One of the best NAS for Plex ought to allow you to stream your media assortment to all linked gadgets in your house.Â
Plex is a terrific platform that permits you to handle your media library with ease, and the service has a ton of helpful extras in terms of video playback. One of the best half is that the Plex shopper is obtainable on nearly each platform, making it easy to stream your content material. And also you need not pay something to get began.Â
Plex has a paid tier referred to as Plex Move that provides you a ton of extra options, together with the power to make use of {hardware} transcoding. When you’ve got numerous older media that must be transcoded earlier than being performed again on TVs or telephones, chances are you’ll need to go this route. However for a majority of customers, the free Plex media server goes to be greater than satisfactory.Â
You are able to do loads of different issues with a NAS, together with backing up images and movies from your whole telephones, organising digital machines, entry highly effective productiveness software program that does not want any month-to-month price, and an entire lot extra. NAS servers designed for Plex are likely to have highly effective {hardware} normally, unlocking a set of attractive use instances along with streaming media.
I examined dozens of NAS fashions over the course of the final three years, and these are the perfect Plex NAS servers you should purchase immediately.
Harish Jonnalagadda
Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia at Android Central. He leads the positioning’s protection of Chinese language telephone manufacturers, contributing to opinions, options, and shopping for guides. He additionally writes about storage servers, audio merchandise, and the semiconductor business.Â
At a look
1. Synology DiskStation DS224+
Finest total
The DiskStation DS224+ is your best option in order for you a strong NAS with standout software program. The NAS can simply deal with Plex transcodes, the Intel {hardware} is terrific in each day use, and the 2-bay server is reasonably priced sufficient whereas nonetheless providing all of the options you will truly use.
Learn extra under.
2. Synology DiskStation DS423+
Finest 4-bay NAS
The DiskStation DS423+ runs the identical Intel {hardware} because the DS224+, so it holds up simply as nicely for Plex media streaming. The distinction is that you just get 4 drive bays right here, and the twin M.2 slots let you add SSD storage.
Learn extra under.
Finest {hardware}
The AS5402T has the perfect {hardware} on this phase, and the Intel-powered NAS is a stellar selection when you want a Plex NAS with transcodes, twin 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports, an HDMI port that permits you to hook up with your TV, and 4 M.2 slots.
Learn extra under.
Finest worth
The F4-423 provides the perfect worth in order for you a 4-bay NAS server with Plex transcodes, twin 2.5GbE connectivity, and an HDMI port. The TOS6 software program is best than ever earlier than, and on the entire, that is the perfect worth when you want a strong Plex NAS.
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5. Synology DiskStation DS923+
Finest software program
The DiskStation DS923+ is a strong 4-bay server that does an incredible job as a Plex media server. The Ryzen {hardware} is extra highly effective than its Intel rival, however the draw back is that you just miss on Plex transcodes. In case you do not want the characteristic, the DS923+ is a unbelievable selection.
Learn extra under.
6. Synology DiskStation DS223j
Finest finances
In case you want a Plex server on a finances, the DS223j has quite a bit to supply. It misses out on a number of the superior options that you just get in costlier NAS servers, however as a primary dwelling media streaming answer, it ticks all the proper containers.
Learn extra under.Â
Finest total
In case you’re new to Plex and simply need a NAS that permits you to stream your media assortment, it’s best to get the DiskStation DS224+. The NAS has two drive bays, is powered by Intel’s dependable Celeron J4125 platform, and comes with 2GB of RAM as normal. You get twin Gigabit Ethernet ports, two USB ports, and the design has good passive air flow together with a 92mm fan on the again that manages thermals nicely.
That mentioned, the {hardware} is not the perfect you will discover on this phase; you do not get any M.2 drives, and also you miss out on multi-Gigabit connectivity. Nevertheless it’s all about reaching the proper stability, and the DS224+ undoubtedly manages to do this. Though it misses out on just a few issues, there are not any points with efficiency, and for many customers, Gigabit Ethernet continues to be greater than satisfactory.
The place the DS224+ really shines is its means as a Plex media server. The NAS has a local Plex shopper, and configuring it takes lower than 5 minutes. And because it makes use of an Intel platform, you get hardware-based transcoding — in case you have Plex Move. Most customers need not transcode content material, however if you wish to share your Plex library and have gadgets that may’t play again the content material natively, it turns out to be useful.
