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Best Mini PC for Plex Server 2026

Best Mini PC for Plex Server 2026

Compact, powerful, and quiet—the best mini PCs to run your media empire

February 17, 2026 Mini Pcs 9 min read

Why Mini PCs Are Perfect for Plex

Gone are the days when you needed a full tower PC for a media server. Modern mini PCs deliver:

  • Intel QuickSync for hardware transcoding
  • Low power consumption (15-25W vs 100W+ for full PCs)
  • Silent operation
  • Small footprint For most home users, a mini PC beats traditional server builds. Here's what to buy.

Quick Top Picks

Mini PC hardware
Mini PC hardware
Category Mini PC Price Why
Best Overall Intel NUC 13 Pro ~$450 Perfect balance of power and efficiency
Best Value Beelink SER5 Pro ~$250 Incredible transcoding for the price
Best for 4K GEEKOM IT13 ~$400 Handles multiple 4K transcodes
Best Budget Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast ~$350 Older but still excellent

What to Look for in a Plex Mini PC

CPU: Intel QuickSync Is Essential

For Plex transcoding, Intel's integrated graphics are unbeatable. AMD makes great processors but lacks QuickSync.

Minimum for transcoding:

  • Intel Core i3 12th gen or newer
  • Intel Core i5 8th gen or older

Best options:

  • Intel Core i5 12th/13th gen
  • Intel Core i7 11th/12th gen

RAM: 8GB Minimum, 16GB Better

Library Size RAM Needed
< 500 items 8GB
500-2000 items 16GB
2000-10000 items 16-32GB
10000+ items 32GB+

RAM is easy to upgrade on most mini PCs—start with what ships and add more later.

Storage: NVMe + External

Most mini PCs have:

  • NVMe SSD slot (for OS and Plex database)
  • Potential for 2.5" SATA SSD/HDD

Recommended setup:

  • 500GB+ NVMe for OS and Plex
  • External USB drives or NAS for media storage

Network: Gigabit Minimum, 2.5GbE Preferred

Your network speed determines:

  • How fast you can transfer media to the server
  • Maximum bitrate for remote streaming

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Your Plex Mini PC

Once you've chosen your hardware, here's how to get Plex running:

1. Install Your Operating System

Windows 11 Pro (Recommended for beginners):

  • Easiest setup with full GUI
  • Automatic updates
  • Remote Desktop access
  • Slightly higher resource usage

Ubuntu Server (Recommended for efficiency):

  • Lower resource overhead
  • No GUI means more RAM for Plex
  • Requires command-line comfort
  • Excellent for headless operation

Proxmox or ESXi (For advanced users):

  • Run multiple virtual machines
  • Plex server in one VM, other services in others
  • Most flexible but most complex

2. Install Plex Media Server

On Windows:

  1. Download Plex Media Server from plex.tv
  2. Run the installer
  3. Launch and claim your server at app.plex.tv

On Linux:

  1. Add Plex repository
  2. Install via package manager: sudo apt install plexmediaserver
  3. Access web interface at http://[mini-pc-ip]:32400/web

3. Configure Storage

For internal storage:

  • NVMe SSD for OS and Plex database
  • Consider a second SSD for frequently accessed media

For external/network storage:

  • Mount your NAS shares or external drives
  • Point Plex libraries to these locations
  • Ensure drives mount automatically on boot

4. Enable Hardware Transcoding

If you have Plex Pass:

  1. Settings → Transcoder
  2. Check "Use hardware acceleration when available"
  3. Save changes

Verify it's working: Play a video that requires transcoding, then check the Plex Dashboard. You should see "HW" next to the transcode indicator.

5. Optimize Performance

Power settings (Windows):

  • Set to High Performance mode
  • Disable sleep/hibernate
  • Disable USB selective suspend

Network settings:

  • Use Ethernet, not WiFi, for the server
  • Set static IP address
  • Enable port forwarding on your router (port 32400) for remote access

Plex settings:

  • Set transcoder temporary directory to your SSD (not a spinning hard drive)
  • Adjust simultaneous transcode limit based on your hardware

Mini PC Reviews

Intel NUC 13 Pro - Best Overall

Specs:

  • Intel Core i5-1340P (12 cores: 4P + 8E)
  • Intel Iris Xe Graphics
  • RAM: Configurable (buy barebones or pre-built)
  • Storage: NVMe slot + 2.5" SATA bay
  • Network: 2.5GbE + WiFi 6E
  • Price: ~$450 barebones, ~$600 with RAM/SSD

