/r/htpc Wiki
Storage Setup Guide
General
Spinning hard drives should be kept between 25C and 40C and temperature swings should be avoided where at all possible. Drives failure rates increase with heat, so do not pack more drives in a PC than you can effectively cool. SSDs should be kept below 70C to avoid performance throttling.
If quick, no-delay access is required, APM/power management should be disabled so hard drives do not spin down and park their heads (see Disk Mgmt software below).
Hard drive noise varies by vendor. Newer, helium-filled drives tend to be quieter than air-filled drives.
Recommended drives and related prices are given in the Hardware section below.
Reliability
Different types of storage have different levels of reliability. The trick is to balance your needs with cost, space, and flexibility issues. Avoid “External Storage (USB/DAS)” and “Network Storage (Wifi)” where at all possible, but we will still provide solutions below.
From Most reliable to Least reliable:
- Internal Storage (SATA/SAS)
- External Storage (PCIe SAS)
- Network Storage (LAN)
- External Storage (USB/DAS)
- Network Storage (Wifi)
Internal Storage
Large internal media storage usually consists of 3.5” HDD SATA drives, but also can be 2.5” SATA HDD drives if physical space is at a premium and <= 5TB of disk space is required. Markers of quality and general longevity are warranty, workload (TB/Yr), and M.T.B.F numbers.
SSDs are good for smaller app, metadata and cache storage as they have more read/write performance and are quieter than HDDs. The value is not quite there for mass storage, so avoid for that use. 2.5” SATA SSD drives are good value for ephemeral space that doesn’t need the best performance, while M.2 drives are better for higher IO performance and endurance.
External Storage
External media storage can come in the format of USB drives or USB/Thunderbolt Direct Attached Storage enclosures (DAS); drives in a DAS can act as individual drives or as one drive. These USB-based storage devices are o.k. for beginner setups, but anything attached by USB is at risk of being disconnected at random, so internal or network storage is preferred to external, for reliability and stability. That said, if a DAS is PCIe SAS-based instead of USB, this is just as good as internal/network storage.
Never do Software RAID or drive pooling over USB.
Recommended DASes are bolded in the Hardware section below. PCIe solutions being preferred.
Attach to a DiY or Ad-hoc solution below
Network Storage
You should keep your network storage away from your listening environments/clients, both logically and physically, where at all possible. Logically because of it having a specialized OS different from front-ends makes it hard to combine tasks into a single system, Physically because of potential, combined noise and temperatures. Basements/media closets are ideal, but any space without drastic temperature fluctuations is fine.
If you have the money to spend on a pre-built NAS and your requirements will not shift drastically, you should do that. Otherwise, looks at the other alternate options.
Hardware
Pre-Built NAS
(as of 2024-09-14)
The best option where cpu/mem requirements are not large and will not shift drastically. Becomes less cost effective as the number of drives increase, but may be justified if you really don’t want to learn the ins/outs of DiY network storage and just want an easy, low-maintenance setup with a purpose-built pre-installed OS.
There is a full list below, but the best pre-built NASes for the money are..
If you just need storage..
- 2 drives: Terramaster F2-212 - $170
- 4 drives: Terramaster F4-212 - $230
If you need storage and want to run backend services (like plex)..
- 2 drives: Terramaster F2-423 - $280
- 4 drives: Terramaster F4-424 - $500
STORAGE+SERVICES - 2 drives
