Laptop for Plex server & streaming - UK Black Friday edition
November 21, 2019 3:59 AM   Subscribe

Our media laptop is on the brink of death, and was never that great anyway. Looking for a cost-effective Windows laptop for running a Plex server and streaming, available in the UK on Black Friday. We've tried figuring this out ourselves and are completely bamboozled. Hope us!

Previously, we've used cheap refurb'd models - but they keep dying, and we're ready to level up.

On a basic level, what should we be looking for? How many cores or GHz? How much RAM? Do we need a "gaming" laptop? We are clueless at this point, so massive extra points for specific recommendations?

Ideally available online at somewhere like Currys PC World, Laptops Direct, Amazon UK, , or any site that ships to/in the UK and you know to be decent.

Price point: ~£500, could maybe go up to £750 if it would mean a spectacularly better model/setup.

Basic requirements:
- Windows
- USB ports - ideally would be a couple
- HDMI port
- Doesn't need to be lightweight or slimline or with a huge screen, as we keep it static and hook it up to a projector.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!
posted by thetarium to Computers & Internet (4 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
Response by poster: Bonus question: We also watch Plex stuff on a Samsung Galaxy tablet that is now too decrepit to be compatible with the Plex app. Any recommendations of decent android tablets that would play well with Plex?
posted by thetarium at 4:01 AM on November 21, 2019


Best answer: If you "keep it static and hook it up to a projector," is there a reason to be buying a laptop specifically, instead of the more likely better performance-per-pound option of a minipc or desktop? You would also have good options to repair and upgrade the device, unlike with 99% of laptops.

No, you do not need a "gaming" laptop or desktop. You have very light requirements. Even a "raspberry pi" would be enough, most likely (<~£100). I would recommend putting together a pc yourself but it sounds like you wouldn't be comfortable with that. If you're at least comfortable putting in 3 lego-like peices, you could go with an intel "nuc" with an m.2 ssd and 2 sticks of so-dimm ddr4 for what looks like about ~£300. Search for "nuc8" on amazon and buy the 3 piece "frequently bought together combo and you're set.
posted by hypercomplexsimplicity at 7:43 AM on November 21, 2019 [1 favorite]


Best answer: You said you needed Windows but in case you are just streaming and serving Plex an Nvidia shield would probably be the most cost-effective thing.

If it needs to be a laptop the requirements are very light these days, I'd say concentrate on getting the highest quality CPU for the cash. The only hardware intensive thing Plex would do is transcoding which generally is on the CPU.

The problem with recommending low cost laptops these days is that they are extremely generic. If you go to your online retailer of choice and look at the reviews, you'll have done as much as any of us.
posted by selfnoise at 8:07 AM on November 21, 2019


Best answer: ~£500 seems like overkill.

I agree with hypercomplexsimplicity that I don't think you need a laptop. I also agree with selfnoise that if you choose to get a laptop you need to pay the most attention to the CPU and in particular the Passmark score.

I got a cheap used i7 Dell Optiplex off ebay for this purpose earlier this year for ~$125. I imagine you could get a similar machine in the UK.

Lots of threads on this topic on /r/plex which might also give you more guidance, e.g. https://old.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/cguax6/cheap_plex_server/.
posted by crazy with stars at 9:13 AM on November 21, 2019


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