idk right now.

 

[Nobu]

Fwiw, a nas doesn't have to be behind a router, in another room somewhere, etc. You could network directly to it from your PC if you have a spare eth port.

For case, I don't have any really good suggestions, I guess. Since you want storage, I would be looking at htpc or server-style cases, but of course there are desktop cases suitable, just not as many as used to be.

 

[AlphaQup]

Fwiw, a nas doesn't have to be behind a router, in another room somewhere, etc. You could network directly to it from your PC if you have a spare eth port.

For case, I don't have any really good suggestions, I guess. Since you want storage, I would be looking at htpc or server-style cases, but of course there are desktop cases suitable, just not as many as used to be.

It's one of those scenarios where I've simply outgrown my space and my circuitry, I'm going to have to make concessions and I'm not a fan of it... or do something drastic compared to my current setup.

I didn't mention it above, but the networking is also due for an overhaul (eyeballing a small Unify setup right now) so perhaps its time to prep a small server rack... number of available ports luckily isn't my issue, and with the new Unify setup, certainly won't be.

As long as my desktop is wired, this stuff doesn't have to reside in the room itself. I could get over having to run a couple of ethernet wires to my "office" from somewhere else in the house.



Regarding the PC case itself, mainly I don't like buying for the current need, always like to futureproof a bit and leave room for expansion later, which is why the NAS and SFF make sense (especially as far as physical space is concerned).

 

[kram182]

buy a 4u case and start building a rack

 

[AlphaQup]

buy a 4u case and start building a rack

Im leaning the most towards this because its an inevitability at this point haha, but where the fudge do I put it...

More of a me problem i suppose, but a 4U would be ideal. I don't want to deal with those little 60mm jet turbines you find in 1 or 2U enclosures.

 

[LukeTbk]

really between splitting the system and going NAS plus new SFF for plex/Arkmhosting,

or you can go DAS for the storage attached to the NAS + plex + others:
https://forums.serverbuilds.net/t/sff-nas-plex-server-w-das/4735

 

[compcons]

Unraid is the answer. And a big case.

I built my unraid NAS in an old supermicro SC760 case for the 6 5.25 bays with 5 drive hot swap cages in it. I also picked up a define r5 locally since it can house 12 drives plus some ssds. If you can find something like that, it should fulfill your needs. Plenty of disk slots and decent airflow especially if you go with an Arc card for transcoding.

My main unraid hosts dockers for plex and a handful of the "servarrs". It also has a win 11 vm for ark server duties and random Linux vms for learning. The second unraid (built in a corsair 760t) is pretty much a host for a windows gaming vm to mess with remote gaming through moonlight. It is also the backup destination for the main.

[I have two "760" cases that are 20+ years apart holding my unraid builds - weird.]

The homelabsales reddit can be a good source for older server chassis.

 

[AlphaQup]

Sorry for the late replies compcons and LukeTbk , its been a weird month (to put it lightly...).

Im at the point rn where I have to focus on getting Win11 compliant > all, and from there with the new job, start working towards the infra/server overhaul I originally planned on (ubiquity, rackmount conponents, etc).

For right now, I'm eyeballing this Fractal Design Node 304 and doing an AMD ITX build in it (always wanted to do a micro, never done it before). Yeah, its a compromise in the short term, but also kind of exciting. It could become my HTPC easily too.

Idk, thoughts?

 

[LukeTbk]

Yeah, its a compromise in the short term

Considering, the cheapest HDD right now tend to be 24TB models (for $280.00 a 0.012 a GB), could be a very acceptable one, 6 HDD can be a lot of space with modern HDD for personal use (or in your case 4x24 + 2 x8 or something like that).

Large case are interesting for really large data need or already having the many not that big HDDs. It make the build simple has well, regular motherboard/psu/etc... has it is a regular desktop amount of drives.

 

[Nobu]

If you plan to put a gpu in there, check the dimensions. Doesn't look like there is much room between the slots and side panel at all.

 

[compcons]

If you plan to put a gpu in there, check the dimensions. Doesn't look like there is much room between the slots and side panel at all.

I use an Arc 330 for trranscoding. It is quite small and feels purpose built for transcoding. If you want to pass a GPU through for a gaming node, you probably want something a tad beefier.

 

[Dopamin3]

I use an Antec P101 for my home server that provides duties similar to this.

 

[Wade88]

Bite the bullet now and just go straight to a 42u rack.

 

[kirbyrj]

I bought a Jonsbo N5 case. PROS: Full ATX, full GPU support, 12x3.5 bays; CONS: Gigantic

 

[kram182]

I just built a rack, my next server is gonna be a 1u or 2u build when I move on from my Syno 918+ - prob some ASROCK 10w embedded Intel mITX type build still though. Maybe they'll have one with an Nvidia iGPU by then from their team up

 

[AlphaQup]

Considering, the cheapest HDD right now tend to be 24TB models (for $280.00 a 0.012 a GB), could be a very acceptable one, 6 HDD can be a lot of space with modern HDD for personal use (or in your case 4x24 + 2 x8 or something like that).

