TerabyteWise
Updated · Specifications verified October 12, 2026

Build a Jellyfin Server: What Differs From Plex

No paid tier, a choice of QSV or VA-API, and codec support that depends on the client

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability come from Amazon.com as of the last update and may change.

Quick answer

Three things differ from a Plex build, and none of them is the parts list. Hardware transcoding costs nothing: Jellyfin's documentation describes it as free software with no premium licenses or features, while Plex states that hardware-accelerated streaming requires an active Plex Pass. On Intel graphics you pick the method yourself, QSV or VA-API, and Jellyfin prefers QSV on mainstream graphics under Linux. And what plays without transcoding is set by the client app, which Jellyfin documents codec by codec. The parts are a small Intel board with integrated graphics, 16GB of memory and two 12TB drives.

As of October 12, 2026
Best price per TB
$36.84
In-stock listings in the tables on this page
118
Prices updated
51 minutes ago

The three differences, in each project's own words

DifferenceWhat the documentation says
No Plex PassJellyfin: a Free Software Media System under the GPL 2.0 licence, with no premium licenses or features. Plex: hardware-accelerated streaming is a premium feature and requires an active Plex Pass subscription
The Intel method is your choiceJellyfin: QSV on Windows; QSV or VA-API on Linux, with QSV preferred on mainstream graphics
Playback depends on the clientJellyfin: the goal is to Direct Play all media, and its codec table shows which client app plays which codec

Hardware acceleration methods Jellyfin lists as supported

MethodWhere it applies
Intel Quick Sync Video (QSV)Windows and Linux. On Windows it is the only Intel method
Video Acceleration API (VA-API)Linux only, for Intel and AMD graphics
NVIDIA NVENCNVIDIA cards
AMD Advanced Media Framework (AMF)AMD graphics
Apple Video ToolboxmacOS only
Rockchip RKMPPLinux only

Intel graphics on Linux, from Jellyfin's Intel page

PointWhat Jellyfin states
Which methodQSV is preferred on mainstream graphics, for better performance. VA-API is required by graphics older than Broadwell
Oldest platform for QSVBroadwell, the 5th generation Core, and newer
Its advice on ageBest to choose 7th generation and newer processors
Low-power encoding setupNot necessary unless the processor is a Jasper Lake or Elkhart Lake
HDR to SDR tone mappingSupported on all Intel graphics that have HEVC 10-bit decoding
DriversThe jellyfin-ffmpeg package carries the Intel media drivers except OpenCL
PermissionsAdd the jellyfin user to the render group, then restart the service
N95 and N100Named among the newer products that need OpenCL runtime 23.xx or newer

Which client plays which codec, from Jellyfin's table

CodecChromeFirefoxSafariAndroid TViOSRokuKodi
H.264 8-bitYesDependsYesYesYesYesYes
H.264 10-bitYesNoDependsYesNoNoYes
HEVC 8-bitDependsDependsYesYesYesDependsYes
HEVC 10-bitDependsDependsYesDependsYesDependsYes
VP9YesYesYesYesNoYesYes
AV1YesYesDependsDependsNoYesYes

Reading the codec table

Jellyfin's stated goal is to Direct Play all media, and a No or a Depends in the table is where the server has to transcode. Depends means support varies with the device or its settings: Jellyfin's notes say Roku decodes HEVC only on 4K devices, and that AV1 on Android TV needs at least Android TV 10.

One row cannot be fixed with hardware. Jellyfin states that hardware decoding of 10-bit H.264 is not supported by any Intel, NVIDIA or AMD graphics, so those files are decoded in software when a client cannot play them.

Where this comes from

Jellyfin's documentation and Plex's support article on hardware-accelerated streaming, read on October 12, 2026. Everything about a particular part comes from its own Amazon.com listing, shown under it as "What this listing states".

