I agree, I never really cared about QSV as an Intel feature until I started doing Livestreams, using Plex/Jellyfin/Emby, and virtualizing/homelab work.
[Edit: I think I initially misread you - but I agree, it's a huge differentiator]
In the homelab/home server space I always thought the OOB management provided by AMT/vPro is probably the biggest selling point. Manageability, especially OOB, is a huge deal for a lab/server. Anyone who used AMD's DASH knows why vPro is so far ahead here.
You would need an actual GPU, though. Massively increasing cost, power usage etc. without providing any real value in return for many use cases and AFAIK HW transcoding with Plex doesn't even work properly with with AMDs iGPUs?
The N100 can transcode 4k streams at ~20w while costing barely more than a Raspberry Pi.
I feel like my Dad saying “turn off the damn lights” now that I gotta pay the ‘light bill’ on a machine that runs 24/7 with spinning disks.