Since SSDs have no moving parts, they run silent, so the only sound from your NAS will be the internal fan.SSDs also use less power than mechanical disks. The main attraction of solid-state storage is its exceptional performance - but in this context that's largely moot. We'd recommend starting with 1TB or 2TB mechanical drives, with a He usually alternates between an economical DIY NAS build and an insane, top-dollar NAS build. We're going with AMD, however, to take full advantage of integrated Vega graphics.When it comes to RAM in a NAS, you only really need to pay attention to speed and capacity. We tested the Qnap TS-453B using four 2.5in SATA SSDs, and saw a slight improvement in 4K read speeds - up from 10.4MB/sec to 11.4MB/sec.And if you've ever sat next to a four-bay NAS appliance, you'll know that the combined noise of four mechanical hard disks all grinding away can be quite distracting. A 1TB mechanical disk can be had for 40, so you can set up a 3TB RAID 5 array for 160. Thermaltake's CORE V21 case is great for this, sporting the option to fit up to three drives. There's also the bonus addition of a side panel window to show off the insides.

If you’re looking to build your own storage server for your home office, and you’re interested in having a shopping list that will just work, you should check out Brian’s builds. My old friend Brian Moses usually publishes one or two DIY NAS builds each year. With a NAS system, the aim is to keep the footprint small but have ample room to throw in a number of storage drives and capable components. This EVGA unit is a reliable, affordable option.This isn't the most thrilling motherboard around. But is it a good idea? We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Just make sure you're using RAM supported by the motherboard, and you're good to go. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a device chassis. A gigabit Ethernet connection can only handle transfer speeds up to around 110MB/sec, so unless you're willing to spend serious cash on 10GbE hardware, you'll see no benefit from faster drives.That's not to say the SSD route is completely without merit. Most NAS drives will accept 2.5in drives, opening up the intriguing option of populating them with SSDs.

To get the most out of your Intel Core i5-10600K processor for gaming, you'll need a good GPU. Our four-bay Qnap TS-453B, populated with four 1TB Seagate Barracuda 3.5in hard disks, drew 32W from the mains while sitting idle, and 38W while streaming video; switching to four SSDs saw this plummet to 14W idle and 16W while streaming. Although this information is still pretty early in the […] With this case, you'll not only be able to build a compact system but also show it off with LED lighting and other case mods.For … Intel has a wide range of processors that will do the job, depending on what tasks you want the NAS to perform. We selected an 8GB kit that should be more than enough for most NAS-related tasks, including some streaming. The very cheapest 1TB SSD, will set you back around 250 - so you're looking at a cool grand for the same amount of storage. That's not to say the SSD route is completely without merit. They range from 1TB to 16TB in size, so it's possible to configure enough capacity for your needs.Here are some of the advantages when it comes to building your own NAS setup:With a NAS system, the aim is to keep the footprint small but have ample room to throw in several storage drives and capable components. You'll see a similar drop regardless of which NAS enclosure you choose.The catch is the cost. An Atom or Pentium processor will be more than enough for file and media storage, while a Core i3 chip will be better for streaming, Plex use, and multi-user optimization. All rights reserved. Our motherboard in this collection has two slots, allowing us to upgrade the capacity to 16GB at a later date.Storage options depend on how much space you wish to use. This is a solid option for a NAS, however.You shouldn't require more than 8GB of RAM on a NAS. We've rounded up a few options, ranging from the affordable and budget-friendly side to the premium "you'll likely not need this" end.Rich Edmonds is a word conjurer at Windows Central, covering everything related to Windows, gaming, and hardware. Whether you plan on playing titles at 1080p, 1440p or 4K, these are the cards you'll need.While you'll get some solid performance out of Intel's Core i5-10600K, you'll still need some good RAM to get going.In order to use the Intel Core i9-9900K processor, you'll need a compatible motherboard.