Choosing between an HP G4 and an older Ryzen PC for a home server

The current runs on a 4 with 4GB of memory. It hosts OMV, Plex with an *arr stack, immich, , and other apps.

The existing 2018 custom PC has a Ryzen 3 2200G, 16GB of , a Corsair CX550 550W 80+ Bronze , and an Asus PRIME A320M-K . The used HP G4 option has an i7-8700 and 16GB of .

Either machine should be a clear upgrade from the , especially if it can handle Plex transcoding. The main concern is power use, because the server will stay on all day and night; the Ryzen build seems likely to use more power than the HP G4, but that is not certain from the specs alone.

Key points

  • The current server is a 4GB 4 running several apps.
  • The two upgrade choices are a Ryzen 3 2200G custom PC and an HP G4 with an i7-8700.
  • Both choices should be faster than the .
  • Plex transcoding is a key reason to upgrade.
  • Power use matters because the server is meant to run 24/7.
Read original