[SOLVED] Budget Minecraft / Plex Server AMD 3400G Build

[eelsthefan]

Thanks in advance for your input!

Use Case: Budget Plex server that my daughter can also use for Minecraft @ 1080p max. Live in AZ and primary PC generates too much heat, want to build this so it can be on 24/7 and not generate a lot of heat / noise. Likely will only stream 1-2 videos at a time from this.

Purchase Time-frame: 2-3 Weeks

This is what i am currently thinking:

CPU: AMD 3400G $150
https://www.newegg.com/amd-ryzen-5-...tion=3400g&cm_re=3400g-_-19-113-570-_-Product

MOBO: B450M DSH AM4 $75
https://www.newegg.com/gigabyte-b450m-ds3h/p/N82E16813145083

GPU: Integrated

OS Drive: ADATA SU635 240GB SSD $27
https://www.amazon.com/ADATA-SU635-...rds=adata+ssd&qid=1596902442&s=pc&sr=1-3&th=1

RAM: 2x8 3200Mhz Teamgroup $57.99
https://www.amazon.com/TEAMGROUP-T-...ild=1&keywords=2x8+ddr4&qid=1596946631&sr=8-9

OS: Windows 10 Home key $25
https://www.g2a.com/microsoft-windows-10-home-microsoft-key-global-i10000083914003

CASE: Random ATX case that is sitting somewhere in my garage.

PSU: ?

HDD: ?

Already have spare ATX case, DVI monitor, keyboard / mouse. For Plex, will throw a few spare 2TB WD HDD that I'll replace in the future with 2x4TB HDDs.

Questions:

1. Any general concerns with the build for it's use case?

2. Anyone familiar with the stock cooler on the 3400G? Is it loud under light/medium load?

3. PSU recommendations? Main goal is low noise / heat output.

4. How many SSD/HDDs can I run with this setup? Not sure if using the M.2 uses up some of the SATA ports? Although don't plan on using it soon, may in the future as looking to upgrade my primary PC m.2 500GB drive, give that to my son and put his Samsung 960 EVO 250GB into this build.

5. Any HDD recommendations, will eventually want to have 8TB of data for PLEX so thinking 2x4TB HDD. I currently have about 5TB of movies / shows across 2 external drives and one internal on my primary build.

6. I believe the case has one build in fan, I'm assuming this won't run that hot and won't need additional cooling. Let me know if you disagree and if so how I can reduce heat generation (not dissipation).

7. Has anyone put their PC on a timer so it turns on in the morning and off at night? Just thinking I don't really need it 24x7 but who wants to turn on a computer? Way too much work.

Thank you!

 

[siaan312]

1. I would personally take a r3 3300X and a dedicated gpu like a gt 1030 instead of the 3400g, but i guess that costs more, so no complaints there.
2. Amd's stock cooler is not quiet, but its low hum is very easy to tune out, and the fan doesn't ramp up very quickly, and with a pretty power sipping chip like that, i wont believe it will even push the fan too hard.
3. for heat, using a more power efficient psu would better, like 80plus gold or higher, and for fan noise, usually more wattage means it will be quieter, since it won't ramp up the fans as soon, most modern psus have that functionality. Seasonic even has fanless powersupplies up to 1000 watts. though your build wont need anymore than 450 watts, and thats being generous.
4. m.2 is a physical connector, and m.2 slots and either use a sata interface or 2x or 4x pci-e. 4x pcie is the most common, all slots nowadays are either 4x pcie, sata, or both, check your motherboard website for that, or manual. If they use the pci-e (NVME) they will use 4 pcie lanes, and not any sata ports, and as for normal hdd or sata ssds, you can put as many as you have ports for, and you can use HBA cards to give you even more sata ports using a pci-e slot (like a graphics or sound card)
5. This depends. how often will you access them, and what configuration do you want for them? redundancy or speed? If you just want 8tb, and neither of those matter which for streaming movies they probably want, getting a single 8tb drive is more economical and will cost less.
6. I would agree, but an older fan usually means a loud fan, so if you are concerned with noise i would swap that fan to a better or at least newer one and even use a low noise adapter on it.
7. I think you should let it run 24/7, since theres no reason not to. PCs, especially such power sippers take so little wattage at idle it won't matter to your power bill at all.