Upgrade?

[Quinterly]

I have a headless server running Windows 10 with JF as the media server. The PC fails Windows 11 certification because of the CPU (Core i5-6400). It is TPM2.0 compliant and enabled, but the processor is Intel Gen 6 which isn't supported.

It works fine for my needs. Streams 4K without issue and supports multiple streams at once (would never be more than two). With Windows 10 deprecation on the horizon, considering my options and looking for thoughts:

1. Install Win11 anyways ... I am completely comfortable in the Windows ecosystem, it's what I know, and the only issue with the system is the age of the CPU and it not being supported.
   
2. Switch to a Linux based OS ... not really thinking of going this route because if I keep the same hardware, why not just go W11 (even with more overhead).
   
3. By a NUC and use a DAS for media connected by USB3.2. Intriguing option for me, but I get lost on Intel processor designations (almost every PC build I've done is AMD with the exception of the current home server). Would something like this or this work?
   
4. Build a new server from scratch on a mini-ITX platform.
   

Thoughts and suggestions?

[Bobby Vaughn]

Consider one of the mini Windows 11 pc’s. They are cheap and seem to work well. I have one with an N97 cpu and 16gb ram, it handles Jellyfin just fine. The N100 ones seem to be good too. There is a 13th gen one now with a N150 that is only a few dollars more.

[Quinterly]

Consider one of the mini Windows 11 pc’s. They are cheap and seem to work well. I have one with an N97 cpu and 16gb ram,  it handles Jellyfin just fine. The N100 ones seem to be good too. There is a 13th gen one now with a N150 that is only a few dollars more.

Thanks and this is where my Intel confusion starts. How would a mini-pc with a Core i5-120U compare to an N100 or N150?

[TheDreadPirate]

Also 2nd-ing the suggestion for an Intel based mini-PC.  Intel Quick Sync will run circles around AMD for transcoding.

This is the model I suggest and, so far, everyone that has gotten it has been happy with it.

https://www.amazon.ca/Beelink-Pro-Deskto...0C89TQ1YF/

[Quinterly]

Also 2nd-ing the suggestion for an Intel based mini-PC.  Intel Quick Sync will run circles around AMD for transcoding.

This is the model I suggest and, so far, everyone that has gotten it has been happy with it.

https://www.amazon.ca/Beelink-Pro-Deskto...0C89TQ1YF/

Thanks, any value in stepping up to the N150? And, no issues with media files on a USB3.2 DAS?

[Bobby Vaughn]

Personally, I’ve had no issues with transcoding or watching on multiple devices. The biggest thing is it supports modern codecs. I run Jellyfin and Channels DVR on mine with around 3 devices using it at any given time.

[TheDreadPirate]

Also 2nd-ing the suggestion for an Intel based mini-PC.  Intel Quick Sync will run circles around AMD for transcoding.

This is the model I suggest and, so far, everyone that has gotten it has been happy with it.

https://www.amazon.ca/Beelink-Pro-Deskto...0C89TQ1YF/

Thanks, any value in stepping up to the N150? And, no issues with media files on a USB3.2 DAS?

There won't be a tangible difference since it appears to be a minor clock speed bump over the N100.  A USB DAS is perfectly fine.

[Quinterly]

There won't be a tangible difference since it appears to be a minor clock speed bump over the N100.  A USB DAS is perfectly fine.

Thanks ... and maybe one last question. If i do the Beelink with a decent DAS, I'm at $550 to $600 Canadian. For that, wouldn't something like this give me better performance and be a better route: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/YfppHW?

Totally comfortable doing my own build ... would probably run Debian as the OS.

[TheDreadPirate]

Absolutely.  The N100 is popular due to the performance per watt and, usually, all-in-one nature of most N100 based devices.  But, if you have the know-how and need, building your own is much more flexible.  Depending on how many drives you want now, or in the future, perhaps consider a larger case?  If you do choose this route, get a full ATX board for the additional SATA ports. I have the Fractal Meshify 2 and love it with a micro ATX board that I've already outgrown (needed a SATA PCIe card).  I'm up to 5 drives at the moment, with 1-2 more planned for 2025.  Whenever ZFS 2.3 is released and then available on Ubuntu 24.04.