Server PC

RipperDoc · April 17

Budget (including currency): N/A

Country: Australia

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: the pc will be a server pc

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc):

HI

just wanting to get peoples opinion on the server pc.

will mostly be storing videos on it as well as running a Minecraft server in the background,

the parts list does not include a graphics card some because i have a 1650 super that will be going in it once i get the parts,

i am not worried about the price at all its within what i want to pay so no worries there, once i get it started i will be getting some high capacity hard drives for some more storage,

but that is for a later date.

i will no be getting the parts straight away because of moving but once i am at the new location it will be set up.

i would like to peoples opinion on the parts, as well as if the have any tips when setting up a server pc and if there is any more information that you thing would be useful i would like to hear it.

johnt · April 17

Here are my thoughts in order of your components and my suggestions:

Plex Media Server uses less than 5% CPU usage on my 12400 while streaming 4k content natively. I do not do transcoding to my phones, but if you do plan to do that, that will run your CPU usage to max. Also the requirements for Minecraft server seems very low. It seems to want more memory than CPU power, but 32 GB should be more than sufficient.

1) You do not need an overclockable CPU for a server. You can easily get away with a 12th gen CPU, like a 12400 for years to come. Under no circumstances do I recommend purchasing a CPU that does not have a GPU built in for a server, like f sku Intel chips. That is a terrible idea. You won't even need the 1650. The 14600k is much better suited for a client device.

2) That motherboard is overkill. Is there anything you specifically need that it offers? You can pick up an ASUS prime model for much cheaper. I think the only recommendation is to make sure it has 2.5 Gbps NIC. PCIE 2.5 NIC's are available in the states for around $30. I'm sure they aren't much more expensive in Australia.

3) The Crucial P3 Plus series is... fine. It's a good enough as long as the cache isn't filled. I have a P3 Plus and for some reason it drops to the folding speed when transferring 40 GB files. It is supposed to have a dynamic 250 GB SLC cache but it doesn't act like it. I suggest Intel drives. I've found them to provide much more consistent performance. Also, it's a server that is going to be on for 24/7 or close to it. I would not be considering a PCIE4 or PCIE5 device for this purely to reduce power draw and heat output.

MiszS · April 17

Another thing is that the ram is 1 of the worst you can get, but costs more than 6000MHz cl30 kit, how did you even find it

jaslion · April 17

2 hours ago, johnt said:

Here are my thoughts in order of your components and my suggestions:

Plex Media Server uses less than 5% CPU usage on my 12400 while streaming 4k content natively. I do not do transcoding to my phones, but if you do plan to do that, that will run your CPU usage to max. Also the requirements for Minecraft server seems very low. It seems to want more memory than CPU power, but 32 GB should be more than sufficient.

1) You do not need an overclockable CPU for a server. You can easily get away with a 12th gen CPU, like a 12400 for years to come. Under no circumstances do I recommend purchasing a CPU that does not have a GPU built in for a server, like f sku Intel chips. That is a terrible idea. You won't even need the 1650. The 14600k is much better suited for a client device.

2) That motherboard is overkill. Is there anything you specifically need that it offers? You can pick up an ASUS prime model for much cheaper. I think the only recommendation is to make sure it has 2.5 Gbps NIC. PCIE 2.5 NIC's are available in the states for around $30. I'm sure they aren't much more expensive in Australia.

3) The Crucial P3 Plus series is... fine. It's a good enough as long as the cache isn't filled. I have a P3 Plus and for some reason it drops to the folding speed when transferring 40 GB files. It is supposed to have a dynamic 250 GB SLC cache but it doesn't act like it. I suggest Intel drives. I've found them to provide much more consistent performance. Also, it's a server that is going to be on for 24/7 or close to it. I would not be considering a PCIE4 or PCIE5 device for this purely to reduce power draw and heat output.

Id fill in that that cpu cooler also just kinda sucks? You can get WAY better cheaper tower coolers thatbwill be quiet where this small thing will need to go 100% a lot of the time as the cpu will be thermally maxed.

Also op is that all the storage?

Where are the mass storage drives like a hard drive?

Also why add a gpu? It has onboard graphics.

For just a nas and file host you dont need ANYWHERE near this level of hardware.

Needfuldoer · April 17

You can pay far less for a server that's just as effective.

Get an i3 or i5 that has built-in graphics, and let that transcode video and display the POST screen. Then you won't need the dedicated GPU at all (saving power).

Don't buy a low end cooler, either get a tower cooler or just run the boxed Intel cooler.

All NVMe for a NAS that doesn't have at least 10 gig Ethernet is a waste. Spend that money on more storage in the form of spinning drives instead. You'll still saturate the 2.5 gig NIC.

If you're running SATA drives for your storage pool, you don't need that overkill motherboard with four M.2 slots.

Your boot drive doesn't have to be anything spectacular, because it's not for data storage. If you're running TrueNAS, you can even get away with a relatively tiny 32 gig Optane drive, which will cost almost nothing and only hit its TBW rating sometime after the sun burns out.

Here's a list I threw together. Mirror the hard drives and you'll have a 12 TB storage pool:

https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/3hv3GP

Spoiler

PCPartPicker Part List: https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/3hv3GP

CPU: Intel Core i3-14100 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.77 @ JW Computers)
Motherboard: ASRock B760M PG Lightning Wifi Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($218.00 @ Centre Com)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5200 CL40 Memory ($139.00 @ BPC Technology)
Storage: Intel DC S3500 120 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($20.00 @ eBay)
Storage: Seagate IronWolf NAS 12 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive ($346.11 @ Amazon Australia)
Storage: Seagate IronWolf NAS 12 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive ($346.11 @ Amazon Australia)
Case: Fractal Design Focus 2 ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.00 @ Centre Com)
Power Supply: Asus ROG Strix 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($139.00 @ MSY Technology)
Total: $1571.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Personally, I'd start with a used workstation like an HP Z440 and a bunch of cheap server RAM for it. Then stick a couple high capacity hard drives shucked from external enclosures. (But I'm also in the US and I've built up multiple rack servers out of used parts, so take my advice as you may.)

Alex Atkin UK · April 17

27 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

Don't buy a low end cooler, either get a tower cooler or just run the boxed Intel cooler.

I'm a bit wary of this, as the fan started to seize on my 12400 stock cooler when running 24/7. I only noticed because I upgraded it to a 14700K (the none K variant was barely any cheaper so I figured get the potentially better binned part) and kinda got in the habit of spinning the fans with my finger to check how they are holding up and noticed it was no longer freely spinning.

I mean sure it was probably just a fluke, but at least after market coolers you can swap the fans if they fail, and not even need to remove the heatsink.