| BRAND | MODEL | DRIVES | COST | TRANSCODING | CPU | PASSMARK | PM/$ | RAID MODES | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terramaster | F2-423 | 2 | $280 | 4k (1a) | x64 (Celeron N5105) 2.0 Ghz | 4094 | 14.6 | RAID 0/1,JBOD,Single | 4GB RAM, 2.5 Gb/s |
| Terramaster | F2-424 | 2 | $380 | 4k (1a) | x64 (Celeron N95) 3.4 Ghz | 5419 | 14.26 | RAID 0/1,JBOD,Single | 8GB RAM, 2x2.5 Gb/s |
| ASUSTOR | AS-5402T | 2 | $380 | 4k (1a) | x64 (Celeron N5105) 2.0 GHz | 4094 | 10.77 | RAID 0/1,JBOD,Single | 4GB RAM, 2x2.5Gb/s, ext4/btrfs |
| Synology | DS224+ | 2 | $300 | Some/4k (1b) | x64 (Celeron J4125) 2.0 Ghz | 3035 | 10.1 | RAID 0/1,JBOD,SHR,Single | 2GB RAM, 1Gb/s x2 |
| QNAP | TS-264 | 2 | $425 | 4k (1a) | x64 (Celeron N5095) 2.0GHz | 4125 | 9.7 | RAID 0/1,JBOD,Single | 8GB RAM, 2.5Gb/s, ext4 |
| Terramaster | F2-223 | 2 | $260 | Some/4k (1b) | x64 (Celeron N4505) | 2241 | 8.62 | RAID 0/1,JBOD,Single | 4GB RAM, 2x2.5 Gb/s |
STORAGE+SERVICES - 3+ drives
| BRAND | MODEL | DRIVES | COST | TRANSCODING | CPU | PASSMARK | PM/$ | RAID MODES | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terramaster | F4-424 Pro | 4 | $700 | 4k (0a) | x64 (i3-N305) 3.8 Ghz | 10060 | 14.37 | RAID 0/1/5/6/10,JBOD,Single | ext4/btrfs, 32GB RAM, 2x2.5 Gb/s |
| Terramaster | F4-424 | 4 | $500 | 4k (1a) | x64 (Celeron N95) 3.4 Ghz | 5419 | 10.83 | RAID 0/1/5/6/10,JBOD,Single | ext4/btrfs, 8GB RAM, 2x2.5 Gb/s |
| Terramaster | F4-423 | 4 | $400 | 4k (1a) | x64 (Celeron N5105) 2.0 GHz | 4094 | 10.2 | RAID 0/1/5/6/10, JBOD, Single | ext4/btrfs, 4GB RAM , 2.5 Gb/s |
| QNAP | TS-364-4G | 3 | $450 | 4k (1a) | x64 (Celeron N5105) 2.0 GHz | 4094 | 9.09 | RAID 0/1/5,JBOD,Single | ext4, 4GB RAM, 2.5 Gb/s |
| Terramaster | F6-424 | 6 | $600 | 4k (1a) | x64 (Celeron N95) 3.4 Ghz | 5419 | 9.03 | RAID 0/1/5/6/10,JBOD,Single | ext4/btrfs, 8GB RAM, 2x2.5 Gb/s |
| ASUSTOR | AS-5404T | 4 | $530 | 4k (1a) | x64 (Celeron N5105) 2.0 GHz | 4094 | 7.74 | RAID 0/1/5/6/10,JBOD,Single | 4GB RAM, 2x2.5Gb/s, ext4/btrfs |
| QNAP | TS-464-4G | 4 | $550 | 4k (1a) | x64 (Celeron N5105) 2.0 GHz | 4094 | 7.44 | RAID 0/1/5/6/10, JBOD,Single | ext4, 4GB RAM, 2.5 Gb/s |
| Synology | DS423+ | 4 | $500 | Some/4k (1b) | x64 (Celeron J4125) 2.0 Ghz | 3035 | 6.07 | 2GB RAM | |
| QNAP | TS-453D-4G | 4 | $500 | Some/4k (1b) | x64 (Celeron J4125) 2.0 GHz | 3035 | 6.07 | RAID 0/1/5/6/10,JBOD,Single | ext4, 4GB RAM |
| Terramaster | T6-423 | 6 | $700 | 4k (1a) | x64 (Celeron N5105) 2.0 GHz | 4094 | 5.84 | RAID 0/1/5/6/10,JBOD,Single | ext4/btrfs, 4GB RAM (32) |
| Synology | DS1522+ | 5 | $700 | 1080p | x64 (Ryzen R1600) 2.6 Ghz | 3300 | 4.71 | 8GB RAM, 1 Gb/s x4 |
JUST STORAGE - 2 drives
| BRAND | MODEL | DRIVES | COST | TRANSCODING | CPU | PASSMARK | PM/$ | RAID MODES | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terramaster | F2-212 | 2 | $170 | Some 1080p/None | ARMv8.2 (Realtek 1619B) 1.7Ghz | NA | NA | RAID 0/1, TRAID, JBOD, Single | ext4/btrfs, 1GB RAM, 1 Gb/s |
| QNAP | TS-233 | 2 | $200 | Some 1080p/None | ARMv8.2 4-core 2.0Ghz | NA | NA | RAID 0/1, JBOD, Single | ext4, 2GB RAM, 1 Gb/s |
| Asustor | AS-1102T | 2 | $180 | Some 1080p/None | ARMv8 (Realtek 1296) 1.4Ghz | NA | NA | RAID 0/1, JBOD, Single | ext4, 1GB RAM, 2.5 Gb/s |
| Synology | DS220j | 2 | $190 | Some 1080p/None | ARMv8 (Realtek 1296) 1.4Ghz | NA | NA | SHR, RAID 0/1, JBOD, Single | ext4, 512MB RAM, 1 Gb/s |
JUST STORAGE - 4+ drives
| BRAND | MODEL | DRIVES | COST | TRANSCODING | CPU | PASSMARK | PM/$ | RAID MODES | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terramaster | F4-212 | 4 | $230 | Some 1080p/None | ARMv8.2 (Realtek 1619B) 1.7Ghz | NA | NA | RAID 0/1/10/5/6, JBOD, TRAID, Single | ext4/btrfs, 1/2GB RAM, 1 Gb/s |
| Asustor | 1104T | 4 | $270 | Some 1080p/None | ARMv8 (Realtek 1296) 1.4Ghz | NA | NA | RAID 0/1/10/5/6, JBOD, Single | ext4, 1GB RAM, 2.5 Gb/s |
| Terramaster | F5-221 | 5 | $380 | Some/4k 8-bit (3) | x64 (Celeron J3355) 2.0-2.5Ghz | 1186 | 3.12 |
LEGEND
Passmark = CPU performance. Higher is better.
