Which mini PC should you choose for your homelab?
A mini PC is the most popular foundation for a home server: small, quiet, energy-efficient and powerful enough for Proxmox, Docker, Home Assistant and a media server. But which one should you choose? Here are the points that matter.
New or used?
- New with an energy-efficient processor. Mini PCs with an Intel N100 or N150 use little power and are affordable. They have four cores and an integrated video chip that’s good at video transcoding, useful for Jellyfin and Plex.
- Used business mini PCs. Small PCs that companies are getting rid of (like the Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny, Dell OptiPlex Micro and HP EliteDesk Mini) are often solid, expandable and available for little money. A recent generation is more energy-efficient than a very old one.
- New with a more powerful processor. Mini PCs with an AMD Ryzen or an Intel Core have more cores and are suitable if you want to run many virtual machines, but they consume more power.
What should you look for?
- Virtualization. The processor must support VT-x (Intel) or AMD-V. That’s the case with almost all modern processors, but check it if you want to use Proxmox. See Install Proxmox.
- Memory. For a first homelab, 16 GB is a good start. Check if the memory is replaceable (SO-DIMM modules) or soldered on. Replaceable is more flexible. Check which type (DDR4 or DDR5) and how much the device can handle at maximum.
- Storage. An NVMe SSD for the system is fastest. A second slot for a 2.5-inch drive or SSD is useful for extra space. Read choosing memory and storage.
- Network. Gigabit (1 Gbit/s) is enough for most things. A 2.5 Gbit/s connection is nice for faster file transfer. If you want to use the mini PC as a router or firewall, choose a model with two or more network ports.
- Power consumption. Look at the consumption at idle. An energy-efficient mini PC uses 6 to 12 watts, a more powerful one 15 to 30 watts. Calculate the costs per year with our power cost calculator.
- Noise and cooling. Many mini PCs are virtually silent, but a small fan can become audible under load. Read reviews and pay attention to ventilation: don’t put it in a closed cabinet.
- BIOS settings. Look for the option “restore on AC power loss” (restore on AC power loss), so your server restarts automatically. And virtualization (VT-x and VT-d) must be able to be turned on.
What do you choose for what?
| What do you want to run? | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Only Home Assistant, Pi-hole and a few small programs | An energy-efficient mini PC (N100) with 8 to 16 GB, or a Raspberry Pi |
| Proxmox with multiple virtual machines and containers | A mini PC with at least 16 GB, preferably 32 GB, and an NVMe SSD |
| Media server with lots of movies (Jellyfin, Plex) | An Intel processor with integrated video chip, and enough storage via a NAS |
| Router or firewall (OPNsense, pfSense) | A mini PC with two or more network ports, preferably 2.5 Gbit/s |
| Retro gaming and emulation | A mini PC with a recent processor for GameCube, Wii and PS2. Check our emulator selector |
Tips for buying
- Compare the specifications of the exact model, not just the name: one type often has multiple configurations.
- When buying used: ask about the condition, the warranty and whether a power supply is included.
- Better to buy a bit more memory and storage now; expanding afterwards is sometimes difficult.