Should I buy TS-h886 for Plex & Win VM?

Interested in our products? Post your questions here. Let us answer before you buy.
Post Reply
DrMcFizz1e
Starting out
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2021 9:29 pm

Should I buy TS-h886 for Plex & Win VM?

Post by DrMcFizz1e »

Hello there!
I need a NAS that can handle Plex (serving my TV as a client, mostly 1080 content) and also smoothly run a single Windows 10 VM (with radio station software and screen reading software on it). I have my eye on the TS-h886 which has a XEON D-1622 CPU. While the manufacturer and reviews suggest it will comfortably handle both, I am not convinced. This is because this processor doesn't compare favourably with even a standard desktop PC (e.g. i3-1115G4). In fact CPUbenchmark.com indicates that the i3 outperforms the Xeon per single CPU thread.
So, if I wouldn't trust that an i3 could deliver good-enough performance with a VM, why should I trust that the TS-h886 can, given it seems the less performant of the two? Or is this too simplistic a comparison between processors that are fundamentally optimised for different contexts/purposes?
Notes:
1. CPUbenchmark for these two processors: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/In ... 4278vs3877
2. Plex and VM would only be in simultaneous use about 5 hours a week
2. Happy to consider other VMs, especially more wallet friendly ones!

Many thanks :)
DrMcFizz1e
Starting out
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2021 9:29 pm

Re: Should I buy TS-h886 for Plex & Win VM?

Post by DrMcFizz1e »

Thank you so much! It sounds like it could save me A LOT of cash!
Part of the reason for my original question, though, was that my dad (who I'm setting this up for) refused to believe a Win VW could run smoothly on a Celeron processor, which is why we were looking at higher spec machines.
User avatar
dolbyman
Guru
Posts: 35021
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:11 am
Location: Vancouver BC , Canada

Re: Should I buy TS-h886 for Plex & Win VM?

Post by dolbyman »

Well a Celeron will not handle a Win10 GUI smooth. It's just has not enough performance for that. But what is the this VM supposed to do ?

If it's running some Win only home automation software it might work ok, if it supposed to run complex office or other tasks, it won't.

But a x453D + a small format PC (e.g. NUC) would cost less/same and be much more performant for Virtualization or direct interaction/
DrMcFizz1e
Starting out
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2021 9:29 pm

Re: Should I buy TS-h886 for Plex & Win VM?

Post by DrMcFizz1e »

Hi @Dolbyman and @RandomMen
Thank you for your comments:
1. Yes, the plan is to use the VM to sort the programming for the radio station using a GUI app. It won't be used to edit sound or video, but to arrange tracks into programmes; the app is not very RAM intensive. We need the screenreader software as my dad, who will be using it, is blind. So from the perspective you can see why want a smooth experience on the VM, as otherwise it will be a nightmare to use.
2. @DolbyMan - We had the radio station running on a standalone mid-tier PC, i5 I think - but the PC has now failed. So our idea was to get a NAS and run the radio station from it using a VM. We wanted one powerful enough to deliver a good VM experience, but one that also gave me the photos organisation /plex stuff I want. By integrating our needs into a NAS we thought we could benefit each other - might also be slightly cheaper with running costs rather than running PC and NAS separately.

We may just get another mid-tier PC but it would have been great to find something that can cope with both requirements, that why we were looking at the TS-H886.

Thanks again! :)
Post Reply

Return to “Presales”