Sick of the monthly Netflix fees? Amazon Prime Day is back in session, so if you want to take control of your media and spin up a local streaming service with Plex or Jellyfin, now’s the cheapest time to buy the hardware.
I should note that Plex hardware transcoding and remote streaming require a Plex Pass membership (or a cheaper remote streaming subscription if you only want the latter feature). If you don’t want to pay for a Plex Pass membership, try using the open-source Jellyfin, which isn’t subject to these restrictions.
Grab yourself a NAS or mini PC
The brains of the operation
You don’t need to buy new hardware to build a Plex media server. An old desktop PC or laptop can get the job done just fine, as can a Raspberry Pi or an NVIDIA Shield TV stick. Simply install the Plex media server software on your device of choice and hit the ground running. It’s that easy.
That said, repurposing an old PC for Plex has some drawbacks that a new NAS or mini PC will help you avoid. A NAS gives you several integrated drive bays and specialized home server software, so it’s the “easiest” option if you’re really trying to build a long-lasting, scalable home media server. Mini PCs, on the other hand, give you a much better price-to-performance ratio, so they’re generally the best option if you’re on a tight budget or can’t invest in storage right now (you could always connect a DAS enclosure later).
Again, if you’re using a min PC or desktop PC as a home server, I strongly suggest pairing it with an external DAS enclosure for storage. You can also use a NAS as a networked storage device for your mini PC, if you already own a NAS and just want a mini PC for greater transcoding capabilities.
- Brand
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TerraMaster
- CPU
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Intel x86 Quad-Core CPU
- Memory
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4GB
- Drive Bays
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2
- Dimensions
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8.74″D x 4.69″W x 6.06″H
This powerful and affordable 2-Bay NAS features an Intel N150 Quad-Core CPU and 8GB DDR5 memory, plus triple M.2 expansion for high-speed drives or cache.
Trust me, you’ll want to do this while drives are on sale
Your media server needs at least a few terabytes of storage for movies, TV shows, music, and whatever else you plan to put on it. And although it’s possible to get by with a minuscule amount of storage if you regularly prune old media, it’s usually best to make a big investment on day one. Buy once, cry once.
Unfortunately, there are very few storage deals this Prime Day. Favorites like the 4TB Seagate Ironwolf and 8TB WD Red Plus are still at full price, and the only real discounts are in the super-high-capacity range.
Any old 3.5-inch HDD will work in a Plex media server—storage is storage, after all. Feel free to repurpose old drives if you’re trying to save some money. But if you’re buying new drives, I strongly suggest that you stick with NAS HDDs, which are designed to last longer than typical hard drives in a server environment. They also come with far better warranties than the average desktop drive.
I should emphasize that there’s no benefit to using SSDs for media storage in a Plex server. HDDs are the most cost-effective option. Still, you can benefit from an SSD cache, particularly when downloading or transferring large files.
Jellyfin’s free plugins do what Plex charges for—and then some
These six essential add-ons give you things that Plex can’t do.
You’ll need these accessories later—why not buy them now?
Network switches, battery backups, and more
A NAS or mini PC is all you need to set up a functional Plex server. But self-hosting is a hobby, and there are some extra little bits of hardware that you’ll eventually buy if you continue down the road of Plex or Jellyfin. It just so happens that this stuff is on sale right now, so if you want to buy it, go for it.
The network switch is really the most valuable thing here. It essentially adds extra Ethernet ports to your router. I have a NAS, mini PC, PlayStation, and MacBook hooked up to my router through a cheap network switch—yeah, you don’t need an expensive one, anything that’s a Gigabit or more is fine.
Don’t delay, start reading the Plex guides today!
Once you’ve collected all your Plex gear, I suggest that you prepare yourself for the setup process with a little bit of reading. Plex is actually very easy to install and run, but there are common mistakes that a lot of beginners make, so it’s best to do some research ahead of time. The same goes for Jellyfin, which is ever-so-slightly more difficult to set up than Plex.
- Type
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Network Switch
- Manufacturer
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TP-Link
- Inputs
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5
Need more Ethernet ports? TP-Link’s affordable 5-port Gigabit network switch makes it far easier to set up a high-speed local server, especially if you have several gadgets that need a wired connection.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
