1. Unlock Streaming Success: Set Up Your Own Plex Media Center During Prime Day Sales

Quick Links

• The Best NAS, Mini PC and NVIDIA Shield Deals
• The Best Server-Ready Hard Drive Deals
• Deals on Useful Accessories

Tough times are upon us, yet streaming prices keep going up. There’s never been a better time to build a Plex media server and stream your personal library of shows and movies. Thankfully, these Prime Day deals make the price of entry slightly less painful.

Some of the deals are exclusive to Prime members. You may be eligible for a free trial if you haven’t subscribed to Prime in the last few months.

The Best NAS, Mini PC and NVIDIA Shield Deals

Andrew Heinzman / How-To Geek

Technically speaking, any computer can be a Plex media server. The old laptop that’s hidden in your closet could get the job done. So, why are we looking at Prime Day deals?

A Plex media server needs to store a massive amount of data. It also needs to be powerful enough to alter video quality on the fly. Most people are better off buying a piece of hardware that is purpose-built for this sort of functionality—it just gives you an easier, more predictable, and more enjoyable experience.

We’re going to highlight three hardware devices that can power your Plex media server. The first and easiest option is a NAS device, which is just a box with a bunch of drive bays and a specialized home server operating system. More advanced users may be interested in mini PCs, and those on a tight budget should check out the NVIDIA Shield.

• TERRAMASTER F2-424 2-bay NAS : $303 ($76 off)
• TERRAMASTER F4-243 4-bay NAS : $367 ($93 off)
• Synology 2-bay DiskStation DS224+ : $239 ($69 off)
• Synology 4-bay DiskStation DS932+ : $479 ($163 off)
• ASUS NUC 14 Pro Mini PC : $508 ($26 off)
• Beelink S12 Pro Mini PC : $159 $40 off)
• Beelink EQ12 Mini PC : $209 ($70 off)
• NVIDIA Shield TV Pro : $169 ($30 off)

Just to be clear, none of these devices come with the storage necessary for a Plex media server. You need to buy the storage separately. You’ll also need to get some RAM if you opt for a mini PC.

I suggest reading the Plex Quick-Start guide , which provides setup instructions for NAS devices and mini PCs. There’s also a dedicated setup guide for the NVIDIA Shield .

TERRAMASTER F2-424 2-bay NAS

The TERRAMASTER F2-424 two-bay NAS can store a maximum 22TB of data Its N95 Quad-Core CPU and integrated GPU are powerful enough for 4K video transcoding, making it an excellent option for anyone who needs a compact Plex media server.

$380 at Amazon

The Best Server-Ready Hard Drive Deals

Jordan Gloor / How-To Geek

A Plex media server requires a large amount of storage for movies and shows. Don’t bother with overpriced SSDs, as their increased transfer rate is of no benefit in this particular circumstance. A simple 3.5-inch HDD is your best and most cost-effective option.

Any old 3.5-inch HDD will work in a Plex media server, though we’re going to highlight HDDs that are specifically designed for servers, as they’re less prone to failure during all-day operation.

• WD Red Plus 8TB NAS HDD : $143 ($46 off)
• Seagate IronWolf 8TB NAS HDD : $149 ($10 off)
• WD Red Pro 8TB NAS HDD : $189 ($50 off)
• WD Red Plus 10TB NAS HDD : $199 ($83 off)
• Seagate IronWolf 12TB NAS HDD : $199 ($40 off)

The rule of thumb when building a media server is to never “mix and match” drives. There are exceptions to this rule, but I suggest that you follow it anyway. If one drive in your server is 8TB, all other drives should also be 8TB, and so on.

You can stick these drives straight into a NAS device. That said, if you’ve opted to build your media server with a Mini PC or NVIDIA Shield, you’ll need a single-bay or multi-bay external HDD enclosure to hold all of your drives.

Seagate IronWolf 8TB NAS HDD

$170 $179 Save $9

Seagate’s IronWolf HDD offers a durable, server-ready construction and includes a one-year warranty. It’s one of the most storage options for Plex media servers.

$170 at Amazon See at adorama

Deals on Useful Accessories

Corbin Davenport / Review Geek

You probably won’t need any of these accessories when building a Plex media server. But they’re useful, so I figured that they were worth highlighting.

• LG Blu-ray Writer/Ripper : $67 ($20 off)
• UGREEN Cat8 Ethernet Cable 6-Foot : $6 ($2 off)
• TP-Link 5-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Ethernet Switch : $16 ($4 off)

If you want to rip movies from your DVD or Blu-ray collection, LG’s Blu-ray drive is a must-have. Just know that it’s an internal SATA drive—you need to pair it with an optical drive enclosure if you want to use it over USB.

Any NAS device that you buy should come with an Ethernet cable, though this isn’t guaranteed. An Ethernet switch simply adds more ports to the back of your router.

TP-Link TL-SG105 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch

Spread the speed of wired internet to more devices with this 5-port unmanaged Ethernet switch.

See at Amazon

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