Hello my name is Aden and this is documentation for my first project a small home NAS build! This build was designed as a quiet, energy-efficient, and capable home NAS for personal file storage, backups, and future exploration using VM's. Below you'll find the complete parts list, cooling setup, configuration plans, and photos of the build.
| Component | Model |
|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5700G 3.8 GHz 8-Core Processor |
| CPU Cooler | Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE (66.17 CFM) |
| Motherboard | Gigabyte B550M AORUS Elite AX (Micro ATX, AM4) |
| Memory | TEAMGROUP T-Create Expert 32GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 |
| Boot Drive | Patriot P300 256GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD |
| Storage Drives | 4x Seagate IronWolf NAS 4TB 5400 RPM 3.5" HDD |
| Case | Cooler Master N400 ATX Mid Tower |
| Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA 750 GT 750 W 80+ Gold |
| Case Fan | Noctua NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM (70.75 CFM, 120mm) + Stock Case Fans |
| Fan Location | Fan | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Front (stock) | 120mm | Intake |
| Front (stock) | 120mm | Intake |
| (added) | Noctua P12 Redux | Exhaust |
| Side (future) | TBD |
The case provides strong airflow potential, with the Noctua P12 added for enhanced top exhaust and quieter performance. Planning to add a side intake in the future to help cool the hard drives directly. I might change the fan configuration to having the Noctua Fan at the Fan as well (TBD) Ran into the issue of not having enough fan ports on the motherboard so had to get a spitter and join the two intake fans to work correctly.
- Boot: Patriot P300 NVMe SSD (for TrueNAS or future OS)
- Data: 4x 4TB Seagate IronWolf NAS drives (mirrored or ZFS RAIDZ planned)
- Future expansion will use remaining SATA ports, or add a PCIe SATA controller if needed.
- OS: TrueNAS SCALE (Linux-based, great for ZFS and containers)
- Services:
- File sharing via SMB/NFS
- Snapshots and scheduled backups
- Optionally: Plex, Docker, Tailscale
Images will be uploaded via my GitHub repo. Here is a PCPartPicker Link with my most up-to-date build - https://pcpartpicker.com/list/TdQM2x
- Add side intake fan for HDD airflow
- Add UPS for power protection
- Create ZFS snapshot automation
- Add more drives via PCIe SATA card if needed more likley I will add more but to start this is all i can afford.
- B550M board has only 4 SATA ports – may need a SATA expansion card for future drives
- The Motherboard had a RealTek based NIC which was not compatible with TrueNas OS so had to get an Intel based NIC
- Front-to-back airflow is decent, but drive cage design slightly restricts front intake
- Noctua P12 Redux is a great quiet fan with strong airflow – worth the price