Consider suggestions for optimizing your home server for power efficiency?
Consider suggestions for optimizing your home server for power efficiency?
I aim to create a compact, power-saving home server for basic services like pfsense, pi hole, and a few docker containers. It should include storage for a NAS function and enough capacity to host a lightweight Ubuntu desktop. The desktop will be used mainly for web browsing, email, and office tasks.
I’ve seen many YouTube recommendations for mini PCs with built-in processors and graphics, but I’ve also heard concerns about their performance for this kind of setup. I’m seeking alternatives that fit my needs.
Here are my requirements and would appreciate your guidance:
- No gaming or video editing, so high-end graphics aren’t necessary
- Must operate efficiently around the clock
- Doesn’t have to be extremely compact, though a smaller size is preferable
- Open to older models or refurbished PCs such as Lenovo Thinkcentre or repurposed laptops
- Support for dual or more network interfaces to enable proxmox with physical NICs
Specific details:
Approximate purchase date: this month
Budget range: £500 (after rebates, before shipping)
Usage priority from highest to lowest: virtualized services, docker, proxmox
Are you purchasing a monitor?
No
Upgrade parts needed: CPU, motherboard, RAM, power supply
OS installation: no, I plan to run Linux
Preferred sources for parts: none; open to buying used items from eBay
Location: City, State/Region, Country
Parts preferences: none
Overclocking: not required
SLI or Crossfire: unclear concept
Screen resolution: 1920x1080
I tested OpenMediaVault and Pihole on one Raspberry Pi 4 with a 4TB external USB drive. It consumes less than 10 watts. Suitable for file transfers at Gigabit speed, matching the HD read/write capacity. Likely not enough for running a full desktop environment (I only used it via PiOS CLI).
Search for a motherboard featuring an Intel Jxxx CPU. Four cores, Intel design.
I considered a Pi 5, but by then I might have added extra hats for M.2 drives and an extra NIC, and possibly a NAS or router board could offer better performance at a similar price.
This was my initial plan for the project, but I was cautioned that performance might be limited. I had been examining the N100 CPU/board.
It begins to feel sluggish and less efficient when hats and PCI adapters are included. Managing cables remains a difficult task. A lot of attention is being paid to Intel N100 mini PCs on social media as possible solutions. It might be worth exploring—Explainingcomputers and Geerling have examined these recently.
I've reviewed their material and added the N100 to my list—it matched what I was looking for.
If it operated as a VM in Proxmox with a NIC routed through, it would lack sufficient separation from other internal network components.