Any software you have for encoding is already licensed
That's not guaranteed. Most open source software isn't licensed.
and any non-commercial usage doesn't require a license at all.
Not accurate. Some, but not all, non-commercial usage doesn't require a license for the media, but the software still needs a license.
MaximumPC paints this a little bit different. Where only lower end cpu's get a big boost in conjecture with higher end AMD cards.
I was wondering how that made any sense, because I've never seen my i7 more than 20% used in any game where I've monitored CPU usage. However, I haven't played the Battlefield games in years.
CPUs can bottleneck even at 20% utilisation. The task manager will show 20% average utilisation, but that could mean that it sat at 100% utilisation for 20% of the time, rather than 20% utilisation for 100% of the time (or some mix in between).
Test your backups after you make them
Obviously.
it's a cheap and easy 99% solution
It's not a solution. It's a bare minimum requirement that doesn't solve for bitrot.
Honestly, I'd build two of these devices, one for local backups and I'd put one at a buddies house and do remote backups from your local device.
Oh what I'd do for usable upload bandwidth and reasonable data caps...
We gave you an atomic bomb, what do you want, mermaids? -- I. I. Rabi to the Atomic Energy Commission