PlexNine PMS SysRequirements
From Plex
System Requirements
Hardware Minimum and Recommended Requirements
Plex Media Server only – Windows PC
Minimum requirements
- A Windows XP SP3 PC with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor 1.6 GHz or better
- At least 512MB RAM
Recommended configuration - For transcoding HD Content (720p and 1080p):
- A Windows XP SP3 PC with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor 2.4 GHz or better
- At least 2GB RAM
Compatible with the latest versions and System Packs for Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7
Plex Media Server and single Plex Desktop Client - Mac OS
Minimum requirements
- For HD Content (720p and 1080p) or SD content with upscaling:
- A Macintosh Computer with an Intel Core Duo processor 1.6 GHz or better
- At least 1GB of RAM
- Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.3 or newer
- For SD Content (no upscaling):
- A Macintosh Computer with an Intel core solo 1.5 GHz or better
- At least 512MB of RAM
- Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.3 or newer
Recommended configuration - For HD Content (720p and 1080p) or SD content with upscaling:
- A Macintosh Computer with an Intel Core Duo processor 2 GHz or better
- NVidia 9400M, GT320/330M graphic chipsets for hardware x264 decoding
- At least 2GB of RAM
- Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.3 or newer
Plex Media Server only – Linux PC
Note: Plex Media Server for Linux is a Plex Labs release. It is bleeding edge code and you should expect to experience bugs and limitations when using it.
Minimum requirements
- A Ubuntu or Slackware PC with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor 1.6 GHz or better
- At least 512MB RAM
Recommended configuration - For transcoding HD Content (720p and 1080p):
- A Ubuntu or Slackware PC with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor 2.4 GHz or better
- At least 2GB RAM
Plex Media Server only – ReadyNAS
Minimum requirements
- An Intel based ReadyNAS device
- 1GB RAM
Recommended configuration - For transcoding HD Content (720p and 1080p):
- An Intel based 'Pro' series - preferable Pro 6 - ReadyNAS device
- 1GB RAM
Plex Media Server only – Other NAS devices
Plex Media Server for Linux can potentially run on numerous NAS devices that use Linux and Intel x86 processors. Check the Forums for information on other ports.
As ports emerge, we will add requirements here. There are currently installers available from the forums for:
- Synology - Link to Thread
- QNap - Link to Thread
- UnRAID - Link to Thread
Plex Media Server, Plex Desktop Client with streaming to Plex Mobile Clients
Minimum and recommended requirements - For HD Content (720p and 1080p) or SD content with upscaling:
- Intel Core2Duo processor 2.4 GHz or better
- NVidia 9400M, GT320/330M graphic chipsets for hardware x264 decoding
- At least 2GB of RAM, 4GB recommended
- Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.3 or newer / Windows 7
CPU and Memory Requirements
Plex Media Server needs little RAM to perform its tasks. Streaming media files also doesn't take much RAM or many CPU cycles. However, transcoding media is a highly CPU intensive process. Here are some guidelines when deciding whether you need more RAM or a faster/stronger CPU.
Streaming
- Start playing a media file on a Client that doesn't use transcoding - like the Mac OS X desktop client
- Open your OS Activity Monitor and check the RAM usage while the Plex Media Server is streaming
- If you notice your system is low on RAM, you may benefit from adding more
Transcoding
- Start playing a media file on a Plex Client that requires transcoded media (like iPhone, Android etc.)
- Open your OS Activity Monitor and check the RAM usage while the Plex Media Server is streaming
- If you notice your system is low on RAM, you may benefit from adding more
- Repeat for SD, 720p and 1080p source media to check all transcoding cases
As a general rule, as long as the Operating System has enough RAM to run well, you should not have to add additional RAM. Transcoding is not a RAM intensive process, but is CPU intensive. If you notice 'buffering' pauses on a Plex Client that is playing a transcoded stream, you should consider a beefier CPU. The Monitoring a Transcode Session section of the Advanced Info page can help you investigate whether you might need more CPU power.
Network Minimum and Recommended Requirements
Stand-alone Plex Media Server, Plex Desktop Client with streaming to Plex Mobile Clients
Minimum requirements
- An ADSL/Cable/WiFi Internet connection to fetch media metadata and updates
- Wi-fi network 802.11b/g
Recommended configuration
- An ADSL/Cable/WiFi Internet connection - the faster the connection, the faster the metadata is fetched
- Wi-fi network 802.11g/n
Plex Media Server, several Plex Desktop Clients and Plex Mobile Clients
Minimum requirements
- An ADSL/Cable/WiFi Internet connection to fetch media metadata and updates
- Un-congested, strong signal Wi-fi network 802.11n OR wired network, 100BaseT
Recommended configuration
- An ADSL/Cable/WiFi Internet connection - the faster the connection, the faster the metadata is fetched
- Wired network, 1000BaseT
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