Intel NUC 13 Pro price

Plex Performance:

  • 1080p transcodes: 6+ simultaneous
  • 4K HDR transcodes: 3-4 simultaneous
  • Direct play: Unlimited

Pros:

  • Best-in-class transcoding performance
  • Very power efficient
  • Excellent build quality
  • 2.5GbE built-in
  • Active cooling runs quiet

Cons:

  • Requires separate RAM/SSD purchase if buying barebones
  • More expensive than alternatives
  • Intel discontinuing NUC line (ASUS taking over)

Who it's for: Users who want the best balance of size, power, and capability.

GEEKOM IT13 2026 Edition - Powerhouse

Specs:

  • Intel Core i9-13900HK (14 cores: 6P + 8E)
  • Intel Iris Xe Graphics
  • RAM: 32GB included
  • Storage: 1TB NVMe included
  • Network: 2.5GbE + WiFi 6E
  • Price: ~$550

GEEKOM IT13 price

Plex Performance:

  • 1080p transcodes: 10+ simultaneous
  • 4K HDR transcodes: 5-6 simultaneous
  • Direct play: Unlimited

Pros:

  • Incredible CPU power
  • Lots of RAM included
  • Fast NVMe included
  • Still compact

Cons:

  • Uses more power under load
  • Runs warmer (needs good ventilation)
  • Overkill for most users

Who it's for: Power users running multiple services (Plex + Sonarr + Radarr + Home Assistant).

Beelink SER5 Pro - Best Value

Specs:

  • AMD Ryzen 7 5800H (8 cores)
  • Radeon Graphics (NOT ideal for transcoding)
  • RAM: 16GB included
  • Storage: 500GB NVMe included
  • Network: 1GbE + WiFi 6
  • Price: ~$250

Beelink SER5 Pro price

Wait—AMD for Plex?

This is the one exception to my "Intel only for transcoders" rule. Here's why:

The Beelink SER5 Pro is incredibly cheap. If you don't need transcoding (all your clients do direct play), the CPU is more than powerful enough.

But if you need transcoding, skip this and get an Intel model.

Plex Performance:

  • 1080p software transcodes: 2-3 simultaneous (CPU-heavy)
  • Hardware transcodes: NOT SUPPORTED
  • Direct play: Unlimited

Pros:

  • Incredible value
  • Powerful CPU for other tasks
  • Runs cool and quiet
  • Everything included

Cons:

  • No hardware transcoding
  • Only 1GbE network

Who it's for: Direct-play-only setups where all clients are transcoding-capable (Shield, Apple TV, smart TVs).

Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast - Budget Intel Option

Specs:

  • Intel Core i3-1220P (10 cores: 2P + 8E)
  • Intel Iris Xe Graphics
  • RAM: Configurable
  • Storage: NVMe slot
  • Network: 2.5GbE + WiFi 6
  • Price: ~$350 barebones

Intel NUC 12 price

Plex Performance:

  • 1080p transcodes: 4-5 simultaneous
  • 4K HDR transcodes: 2 simultaneous
  • Direct play: Unlimited

Pros:

  • Intel QuickSync for transcoding
  • 2.5GbE network
  • Good value for Intel
  • Runs cool

Cons:

  • Older generation
  • Barebones (needs RAM/SSD)
  • Intel discontinued

Who it's for: Budget-conscious users who still need transcoding.

Beelink EQ12 - Entry Level Intel

Specs:

  • Intel N100 (4 cores, efficient)
  • Intel UHD Graphics
  • RAM: 8GB included
  • Storage: 256GB NVMe included
  • Network: 2.5GbE + WiFi 6
  • Price: ~$170

Beelink EQ12 price

Plex Performance:

  • 1080p transcodes: 2 simultaneous
  • 4K HDR transcodes: Not recommended
  • Direct play: Unlimited

Pros:

  • Very cheap
  • Intel QuickSync
  • Still 2.5GbE network
  • Low power

Cons:

  • Limited to 8GB RAM
  • Weak for anything beyond basic streaming
  • Only for small libraries

Who it's for: First-time Plex server builders, small libraries, 1-2 simultaneous streams.

