Mini PC for Proxmox: Best Hardware 2026

Last updated: June 5, 2026 | Reading time: 10 minutes

Why Mini PCs for Homelab?

Mini PCs offer:

Power efficiency - 10-15W idle vs 50W+ desktop
Space savings - Fit anywhere
Quiet operation - No loud fans
Cost effective - Refurbished deals

Top Picks 2026

Best Overall: Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q

| Spec | Value | |------|-------| | CPU | i5-8500T (6 cores) | | RAM | Up to 32 GB DDR4 | | Storage | 2x M.2 NVMe + 2.5" SATA | | Network | 1 GbE | | Price | $180-220 (refurbished) |

Pros: Expandable, reliable, great Linux support Cons: Only 1 GbE

Best Value: Dell OptiPlex 7060 Micro

| Spec | Value | |------|-------| | CPU | i5-8500T (6 cores) | | RAM | Up to 32 GB DDR4 | | Storage | M.2 NVMe + 2.5" SATA | | Network | 1 GbE | | Price | $160-200 (refurbished) |

Pros: Cheapest 8th gen option Cons: Single M.2 slot

Best Performance: Intel NUC 13 Pro

| Spec | Value | |------|-------| | CPU | i7-1360P (12 cores) | | RAM | Up to 64 GB DDR5 | | Storage | 2x M.2 NVMe | | Network | 2.5 GbE | | Price | $500-600 (new) |

Pros: Latest hardware, 2.5 GbE Cons: Expensive, overkill for most

Budget King: HP ProDesk 600 G4 Mini

| Spec | Value | |------|-------| | CPU | i5-8500T (6 cores) | | RAM | Up to 32 GB DDR4 | | Storage | M.2 + 2.5" SATA | | Network | 1 GbE | | Price | $150-180 (refurbished) |

Pros: Cheapest entry point Cons: Build quality varies

What to Look For

CPU Generation

8th gen Intel minimum (i5-8500T or better). Why?

6 cores vs 4 cores in 7th gen
Officially supports Windows 11 (resale value)
Better IOMMU for passthrough

RAM

16 GB minimum - Proxmox + a few VMs
32 GB recommended - Comfortable headroom
64 GB enthusiast - Run everything

Storage

M.2 NVMe for Proxmox boot - 256 GB minimum
2.5" SATA for VM storage - Add your own SSD
Dual M.2 bonus - Separate OS and VMs

Network

1 GbE sufficient for most
2.5/10 GbE if you have NAS or heavy traffic

Power Consumption Comparison

| Model | Idle | Load | Annual Cost* | |-------|------|------|--------------| | M720q | 12W | 65W | $13 | | 7060 Micro | 11W | 60W | $12 | | NUC 13 Pro | 18W | 95W | $20 | | Desktop (i7) | 50W | 200W | $55 |

*At $0.12/kWh

Mini PCs save $40+/year in electricity vs desktop.

Where to Buy

Refurbished (Best Value)

eBay (search "Lenovo M720q i5")
ServerSupply
TechMikeNY
Local IT liquidators

New (If Budget Allows)

Amazon
Newegg
Intel directly (for NUC)

My Setup

I run 2x Lenovo M720q in cluster:

Node 1: 32 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe (primary)
Node 2: 32 GB RAM, 512 GB NVMe (backup)

Total cost: ~$400 | Total power: 24W idle

This runs 20+ services with room to grow.

Don't overspend. A $200 refurbished Mini PC handles 90% of homelab use cases.