Checked on October 12, 2026. Sources: Jellyfin documentation: Introduction; Jellyfin documentation: Hardware acceleration; Jellyfin documentation: Intel GPU; Jellyfin documentation: Codec support; Plex support: Using Hardware-Accelerated Streaming.

The parts, each checked against its listing

Board with Intel graphics (N100 class)
HKUXZR N100/N150 NAS Motherboard Mini-ITX, 4-Core Low Power Processor, 2X 2.5GbE Intel i226-V, 6X SATA 6Gbps, 2X M.2 NVMe 2280, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4, TF Slot, Dual 4K Display, 6X USB (N150+Motherboard)
The processor's integrated graphics is what Jellyfin transcodes on, through QSV or VA-API. The listing has to identify the CPU and state its memory type and SATA ports.
What this listing states: Intel Processor N150 (4 cores, 4 threads, 6W), DDR5 SO-DIMM memory, 1 slot, 6 SATA ports.
$269.99Buy on Amazon
Memory (16GB)
CORSAIR Vengeance SODIMM DDR5 RAM 16GB (1x16GB) Up to 5600MHz CL48 Intel XMP 3.0 Desktop Computer Memory - Black (CMSX16GX5M1A5600C48)
One 16GB module in the generation the selected board takes, which is Intel's memory limit for this processor on its single channel.
What this listing states: 1 x 16GB DDR5 SO-DIMM: matches the selected board's memory type and the CPU's single memory channel.
$229.99Buy on Amazon
Boot SSD
Sandisk Optimus 5100 500GB NVMe SSD, PCIe 4.0, M.2 2280
For the operating system, the Jellyfin database and the transcode folder. The library stays on the hard drives.
What this listing states: Internal M.2 NVMe SSD, 500GB.
$109.99Buy on Amazon
Case
KCMconmey 4 + 1 Bay DIY NAS Case, 4 x 2.5″ / 3.5″ Tray + 1 x 2.5″ Internal Bay. MB ITX. PSU Flex. Front USB 3.0 8cm Chassis Fan Hot Swap Backplane. Network Attached Storage Private Cloud Enclosure.
Two to four drive bays, with the bay count and power-supply form factor read from the listing.
What this listing states: 4 drive bays, takes a Flex ATX power supply, fits the Mini-ITX board.
$79.99Buy on Amazon
PSU
FSP FlexGURU 300W Flex ATX Power Supply
Matched to the selected case's power-supply form factor and sized for drive spin-up.
What this listing states: 300W Flex ATX, 80 PLUS Gold: fits the selected case and sits inside the 120W to 360W window for a 86W peak (CPU 6W, 2 drives at 30W spin-up each, 20W for the board and cards).
$139.99Buy on Amazon
Media drives
Western Digital 12TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 GB/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD120EFGX
Two NAS-rated CMR drives of 12TB each for the library.
What this listing states: 12TB per drive, as the build specifies.
$538.88Buy on Amazon

Prices are read live from Amazon.com and refresh every six hours. As an Amazon Associate the site earns from qualifying purchases.

