Hello Home Assistant community!
This is the translation of my existing article. In this article, I won’t be talking about code, as in my other materials about HA, but about the hardware needed to ensure the quality operation of Home Assistant. Quite often, when looking to install Home Assistant, the question arises: what hardware to choose as a server? This publication will answer that question.
My article consists of two parts: recommendations for PC specifications and an evaluation of popular hardware. The solutions presented are suitable for creating virtual machines, containers, and clusters.
The popular solutions in this article meet the following requirements:
- Accessibility: Most computers can be bought on AliExpress or on used markets.
- Cost: Most computers fall into the budget segment.
- Energy Efficiency: A smart home server must run continuously and be energy efficient to reduce electricity bills.
Home Assistant Installation Options
(Added 03.10.22) On May 22, 2025, developer Frank Nijhof announced the Core, Supervised, and 32-bit methods as deprecated due to complex installation and maintenance. Currently, the official methods are OS and Container.
Processor
It’s convenient to compare the characteristics of Intel processors on their official website. Avoid choosing computers with x32 architecture processors; they are outdated and often unsupported.
x64 vs. ARM: Which Processor is Better?
The belief that x64 architecture is inherently better than ARM isn’t true; it depends on the task. However, for the same price, x64 computers are often more powerful. ARM consumes less energy, but the difference is small in modern small computers. A key advantage of x64 for a home server is the support for virtualization and better hardware encoding.
Intel vs. AMD
Intel is more popular in smart home enthusiast circles. It offers many energy-efficient, budget-friendly options on the Celeron processor, ranging from $80 to $250. This is excellent for a home server and Docker. AMD (Ryzen 5, 7) is represented by mini-PCs starting from $300. These processors are usually too powerful to buy just for Home Assistant, so avoid overpaying.
Lithography, Generation, and Performance
A smaller lithography size (measured in nanometers) means greater performance and lower power consumption. The processor’s generation and release year also indicate its modernity. Processor performance is best compared using tests on sites like CPU Benchmark Passmark, which is a convenient way to compare different processors, including x64 and ARM.
Cores, Threads, and TDP
A core is a hardware computational engine; threads are logical entities allowing efficient multitasking. Home Assistant doesn’t need huge power and often runs well on older processors. However, newer processors are more energy-efficient.
- For basic HA OS, Supervised, or Docker installations, choose 2 cores, 2 threads.
- If you plan to use heavy applications like Influxdb, Grafana, or Frigate, opt for 4 cores, 4 threads, or more.
TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates how much heat the processor generates at average load. A lower number usually means lower power consumption. Always check performance tests, as newer, more powerful CPUs can have the same TDP as older, weaker ones.
BIOS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth
Since 2010, BIOS has been gradually replaced by UEFI, which is necessary for Home Assistant. When choosing older computers (pre-2016), ensure they support UEFI.
Some computers lack Wi-Fi/Bluetooth. You can purchase a specific computer’s original board or a USB adapter. For Wi-Fi, many adapters (TP-Link, Asus) work well, provided they function without Linux driver installation. A list of Bluetooth adapters can be found on the project page.
RAM
Standards and Configuration
- DDR3 is outdated; avoid hardware with this memory type.
- DDR4 is the modern standard; DDR5 is used in newer builds.
- Single-board computers use mobile LPDDR (LPDDR4 is modern).
- Dual-channel configuration (two RAM sticks) is better than single-channel, especially with integrated graphics, offering a 10 to 30% performance increase.
Volume Requirements
- 512 MB - No. HA consumes ~700 MB at idle.
- 1 GB - Supported. Works stably for basic HA OS, but applications, updates, and reboots will be slow. Limited for heavy applications.
- 2 GB - Sufficient for stable HA OS and Docker, but insufficient for virtualization.
- 4 GB - Excellent. Suitable for HA OS and Docker. A standard for many devices.
- 8 GB and more - For virtualization (Proxmox) and future-proofing. Suitable for all installation types.
Storage
Volume and Types
I recommend 32 GB or more to account for periodic backups.
| Type | Used in | Speed/Reliability | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroSD | Single-board computers | Slow (10 Mb/s) and unreliable. | Often requires migration to SSD with a UAS adapter. |
| eMMC | Mobile devices, some SBCs | Faster (up to 400 Mb/s) and more reliable than MicroSD. | Soldered chip, a good middle ground. |
| HDD | PCs, NAS | Lower speed (100-150 Mb/s). | Cheap and offers large capacity (1 TB+). |
| SSD | PCs, laptops | Fast and reliable. Best choice. | Use for performance, even with a small volume. |
Power Consumption
Ideally, a smart home server should run continuously.
To calculate maximum power (Watts), multiply the maximum voltage (V) by the current (A). The actual idle power is usually lower.
To calculate energy consumption cost:
- Multiply the device power (kW) by the hours of operation.
- Multiply the total consumption (kWh) by your energy tariff.
Example: A mini-PC consuming 12V 3A has a maximum power of 12×3=36W, or 0.036 kW. This is the maximum; the idle server consumption may be lower. You can also use an online calculator.
Popular Hardware Evaluation
The optimal choice is a mini-PC or a single-board computer (SBC). Mini-PCs usually offer the best performance-to-price ratio.
