Best Mini PC for a Home Server
Five mini PCs compared for running a home server: Docker, Home Assistant, Plex or Jellyfin, file sharing and Proxmox.
Compare all 5 side by side ↓Beelink EQ14
Beelink EQ14
A quiet, low-power first home server for Docker, Home Assistant and a family media server.
Check priceBeelink ME mini
A small, silent all-SSD NAS for files, photos and backups.
Check priceBeelink SER8
Running several VMs plus a media server on one more powerful box.
Check priceMinisforum MS-01
A serious homelab or Proxmox host that needs 10GbE and room to grow.
Check priceGMKtec NucBox G3 Plus
Lowest-cost node, or one of three boxes in a small Proxmox cluster.
View on maker siteAt a glance
Longer bar = more. Our pick is highlighted.
The verdict
For a first always-on home server, the Beelink EQ14 is the sensible starting point. Its Intel N150 is a low-power 4-core chip that handles Docker containers, Home Assistant, Pi-hole and a media server for a household, and Intel's built-in graphics are generally preferred by homelab reviewers for Plex or Jellyfin transcoding. Two 2.5GbE ports let you split networks, and the memory sits in a slot rather than being soldered. Its limits are real: 16GB of official memory and two M.2 slots, so heavy VM labs or large storage need something else. If storage is the point, the Beelink ME mini fits up to six SSDs. If you want a serious Proxmox host with 10GbE, the Minisforum MS-01 is the step up.
Why the Beelink EQ14 is our pick
Most home servers spend their lives running a handful of light services around the clock, so idle power, two network ports and enough headroom matter more than raw speed. The EQ14 lists dual 2.5GbE with Intel I226-V networking, two M.2 2280 slots and SO-DIMM memory, which covers Docker, Home Assistant, DNS filtering and a family media server without the cost, heat and fan noise of the 14-core MS-01 or the 8-core SER8. It is also one of the budget picks named by multiple independent homelab guides, alongside other N150 boxes.
What we don't like
- Beelink lists 16GB DDR4 as the maximum, in a single channel, which limits how many VMs you can run at once.
- Only two M.2 slots and no 2.5-inch bay listed, so bulk media storage needs a NAS or USB enclosure.
- The 4-core N150 runs out of headroom for heavy virtual machines or many simultaneous transcodes.
Which one fits you?
Jump straight to the option that matches what you want to do.
Full spec comparison
Scroll sideways on a phone.
| Spec | Beelink EQ14 Our pick | Beelink ME mini Budget | Beelink SER8 Mid-range | Minisforum MS-01 High-end | GMKtec NucBox G3 Plus Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel N150 | Intel N150 | AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS | Intel Core i9-13900H | Intel N150 |
| Cores / threads | 4C/4T | 4C/4T | 8C/16T | 14C/20T | 4C/4T |
| Max memory | 16 GB DDR4-3200 | 16 GB LPDDR5-4800 | 256 GB DDR5-5600 as listed by Beelink | 96 GB DDR5 | 32 GB DDR4-3200 |
| Memory type | SO-DIMM | Soldered | Not stated by maker | SO-DIMM | Not stated by maker |
| M.2 slots | 2x M.2 2280, PCIe 3.0 | 6x M.2 2280, PCIe 3.0, five storage slots at x1 | 2x M.2 2280, PCIe 4.0 x4 | 3x M.2 NVMe, plus U.2 support | 1x M.2 2280 NVMe plus 1x M.2 2242 SATA |
| Wired network | 2x 2.5GbE | 2x 2.5GbE | 1x 2.5GbE | 2x 10GbE SFP+, 2x 2.5GbE | 1x 2.5GbE |
| Buy | Check price | Check price | Check price | Check price | View on maker site |
Spec sources
- https://www.bee-link.com/products/beelink-eq14-n150
- https://www.bee-link.com/products/beelink-me-mini-n150
- https://www.gmktec.com/products/nucbox-g3-plus-enhanced-performance-mini-pc-with-intel-n150-processor
- https://www.bee-link.com/products/beelink-ser8-8745hs
- https://store.minisforum.com/products/minisforum-ms-01-workstation
- https://computingforgeeks.com/best-mini-pc-for-homelab-proxmox/
Every option, compared to our pick
Where each one is better or worse than the Beelink EQ14.
Beelink ME mini (Intel N150)
Best for: A small, silent all-SSD NAS for files, photos and backups.
- +Six M.2 slots, up to 24TB of SSD storage per Beelink, versus two on the EQ14.
- −Memory is soldered, so you cannot upgrade it later the way you can on the EQ14.
Beelink SER8 (AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS)
Best for: Running several VMs plus a media server on one more powerful box.
- +8 cores and 16 threads and much more memory headroom, so it runs several VMs at once.
- −A single 2.5GbE port, and it draws more power than the N150 boxes.
Minisforum MS-01 (Intel Core i9-13900H)
Best for: A serious homelab or Proxmox host that needs 10GbE and room to grow.
- +Two 10GbE SFP+ ports, two 2.5GbE ports and three NVMe slots for a real Proxmox or storage host.
- −Costs several times more, idles higher and is audible under load.
GMKtec NucBox G3 Plus (Intel N150)
Best for: Lowest-cost node, or one of three boxes in a small Proxmox cluster.
- +Lists up to 32GB of DDR4 versus 16GB on the EQ14.
- −One 2.5GbE port listed versus two, so no separate management or storage network.
Bottom line
Start with the Beelink EQ14 if you want a quiet, low-power box for everyday home services. Pick the ME mini for an all-SSD NAS, the SER8 for several VMs, and the MS-01 if you need 10GbE.
Check price on Amazon