NAS drives, by price per TB

Price per
118 products
ProductCapacityPrice$ / TBTypePrimeBuy
DC HC550 16TB 512MB SATA Ultra SE NP316 TB$589.45$36.84Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro 14 TB NAS RAID Internal Hard Drive - 7,200 RPM SATA 6 Gb/s 3.5-inch (ST14000NE0008)14 TB$521.00$37.21NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf 14TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – CMR 3.5 Inch SATA 256MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage – Frustration Free Packaging (ST14000VN0008)14 TB$525.00$37.50NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
TOSHIBA N300 Internal Hard Drive 22 Tb 7200 RPM 512 Mb 3.5", W129161818 (Tb 7200 RPM 512 Mb 3.5 Serial Ata Iii)22 TB$834.81$37.95NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Toshiba - HDWG82AXZSTB - Toshiba N300 Pro HDWG82AXZSTB 20 TB Hard Drive - 3.5 Internal - SATA (SATA/600) - Conventional20 TB$766.99$38.35NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Toshiba MG Series Enterprise 12TB 3.5’’ SATA 6Gbit/s Internal HDD 7200RPM 550TB/year 24/7 Operation. MG07ACA12TE12 TB$469.99$39.17Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Enterprise 3.5" 18000 GB 7200 RPM 18 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM SATA ST18000NM00J18 TB$712.00$39.56Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Enterprise Capacity | ST10000NM0016 | 10TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 256MB Cache Hyperscale 512e 3.5" Hard Disk Drives10 TB$399.95$39.99Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro ST14000NE0008 14 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA (SATA/600)14 TB$565.92$40.42NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital WUH721414ALE6L4 14TB Ultrastar DC HC530 SATA HDD - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, 512MB Cache, 3.5"14 TB$581.00$41.50Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate 20TB Exos Enterprise Hard Drive | SATA (ST20000NM002H)20 TB$829.99$41.50Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Toshiba - HDWG81GXZSTB - Toshiba N300 Pro HDWG81GXZSTB 16 TB Hard Drive - 3.5 Internal - SATA (SATA/600) - Conventional16 TB$685.50$42.84NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate 14TB HDD Exos X14 7200 RPM 512e/4Kn SATA 6Gb/s 256MB Cache 3.5-Inch Enterprise Hard Drive (ST14000NM0018)14 TB$600.00$42.86Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
HGST WD Ultrastar DC HC510 10TB 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s 3.5" Helium Platform Enterprise Hard Disk Drive - HUH721010ALE604 (0F27606)10 TB$429.00$42.90Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos X18 Enterprise Class, 16TB, Enterprise Internal Hard Drive, SATA, 3,5" 6Gbit/s, 128MB Cache (ST16000NM000J)16 TB$686.91$42.93Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf 10TB NAS Internal Hard Drive, 3.5" SATA 6Gb/s, 7200 RPM, CMR, RAID Optimized, IronWolf Health Management – for NAS Systems (ST10000VNZ00)10 TB$434.99$43.50NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 22TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD221KFGXSold by Amazon22 TB$958.90$43.59NAS HDD · SATACMRPrimeBuy on Amazon
Seagate Exos 7E8 6TB Internal Hard Drive Enterprise HDD – CMR 3.5 Inch 512E SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM 128MB Cache for Enterprise, Data Center – Frustration Free Packaging (ST6000NM021A)6 TB$262.02$43.67Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos X10 ST10000NM0126 10TB 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s 512e 256MB 3.5in Enterprise Hard Drive10 TB$439.99$44.00Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 20TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD202KFGXSold by Amazon20 TB$880.96$44.05NAS HDD · SATACMRPrimeBuy on Amazon
Western Digital 18TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD181KFGX18 TB$793.99$44.11NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos X14 ST12000NM0008 12 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA (SATA/600)12 TB$531.45$44.29Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro 14TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – CMR 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 256MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage, Data Recovery Service – Frustration Free Packaging (ST14000NEZ008)14 TB$619.99$44.29NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf 16TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – CMR 3.5 Inch SATA 6GB/S 7200 RPM 256MB Cache for Raid Network Attached Storage, with Rescue Service (ST16000VN001)16 TB$711.00$44.44NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro ST12000NE0008 12 TB Hard Drive - 512E Format - SATA 600-3.5" Drive - Internal - 7200RPM - 256 MB Buffer - Hot Pluggable12 TB$534.99$44.58NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 16TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD161KFGXSold by Amazon16 TB$714.99$44.69NAS HDD · SATACMRPrimeBuy on Amazon