PM/$ = Passmark per $. Higher is better.
Transcoding = Plex transcoding ability, referenced in plex’s transcoding spreadsheet
(0a) HW Transcoding: 3x 4k or 14x 1080p. SW Transcoding: 4x 1080p
(1a) HW Transcoding: 2x 4k or 10x 1080p. SW Transcoding: 2x 1080p
(1b) HW Transcoding: 1x 4k or 4x 1080p. SW Transcoding: 1x 1080p + 1x 720p
(2) HW Transcoding: 1x 4k or 3x 1080p. SW Transcoding: 1x 1080p
(3) HW Transcoding: 2x 1080p. SW Transcoding: 2x 720p
(4) HW Transcoding: 1x 1080p. SW Transcoding: 1x 720p
Ad-hoc
If you can’t afford a pre-built NAS and want to do it more cheaply, you can use/buy one of these and add external drives/enclosures to it:
-
Single Board Computer (SBC) or Pre-owned OEM PC
-
1 drive: NanoPi R2S (USB2x1) $27, Orange Pi Zero 3 (USB2x1) $25
- 2-4 drives:
- USB-based: Orange Pi 3 LTS (USB3x1,USB2x2) $40, RPI 4b (USB3x2,USB2x2) $35, Rock64-2GB (USB3x1,USB2x2) $35, Pine H64 (USB3x1,USB2x2) $45, Odroid C4 (USB3x4) $55, PC: Dell/Lenovo i3-41x0t (USB3x2-4,USB2x2) $50. Optionally, add a single enclosure DAS over USB.
- SATA-based: Odroid HC4 (SATAx2) $75, Odroid H4+ + Case (SATAx4) $150.
- Install linux or Openmediavault as your OS, optionally create a storage pool under mergerFS if more than one drive, and share your storage out over the network with Samba.
-
-
Wireless Access Point with USB port. if you already have one
- Put it in AP mode on wired ethernet and share the disk with samba. Not advised for very large or non-powered drives. Get a SBC instead.
DiY
If you want more CPU performance or more flexibility/expandability than any reasonably priced pre-built NAS or Ad-hoc solution can offer, build out your own DiY NAS with Unraid/TrueNAS/OMV and commodity hardware.
Reference the DiY case/drive lists below, and the example builds under the Wiki Sample Builds page for full-part builds that range from used OEM pre-builts to ultimate DiY
If you want to skirt the line between a pre-built NAS and DiY, look at the following, as these can provide the same CPU/GPU performance as a pre-built NAS for cheaper, but give you more OS support with Windows, Linux or Unraid/TrueNAS/OMV compatibility and DiY-like flexibility:
- Intel-based Seeed Studio reServer (2 drives)
- Intel-based AOOSTAR R1 (2 drives) / AOOSTAR WTR PRO (4 drives)
Direct Attach Storage (DAS)
As stated above, avoid USB based DASes. PCIe SAS is much more reliable.
You can fit the low-profile PCIe cards into SFF sized servers (m920s) and even in a number of pre-built Micros (m920q/m90q, P320/P330 Tiny, ms-01) and DiY your own solution for the same cost of the USB solutions. Yes, it’s more work, but more reliable and flexible. For a smaller, simpler version, look at the D400S.
