What is the recommended hardware for a Media Server?

[JQLeitch]

I'm wanting to build a relatively cheap, low power, Media Server for all of my devices, like my main PC, laptop, android phone etc etc and just for basic file transfers for important documents. I'm wanting to use a Mini-Itx formfactor case so that it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, I don't own a large business, I just want a media server

My question is, is what hardware should I get? I'm looking at 1155 board with an Intel Celeron processor for the meantime and when Skylake comes out (presumably) in 2016, I can take the i5 out of my current machine and put it in the server. Will this suffice until 2016? I plan on just using NTFS or something, other recommendations are welcome.

Thanks. Apologies for being a complete ignorant arse.

EDIT: Probably going to go the safe route and buy an i3 processor. Thanks for your help.

 

[sm625]

How many drives? If more than one then I would forget about ITX. Just take any old intel core 2 E7xxx micro ATX system and force clock it down to 800 MHz. You can do that very easily from a command line on windows 7/8. I can post that command if you need it. I use it every day to switch between "whisper quiet mode" and "turbo mode" on my G3258 system. But the commands are in a batch file so I dont remember them.

 

[JQLeitch]

How many drives? If more than one then I would forget about ITX. Just take any old intel core 2 E7xxx micro ATX system and force clock it down to 800 MHz. You can do that very easily from a command line on windows 7/8. I can post that command if you need it. I use it every day to switch between "whisper quiet mode" and "turbo mode" on my G3258 system. But the commands are in a batch file so I dont remember them.

Probably just two 3TB drives.

 

[JQLeitch]

BUMP

 

[PliotronX]

I built a sweet NAS out of an ITX with an i3-4330 and it chews through what I ask of it with 5 3TB WD RE4 drives (not cheap but I never wanted to worry about running out of drive space) and at idle it takes 40W. Don't have a full load number yet but I'm impressed as hell. I can stream with Plex in 1080P without trouble. Light gaming like South Park Stick of Truth doesn't skip a beat while streaming. In hindsight, I would have went with mATX because to get enough drive bays, the case (BitFenix Prodigy) is the size of a mATX anyways.

 

[JQLeitch]

I built a sweet NAS out of an ITX with an i3-4330 and it chews through what I ask of it with 5 3TB WD RE4 drives (not cheap but I never wanted to worry about running out of drive space) and at idle it takes 40W. Don't have a full load number yet but I'm impressed as hell. I can stream with Plex in 1080P without trouble. Light gaming like South Park Stick of Truth doesn't skip a beat while streaming. In hindsight, I would have went with mATX because to get enough drive bays, the case (BitFenix Prodigy) is the size of a mATX anyways.

Do you think I should go for M-Itx?

 

[PliotronX]

Do you think I should go for M-Itx?

Id say it depends on if you find a nice ITX case that makes sense for what you want to do. There are a lot more mATX cases and it gives you more RAM slots and periphreal slots for expansion. I wanted more SATA ports but with a GTX 650 occupying the only PCI-Ex slot, it was foresight that I didnt expect to be limited. Generally you are going to want mATX if you plan for more than 2 HDDs as someone above suggested.

 

[mfenn]

Can you update your post with the answers to the questions posed in this thread? That'll give people a better idea of what you're looking for overall.