Western Digital 12TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 GB/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD120EFGX12 TB$538.88$44.91NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf 10Tb NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6GB/S 7200 RPM 256MB Cache for Raid Network Attached Storage (ST10000VN0004)10 TB$449.99$45.00NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
HGST - WD Ultrastar DC HC520 HDD | HUH721212ALE600 | 12TB 7.2K SATA 6Gb/s 256MB Cache 3.5-Inch Helium Data Center Internal Hard Disk Drive12 TB$541.45$45.12Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 12TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD122KFBXSold by Amazon12 TB$541.68$45.14NAS HDD · SATACMRPrimeBuy on Amazon
Western Digital 10TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 GB/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD100EFGXSold by Amazon10 TB$455.75$45.58NAS HDD · SATACMRPrimeBuy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro ST12000NE0008 12 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA (SATA/600)12 TB$550.00$45.83NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro 16TB 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s 3.5" NAS HDD (ST16000NE000)16 TB$738.91$46.18NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC550 WUH721816ALE6L4 0F38462 16TB 7.2K RPM SATA 6Gb/s 512e 512MB 3.5" SE HDD16 TB$744.45$46.53Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 16TB WD Gold Enterprise Class Internal Hard Drive - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD161KRYZSold by Amazon16 TB$749.00$46.81Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprisePrimeBuy on Amazon
WD WUS721010ALE6L4 Ultrastar DC HC330 0B42266 10TB 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s 256MB Cache 3.5-Inch Enterprise Hard Drive10 TB$471.45$47.15Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Toshiba MG09ACA18TE 18 TB Hard Drive - 3.5 Internal - SATA [SATA/600]18 TB$849.99$47.22Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos X24 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - 12TB, Single, SATA III 6 Gb/s12 TB$569.99$47.50Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos X20 ST20000NM007D 20TB 7.2K RPM SATA 6Gb/s 3.5in Hard Drive20 TB$950.00$47.50Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Enterprise 28TB SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive - Seagate Exos M ST28000NM003K28 TB$1,333.50$47.63Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro, 14 TB, Enterprise NAS Internal HDD –CMR 3.5 Inch, SATA 6 Gb/s, 7,200 RPM, 256 MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage (ST14000NT001)14 TB$667.00$47.64NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 20TB WD Gold Enterprise Class SATA Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD203KRYZSold by Amazon20 TB$953.99$47.70Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprisePrimeBuy on Amazon
Western Digital 26TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD260KFGX26 TB$1,240.99$47.73NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 8TB WD Gold Enterprise Class Internal Hard Drive - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD8005FRYZSold by Amazon8 TB$387.99$48.50Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprisePrimeBuy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro 12TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM 256MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage Data Recovery Service – Frustration Free Packaging (ST12000NEZ008)12 TB$584.45$48.70NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital WUH721816ALE6L4 3.5" 16TB SATA 6Gb/s7.2K RPM 512M 0F38462 512e/4Kn HDD16 TB$784.45$49.03Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf 18TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – CMR 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM 256MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage, Rescue Services – Frustration Free Packaging (ST18000VNZ00)18 TB$884.45$49.14NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos X18 ST18000NM001J 18 TB Hard Drive - Internal - SATA (SATA/600)18 TB$884.45$49.14Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 12TB WD Gold Enterprise Class Internal Hard Drive - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD122KRYZSold by Amazon12 TB$594.99$49.58Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprisePrimeBuy on Amazon
