A hardware encoder (Quick Sync, NVENC, AMF; AV1 on recent cards) does the heavy lifting; cores go to scenes, filters and the browser.
Hardware requirements by tier
Three tiers for every workload: the minimum that works, the recommended sweet spot, and the comfortable headroom level. These are the same tiers the WisePC decision engine uses when it plans a build around your goal.
| Tier | CPU cores | RAM | Storage | GPU | VRAM | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 6 cores | 16 GB | 1 TB (ssd) | any | — | 1 GbE |
| Recommended | 8 cores | 32 GB | 2 TB (mixed) | dedicated | 8 GB VRAM | 1 GbE |
| Comfortable | 12 cores | 64 GB | 4 TB (mixed) | dedicated | 12 GB VRAM | 2.5 GbE |
| Overkill | 20 cores | 103 GB | 8 TB (mixed) | dedicated | 12 GB VRAM | 2.5 GbE |
Beyond Comfortable — 20 cores, 103 GB RAM, 8 TB (mixed SSD + HDD): headroom you will never use for this workload alone. Put the difference into storage, backup or silence.
Recommended system shape
Derived by the decision engine from the recommended tier — the same logic that plans full builds.
Requirements (8 threads, 32GB RAM, 16TB storage, dedicated GPU) need a custom tower build.
One box or a separate machine?
Separate machine recommendedRuns on demand, not 24/7 — it conflicts with an always-on, energy-efficient architecture. A separate machine keeps the always-on box lean and quiet.
Whether this workload deserves its own system or should live on the main server.
Storage arrays, priced
Five physical strategies for the recommended capacity — the same planner, drive model and reference prices as the storage planner tool.
| Strategy | Drives | Usable | Cost | Idle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest | 1× 4TB hdd | 4 TB · none | ≈ €214 | 5 W |
| Balanced Recommended | 1× 16TB hdd | 16 TB · none | ≈ €714 | 6 W |
| Redundant | 3× 8TB hdd | 8 TB · parity2 | ≈ €1119 | 15 W |
| Expansion-friendly | 1× 20TB hdd | 20 TB · none | ≈ €918 | 7 W |
| Performance | 2× 4TB nvme | 4 TB · parity1 | ≈ €1586 | 2 W |
The balanced strategy gives you parity protection for a modest cost per TB — the right default for a family archive.
Backup is not storage
The extra copy that survives drive failure, deletion and ransomware — the same engine as the backup planner.
Protect 2TB with at least two copies on separate hardware, ideally one offsite. The recommended start is a dedicated NAS.
Add a second copy outside the building — cloud or a drive at a friend's house.
Use a versioning-aware tool (restic, borg, Backblaze) that keeps history.
Schedule backups automatically and monitor them.
Keep the backup on separate hardware or offsite.
What will it cost?
Market-neutral EUR bands from the reference drive model (≈ = estimated street price). Live component prices resolve on the build page for your region.
Compute (CPU, board, RAM, GPU) is not included — see the recommended build for live prices.
Growth outlook
What happens when the data keeps growing — the same engine as the growth simulator.
This architecture becomes inadequate in year 3 — 1 bays needed. Plan the next step (bigger array, NAS or DAS, or a stronger platform) before then.
Exceeds max 4TB by 1TB — need larger array/DAS/NAS. Fresh Balanced array for 5TB: 1 bays, ~714€.
Which tier do you need?
- Pick Minimum (6 cores, 16 GB RAM) only for a single-purpose machine on a tight budget — expect little headroom.
- Recommended (8 cores, 32 GB RAM) is the sweet spot: enough for the workload plus the usual side-services, without overspending.
- Pick Comfortable (12 cores, 64 GB RAM) when this workload shares the machine with others or will grow — you pay for headroom, not for anxiety.
- GPU rule for this workload: dedicated.GPU rule for this workload: dedicated (8 GB VRAM).