Large case are interesting for really large data need or already having the many not that big HDDs. It make the build simple has well, regular motherboard/psu/etc... has it is a regular desktop amount of drives.

I guess you could say right now have a small but blossoming Plex collection. Im at 3TB and its growing, but acquisition is one thing, watching the content is another. Im years away from needing to buy more 8TB drives or w/e to expand... but i wanted a chassis to do so in.

Bite the bullet now and just go straight to a 42u rack.

Shit, I wish. Obviously I agree with this answer on premise.

I use an Arc 330 for trranscoding. It is quite small and feels purpose built for transcoding. If you want to pass a GPU through for a gaming node, you probably want something a tad beefier.

I did go with the Node 304 and an ITX build for this reason, and using an ARC was on my shortlist if required.

 

[AlphaQup]

I did just place an order for a Intel 265k build in this ITX 304 chassis. Again, "stop gap" due to needing to go Win11 asap, but hey, this should be a fun build

 

[LukeTbk]

I guess you could say right now have a small but blossoming Plex collection. Im at 3TB and its growing, but acquisition is one thing, watching the content is another. Im years away from needing to buy more 8TB drives or w/e to expand... but i wanted a chassis to do so in.

And if you change that 8TB in that sentence for 24TB, I think you can rapidly think that a regular 6-8 HDD setup (with a small flash drive for the OS) will be more than enough, one way to think like that adding 4x24TB, is like 12 of those 8TB you had in mind.

That said, large count and what it involve (not fitting on a very simple 6/8xsata regular motherboard) can be fun to do it just to do it, but with today high capacity drtives, if you start fresh without a older collection of existing drive you want to use, it is rarely needed. 8x24TB, that over 190TB, in the 4-8TB era it would have been a large affair.

 

[AlphaQup]

And if you change that 8TB in that sentence for 24TB, I think you can rapidly thing that a regular 6-8 HDD setup (with a small flash drive for the OS) will be more than enough, one way to think like that adding 4x24TB, is like 12 of those 8TB you had in mind.

That said, large count and what it involve (not fitting on a very simple 6/8xsata regular motherboard) can be fun to do it just to do it, but with today high capacity drtives, if you start fresh without a older collection of existing drive you want to use, it is rarely needed. 8x24TB, that over 190TB, in the 4-8TB era it would have been a large affair.

If i didn't state this above, my apologies, but the 8TB drives I mentioned are coming out of my existing setup that was limited to 2 drives, they're maybe 10-12 months old at this point.

Might as well reuse them right now, and when those start nearing being full, I pull the trigger on some big boy drives like you mentioned. I wouldn't keep adding "small" capacity drives.

 

[AlphaQup]

Well, she's built!

This is my first SFF-type build, and after tediously checking dimensions on most parts, everything fit and I had no issues aside from everything taking 4x longer to do because of how cramped this thing is/the order of operations being strange compared to an ATX build.

This is the first time I've ever wanted to have custom cabling, especially for the PSU. So much extra length on everything I had to tuck and find a home for...

Parts:

Build pics:

Final Product:

Idle temps are around 35*C, and under Plex library rebuild mode never rose past 50*C. Fan profile set to performance on the CPU cooler, and I do have the rear and 2 front fans set to High (toggle switch on the back of the PC under the thumbscrew above).

I've never attempted an under-volt before, but this may be a good opportunity to dive into that.

Overall, fun build!

EDIT: Forgot to add, I went RAID 1 on my 2x8TB drives for the time being using IRST. Seamless setup via VMD and didnt have to blank both drives, was able to tell it to duplicate off the primary data drive which was a nice surprise.

 

[TeleFragger]

i have a huge case for my plex box and went 90% ssd...
i replaced an old aging lenovo with an i5-6600k and separate storage box to all in one...
plex, sonarr, radarr, personal storage

see here
https://hardforum.com/threads/m-2-to-sata-3-0-x6-ports.2042671/#post-1046220193

 

[AlphaQup]

i have a huge case for my plex box and went 90% ssd...
i replaced an old aging lenovo with an i5-6600k and separate storage box to all in one...
plex, sonarr, radarr, personal storage

see here
https://hardforum.com/threads/m-2-to-sata-3-0-x6-ports.2042671/#post-1046220193

While that would be fun (and not cheap) to go all flash, my needs aren't crazy right now. No VM's or anything like that. Space was the biggest consideration in this build, and now my desk is much cleaner + I don't have a tower and monitor crowding my left speaker any longer.

Snagged this 15.6" MSI portable monitor for 80 bucks via Newegg early Black Friday deals, and so far am quite fond of it. Get it out when I need a 2nd for the main PC or when I need to break-fix the server, or put it away when I don't need it.