Working with an older desktop setup and thinking about upgrades to turn it into a solid homelab machine for NAS and VM hosting. The goal is to run stuff like Proxmox or TrueNAS for a media server, plus services including Plex, Jellyfin, Home Assistant, Immich, and Grafana. Might add a small Minecraft server down the line too, as long as it doesn't overload things.
Current specs:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 2700X
- Motherboard: Asus CROSSHAIR VII HERO with 6 SATA ports and 1 Gb internal NIC (it supports PCIE bifurcation, which could be useful)
- RAM: 32 GB DDR4 (could add more, but not sure if it's needed)
- GPU: GeForce 1080ti (looking at options like Intel Arc cards for better transcoding)
Possible CPU upgrades:
- Ryzen 5 5500 for $65
- Ryzen 7 5700G for $150
- Ryzen 7 5700X for $130
- Ryzen 7 5800XT for $140
For the media side, need to handle 2-3 HEVC 4K transcode streams at once and maybe rip or convert Blu-ray stuff. How does the 1080ti stack up against an Intel Arc card here? Does the Arc's native codec support make a big difference for streaming without transcoding?
On the Ryzen 7 5700G, does its integrated graphics help with streaming at all? I've heard older chips had PCIE lane issues, but not sure about the 5000 series, any experiences there?
Also, want to bump up the network with a 10Gb card like the Intel X550T2 for around $115. Is that a solid choice for future-proofing a homelab setup?
What have you all done in similar situations? Any tips on performance, alternatives, or potential pitfalls with these upgrades? Appreciate any thoughts!
