Consider a low-end Xeon CPU or an i5-13600K based on your budget server needs.
Consider a low-end Xeon CPU or an i5-13600K based on your budget server needs.
I’m preparing for a new server for my small business with a budget between $1,200 and $1,300. We’re limited to older Xeon models like the E-2176G and E-2246G, and we can’t afford high-end CPUs. The local store recommended an i5 build, specifically targeting the most powerful i5 13600K. Is that a solid choice? Based on the specs—6 cores, 8 threads, 20MB L2 cache, DDR5 support—it seems more capable than any Xeon we have in our budget. We also have around 32GB RAM with either DDR4 or DDR5 options, and possibly 2-3TB storage with software RAID 5. It will likely handle ERP software on an SQL server and serve as a NAS. Your thoughts and suggestions are welcome.
I’m preparing for a new server setup for your small business with a budget between $1,200 and $1,300. We’re limited to older Xeon models like the E-2176G, E-2246G, and similar units. The local store recommended an i5 build, aiming for the most capable i5 13600K. That sounds promising based on specs—6 cores, 8 threads, 20MB L2 cache, DDR5 support, and 32GB RAM. It does appear more powerful than any Xeon in this range. With 2-3TB storage, software RAID 5, and plans for ERP software plus a NAS, it could work well.
Regarding your questions:
- Software RAID 5 will help protect data if one drive fails.
- If the boot drive fails, you’ll lose only the data on that drive; the system should still run normally unless critical files are stored there.
Let me know if you’d like more details or further advice!
If you need ECC on the cheap, dont get Intel at all. Just go for ECC-verified board with AMD Ryzen CPUs instead. At 1300$, here's something id cobble up assuming in US. But yeah, if your place has no IT experts and this will be a business critical NAS, i highly recommend something with actual enterprise backing on it as the tech support there would help you so much more than the power of forums. I think thats what @Gokul_P is about to suggest. PCPartPicker Part List CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600G 3.9 GHz 6-Core Processor ($128.97 @ Amazon) Motherboard: Asus PRIME B550M-A/CSM Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($119.99 @ ASUS) Memory: Mushkin Proline 8 GB (1 x 8 GB) DDR4-2400 CL17 Memory ($36.99 @ Amazon) Memory: Mushkin Proline 8 GB (1 x 8 GB) DDR4-2400 CL17 Memory ($36.99 @ Amazon) Storage: Western Digital Red Plus 4 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ Amazon) Storage: Western Digital Red Plus 4 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ Amazon) Storage: Western Digital Red Plus 4 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ Amazon) Storage: Western Digital Red Plus 4 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ Amazon) Storage: Western Digital Red Plus 4 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ Amazon) Storage: Western Digital Red Plus 4 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ Amazon) Storage: Western Digital Red Plus 4 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ Amazon) Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 ATX Full Tower Case ($154.99 @ Newegg) Power Supply: Super Flower Leadex Platinum SE 1200 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($204.99 @ Newegg Sellers) Total: $1172.78 Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-02-23 03:05 EST-0500
That matches the two points you mentioned: ECC, enterprise/business support. I’ll add a note about Windows stability—many find it unreliable compared to Linux, and using it on critical servers might lead to serious issues. If you need reliability, consider Linux or a more stable OS instead of DDR5 in that scenario.
For business ERP solutions that depend on Windows SQL Server, using daily backups can prevent issues with data loss. It’s unclear how the software manages crashes, but regular backups should help maintain stability.
I understand your concerns about local software support and the challenges of running Linux. It sounds like you're considering a daily backup approach since storage space is limited, and you'd lose only one day's data if something fails. That makes sense for reliability. Your decision to skip RAID also seems practical given these constraints. You're right to ask for help—your explanation is clear and logical.
It isn't a vital component, so you can assemble the PC parts list here: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/9Kh2yK
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600G 3.9 GHz 6-core ($128.97 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B550M Steel Legend Micro ATX AM4 ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Neo Forza FAYE 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 ($71.99 @ Newegg Sellers)
Storage: Kingston NV2 500 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Red 4 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM HDD ($65.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master N400 ATX Mid Tower ($89.99 @ Walmart)
Power Supply: Cooler Master MasterWatt 550 550 W (80+ Bronze Certified, Semi-modular ATX) ($86.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $669.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and available discounts.
Created by PCPartPicker on 2023-02-24 02:24 EST-0500
Not anticipating issues with ECC too. Since I'm in India, parts tend to be scarce or costly. For long-term upgrades, if it can't work on a server after a few years, I can switch it to a workstation easily. Are there any concerns about performance and stability using a Core i5 13600K instead of the 6-core Xeon?