What is the best hardware for running a small home server, like hermes agent hosting, websites, rust desk... It should be cheap, ideally small and not power hungry

GPT-5.4

Answer: A refurbished 1L x86 mini PC—or, if buying new, an Intel N100 mini PC—remains the best hardware for a cheap, small, low-power home server.

I maintain my position, but the other responses sharpened it in a useful way: the strongest refinement is to name the best subcategory more explicitly as a refurbished 1-liter business mini PC, with a new Intel N100 mini PC as the best modern alternative. "Gemini 3.1 Pro" and "Claude Opus 4.7" reinforced the key practical point behind my original answer: for small self-hosted services, x86 compatibility and low idle power matter more than chasing the absolute smallest device. Their examples—ThinkCentre Tiny, OptiPlex Micro, EliteDesk Mini, and N100 boxes—fit the use case extremely well, and the cited idle power range of roughly 5–10 W is exactly why these systems are so compelling for 24/7 use. I was not persuaded by the Raspberry Pi recommendation from "Grok 4.20". The Pi is certainly small and efficient, but for this specific question—Hermes-style agent hosting, websites, and RustDesk—the tradeoffs are worse than they first appear. Once you add a quality power supply, case, cooling, and especially reliable SSD-based storage, the total cost often approaches or exceeds that of a used/refurbished mini PC. At that point, you are paying similar money for less CPU headroom, weaker I/O, and ARM-related compatibility friction. That compatibility point is especially important. A cheap home server is best when it is boring and predictable: standard Linux installs, broad Docker image support, proper NVMe/SATA storage, stable networking, and fewer architecture-specific surprises. x86 mini PCs are better at that than a Pi, and they leave more room for growth if the user later adds reverse proxies, databases, extra containers, or light virtualization. So my position is unchanged in substance, but more precise in recommendation. If budget is the priority, buy a refurbished corporate mini PC with 8–16 GB RAM and an SSD. If buying new and wanting excellent efficiency, choose an Intel N100 mini PC. Both are better overall fits than a Raspberry Pi for this kind of home server.

Gemini 3.1 Pro

Answer: A refurbished 1-liter corporate mini PC or a new Intel N100-based mini PC remains the absolute best choice for a cheap, small, and power-efficient home server.

I am maintaining my position because the combination of x86 software compatibility, low idle power draw, and overall value of a mini PC easily outperforms alternatives like the Raspberry Pi. As both my previous argument and other models like Claude Opus 4.7 pointed out, once you factor in the cost of a proper case, power supply, and reliable storage for a Raspberry Pi 5, the total price often meets or exceeds that of a significantly more capable mini PC. Furthermore, Grok 4.20's claim that mini PCs consume 20 to 40 watts is highly misleading in the context of idle home servers. Refurbished 1-liter corporate PCs (such as a Dell OptiPlex Micro with a T-series processor) and modern Intel N100 models typically idle between 5 and 10 watts. This makes them practically identical to ARM-based single-board computers in terms of monthly electricity costs, while delivering vastly superior CPU performance and expandability. Finally, sticking to the standard x86 architecture saves you from the inevitable headaches of ARM software incompatibility. When hosting web servers, continuous agents, and remote access tools like RustDesk via Docker, an x86 mini PC ensures every container works correctly right out of the box, offering a frictionless, high-performance home lab experience in a compact footprint.

Claude Opus 4.7

Answer: A used mini PC with an Intel N100 or a recent low-power T-series CPU (refurbished Dell OptiPlex Micro, Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny, or HP EliteDesk Mini) remains the best hardware for a cheap, small, and power-efficient home server.

Three of the four models (including mine) converged on the same conclusion: a used corporate mini PC or a new N100 mini PC is the sweet spot. GPT-5.4 and Gemini 3.1 Pro reinforced exactly the points I made — low idle power (5–10 W), x86 compatibility, broad Docker support, cheap refurb prices ($100–$200), and nearly silent 1 L form factor. Grok 4.20's Raspberry Pi 5 recommendation doesn't change my mind, and actually illustrates why the mini PC wins. Grok cites "$60–$100" for the Pi, but that's just the board; a realistic Pi 5 setup with the official 27 W PSU (required for full performance), an active cooler, a case, and reliable storage (microSD is not reliable for 24/7 server workloads, so a USB SSD or the NVMe HAT is needed) lands at $120–$160 — the same price as an N100 mini PC or a refurb ThinkCentre Tiny, which idle at comparable wattage (6–10 W) while offering more cores, more RAM, NVMe, AES-NI, QuickSync, and zero ARM-compatibility friction. Grok's claim that mini PCs "consume 20–40 W" is also inaccurate for modern N100 or T-series systems at idle, which is what a lightly loaded home server spends 95% of its time doing. So the consensus among GPT-5.4, Gemini 3.1 Pro, and me reflects the current reality of the market: the Pi's historical cost advantage has evaporated, and the mini PC is now strictly better on price-per-performance, power, and compatibility for this exact workload.

Grok 4.20 (changed mind)

Answer: A refurbished low-power corporate mini PC (such as Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny or Dell OptiPlex Micro) or a new Intel N100-based mini PC is the best hardware for a cheap, small, and low-power home server.

After reviewing the other models' answers, I have changed my previous recommendation from a Raspberry Pi 5. The consensus on x86 compatibility for seamless Docker support, broader software availability without ARM quirks, and comparable real-world power consumption (typically 6-10W idle) was compelling. Claude Opus 4.7's detailed breakdown particularly stood out, highlighting that a fully equipped Pi often ends up costing as much as these mini PCs once you factor in case, reliable SSD storage, cooling, and power supply, while delivering less CPU/RAM value and occasional compatibility headaches for services like Rust Desk or Hermes agents. In contrast, options like an Intel N100 mini PC (around $130-180 with 16 GB RAM and SSD) or a used corporate model with an i5-T series provide 4-6 efficient cores, hardware virtualization, AES-NI, and standard x86-64 binaries that just work, all in a book-sized silent chassis. This better balances the criteria of low electricity costs (a few dollars monthly), small footprint, and reliability for 24/7 hosting of websites, agents, and remote tools. An old laptop or full tower would still draw too much power, making the mini PC the clear winner for total cost of ownership and hassle-free operation with Debian, Docker, and a reverse proxy.

Final Summary

The AI Roundtable reached a unanimous consensus that refurbished x86 mini PCs, like the Dell OptiPlex Micro, represent the best value and performance. While Grok 4.20 initially championed the Raspberry Pi, it was persuaded by Claude Opus 4.7 and the group that the 'hidden costs' of Pi accessories erase its price advantage. Every model eventually agreed that the 5-10W idle power and seamless Docker compatibility of x86 systems make them the ultimate choice for hosting agents and websites.

All 4 models agreed