Comparison Table

Mini PC CPU Transcoding RAM Cap Network Price
Intel NUC 13 Pro Core i5-1340P Excellent 64GB 2.5GbE ~$450
GEEKOM IT13 Core i9-13900HK Incredible 64GB 2.5GbE ~$550
Beelink SER5 Pro Ryzen 7 5800H NONE 64GB 1GbE ~$250
NUC 12 Enthusiast Core i3-1220P Good 64GB 2.5GbE ~$350
Beelink EQ12 N100 Basic 8GB 2.5GbE ~$170

Storage Strategy

Mini PCs have limited internal storage. Here's how to handle media:

Option 1: External Drives

Simple, cheap, but:

  • Messy cables
  • Drive letters change on reboot sometimes
  • No redundancy

WD Elements 12TB - Good value external drive

Option 2: DAS (Direct Attached Storage)

Multi-bay enclosure connected via USB or Thunderbolt:

  • Cleaner than individual drives
  • Can do RAID for redundancy
  • Expensive

Orico 4-Bay DAS

Option 3: NAS for Storage, Mini PC for Server

Best of both worlds:

  • NAS handles storage with RAID protection
  • Mini PC handles transcoding
  • Connected via network

Recommended: Synology DS224+ [AFFILIATE] for storage, Intel NUC for server.

Remote Access Considerations

Plex Relay vs Direct Connect

Plex Relay (built-in):

  • 1Mbps free, 2Mbps Plex Pass
  • Works through any NAT
  • Limited quality

Direct connection:

  • Unrestricted bandwidth
  • Requires port forwarding
  • Exposes IP

VPN for Privacy

Use VPN on your streaming devices to:

  • Hide your home IP
  • Encrypt traffic on public WiFi
  • Access region-locked content

NordVPN or ExpressVPN

Or run VPN server on your mini PC for secure remote access.

The Bottom Line

For most Plex users in 2026:

Recommended setup:

  • Intel NUC 13 Pro (~$450) [AFFILIATE]
  • 32GB RAM kit (~$60) [AFFILIATE]
  • 1TB NVMe SSD (~$80) [AFFILIATE]
  • Synology DS224+ NAS (~$300) for storage [AFFILIATE]

Total: ~$890 for a server that handles anything you throw at it.

Budget setup:

  • Beelink EQ12 (~$170) [AFFILIATE]
  • 2x External 8TB drives (~$320) [AFFILIATE]

Total: ~$490 for basic server needs.

FAQ

Do I need Plex Pass for mini PC transcoding? Yes. Hardware transcoding requires Plex Pass ($95 lifetime). Without it, your mini PC can still software transcode, but much less efficiently.

Can I run other services on my Plex mini PC? Yes—this is one advantage over NAS. Run Sonarr, Radarr, Jackett, Home Assistant, Pi-hole, etc. Just ensure enough RAM.

How much power does a mini PC use? Idle: 10-15W (like a night light) Under load: 40-60W (much less than desktop PC) At 15W idle: ~$15/year in electricity

Do mini PCs overheat? Modern mini PCs are designed for compact cooling. Ensure good airflow, don't stack things on top, and you'll be fine.

Can I upgrade parts later? Most mini PCs allow RAM and SSD upgrades. CPU and GPU are soldered. Check specs before buying.

Small server, big library. That's the mini PC advantage.

Mini PC Comparison for Plex Servers

Model CPU RAM Storage Transcodes Price
Intel NUC 13 Pro i5-1340P 16GB 512GB 4-5 streams $549
Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast i7-1260P 32GB 1TB 6-8 streams $699
Minisforum HX99G Ryzen 9 5900HX 32GB 512GB 8-10 streams $649
Beelink SER5 Pro Ryzen 7 5800H 32GB 500GB 5-6 streams $399
ZOTAC ZBOX CI660 i5-1135G7 16GB 256GB 3-4 streams $399

Our Top Picks

Ready to build your Plex server? Here are our recommendations:

Use Case Mini PC Why
Best Overall Intel NUC 13 Pro Perfect balance of power, efficiency, transcoding
Best Value Beelink EQ12 Cheapest Intel QuickSync option
Power User GEEKOM IT13 Maximum performance for multiple services
Budget Transcoder Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast Good transcoding at lower price
Direct Play Only Beelink SER5 Pro Great CPU, no transcoding needed

🔗 Shop Mini PCs for Plex

All the mini PCs in this guide are available on Amazon. Compare prices and find the best fit for your setup:

Small server, big library. That's the mini PC advantage.