| BRAND | MODEL | DRIVES | COST | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mediasonic | Probox - HF2/HF7 | 4 | $100/$150 | HF2: USB 3.0/eSATA, HF7: USB31G2 |
| Mediasonic | Proraid - HFR2/HFR7 | 4 | $150/$180 | USB30/USB31G2, HW RAID 0/1/10/3/5, JBOD, Single |
| Mediasonic | Probox - H82 | 8 | $270-$350 | USB30/USB31G2, Single |
| Terramaster | D4-300 | 4 | $170 | USB31G1, Single |
| OWC | Mercury Elite Pro 2 | 2 | $65 | USB31G1/eSATA, Single |
| OWC | Mercury Elite Pro Quad | 4 | $220 | USB31G2, Single |
| QNAP | TL-D400S | 4 | $300 | PCIe SAS, JBOD, Single |
| QNAP | TR-002-US | 2 | $160 | USB32G1, HW RAID 0/1/10/5, JBOD, Single |
| QNAP | TR-004-US | 4 | $200 | USB32G1, HW RAID 0/1/10/5, JBOD, Single |
| PC Pitstop | Various (Semi-DiY) | 4-16 | $350-1300 | Enclosure + PCIe SAS card |
| Various | Various (DiY) | 8-16 | $250 | PCIe SAS card+CASE+CAB1+ADAP+CAB2+PSU+FANS+SPLIT |
| Various | Various (DiY) | 4 | $125 | PCIe SATA card+HDD Cage+Molex PSU |
Hard Drives
Recs bolded. Choose WD Ultrastar DC HC unless you need the lowest noise during read/write, then choose Ironwolf Pro NAS NT (you will give up cache size until 22TB model).
| BRAND | CAPACITY | WARRANTY | INTERFACE | CACHE | WORKLOAD | Noise (1) | USE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WD Elements/Easystore | 3-2TTB | 2 yr | USB/SATA | Various | Various | NA | USB, Shucked (pre-built or custom NAS) | SMR, Cheapest |
| WD My Book | 3-2TTB | 3 yr | USB/SATA | Various | Various | NA | USB, Shucked (pre-built or custom NAS) | SMR, Cheap |
| Toshiba N300 NAS | 4-18TB | 3 yr | SATA | 128-256MB | 180TByr/1-1.2MHr | 20/NA | Pre-built or custom NAS | CMR, 128MB <= 4TB, 256MB >= 6TB |
| WD Red | 2-6TB | 3 yr | SATA | 256MB | 180TByr/1MHr | 23/27 | Pre-built or custom NAS | SMR, 5.4K RPM |
| WD Red Plus | 1-14TB | 3 yr | SATA | 64-256MB | 180TByr/1MHr | 20/29 | Pre-built or custom NAS | CMR, 64MB <= 6TB, 256MB >= 8TB, 5.4-7.2K RPM |
| WD Red Pro | 2-24TB | 5 yr | SATA | 64-512MB | 550TByr/2-2.5MHr | 20/36 | Pre-built or custom NAS | CMR, 64MB <= 2TB, 256MB >= 4TB, 512MB >= 14TB |
| WD Ultrastar DC HC | 4-26TB | 5 yr | SATA | 128-512MB | 550TByr/2-2.5MHr | 20/36 | Pre-built or custom NAS | CMR, 128MB <= 2TB, 256MB >= 4TB, 512MB >= 14TB, 1-12TB/14-18 |
| Seagate Ironwolf NAS | 1-18TB | 3 yr | SATA | 64-256MB | 180TByr/1MHr | 28/30 | Pre-built or custom NAS | CMR, 64MB <= 4TB, 256MB >= 6TB |
| Seagate Ironwolf Pro NAS | 2-24TB | 5 yr | SATA | 128-512MB | 300-550TByr/1.2-2.5MHr (NE/NT) | 20/26 (NT) 20/32 (NE) | Pre-built or custom NAS | CMR, 128MB <= 4TB, 256MB >= 6TB, 512MB >= 24TB, NT/NE |
| Seagate Exos X | 10-24TB | 5 yr | SATA | 256-512MB | 2.5MHr | 28/32 | Pre-built or custom NAS | CMR, 256MB >= 10TB, 512MB (X24), X16/X18/X20/X24 |
(1) dBA for typical Idle/Seek operations on 12TB version (6TB for plain WD Red). Other models vary depending on family and air/helium filled.
