Server / Mini-PC Hardware
Choosing the right hardware is crucial for your Smart Home Server. Here you'll learn about the available options and which one is best suited for you.
Mini-PCs / ThinClients Recommended
Although the Raspberry Pi has very low power consumption, the performance per watt of used Mini-PCs and ThinClients is often significantly better. For around €50-100, you can get used x86 systems that offer more performance and better Docker support.
Hardware Comparison
| Hardware | Price | Power Consumption | Performance | Docker Support | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi 4 | ~€50 | 3-5W | Good | Limited (ARM) | ✅ For beginners |
| Raspberry Pi 5 | ~€80 | 5-8W | Very Good | Limited (ARM) | ✅ For light use |
| Intel N100 Mini-PC | ~€150 | 6-10W | Very Good | ✅ Perfect | ✅ Recommended |
| HP/Lenovo/Dell ThinClient | €50-100 | 10-25W | Excellent | ✅ Perfect | ✅ Best Value |
| Intel NUC (i3/i5) | €200-400 | 15-35W | Superior | ✅ Perfect | For high requirements |
| Old PC | ~€0 | 30-80W | Variable | ✅ Perfect | For testing |
Recommended Hardware
Beginners: Raspberry Pi 4/5
Advantages: - Very low power consumption (3-8W) - Compact form factor - Low purchase cost
Disadvantages: - Limited Docker support (not all images available for ARM) - Limited RAM (max. 8GB) - SD card as primary storage (slow, less reliable)
Ideal for: - Home Assistant + NodeRED only - Up to 5-8 Docker containers - Light use without media server
Recommendation
At least 4GB RAM, preferably 8GB. Use an SSD instead of an SD card (via USB).
Recommended: Mini-PCs / ThinClients
Best Recommendation
Used ThinClients offer the best price-performance ratio for Smart Home servers.
Examples:
| Model | Price (used) | CPU | RAM | Advantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP T620 | ~€40 | AMD GX-415GA | 4-8GB | Very affordable, quiet |
| HP T630 | ~€60 | AMD GX-420GI | 4-8GB | More performance |
| Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 | ~€80 | i3-6100T | 8GB | Intel QuickSync |
| Dell Wyse 5070 | ~€50 | J5005 | 4-8GB | Low consumption |
| Intel N100 Mini-PC | ~€150 | N100 | 8-16GB | Current, efficient |
| HP ProDesk 400 G6 | ~€150 | i3-10100T | 8-16GB | Very powerful |
Advantages of Mini-PCs: - ✅ x86 architecture - All Docker images work - ✅ More performance per watt - ✅ SSD support (SATA/NVMe) - ✅ More expandable RAM - ✅ Intel QuickSync for hardware transcoding (Jellyfin, Plex) - ✅ More durable than SD cards
Ideal for: - All Docker containers from the ei23 script - Media servers (Jellyfin, Plex) - Nextcloud with many users - AI/LLM (with dedicated GPU) - Frigate with multiple cameras
Advanced: Own PC / Server
For very high requirements:
- Proxmox as hypervisor
- Multiple VMs for different services
- Dedicated GPU for AI/LLM
- RAID storage for data security
- Power consumption: 30-100W
Power Consumption Comparison
| System | Idle | Load | Cost/Year* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi 4 | 3W | 6W | ~€10 |
| Intel N100 Mini-PC | 6W | 15W | ~€20 |
| HP ThinClient i3 | 12W | 35W | ~€40 |
| Old Desktop PC | 40W | 120W | ~€140 |
*At €0.30/kWh, 24/7 operation
Performance per Watt
While the Raspberry Pi consumes the least power, an Intel N100 offers 5-10x the performance at double the power consumption. For Docker workloads, a Mini-PC is often the more efficient choice.
Storage Recommendations
| Type | Price | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| SD Card | ~€15 | Affordable | Slow, less durable |
| USB SSD | ~€30 | Faster, more durable | USB bandwidth limitation |
| SATA SSD | ~€40 | Fast, reliable | Only on Mini-PCs |
| NVMe SSD | ~€50 | Fastest | Only on newer systems |
SD Cards
SD cards have a limited lifespan with frequent write operations. Use Log2RAM (available in the ei23 script) or better yet, an SSD.
My Recommendations
| Use Case | Recommendation | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Home Assistant + NodeRED only | Raspberry Pi 4 4GB | ~€70 |
| Home Assistant + 5-10 containers | HP T630 or Dell Wyse 5070 | ~€60-80 |
| Everything + Media Server | Intel N100 Mini-PC | ~€150 |
| AI/LLM + many containers | i5/i7 Mini-PC with GPU | ~€300+ |
Where to Buy?
- eBay Kleinanzeigen / eBay - Used ThinClients
- refurbed.de - Refurbished Mini-PCs with warranty
- Amazon - New Intel N100 systems
- Raspberry Pi Shops - For RPis and accessories