I examined Plex extensively on the DS224+, and the NAS does a terrific job taking part in again excessive bitrate 4K content material with none points. And when you want the characteristic, it holds up nicely with transcodes as nicely. One other standout characteristic is the software program itself; the DS224+ runs DiskStation Supervisor (DSM), and it has an in depth suite of utilities that make a real distinction — you will not get this degree of polish with different manufacturers. DSM additionally has helpful cell apps that allow you to entry your knowledge on the go.
In the end, the DS224+ is a strong server that is a fantastic selection for Plex, and you may’t actually go flawed with the NAS.
Finest 4-bay NAS
The DiskStation DS423+ is sort of equivalent to the DS224+, and the important thing distinction between the 2 is that the DS423+ has 4 drive bays, supplying you with the power to accommodate twice as a lot storage. You additionally get two M.2 slots on the underside, and that permits you to use NVMe SSDs along with conventional laborious drives.
The remainder of the options are equivalent; the DS423+ makes use of the identical Intel Celeron J4125 because the DS224+, you get 2GB of RAM, twin Gigabit Ethernet ports, and two USB ports. As it’s a bigger unit, there are two 92mm followers on the again. I might have favored to see not less than one multi-Gigabit port — numerous different 4-bay servers provide it as normal today — however aside from that, the {hardware} is fairly first rate.
Because the DS423+ makes use of the identical Intel platform, it handles Plex in a lot the identical style because the DS224+. I did not run into any points taking part in again 4K content material, and transcoding labored reliably as nicely. And similar to the DS224+, you get the identical nice feature-set inside DSM, permitting you to take action way more along with Plex streaming.
In case you just like the look of the DS224+ however want M.2 slots or extra drive bays, the DiskStation DS423+ is the perfect selection.
Finest {hardware}
ASUSTOR’s AS5402T has the perfect {hardware} in its class, and the 2-bay NAS has every thing you want in a Plex server. The Intel Celeron J5105 is excellent in each day use, you get 4GB of RAM, 4 M.2 slots in whole, and twin 2.5GbE ports as normal. Apparently, there’s additionally an HDMI port on the again that permits you to join the NAS straight to your TV — a very good possibility when you do not need to stream over the community.
Principally, the AS5402T does not have something lacking on the {hardware} entrance, so in order for you multi-Gigabit connectivity and loads of M.2 bays, the NAS is the best way to go. The Celeron J5105 is nice at transcodes too, so in case you have Plex Move, you need to use {hardware} transcodes on gadgets that may’t natively play again content material.
The ADM software program is first rate too; you get a local Plex shopper, containerization, and a ton of helpful utilities. The interface is not fairly as polished as DSM, and the cell shoppers aren’t as refined, however on the entire, ASUSTOR is doing a very good job on the software program aspect of issues as nicely.
The AS5402T has higher {hardware} than different 2-bay servers on this phase, so if that’s your principal consideration, you will discover loads to love with the NAS.
Finest worth
I’ve used sufficient TerraMaster NAS servers over time to know that the model prioritizes worth, and that is no totally different with the F4-423. The 4-bay NAS server manages to undercut its rivals by a substantial margin, providing Intel’s Celeron N5095, 4GB of RAM, twin 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports, HDMI connectivity, and two M.2 slots.
Contemplating you get all of that at underneath $400 is a discount in and of itself, and the NAS holds up extremely nicely in each day use. It has a local Plex shopper, handles 4K content material and transcodes with none points, and the HDMI port allows you to join the NAS to your TV.
TerraMaster’s greatest limitation up to now was the software program, however that has modified in latest months with the introduction of TOS6. The brand new interface is cleaner and simpler to make use of, and it has helpful options. It nonetheless does not fairly have the identical degree of polish as different distributors, and the cell utilities are missing. That mentioned, you get the fundamentals, and it is clear that TerraMaster is intent on tweaking its software program.
So in order for you the perfect discount out of a Plex server, simply get the F4-423.
Finest software program
The DiskStation DS9xx sequence has at all times been a best-seller, and the DiskStation DS923+ maintains that streak. The NAS now makes use of Ryzen {hardware} in lieu of Intel, and since it does not have an built-in GPU, you lose out on Plex transcoding. So when you completely want to make use of the characteristic, it’s best to take into account the DS423+ as a substitute.