SSD Drives
Recs Bolded
| BRAND | SIZE | PCIE/INT | FORM | READ/WRITE | TBW | CACHE | WARRANTY | USE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon Power A60 | 1TB | 3.0x4 | M.2 | 2200/1600 | 600 | YES:SLC | 5 yr | CACHE | BEST $/GB, $60 |
| SK Hynix P31 | 1TB | 3.0x4 | M.2 | 3500/3200 | 750 | YES | 5 yr | STORE | $65 |
| Samsung 970 Evo+ | 1TB | 3.0x4 | M.2 | 3500/3300 | 600 | YES | 5 yr | STORE | $55 |
| Sabrent Rocket | 1TB | 4.0x4 | M.2 | 5000/4400 | 1650 | YES | 5 yr | CACHE | BEST $/TBW, SB-ROCKET-NVMe4, $80 |
| SK Hynix P41 | 1TB | 4.0x4 | M.2 | 7000/6500 | 750 | YES | 5 yr | STORE | $90 |
| Kingston Fury Renegade | 1TB | 4.0x4 | M.2 | 7300/6000 | 1000 | YES | 5 yr | STORE | $80 |
| Sabrent Rocket 4+ | 1TB | 4.0x4 | M.2 | 7000/5400 | 700 | YES | 5 yr | STORE | SB-RKT4P, $90 |
| Samsung 980 Pro | 1TB | 4.0x4 | M.2 | 7000/5000 | 600 | YES | 5 yr | STORE | $60 |
| WD SN850X | 1TB | 4.0x4 | M.2 | 7300/6300 | 600 | YES | 5 yr | STORE | $60 |
| Samsung 990 Pro | 1TB | 4.0x4 | M.2 | 7450/6900 | 600 | YES | 5 yr | STORE | $90 |
| Silicon Power A55 | 1TB | SATA | M.2/2.5” | 560/530 | 500 | YES:SLC | 3 yr | CACHE | BEST $/GB, $35 |
| Crucial MX500 | 1TB | SATA | 2.5” | 560/510 | 360 | YES:1G | 5 yr | STORE | 1-4TB |
| Samsung 870 Evo | 1TB | SATA | 2.5” | 560/530 | 600 | YES:1G | 5 yr | STORE | 1-4TB |
TBW = Total Bytes Written, Workload
Hard Drive Prices (as of 2024-02-19)
Prices: PCPartPicker (new). Recertified/refurbished/new pull prices are @20% less than new quoted below.
Vendors: Disctech, Serverpartdeals, Amazon, Newegg
| BRAND | 8TB | 12TB | 14TB | 18TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WD Elements/Easystore | $170 | $250 | $270 | $330 |
| WD My Book | $180 | $260 | $280 | $330 |
| WD Ultrastar HC | $170 | $275 | $240 | $350 |
| Toshiba N300/Pro | $150 | $250 | $285 | $330 |
| WD Red Plus | $190 | $230 | $355 | NA |
| WD Red Pro | $230 | $290 | $300 | $340 |
| Seagate Ironwolf NAS | $170 | $200 | $240 | NA |
| Seagate Ironwolf Pro NAS | $210 | $235 | $240 | $300 |
| Seagate Exos X | $195 | $190 | $220 | $260 |
DiY NAS Case List
For additional space to mount 3.5” HDDs, you can use:
PCI Slot to 3.5” HDD Adapter: Micro connectors
5.25”x1 to 3.5”x1+2.5”x2 bay adapter: Micro Connectors
5.25”x1 to 3.5”x1 bay adapter: Metal 1-piece, Metal 2-piece, Plastic
5.25”x2 to 3.5”x3 bay adapter: Evercool
DiY drive cages: 2-drive, 5-drive, 10-drive
| CASE | 3.5” | 2.5” | COST | W x H x D (in) | H.SWAP | LITERS | MOBOS | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-NAS NSC-201 | 2 | 1 | $130 | 5.5 x 7.1 x 8 | YES | 6.4 | ITX | w/150W Flex PSU. 47mm CPU. link |
| U-NAS NSC-401/410 | 4 | 2/3 | $150 | 7.5 x 7.1 x 10 | YES | 8.7/10.1 | ITX | w/250W Flex PSU. link |
| INNOVISION (U-NAS KNOCK-OFF) | 4 | NA | $47-113+60 | 7.4 x 7.1 x 10.3 | YES | 8.8 | ITX | Shipping cost! 1U Flex PSU options - link |
| Norco ITX-S4 | 4 | NA | $200 | 7.75 x 7.5 x 10 | YES | 9.5 | ITX | ITX-S8 version too |
