Personal NAS - Build or Buy?

[YoungBlade]

Budget (including currency): $500 for the core components, PSU, and case - not including drives - or $500 to just buy one

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: File backups mainly, perhaps some games storage

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):

 

I'll want to at least 4 HDDs in here to start with. However, you can get 4 bay NAS systems for around this price, or even cheaper, so if I'm going to build my own, I'd like it to have the potential to be upgraded beyond 4 drives. Therefore, the boards I've chosen here have more than 4 SATA ports and the case supports 7+ drives (I've actually got 5.25" bay to 3.5" drive adapters that I can use to give it a couple more drive spots).

 

Basically, if I'm going to go through the trouble of building this and setting up the OS and whatnot, I want it to actually be better than what I can just buy off the shelf for the same price.

 

Already have these that can be used if needed:

• 2.5GbE PCIe x1 card
• Quadro K620 Graphics Card

 

Option 1 - AM4:

 

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/RW4H3w

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 4500 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor  ($79.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus Prime B450M-A II Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Silicon Power XPOWER Turbine 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory  ($24.97 @ Newegg Sellers)
Video Card: PNY VCQK620-PB Quadro K620 2 GB Video Card  (Purchased)
Case: Cooler Master N400 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($76.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply: Apevia Prestige 600 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply  ($51.99 @ Amazon)
Wired Network Adapter: TRENDnet TEG-25GECTX 2.5 Gb/s Ethernet PCIe x1 Network Adapter  (Purchased)
Total: $322.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-01-13 16:54 EST-0500

 

Option 2 - LGA1700:

 

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vBj6Bq

CPU: Intel Core i3-12100F 3.3 GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($75.91 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z690 Steel Legend ATX LGA1700 Motherboard  ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Silicon Power XPOWER Turbine 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory  ($24.97 @ Newegg Sellers)
Video Card: PNY VCQK620-PB Quadro K620 2 GB Video Card  (Purchased)
Case: Cooler Master N400 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($76.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply: Apevia Prestige 600 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply  ($51.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $359.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-01-13 16:55 EST-0500

 

Option 3 - Just buy a NAS and don't build one:

 

https://www.amazon.com/QNAP-TS-433-4G-US-Quad-core-Processor-Diskless/dp/B0B8M5WQ1Y - $380

 

Not necessarily this exact NAS - if you know of a better one, I'm all ears - but something within the price range that supports at least 4 HDDs.

 

 

[Needfuldoer]

I'd go with the Intel platform so you can use the built-in Quick Sync Video for encoding. Save your x16 slot for high speed networking or an HBA.

[YoungBlade]

16 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

I'd go with the Intel platform so you can use the built-in Quick Sync Video for encoding. Save your x16 slot for high speed networking or an HBA.

Encoding of what?

[Needfuldoer]

25 minutes ago, YoungBlade said:

Encoding of what?

Ah, missed that you don't intend to run Plex or Jellyfin.

 

... Yet.  

 

Point stands, though. A CPU with integrated graphics will let you skip the power consumption of running a dedicated card.

[YoungBlade]

23 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

Ah, missed that you don't intend to run Plex or Jellyfin.

 

... Yet.  

 

Point stands, though. A CPU with integrated graphics will let you skip the power consumption of running a dedicated card.

In theory, I can go headless after setup. I was just pointing out that I have a video card to use in case someone was concerned about that.

 

But if I need an iGPU, then the AMD option is still a good bit cheaper, even if I skip over the 3200G option and go to the 5500GT:

 

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/CktvRV

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500GT 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor  ($103.40 @ Walmart)
Motherboard: Asus Prime B450M-A II Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Silicon Power XPOWER Turbine 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory  ($24.97 @ Newegg Sellers)
Video Card: PNY VCQK620-PB Quadro K620 2 GB Video Card  (Purchased)
Case: Cooler Master N400 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($76.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply: Apevia Prestige 600 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply  ($51.99 @ Amazon)
Wired Network Adapter: TRENDnet TEG-25GECTX 2.5 Gb/s Ethernet PCIe x1 Network Adapter  (Purchased)
Total: $347.34
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-01-13 18:27 EST-0500

 

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/gVzJwY

CPU: Intel Core i3-14100 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z690 Steel Legend ATX LGA1700 Motherboard  ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Silicon Power XPOWER Turbine 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory  ($24.97 @ Newegg Sellers)
Video Card: PNY VCQK620-PB Quadro K620 2 GB Video Card  (Purchased For $0.00)
Case: Cooler Master N400 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($76.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply: Apevia Prestige 600 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply  ($51.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $413.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-01-13 18:28 EST-0500

 

Apart from QSV, is there anything that the Intel system would offer that's superior?