Best build for a Plex server?

[GameGuru]

I have been running my PC for 24/7 for the last two years because I use it also as a Plex server for the household. I really don't want to beat my gaming PC down by doing this so I want to build a small computer just to be my Plex server PC. What is a good spec for this? Is dual core enough? 4GB enough? Intel or AMD? Thanks in advance.

[vertices]

It depends on how many streams you want at once. Personally I'd recommend 8GB of RAM and a quad core. I use 16 in mine but that is a bit overkill. You can certainly get by with a dual core if you only have a stream or 2 going at once. I also put an SSD in mine with the Plex transcoding cache stored on a separate 1TB WD Black Drive.

[James]

Might I recommend something with a Sandy Bridge or newer processor? If I'm not mistaken, Plex will take advantage of quicksync. If you do Ivy Bridge or newer, I think Quicksync supports multiple simultaneous streams.

*Edit: I'm mistaken. There is a lot of talk about support for quicksync, but they haven't refreshed the fork of ffmpeg that plex uses to take advantage of the new code.

[MrDigital]

*Edit: I'm mistaken. There is a lot of talk about support for quicksync, but they haven't refreshed the fork of ffmpeg that plex uses to take advantage of the new code.

Really any gpu transcoding would be welcome..

In regards to what server specs are needed, it just depends how much transcoding is being done. If the client machines are powerful enough, and the video files are standard, it should just fire off native video, no transcoding.