Media server rebuild - Appropriate setup?

[thenerb]

I've currently got an old (built in 2010) FreeNAS that is giving me problems. Despite upgrading to 8GB RAM (non-ECC), installing a new Intel NIC and FN 11.1, It crashes regularly and auto-restarts during media streaming and gives very poor data transfer speed that causes movies to skip, pause and lose quality often. I believe the time has come for some new hardware (current setup using consumer-grade MB and RAM). I will try replacing a HDD that has 4 bad sectors and seems to occasionally timeout, but don't expect this to remedy the problem. FYI, I am using roughly 65% of the storage capacity.

Use case: Local home media server plus file storage. Max of 2 continuous streams. Will want the new server to support Plex and potentially mirror some folders to cloud-storage. Unlikely to use VM's or do on-server transcoding

Will reuse:
* 5 x 2TB Samsung 5400RPM EcoGreen F4 HDD's - ST2000DL004 - RAIDZ1, so roughly 7.5TB of usable space
* 120GB Crucial SSD for boot volume
* CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W PSU
* Thermaltake ATX case with good ventilation

Here's what I'm thinking to add
* Supermicro X11SSM-F-O
* Kingston Technology ValueRAM 16GB 2400MHz DDR4 ECC CL17 DIMM
* Intel Core i3-8100 (Quad-core 3.6ghz)
OR
* Intel Pentium G4600 3.6ghz dual-core

Seem like a good setup? The i3 only costs $7 more than the Pentium but will cost me ~$5yr more in electricity. Will I see any benefit whatsoever from the extra cores and threads?

Thank you for the validation or other ideas.

 

[DrKK]

The X11SSM is pretty much the community favorite motherboard for FreeNAS, so I am sure you'll be happy with that.

My feeling on the electricity cost front, if I'm being honest, is this: "Anyone that is concerned about $5 more per year in electricity should probably not be running a FreeNAS". I assume you're not *REALLY* concerned about $5 more in electricity per year, and as that is a much better CPU than the Pentium for transcoding Plex streams, it seems a no-brainer to me.

 

[thenerb]

Haha, no, I'm not really concerned about the extra small amount of electricity. I'm just being over-analytical. :)

I agree that the i3 is probably a no-brainer. Good to have the extra compute capacity should I need it.

 

[Jussie]

Unless I am mistaken, you can’t use that i3-8100 with the X11SSM-F motherboard.

I’ve been researching the same board for my build and it only supports up to 7th Gen Kaby Lake parts. So an i3-7100 would work, but a coffee lake i3-8100 will not.

 

[thenerb]

I ended up returning the X11SSM-F motherboard. Confirmed that the i3-8100 will not work with it. I have ordered the X11SCH-LN4F instead. Fingers crossed it is actually in stock and will ship. Looks like an excellent modern board.