WD Red Pro 18TB NAS 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512MB Cache18 TB$894.45$49.69NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital Ultrastar WUH722020CLE6L4 20 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA - Energy-Assisted Magnetic Recording (EAMR) Method20 TB$999.00$49.95Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Toshiba 4TB Enterprise Internal Hard Drive – MG Series 3.5" SATA HDD for Server, Storage, 24/7 Operation, Hyperscale, Cloud (MG04ACA400E)4 TB$199.99$50.00Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate 8TB Enterprise Capacity 3.5 HDD 7200RPM SATA 6Gbps 256 MB Cache Internal Bare Drive (ST8000NM0055)8 TB$400.00$50.00Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf 10TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM 256MB Cache RAID Network Attached Storage Home Servers - (ST10000VN0008)10 TB$500.00$50.00NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital WD Red Plus Internal Hard Drive 8TB CMR 3.5 inch SATA 5640 RPM 256MB NAS WD80EFPX-AJP Eco Package8 TB$405.15$50.64NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 18TB WD Gold Enterprise Class Internal Hard Drive - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD181KRYZ18 TB$917.50$50.97Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Constellation ES.3 ST4000NM0033 4 TB Hard Drive - 3.5 Internal - SATA4 TB$204.92$51.23Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 14TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" -WD142KFGXSold by Amazon14 TB$717.21$51.23NAS HDD · SATACMRPrimeBuy on Amazon
Seagate Exos 7E8 4TB 512n SATA 128MB Cache 3.5-Inch Enterprise Hard Drive (ST4000NM0035), Mechanical Hard Disk4 TB$205.00$51.25Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital Ultrastar WUH722014CLE6L4 14 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA - Energy-Assisted Magnetic Recording (EAMR) - Server Device Supported - 7200rpm - 512e Format - 512 MB Buffer14 TB$729.99$52.14Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf 10TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – CMR 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM 256MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage, with Rescue Service (ST10000VN0008)10 TB$524.45$52.45NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro 12 TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6 Gb/s 7200 RPM 256 MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage, Data Recovery Rescue Service (ST12000NE0007)12 TB$634.45$52.87NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 10TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD102KFBX10 TB$529.90$52.99NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf ST12000VN0007 12 TB 3.5 Internal Hard Drive - SATA - 7200rpm - 256 MB Buffer12 TB$644.45$53.70NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf 8TB Internal Hard Drive for NAS ST8000VN002Sold by Amazon8 TB$440.46$55.06NAS HDD · SATACMRPrimeBuy on Amazon
Western Digital 14TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 5400 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD140EFFX14 TB$771.45$55.10NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf 8Tb NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6GB/S 7200 RPM 256MB Cache for Raid Network Attached Storage (ST8000VN0022),Silver8 TB$445.00$55.63NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Toshiba MG09ACA16TE / JP-EC 7,200 RPM, SATA 24x7, RV Sensor, Helium-Filled Hard Drive, 3.5 Inch Enterprise Grade Hard Drive, 16 TB (CMR), Authorized Japanese Dealer, 5 Year Warranty16 TB$894.00$55.88Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital WD Red Plus Internal Hard Drive 6 TB CMR 3.5 Inch SATA 5400 rpm 256 MB NAS (Amazon.co.jp Limited)Sold by Amazon6 TB$335.95$55.99NAS HDD · SATACMRPrimeBuy on Amazon