| Jonsbo N2 | 5 | 1 | $150 | 8.8 x 8.8 x 8.8 | YES | 11.1 | ITX | 65mm CPU, SFX PSU - link |
| TOPLOONG NAS-6 | 6 | NA | $75+93 | 10.23 x 7.67 x 9.84 | YES | 12.7 | ITX | add +45 for 250W PSU - link |
| Jonsbo N1 | 5 | 1 | $145 | 6.69 x 8.54 x 13.93 | YES | 13.0 | ITX | 70mm CPU, SFX PSU - link |
| InWIN IW-MS04 | 4 | 2 | $160 | 8.3 x 9.10 x 10.80 | YES | 13.3 | ITX | 65mm CPU, 1U 265W-315W PSU, SFF-8087x1/8643x1/SATAx4 - link |
| Supermicro CSE-721TQ-250B | 4 | NA | $270 | 8.27 x 9.45 x 11 | YES | 14.0 | ITX | w/1U 250W Flex PSU |
| INNOVISION (UNAS KNOCK-OFF) | 6 | NA | $83+76 | 8.66 x 10.23 x 9.84 | YES | 14.3 | ITX | Shipping cost! 1U Flex PSU - link |
| iStarUSA S-35-B4/B5/DE4/DE5 | 4/5 | NA | $140-160 | 8.68 x 8.90 x 12.76 | YES | 16.2 | ITX | 1U Flex PSU |
| iStarUSA S-35-3/S-35EX | 3/5 | NA | $85 | 8.69 x 8.90 x 12.76 | No | 16.2 | ITX | EX has 5.25”x3 (3.5”x5 with 5-in-3 adapter), 1U Flex PSU |
| Chenbro SR301 | 4 | NA | $240 | 7.78 x 12.2” x 10.63 | YES | 16.5 | ITX | SR30169. w/PSU |
| U-NAS NSC-810A | 8 | 1 | $220 | 12.4 x 7.8 x 10.8 | YES | 17.0 | uATX/ITX | 1x2.5 int, Flex PSU. link |
| Norco ITX-S8 | 8 | NA | $230 | 8 x 10.2 x 13.25 | YES | 17.7 | ITX | 1x2.5 int, SFF-8643x2, 1U Flex PSU. Hard to find |
| Jonsbo N3 | 8 | 1 | $155 | 9.2 x 10.3 x 11.7 | YES | 18.2 | ITX | 130mm CPU, SFX PSU - link |
| Fractal Design Node 304 | 6 | NA | $90 | 10 x 8.27 x 14.72 | No | 19.3 | ITX/DTX | 165mm CPU, ATX PSU - link |
| Jonsbo N4 | 8 | 2 | $130 | 11.3 x 9 x 11.8 | YES | 19.6 | uATX/ITX | 70mm CPU, SFX PSU - link |
| FD Core 500 | 3+1 | 3 | $60 | 9.84 x 8.39 x 14.96 | No | 20.2 | ITX/DTX | ATX PSU, 1x5.25”, +1 3.5” in 5.25” bay |
| Silverstone GD06 | 4+1 | 2 | $140 | 17.32 x 5.91 x 13.39 | No | 22.4 | uATX/ITX | 70-120mm CPU COOL, ATX PSU, +1 3.5” in 5.25” bay, full dvd. |
| Silverstone DS380 | 8 | 4 | $215 | 8.31 x 11.22 x 14.17 | YES | 21.6 | ITX | SFX-L PSU, 57mm CPU. link |
| Raijintek Styx | 3 | 4 | $70 | 8.26 x 13.2 x 14.2 | No | 25.4 | uATX/ITX | ATX PSU - link |
| Fractal Design Core 1000 | 2+2/3 | 3 | $55 | 6.89 x 13.97 x 16.53 | No | 26.1 | uATX/ITX/DTX | 2x5.25”,2x3.5” - link |
| Silverstone CS381 | 8 | NA | $400 | 15.75 x 8.86 x 12.44 | YES | 28 | uATX/ITX | SFX-L PSU. link |
| Silverstone PS16 | 3+1 | 3 | $75 | 7.8 x 14.21 x 15.67 | No | 28.5 | uATX/DTX/ITX | 3x3.5”,1x5.25” |
| Silverstone TJ08-E | 5+2/3 | NA | $140 | 8.27 x 14.72 x 15.16 | No | 30.2 | uATX/ITX/DTX | 5x3.5”,2x5.25” |
| Silverstone GD08 | 8+2/3 | 2 | $180 | 17.3 x 6.9 x 16.7 | No | 32.7 | EATX/ATX/uATX | 8x3.5”,2x5.25”, 138mm CPU COOL, ATX PSU. link |
| Silverstone GD07 | 5+4/6 | 2 | $180 | 17.3 x 6.9 x 17.1 | No | 33.5 | EATX/ATX/uATX | 5x3.5”,4x5.25”, 138mm CPU COOL, ATX PSU. link |
| Cooler Master N200 | 3+1 | 4 | $55 | 7.9 x 17.5 x 14.9 | No | 33.7 | uATX/ITX | 3x3.5”,1x5.25” |
| BitFenix Prodigy M 2022 | 4 | 5 | $100 | 9.84 x 15.91 x 14.13 | No | 36.2 | uATX/ITX | BFC-PM2-300-KKGSK-RP - link |