Though most fashions on this class have 2.5GbE and even 10GbE, the DS923+ is proscribed to twin Gigabit Ethernet ports. If you need multi-Gigabit connectivity, you will must pay one other $100 to get a 10GbE community card and slot it into the NAS. So why must you take into account the NAS? For starters, the AMD {hardware} is excellent; it’s noticeably quicker in each day use, and that makes the DS923+ better-suited for demanding duties.
And whereas you do not get Plex transcodes, the DS923+ is a standout selection for media streaming. It handles Plex playback with none points by any means, doing a fantastic job with excessive bitrate content material throughout two gadgets on the similar time. The DSM software program is the perfect round, and since you get 4GB of RAM, you may run virtualization duties and containers with relative ease.
There’s additionally the power so as to add extra drive bays down the road; the DS923+ has 4 bays as normal, however you should purchase an exterior housing just like the DX517 and join as much as 5 extra drives to the NAS. It is this extensibility mixed with the highly effective {hardware} that provides it an edge over servers just like the DS423+.
Finest finances
The DiskStation DS223j does not have highly effective {hardware}, however it nonetheless manages to do a fantastic job in terms of Plex. You’ll be able to set up the native Plex shopper and stream content material to gadgets on your property community, however the Realtek {hardware} does not have transcoding.
It’s possible you’ll suppose 1GB of RAM is just too low, however it’s greater than satisfactory for the DSM software program, and it’s double that its predecessor — the DiskStation DS220j — provided. As it’s an entry-level mannequin, the DS223j does not have any upgradability; the RAM modules are soldered, and you may’t add multi-Gigabit connectivity.
That mentioned, when you simply want an reasonably priced NAS server to retailer your media assortment and again up images and movies, the DS223j is an efficient selection to contemplate. The DSM software program is well the perfect on this class, and whereas you do not get the extra superior options, all of the fundamentals are coated.
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As a high-level overview, Plex is a free media server utility that catalogs your media assortment and makes it obtainable for streaming on all the linked gadgets in your house.Â
It’s typically thought of to be the perfect media server round, and there are just a few causes for that. First up is the truth that it is obtainable on nearly any ecosystem: Android, iOS, Home windows, macOS, Android TV, all streaming dongles, and most good TVs. Principally, you may set up Plex on all of the gadgets you personal.Â
Plex additionally does a fantastic job with media group. It types your music, motion pictures, and TV reveals into related classes, and provides high-resolution album artwork, covers, trailers, and metadata robotically. Additionally, because the content material is streamed domestically inside your property community, it does not depend towards your web bandwidth prices.
What’s Plex transcode, and the way does it work?
The largest motive for Plex’s dominance has to do with the truth that it could play any file on any machine. Plex has a strong transcoding service baked in, and in case you have the paid Plex Move plan, you may unlock {hardware} acceleration — that makes an enormous distinction for transcoding 4K recordsdata.
Even when you’re utilizing an iPhone, iPad, Amazon pill, an older good TV, or an Android telephone, you may confidently play your media library on any machine with none points. Plex handles transcodes robotically, so there isn’t any intervention wanted out of your aspect — and that makes it a unbelievable media streaming service.Â
Plex streaming typically falls into three classes:
- Direct Play: That is when the Plex shopper (your TV or streaming field) natively handles the video container and simply streams the file as-is with none points. This makes use of minimal assets.Â
- Direct Stream: On this situation, the shopper machine you are utilizing can play the video and audio streams, however doesn’t work with the container (like .mkv or .m4a), so Plex will copy these streams to a appropriate container and ship it to your machine. This mode makes use of just a few assets, however it is not demanding on the server.Â
- Transcode: That is the place issues get attention-grabbing. Plex will transcode recordsdata when a shopper machine is unable to play the video or audio streams in any respect. That is because of the lack of audio or video codecs (like H.265, HEVC, H.264) on the shopper machine, and on this state of affairs Plex converts the video to a file that may be performed on the machine. That is essentially the most CPU-intensive possibility and desires a strong NAS.Â
What must you search for in a Plex NAS?