Western Digital 10TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 5400 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD101EFAX10 TB$559.90$55.99NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf 14TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM 256MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage (ST14000VN0008)14 TB$788.00$56.29NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Toshiba MG09 Series MG09ACA18TE - Hard Drive - 18 TB - SATA 6Gb/s18 TB$1,040.00$57.78Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 12TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD121KFBX12 TB$699.99$58.33NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital WD RedPlus Internal HDD 4TB CMR 3.5 Inch SATA Cache 128MB 5400rpm NAS Compatible WD40EFZZ-AJP Eco Package4 TB$234.85$58.71NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro, 10 TB, Enterprise NAS Internal HDD –CMR 3.5 Inch, SATA 6 Gb/s, 7,200 RPM, 256 MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage (ST10000NT001)10 TB$589.45$58.95NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
WD Red Pro 16TB NAS 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512MB Cache16 TB$944.75$59.05NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
WD Red Plus 14TB NAS 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - 5400 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512MB Cache14 TB$831.45$59.39NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro 10TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD –CMR 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 256MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage, Data Recovery Service – Frustration Free Packaging (ST10000NEZ008)10 TB$594.75$59.48NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf 8TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM 256MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage Frustration Free Packaging (ST8000VNZ04/N004)8 TB$480.00$60.00NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 20TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD201KFGX20 TB$1,199.99$60.00NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
TOSHIBA N300 Internal Hard Drive 8 Tb 7200 RPM 512 Mb 3.5" Serial, W129162310 (7200 RPM 512 Mb 3.5 Serial Ata Iii)8 TB$482.49$60.31NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf ST10000NE0008 10 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA (SATA/600)10 TB$608.10$60.81NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital WD Red Pro Internal Hard Drive 18 TB CMR 3.5 inch SATA 7200 RPM 512MB NAS WD181KFGX-AJP Eco Package18 TB$1,099.99$61.11NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
16TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – CMR 3.5 Inch SATA 6GB/S 7200 RPM 256MB Cache for Raid Network Attached Storage, Data Recovery Rescue Service (ST16000NE000)16 TB$980.50$61.28NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital Ultrastar WUH722016CLE6L4 14 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA - Energy-Assisted Magnetic Recording (EAMR) Method14 TB$864.59$61.76Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro 8TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM 256MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage, Data Recovery Service – Frustration Free Packaging (ST8000NEZ01)8 TB$494.45$61.81NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Synology HAT5300-16T 16 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA (SATA/600)16 TB$999.99$62.50NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro ST8000NE001 8TB Internal 3.5" SATA 6Gb/s 7200rpm - 256MB - with 2 Years Rescue Data Recovery Service Plan8 TB$504.45$63.06NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
WD Red 8TB NAS Hard Disk Drive - 5400 RPM Class SATA 6 Gb/s 128MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD80EFZX8 TB$514.45$64.31NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf, 6 TB, Enterprise Internal NAS HDD – CMR 3.5 Inch, SATA 6 Gb/s, 7,200 RPM, 256 MB Cache for RAID NAS (ST6000NT006)6 TB$393.33$65.55NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 8TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 5400 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD80EFAX8 TB$529.99$66.25NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf ST6000VN001 6 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA (SATA/600) - Storage System Device Supported - 7200rpm - 256 MB Buffer6 TB$398.45$66.41NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 8TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD8003FFBX8 TB$534.45$66.81NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 10TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD101EFBX10 TB$674.45$67.45NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 10TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD101KFBX (Old Version)10 TB$674.75$67.47NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 8TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD80EFBX8 TB$539.99$67.50NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 6TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 5640 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 128 MB Cache, 3.5" -WD60EFZX6 TB$415.00$69.17NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
TOSHIBA Mg09 Internal Hard Drive 14 Tb 7200 RPM 3.5" Serial Ata, W129022817 (Tb 7200 RPM 3.5 Serial Ata Iii)14 TB$969.99$69.29Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 12TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 GB/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD120EFBX12 TB$834.45$69.54NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 4TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 5400 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 64 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD40EFRX4 TB$279.00$69.75NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
WD Red Pro 10TB NAS 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 256MB Cache10 TB$699.00$69.90NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate 4TB IronWolf NAS SATA Hard Drive 6Gb/s 256MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Hard Drive for NAS Servers, Personal Cloud Storage (ST4000VN008), Silver4 TB$279.99$70.00NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
WD Red Plus 4TB NAS Hard Drive4 TB$290.00$72.50NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
WD Red Pro 8TB 3.5-Inch SATA III 7200rpm 128MB Cache NAS Internal Hard Drive (WD8001FFWX)8 TB$579.99$72.50NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro ST6000NE000 6 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA (SATA/600)6 TB$458.00$76.33NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate IronWolf Pro ST4000NE001 4 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA (SATA/600)4 TB$313.95$78.49NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 4TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 5400 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 128 MB Cache, 3.5" -WD40EFZX4 TB$319.99$80.00NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
[Amazon.co.jp Limited] Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC550 16TB Corporate Internal Hard Drive CMR 3.5 Inch SATA 7200rpm OptiNAND Heavy Duty WUH722016CLE6L4-AJP Eco PackageSold by Amazon16 TB$1,288.73$80.55Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprisePrimeBuy on Amazon
Seagate Ironwolf NAS 10TB SATA 6GB/s NCQ 256MB Cache 3.5 Internal Bare Drive (ST10000VN0004)10 TB$820.00$82.00NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 6TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD6003FFBX6 TB$525.00$87.50NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
WD Red Pro 6TB 3.5-Inch SATA III 7200rpm 128MB Cache NAS Internal Hard Drive (WD6002FFWX)6 TB$531.45$88.58NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital WD Red Pro Internal HDD 6TB CMR 3.5 inch SATA 7200rpm Cache 256MB NAS HelioSeal WD6005FFBX-AJP Eco Package6 TB$560.00$93.33NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 4TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD4003FFBX4 TB$380.00$95.00NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital WD Red Pro NAS Hard Disk Drive - FFP Option | WD4003FFBX/WDZ4003FFBX4 TB$415.00$103.75NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
WD Red Pro 4TB NAS Hard Disk Drive - 7200 RPM SATA 6 Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD4001FFSX4 TB$434.45$108.61NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital Red Pro 4TB 3.5-Inch 7200rpm 64MB Cache NAS Hard Drive (WD4002FFWX)4 TB$444.45$111.11NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
TOSHIBA N300 Internal Hard Drive 4 Tb 7200 RPM 512 Mb 3.5" Serial, W129162308 (7200 RPM 512 Mb 3.5 Serial Ata Iii)4 TB$448.00$112.00NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon
Seagate 8.9 cm (3.5") 32TB SATA3 IronWolf Pro 7200 512MB32 TB$3,689.41$115.29NAS HDD · SATACMR-Buy on Amazon