| FD Focus G Mini | 2+2/3 | NA | $55 | 8.07 x 15.08 x 18.27 | No | 36.4 | uATX | 2x3.5”,2x5.25”, +2x3.5” in 5.25” (or +3 w/Evercool adapter) Could probably fit 8x3.5 w/2xPhanteks 2-drive cages |
| Silverstone CS382 | 8+1 | 2 | $215 | 8.54 x 15.94 x 17.76 | YES | 39.6 | uATX/ITX | 1x5.25”, 168mm CPU, ATX PSU. link |
| Cooler Master N300 | 8+2/3 | 1 | $55 | 7.5 x 19.4 x 16.8 | No | 39.8 | ATX/uATX | 8x3.5”,2x5.25”. link |
| Cooler Master N400 | 8+2/3 | 3 | $80 | 7.5 x 19.7 x 16.7 | No | 40.6 | ATX/uATX | 8x3.5”,2x5.25”. link |
| Fractal Design Node 804 | 8+2 | 2/4 | $110 | 13.5 x 12.0 x 15.3 | No | 40.3 | uATX/ITX | ATX PSU, Cube - link |
| Silverstone CS380B | 8+2/3 | NA | $190 | 8.48 x 16.79 x 19.19 | YES | 44.7 | ATX/uATX/ITX | ATX PSU, SATAx2 (12Gbps), 146mm CPU, 2x5.25” |
| Phanteks P400A | 2+4+2 | 2 | $85 | 8.3 x 18.5 x 18.3 | No | 46 | ATX/uATX/ITX | 2x3.5 (std)+4x3.5” (sleds)+2x3.5” (psu shroud top) |
| Fractal Design Define R5 | 8+2/3 | 2 | $120 | 9.1 x 17.7 x 20.5 | No | 47.3 | ATX/uATX/ITX | 8x3.5”,2x5.25”, +2x3.5” in 5.25” (+3 w/Evercool adapter) + 2x3.5 on top (unofficially)? could fit 13 total? |
| Silverstone TJ04B-E | 9+4/6 | NA | $245 | 8.43 x 19.25 x 19.25 | No | 51.2 | CEB/ATX/uATX | 9x3.5”,4x5.25” |
| Fractal Design Define 7 | 13 | 4 | $160 | 9.4 x 18.7 x 21.5 | No | 57.7 | EATX/ATX/uATX/ITX | 13x3.5,1x5.25” |
| Fractal Design Meshify 2 | 13 | 4 | $140 | 9.44 x 18.66 x 21.33 | No | 58.9 | EATX/ATX/uATX/ITX | 13x3.5 - link |
| Phanteks P500A | 10 | 3 | $150 | 9.5 in x 20.1 in x 20 in | No | 61.8 | EATX/ATX/uATX/ITX | 2 HDD trays included - link |
| Antec P101 Silent | 8+1 | 2 | $125 | 9.1 x 19.9 x 20.74 | No | 61.8 | EATX/ATX/uATX/ITX | 8x3.5”,1x5.25” |
| Fractal Design Define XL R2 | 8+4/6 | NA | $200 | 9.1 x 22 x 22.04 | No | 70.2 | EATX/ATX/uATX/ITX | 8x3.5”,4x5.25”, +4x3.5” in 5.25” (+6 w/2xEvercool adapter) |
| Fractal Design Define 7 XL | 18 | 5 | $210 | 9.45 x 22.2 x 23.77 | No | 77.6 | EATX/ATX/uATX/ITX | 18x3.5” |
| Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 | 12 | NA | $150 | 9.45 x 22.8 x 22 | No | 78 | EATX/ATX/uATX/ITX | 4 HDD trays included |
LEGEND
Drives: xxx+yyy/zzz = 3.5” native+5.25” native/5.25” with adapter
e.g. 4+2/3 = 3.5”x4 native + 3.5”x2 in 5.25”x2 bays (2 in 2) OR 3.5”x3 in 5.25”x2 bays w/Evercool 5.25 adapter (3 in 2)
DISCONTINUED CASES
| CASE | 3.5” | 2.5” | COST | W x H x D (in) | H.SWAP | LITERS | MOBOS | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAS6 | 6 | NA | $162 | 8.43 x 8.5 x 11.65 | YES | 13.68 | ITX | 40mm CPU, 350W PSU included - link |
| Kolink Satellite Cube | 2/3 | 2/4 | $49 | 10.3 x 7.48 x 11 | NO | 13.8 | uATX/ITX | 165mm CPU, ATX PSU - specs, link |
| HciPC 6bay P401-1 HCNAS | 6 | NA | $65+70 | 12.59 x 9.84 x 8.66 | No | 17.6 | ITX | Node 304 clone. Pricey Shipping! - link |
| Cooler Master Elite 120 Adv | 3+1 | NA | Disc | 9.4 x 8.2 x 15.8 | No | 20 | ITX | full dvd, 4x2.5 (from 2x3.5 bays), +1 3.5” in 5.25” bay |
