Hey,

I’m working on building a compact, efficient, and budget-friendly home server to centralize my scattered data and host a few lightweight services.

Currently, my data is spread across multiple hard drives, and accessing it is a hassle. A while back, I set up a home server using an old netbook running Debian and a few Docker containers. It was a fun Linux learning experience, but not a long-term solution (its RAM can’t be expanded beyond 2 GB, and its CPU is too weak). So, I guess it’s time for an actual dedicated server machine!

Budget: Around €500, including storage (I’m in Europe, btw)

Requirements:

• Centralized storage for data, photos, and phone backups
• Run lightweight containers for web services like Immich, Paperless-ngx, Pi-hole, and custom services I’ve developed
• Occasionally download Linux ISOs (I use and delete them; the whole *arr stack would be overkill for my needs)
• No need for virtualization (so no Proxmox, TrueNAS, or Unraid); a plain Debian install with Docker should suffice (or maybe I could use OpenMediaVault)
• No closed OS: I’m not interested in Synology, QNAP, or similar. I want full control to install and customize my OS

Goals:

• Low power consumption: ≤10 watts idle without HDDs would be ideal (this is my number-one priority)
• Low noise
• Compact size: space is limited, so it needs to be small (I also don’t need a huge case for just a couple of drives)

Ideas:

• DIY Option (ASRock N100DC-ITX):
  • CPU + Mobo: ASRock N100DC-ITX (~€138)
  • RAM: Kingston ValueRAM 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 Non-ECC CL22 (€32.99)
  • SSD (for OS and containers): Patriot P320 128GB NVMe PCIe Gen 3x4 (€15.99)
  • PSU: LEICKE PSU 19V, 4.74A, 90W (€19.99)
  • Case: Sharkoon QB ONE (€50)
  • Total: ~€257
  • Concerns: Will the 4-pin connector on the board be able to power two HDDs? ASRock includes a cable to power 2 HDDs in the package, so it should be fine, and I don’t plan on adding more drives
• DIY Option (ODROID H4+):
  • CPU + Mobo: ODROID H4+ (€196)
  • RAM: Crucial RAM 16GB 4800MHz DDR5 Non-ECC CL40 (€48.90)
  • SSD (for OS and containers): Patriot P320 128GB NVMe PCIe Gen 3x4 (€15.99)
  • PSU: LEICKE PSU 19V, 4.74A, 90W (€19.99)
  • Case: ODROID H4+ Case Type 4 (€44.90)
  • Accessories: 2x SATA data and power cables (€14.00)
  • Total: ~€340
  • Concerns: I’m unsure about reliability and updates, and with 2 HDDs, it’s out of my budget
• Prebuilt Option (AOOSTAR R1):
  • Specs: N100, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB NVMe
  • Total: ~€238
  • Concerns: Power consumption might be higher than the ASRock and ODROID boards; I’m unsure about its reliability and updates; I’ve read that it can get noisy and heat up

Storage:

For storage, I’m planning to use two 4 TB HDDs (Seagate IronWolf, ~€120 each) in a mirrored configuration. I’m considering ZFS for its compression, deduplication, snapshots, and bit rot protection. However, I’m unsure if I really need RAID since I’ll perform regular backups.

Questions:

1. Which of these options would you recommend?
2. Are there better hardware options within my budget that meet my power/noise/size goals?
3. Do you have other suggestions for hardware or software I might have overlooked?

Any advice or feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance :)