Finalising NAS

[NAS_noob]

HI all!

I'm finally planning my first NAS and wanted to ask you, if you can find anything wrong with my configuration. Maybe you can also answer a few questions I have.

First of all: What am I planning to do with my NAS? My main use case would be a data-backup and I would also like to stream movies. Other than that, I dont know. The smaller the build and the less energy it consumes the better. Also, less noise is also better. But if not possible, not a problem.

Another note: Im not planning on running the NAS 24/7 (at least for now)

 

I have 4 configurations, but the storage is always the same:

• 3 x Seagate IronWolf NAS HDD +Rescue 8TB (https://geizhals.at/seagate-ironwolf-nas-hdd-8tb-st8000vn004-a2085161.html)
• For the OS: Patriot P300 128GB, M.2 2280 (https://geizhals.at/patriot-p300-128gb-p300p128gm28-a2237618.html?hloc=at). I have read in a different thread, that 32gb are enough, but 128gb was the smallest M.2 drive I could find

configuration 1.: Cost: 1630€ (incl. storage)

• Case: Jonsbo N2 or N3. The price is very similar but Im unsure what the better choice would be. I like, that the N2 ist smaller, but the N3 has more bays. At the moment I dont think Im gonna need more than 4, but who knows. Also with the N3 I would be able to use a bigger cooler (is that necessary?) and normal PCEi expensions. The cooling in general should also be better.
• PSU: be quiet! SFX Power 3 450W (https://geizhals.at/be-quiet-sfx-power-3-450w-sfx12v-3-42-bn321-a2508560.html?hloc=at). Cheapest I could find (from a brand I trust)
• Memory: 2 x G.Skill Aegis UDIMM 8GB, DDR4-3200, CL16-18-18-38 (https://geizhals.at/g-skill-aegis-dimm-8gb-f4-3200c16s-8gis-a2151629.html?hloc=at)
• Motherboard: GIGABYTE H610I DDR4 (https://geizhals.at/gigabyte-h610i-ddr4-a2661678.html). Should have an intel NIC (because Realtek is a no-go?)
• CPU: Intel Core i3-12100 (https://geizhals.at/intel-core-i3-12100-bx8071512100-a2659496.html). This would come with the stock cooler. For 20€ or 30€ more I could also get a cooler from Noctua.

configuration 2.: Cost: 1600€ (incl. storage). Mostly the same (except: Case and MoBo)

• Case: Jonsbo N4. Only because I could use a different MoBo.
• Motherboard: ASUS Pro H610M-C D4-CSM (https://geizhals.at/asus-pro-h610m-c-d4-csm-90mb1a30-m0eayc-a2700920.html). Has more expansion slots that configuration 1.

configuration 3.: Cost: 1780€ (incl. storage)

• Case: Jonsbo N3. Has to fit the MoBo
• PSU: same as before
• Memory: 1 x Lexar SO-DIMM 16GB, DDR5-5600, CL46-45-45-90 (https://geizhals.at/lexar-so-dimm-16gb-ld5s16g56c46st-bgs-a3381472.html?hloc=at)
• Motherboard + CPU: Intel N150-K (https://cwwk.net/products/cwwk-12th-gen-i3-n305-n100-2-intel-i226-v-2-5g-nas-motherboard-6-sata3-0-6-bay-soft-rout-1-ddr5-4800mhz-firewall-itx-mainboard?variant=46991340142824). Should use less power but is not as powerful (?)

configuration 4.: Cost: 1722€ (incl. storage)

• Case + Motherboard + PSU + CPU: AOOSTAR WTR MAX with the Intel I5 1235U (https://aoostar.com/collections/nas11-12/products/aoostar-wtr-max-intel-1235u). Should also use less power than the i3-12100 (less performance?). I chose this one, because Intel should be better for streaming.
• Memory: 2 x PNY Performance SO-DIMM 8GB, DDR5-5600 (https://geizhals.at/pny-performance-so-dimm-8gb-mn8gsd55600-blk-a3877219.html?hloc=at).

