Can It Transcode

Hardware

NASSynologyPlex

Synology DS423+

Intel Celeron J4125 · Intel UHD Graphics 600 (Quick Sync)

On Plex 1.31.2, three clients playing the same 4K file sat near 20% CPU until one stream was forced from 4K down to 1080p. That single transcode made two of the three streams buffer. Forcing 1080p down to 720p stayed in the 20–30% CPU range and was called a good result. 2 other reports on this page.

Four-bay Synology with a J4125. Hardware transcoding in Plex needs Plex Pass. Reviews below are single-client or three-client sessions, not a 10-stream bench.

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Reported results

A dash means the source did not count that kind of stream. Single-stream speeds are fps for one file, not a guess at how many clients fit.

PlexQuick SyncSingle-file test

In a head-to-head, both the DS423+ and the DS923+ transcoded one 720p file to 480p easily. Pushing 720p down to 240p is where NASCompares says the J4125's graphics pulled ahead of the R1600. Still one file, not a stream ceiling.

1080p
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4K
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4K HDR tone map
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Power
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Price paid
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DSM

NASCompares — DS423+ vs DS923+ Plex tests
Notes from the source

NASCompares, 26 Feb 2024, Plex section of the DS423+ vs DS923+ comparison. The 240p case is described as the first clear win for the Intel iGPU, without a fps figure or a second simultaneous client.

PlexQuick SyncSingle-file test

NASCompares forced single-file Plex transcodes on a stock DS423+. Several 4K H.264 files and a 16 Mbps 4K HEVC 10-bit file were a clear pass. An 80 Mbps 10-bit 4K file failed. A 60 Mbps 4K HEVC file is listed with pass, high-CPU, and fail all at once, so that one is not a clean result. These are one file at a time.

1080p
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4K
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4K HDR tone map
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Power
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Price paid
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DSM (stock CPU and RAM, no cache upgrade)

NASCompares — Synology DS423+ 4K Plex tests
Notes from the source

12 May 2023 write-up. The player was forced to transcode over 1 GbE. Clear pass: UHD 4K 10-bit 16 Mbps HEVC, IMAX 4K H.264 40 Mbps, another IMAX 4K H.264 40 Mbps 24 fps, 4K H.264 12 Mbps, 4K H.264 32 Mbps (two files). Fail: IMAX 4K 10-bit 80 Mbps. The 4K HEVC 8-bit 60 Mbps file is labeled clear pass, played-but-high-CPU, and fail in the same section. One 4K HEVC 29 Mbps heading has no result line in the text. Plex Pass is required for Quick Sync on Synology, and the article tells you to enable hardware encoding. No simultaneous count.

PlexQuick SyncStream count

On Plex 1.31.2, three clients playing the same 4K file sat near 20% CPU until one stream was forced from 4K down to 1080p. That single transcode made two of the three streams buffer. Forcing 1080p down to 720p stayed in the 20–30% CPU range and was called a good result.

1080p
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4K
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4K HDR tone map
—
Power
—
Price paid
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DSM · 1.31.2

Blackvoid — Synology DS423+ review, Plex section
Notes from the source

Blackvoid review by Luka Manestar. Clients: iPhone 11 Plex app, MacBook Pro in Safari, Samsung 65-inch TV Plex app. The comfortable 4K run is not described as a transcode; the forced 4K-to-1080p conversion is the one that broke playback. CPU is the J4125, and the review says Plex Pass is what unlocks Quick Sync. Direct-play 1080p barely touched the CPU.

Reviewer's NAS figures, not a transcode-only meter: about 28 W while the NAS is being accessed and about 8 W in hibernation, depending on the drives. The unit ships with a 90 W adapter. Left out of the watt column so it is not read as transcode load.