There are some things you will want to concentrate to when you’re fascinated with a Plex NAS.Â
CPU
This can be a key consideration when selecting a Plex NAS, as you will want a strong CPU for transcodes. Most servers over $400 meet this standards, however as a basic rule, you will want a latest Intel chipset — Celeron fashions are good for dwelling use, however when you’re sharing your Plex server with family and friends and wish extra bandwidth, you will want to take a look at servers that includes Intel Core {hardware}.
Whereas AMD has made inroads into the NAS class , Intel continues to be king right here. If you need the power to transcode 4K content material in Plex, you will want to purchase a NAS server with a recent-gen Intel Celeron or Core CPU.
Reminiscence
Principally, you will want an honest quantity of RAM to verify there are not any bottlenecks. Plex is not memory-intensive, however in case you have numerous different providers working on the NAS, it might grow to be a problem. Usually, 2GB of RAM is the naked minimal on this class, and when you’re seeking to run numerous providers, I would recommend getting an 8GB reminiscence module and slotting it in.Â
Most NAS servers allow you to improve the RAM with ease, so you should not have any points slotting in 8GB or extra reminiscence throughout the server must you want it.Â
Connectivity
Most NAS servers have two Gigabit ports as normal, and that needs to be satisfactory for dwelling use. However when you’re sharing your Plex occasion and wish extra bandwidth, it’s best to have a look at a server with 2.5GbE and even 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity.Â
That mentioned, when you swap to a NAS with multi-Gigabit connectivity, you will must concurrently improve your swap and router to take full benefit of the extra bandwidth on provide. It is not as expensive because it was once to modify to a 10GbE dwelling community, however you will must take these extra prices into consideration. For now, Gigabit Ethernet is greater than satisfactory for dealing with just a few Plex 4K streams with none points.Â
Some NAS fashions characteristic an HDMI port that permits you to join the server to a TV or monitor. That is helpful as you may then play the media saved on the NAS straight with out having to stream it wirelessly on your property community.Â
What’s the greatest Plex server?
There are many choices in order for you the perfect NAS for dwelling use, and you may select between entry-level picks which have a single or two drive bays, and there are four-bay fashions which are designed to final.Â
However when you’re in the perfect Plex server, there are just a few extra factors to contemplate. For one factor, Plex transcoding is a really CPU-intensive process, so you will have to take a look at NAS enclosures which have a strong chipset. Fortunately, the most important NAS producers — Synology, QNAP, and ASUSTOR — ship fashions catered for Plex media streaming.Â
Synology’s DiskStation DS224+ illustrates this level completely — the two-bay NAS server options the Intel Celeron J4125 and handles Plex native streaming in addition to transcoding with out breaking a sweat.Â
If you need somewhat extra room, the DiskStation DS423+ has 4 bays that may maintain as much as 64TB of storage in whole. The remainder of the options as the identical because the DS224+, however you get two M.2 slots.Â
Which Plex NAS must you purchase?
Proper now, when you’re seeking to decide up a NAS for Plex streaming, the most suitable choice is the DiskStation DS224+. The upgraded inner {hardware} makes it an attractive mannequin on this class, and with two Gigabit Ethernet ports and sturdy software program options, the NAS has all of the fundamentals coated.
ASUSTOR’s AS5402T is a extremely good contender as nicely, and it delivers the perfect {hardware} package deal on this phase.Â
Our testing methodology for the perfect Plex server
There are some things I take into account when deciding what NAS servers to suggest for Plex streaming. First up is the CPU; I run just a few artificial exams to find out its efficiency potential, single and multi-core scores.Â
Then I arrange a local Plex set up on the NAS and run multimedia streaming exams to see useful resource utilization in real-world situations when streaming 720p, 1080p, and 4K recordsdata on the native community.Â
I additionally consider transcoding potential by streaming a 4K file to a tool that does not deal with the native container — it is a nice option to decide if the NAS can deal with on-the-fly transcodes for 4K recordsdata with excessive bitrates.Â
Lastly, I have a look at sequential learn/write potential by transferring a picture library containing over 5,000 recordsdata (all underneath 1MB), and a dozen media recordsdata over 1GB in dimension.Â
In the end, the perfect Plex server wants to have the ability to stream your native media library to all gadgets on your property community (and over the web), and it ought to give you the chance to take action persistently for a number of years.Â
All the NAS fashions highlighted on this put up can do exactly that, so when you’re seeking to get your palms on a Plex NAS server, you may go forward and decide up any fashions on this checklist with confidence.Â