Maybe you can correct me on mistakes I made. Also, can you recommend one of these four configurations? I would love any feedback.

One last note: the NAS is, without the storage 530€ - 715€. This seems kinda high? Or is that price to be expected (nowadays). If not, where could I save some money?

Thank you 🙂

 

[Mobius]

5 hours ago, NAS_noob said:

Case: Jonsbo N2 or N3. The price is very similar but Im unsure what the better choice would be. I like, that the N2 ist smaller, but the N3 has more bays. At the moment I dont think Im gonna need more than 4, but who knows. Also with the N3 I would be able to use a bigger cooler (is that necessary?) and normal PCEi expensions. The cooling in general should also be better.

don't sleep on the jonsbo n4 either, Its a good price (in america, can't say about europe) but the main thing is that it can use matx sized motherboards which tend to be less expensive than itx and has slightly more connectivity.
BIgger cooler is probably not gonna be the biggest deal for you but bigger coolers can run quieter and ironically good ones are cheaper than decent low profile coolers.

5 hours ago, NAS_noob said:

PSU: be quiet! SFX Power 3 450W (https://geizhals.at/be-quiet-sfx-power-3-450w-sfx12v-3-42-bn321-a2508560.html?hloc=at). Cheapest I could find (from a brand I trust)

Consider splurging a little for a psu that is fully modular because its a lifesaver when working with small form factor cases.

5 hours ago, NAS_noob said:

Motherboard: GIGABYTE H610I DDR4 (https://geizhals.at/gigabyte-h610i-ddr4-a2661678.html). Should have an intel NIC (because Realtek is a no-go?)

good catch picking a motherboard that doesn't use a realtek nic, even i've made that mistake.

5 hours ago, NAS_noob said:

CPU: Intel Core i3-12100 (https://geizhals.at/intel-core-i3-12100-bx8071512100-a2659496.html). This would come with the stock cooler. For 20€ or 30€ more I could also get a cooler from Noctua.

I can't really check prices for where you are at but in america i can find a i5-11500 for cheaper than the i3-12100 and the 11500 is superior.
Also buying used for intel cpus tend to be safe.
I would skip the noctua unless it is going to be placed somewhere you can regularly hear it.
even then i would check the prices of a thermalright cooler first. They cool just as well and are almost as quiet for less money.

Looks like you've already thought of some of my suggestions but i'll post them anyways

Everything is expensive these days, but my suggestions are to get used cpu and ram
you can also cheap out on the case and get a generic case that isn't nas specific like the jonsbo.
also try using pcpartpicker i think it might work for austria

[NAS_noob]

Thank you for you reply!

7 hours ago, Mobius said:

don't sleep on the jonsbo n4 either, Its a good price (in america, can't say about europe) but the main thing is that it can use matx sized motherboards which tend to be less expensive than itx and has slightly more connectivity.

Yeah the N4 is quite a bit cheaper (25€), and the MoBo I selected as well (8€) (-> Config 1 vs. 2). The thing I dont like is the bigger footprint 

7 hours ago, Mobius said:

Consider splurging a little for a psu that is fully modular because its a lifesaver when working with small form factor cases.

modular would be great, but the cheapest I could find is a 600W bequiet PSU or a 650W from FSP which are 30€ more expensive (71€ vs 100€), so I dont know if its worth it

9 hours ago, Mobius said:

I can't really check prices for where you are at but in america i can find a i5-11500 for cheaper than the i3-12100 and the 11500 is superior.

I have to check the used market (normaly not great in austria), but the i5-11500 costs new 206€, so 60€ more than the i5-12100

9 hours ago, Mobius said:

even then i would check the prices of a thermalright cooler first.

good to know, thanks

9 hours ago, Mobius said:

also try using pcpartpicker i think it might work for austria

yeah it works, but the site im using (geizhals.at) also shows me where I can buy a product the cheapest

 

Would you go for the intel i3-12100 instead of the Intel N150 and I5 1235U (configuration 3 and 4)?

