unRAID
unRAID
You're planning to upgrade your PC for better productivity. You're considering a Ryzen series build, specifically the 1700x or 1800x models, which offer more cores and performance compared to the i5 you're using now. It's good to know you'll need VT-d support if you go with Intel, but since you're leaning toward the Ryzen path, that's less of a concern. For virtualization, unRAID is a solid choice, especially for running Windows desktops alongside servers and test machines. Your NAS storage will also fit well on this setup. The latest unRAID kernel version 4.9.10 supports Zen, but it seems to be compatible with Ryzen processors from the newer versions. It's worth checking with others in your community to see what experiences they've had with this configuration.
I checked Xeons before, but now I’m also interested in casual gaming. I’m wondering if a model clocking around 2.60GHz will perform as well as one at 3.4–3.6GHz.
I saw this mention online about clock speed not being the only factor. Games recommend specific speeds since budget chips usually run slower. If you're concerned, check game benchmarks instead.
Recent AMD code has been integrated into the Linux kernel, though no official announcement has been made. Check Phoronix for Ryzen updates.