Renewed, refurbished and used listings

Shown for reference. These are not counted in the best price per TB above, and warranty terms differ from new drives.

Price per
20 products
ProductCapacityPrice$ / TBTypePrimeBuy
Toshiba MG Series Enterprise 10TB 3.5’’ SATA 6Gbit/s Internal HDD 7200RPM 550TB/year 24/7 Operation. MG06ACA10TEUsed10 TB$248.99$24.90Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Toshiba 14TB SATA 512e 256MB Cache 7200RPM 3.5" SATA 6.0Gb/s Enterprise Hard Drive - MG07ACA14TE (Renewed)Renewed14 TB$349.99$25.00Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos x12 12TB SATA 6Gb/s 256MB Cache Enterprise Hard Drive 3.5in (ST12000NM0127) (Renewed)Renewed12 TB$307.99$25.67Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
MDD MAXDIGITALDATA MDD (MDD14TSATA25672E) 14TB 7200RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Enterprise Hard Drive - 5 Years Warranty (Renewed)Renewed14 TB$359.99$25.71Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Western Digital 14TB Ultrastar DC HC530 SATA HDD - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, 512MB Cache, 3.5" - WUH721414ALE604 (Renewed)Renewed14 TB$369.99$26.43Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Toshiba Enterprise MG Series 3.5" 16TB SATA 3UsedSold by Amazon16 TB$425.70$26.61Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprisePrimeBuy on Amazon
Seagate Exos X14 ST12000NM0008 12 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA (SATA/600)Used12 TB$319.59$26.63Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Constellation ES.3 ST4000NM0033 4 TB Hard Drive - 3.5 Internal - SATAUsed4 TB$107.00$26.75Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
MDD MAXDIGITALDATA (MDD12TSATA25672E) 12TB 7200 RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Enterprise Hard Drive (Renewed)Renewed12 TB$329.95$27.50Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
HGST WD Ultrastar DC HC520 12TB HDD 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s 256MB Cache 3.5-Inch Enterprise Hard Drive | Power-Disable | HUH721212ALE604 0F29592 (Renewed)Renewed12 TB$329.99$27.50Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
HP/Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC550 WUH721818ALE600 0F38492 18TB 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s 512e 512MB Cache Power Disable 3.5in Enterprise Hard Drive MB018000GXLAV P37677-001 (Renewed)Renewed18 TB$499.00$27.72Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
HGST WD Ultrastar DC HC530 14TB SATA 6Gb/s 3.5-Inch Data Center HDD - WUH721414ALE604 0F31152 (Renewed)Renewed14 TB$389.99$27.86Enterprise HDD · SATACMREnterprise-Buy on Amazon
MDD (MDD26TSATA51272E) 26TB 7200RPM 512MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5inch Internal Enterprise Hard Drive - 5 Years Warranty (Renewed)Renewed26 TB$789.99$30.38Enterprise HDD · SATARecording type not confirmed by MDDNASEnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos 26TB Internal Hard Drive HDD - 3.5 in CMR SATA 6Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 512MB Cache, 2.5M MTBF (ST26000NM000C) (Renewed)Renewed26 TB$809.99$31.15Enterprise HDD · SATARecording type not confirmed by SeagateNASEnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos X24 24TB Enterprise Hard Drive HDD SATA 6Gb/s 512MB Cache 7200 RPM 512e CMR Helium Sealed 3.5in Hard Drive ST24000NM000H (Renewed)Renewed24 TB$749.99$31.25Enterprise HDD · SATARecording type not confirmed by SeagateNASEnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos ST24000NM001C 24TB 7200RPM 512e SATA 6Gb/s 512MB Cache 3.5-Inch Enterprise Hard Drive (Renewed)Renewed24 TB$749.99$31.25Enterprise HDD · SATARecording type not confirmed by SeagateNASEnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos ST28000NM001C 28TB 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s 512e 3.5in Enterprise Hard Drive (Renewed)Renewed28 TB$879.99$31.43Enterprise HDD · SATARecording type not confirmed by SeagateNASEnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos ST26000NM001C 26TB 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s 512e 3.5in Enterprise Hard Drive (Renewed)Renewed26 TB$819.99$31.54Enterprise HDD · SATARecording type not confirmed by SeagateNASEnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos 28TB Internal Hard Drive HDD - 3.5 in CMR SATA 6Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 512MB Cache, 2.5M MTBF - ST28000NM000C (Renewed)Renewed28 TB$889.99$31.79Enterprise HDD · SATARecording type not confirmed by SeagateNASEnterprise-Buy on Amazon
Seagate Exos ST24000NM000C 24TB 7.2K RPM SATA 6Gb/s 512e 3.5in Enterprise Hard Drive (Renewed)Renewed24 TB$769.99$32.08Enterprise HDD · SATARecording type not confirmed by SeagateNASEnterprise-Buy on Amazon

Frequently asked questions

Does Jellyfin charge for hardware transcoding?

No. Jellyfin's documentation says it has no premium licenses or features. Plex's support article says hardware-accelerated streaming requires an active Plex Pass subscription.

Should Jellyfin use QSV or VA-API on an Intel processor?

Jellyfin's Intel page prefers QSV on mainstream graphics for better performance, and says VA-API is required by graphics older than Broadwell. On Windows QSV is the only method.

Can Jellyfin hardware-decode 10-bit H.264?

No. Jellyfin states that no Intel, NVIDIA or AMD graphics supports hardware decoding of 10-bit H.264.

Independent US storage-value site: NAS drives, DIY/TrueNAS build parts, and hard-drive shucking, ranked by live $/TB. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Synology, UGREEN, QNAP, TerraMaster, Seagate, Western Digital or Toshiba. All trademarks belong to their owners.

Last updated: 2026-10-13 00:02:10 UTC. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date indicated on Amazon.com and are subject to change. Any price displayed at the time of purchase will apply. CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED AS IS AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.