Thanks again

[Mobius]

I would go with the 1235u just because of its power efficiency compared to 12100 and better performance compared to n150.
It also has better support for av1 video compared to 12100
On another note if you watch a lot of subtitled video, i would skip the n150

[NAS_noob]

14 hours ago, Mobius said:

I would go with the 1235u just because of its power efficiency compared to 12100 and better performance compared to n150.

That makes the decision harder. I was thinking about getting the 12100 (Configuration 2). Do you really thinks, that its much more power efficient?

16 hours ago, Mobius said:

It also has better support for av1 video compared to 12100

Where did you get that information from? I couldnt find anything about that. Dont they have the same support (because both are 12th gen)?

One last question: You said, you would go with the 1235U. That means, I would buy the AOOSTAR WTR MAX. But the 1235U is a soldered CPU, so if something would break (CPU or MoBo), I would habe to replace both the CPU and the MoBo (and I would not be able to use any MoBo, because the ports are cut into the case). Would you still go for the 1235U?

[Mobius]

7 hours ago, NAS_noob said:

Where did you get that information from? I couldnt find anything about that. Dont they have the same support (because both are 12th gen)?

you're right, i mixed it up with the next gen where the mobile cpus where on a updated architecture compared to the desktop ones
also intel's naming scheme really has gotten confusing.
4 digit and 5 digit cpu model numbers should not exist in the same gen >.>

7 hours ago, NAS_noob said:

That makes the decision harder. I was thinking about getting the 12100 (Configuration 2). Do you really thinks, that its much more power efficient?

so according to google the 1235u idles at 1.5-5w and the 12100 idles at 15-25w.
thats the difference of around 2 led lightbulbs if we compare 5w to 15w.

depending on electricity costs in your area it could be worth the difference.
I have my server on 24/7 and all savings when it comes to electricity is worth it for me.

calculating a best case scenario difference of 10w using a rate of 0.25 euros per kwh (what google told me the average rate is in austria)
the difference would cost you 21.92 euros in electricity per year assuming your system is running 24/7
worst case scenario of 23.5w difference at the same rate it would cost 51.5 euros per year

realistically it would be somewhere in between the 21.92 and 51.5 euros per year.

7 hours ago, NAS_noob said:

One last question: You said, you would go with the 1235U. That means, I would buy the AOOSTAR WTR MAX. But the 1235U is a soldered CPU, so if something would break (CPU or MoBo), I would habe to replace both the CPU and the MoBo (and I would not be able to use any MoBo, because the ports are cut into the case). Would you still go for the 1235U?

That is a real downside, I suggest googling to see how good aoostar's support and warranty process is. A lot of users on this forum have also bought aoostar products and i think the general concusses was that they are happy with it.
Generally i don't expect motherboard or cpu to fail often.
they usually follow the bathtub curve where there will be very early failures on defective mobos and cpus but there will usually be little to no failures until they die of old age

Honestly i think you would likely be happy either way

[NAS_noob]

18 minutes ago, Mobius said:

also intel's naming scheme really has gotten confusing.

For sure haha

18 minutes ago, Mobius said:

calculating a best case scenario difference of 10w using a rate of 0.25 euros per kwh (what google told me the average rate is in austria)
the difference would cost you 21.92 euros in electricity per year assuming your system is running 24/7
worst case scenario of 23.5w difference at the same rate it would cost 51.5 euros per year

have to think about that, thanks for the information

19 minutes ago, Mobius said:

That is a real downside, I suggest googling to see how good aoostar's support and warranty process is. A lot of users on this forum have also bought aoostar products and i think the general concusses was that they are happy with it.
Generally i don't expect motherboard or cpu to fail often.
they usually follow the bathtub curve where there will be very early failures on defective mobos and cpus but there will usually be little to no failures until they die of old age

Gonna see if I can find anything about that

Thank you so much for your help 🙂

[Mobius]

You're welcome