| Cooler Master Elite 130 | 2+1 | 5 | $65 | 9.4 x 8.2 x 15.7 | No | 20 | ITX | full dvd, +1 3.5” in 5.25” bay |
| LIAN LI PC-Q25B | 5/7 | NA | Disc | 7.83 x 11.02 x 14.41 | YES | 20.4 | ITX/DTX | Hotswap (5) - Hard to find |
| Rosewill FBM-01/Ranger-M | 3+2/3 | 0 | $35 | 6.9 x 13.86 x 13.8/15.26 | No | 21.5/23.8 | uATX/ITX | 3x3.5”,2x5.25”, +2x3.5” in 5.25” (or +3 w/Evercool adapter) |
| Rosewill SRM-01B | 2+2/3 | 2 | $35 | 6.69 x 14.96 x 13.78 | No | 22.5 | uATX | 2x3.5”,2x525”, +2x3.5” in 5.25” (or +3 w/Evercool adapter) |
| LIAN LI PC-M25 | 5 | NA | Disc | 7.83 x 12.67 x 17.36 | YES | 28.2 | uATX/ITX | ATX PSU, 80mm CPU, +3.5x2 unofficial, 2.5x3 int, - Hard to find |
| Cooler Master Masterbox E300L | 2+2/3 | NA | $70 | 7.1 x 14.33 x 17.6 | No | 29.3 | uATX | 2x3.5”,2x5.25” |
| BitFenix Phenom | 5+1 | NA | $90 | 9.84 x 12.99 x 14.72 | NA | 30.8 | ITX | BFC-PHE-300- Hard to find |
| BitFenix Prodigy | 5+1 | NA | $90 | 9.84 x 15.91 x 14.13 | NA | 36.2 | ITX | BFC-PRO-300- Hard to find |
| Lian-Li PC-V354 | 7 | 4 | Disc | 9.6 x 12.6 x 16.5 | No | 38.7 | uATX/ITX | 1x5.25, Cube |
| Lian-Li PC-V358 | 6 | 2 | Disc | 12.7 x 11.2 x 15.3 | No | 39.2 | uATX/ITX | Cube |
| Fractal Design Core 1500 | 4 | 1 | Disc | 7.6 x 14.5 x 17.7 | No | 39.8 | uATX/ITX | 2x5.25 |
| Lian Li PC-A05FN | 6 | NA | Disc | 8.3 x 15.2 x 19.7 | NA | 40.7 | ATX | NA |
| Lian-Li PC-A04 | 7 | 1 | Disc | 7.4 x 15.2 x 18.1 | No | 40.7 | uATX/ITX | NA |
| Fractal Design Mini | 6+2/3 | 0 | Disc | 8.2 x 15.5 x 19.2 | No | 42.9 | uATX/ITX | 2x5.25 |
| Fractal Design Arc Mini R2 | 6+2/3 | 2 | Disc | 8.2 x 15.9 x 19.0 | No | 43.1 | uATX/ITX | 2x5.25 |
| Lian-Li PC-08S | 6 | 2 | Disc | 13.2 x 16.8 x 15.9 | No | 45.9 | EATX/ATX/uATX | NA |
| Coolermaster NR600P | 6+2 | 12 | Disc | 8.66 x 19.92 x 19.41 | YES | 54.9 | EATX/ATX/uATX/ITX | 2x Hot Swap - link |
Software
If you’re looking for a software storage solution for your DiY hardware, Unraid is highly suggested. If you can’t afford it, then use Openmediavault with mergerfs+snapraid or, if all disks will be the same size, RAID5 w/mdadm. If you need to use Windows, StableBit DrivePool ($)+snapraid. If you can’t afford it, then Windows Storage Spaces.
OS: Unraid, TrueNAS, Openmediavault, Ubuntu Server, Rockstor
Software mgmt: Docker
Volume mgmt (windows): Windows Storage Spaces, StableBit DrivePool, snapraid, Elucidate (snapraid GUI)
Volume mgmt (linux): mdadm, snapraid, mergerFS
Disk mgmt (windows): CrystalDiskInfo, HDDScan, WD Drive Utilities
Disk mgmt (linux): smartctl, hd-idle
Benchmark (windows): CrystalDiskMark, hdtune
Benchmark (linux): dd, hdparm
Common Questions
How do I share HTPC storage on my network?
If your storage is on a linux-based OS, follow these instructions to use Samba
If your storage is on a windows-based OS, follow these instructions to use Windows file sharing
This page was last updated on 2024-09-28