Single-Board Computers (SBC)
These are small, low-power devices, often with passive cooling. They typically use ARM processors and support additional modules (HATs).
| Model Example | Cost (Ali/Official) | RAM/Storage | Power (Idle/Load) | Key Features & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Assistant Green | $99 (4 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC) | LPDDR4X/eMMC | ~1.7W / ~3W | Official, fanless, highly stable, low power, ready-to-run. Excellent recommendation. |
| Raspberry Pi 5 | $100 (8 GB RAM) | DDR4X | 5V 3A (5A max) | 75% faster than RPi 4B. Supports M.2 SSD via PCIe (HAT required). HA OS 12+ required. Requires SSD for best reliability. |
| Raspberry Pi 4B | $92 (8 GB RAM) | LPDDR4/microSD | 5V 3A | The established base, accounts for 46% of all HA installations (with RPi 3). Reliable, vast ecosystem (HATs, cases). 4B is much faster than 3B+. |
| Orange Pi 5 | $96 (8 GB RAM) | LPDDR4/4x, M.2 NVMe | 5V 4A | Faster than RPi 5. Features RK3588S (8nm). Supports M.2 2242 NVMe. Oddly, lacks built-in Wi-Fi (requires USB/PCIe adapter). |
| Orange Pi 4 LTS | $83 (4 GB RAM, 16 GB eMMC) | LPDDR4/eMMC | 5V 4A | Cheaper alternative to RPi 4. Includes eMMC and Gigabit Ethernet. Not compatible with RPi expansion boards. |
Mini-PCs (x64)
These are small x64 computers with low consumption, often with active (but quiet) cooling, powered by 12V or 19V. They usually come with replaceable, standard-sized RAM and storage. They support all installation types (OS, Supervisor, Container, Core).
| Model Example | Cost (Ali) | Processor/RAM/Storage | Power | Key Features & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLLSE Mini PC (Celeron N4000) | $63 (6/128 GB) | Celeron N4000, 6 GB RAM | 12V 3A | Very cheap, fanless, silent, and energy-efficient. Low power but sufficient for HA OS. |
| Beelink Mini S (Celeron N5095) | $133 (8/128 GB) | N5095 (11th Gen), DDR4, SATA SSD | 12V 3A | Better performance than RPi 4B, faster SSD, quiet active cooling. Comes with Windows 11 Pro license. Excellent value. |
| Beelink Mini S12 (N95) | $162 (8/256 GB) | N95 (12th Gen), DDR4/NVMe | 12V 3A | Minor CPU upgrade (24% faster than N5095), but much faster NVMe disk and faster RAM (3200 MHz). Great for media server/heavy use. |
| GK3 Pro (Celeron 5105) | $120 (8/128 GB) | Celeron 5105, DDR4, SATA SSD | 12V 2.5A | Similar specs to N5095 but lower TDP (runs cooler). Includes VGA port. Build quality is slightly lower than Beelink. |
| Intel NUC (6th Gen+) | $150+ (Barebone) | i3/i5/Celeron, DDR4/M.2 | 12-19V | Family of technically robust mini-PCs. Popular in Western enthusiast circles. Sold as barebones (no RAM/SSD included). Choose models with DDR4 and M.2 for best performance. |
Liter Mini-PCs (USFF/MFF)
Compact, business-class mini-PCs with active cooling and full-sized memory. They are often powered by 20V and sometimes called liter (or USFF/MFF) PCs.
The main manufacturers are Lenovo, HP, and Dell. Their advantages are high reliability, large quantity, and easy availability. All these mini-PCs come with a built-in Windows 10 Pro license. You can easily compare these mini-PCs on the Hardware Corner website.
Lenovo Tiny (ThinkCentre)
This is the liter (USFF) form factor from Lenovo, represented by the ThinkCentre line.
| Model Example | Cost (Used Market) | Power | Key Features & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| M93p (Older) | $70 - $135 | 20V 3.25A | Older models (2012-2013) with DDR3 and 4th Gen i3-i7. Not recommended: they need a BIOS update for UEFI, which is required for HA OS. |
| M710q | $70 - $135 | 20V 3.25A | 2017 model. Supports 6th-7th Gen i3-i5. Has 2x DDR4 slots, SATA, and M.2 SSD slot. Suitable for HA OS, containers, and virtualization. Check for Wi-Fi and power supply before buying. |
| M715q | $130 - $270 | 20V 3.25A | 2017 model with AMD Ryzen processors. Similar ports to M710q. |
| M720q | $150 - $190 | 20V 3.25A | 2021 model with 8th-9th Gen i3-i5 processors. Adds a front USB Type-C port. Used prices are around $150+ for an i5-8400T. |
HP Mini (ProDesk / EliteDesk)
The liter (USFF) form factor from HP, categorized into the ProDesk and EliteDesk series. The differences are minor (e.g., EliteDesk supports RAID 0/1 and has an SD port); for a Home Assistant server, these differences can be ignored. All PCs have excellent build quality.
| Model Example | Cost (Used Market) | Power | Key Features & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ProDesk 400 G3 / EliteDesk 800 G3 | $80 - $175 | 19.5V 3.33А | 2016-2017 models. Supports 6th-7th Gen i3-i7. 2x DDR4 slots, SATA, and M.2 NVMe. Excellent quality build. |
| ProDesk 600 G2 / EliteDesk 800 G2 | $93 - $175 | 19.5V 3.33А | 2016 model. Supports 6th Gen i3-i7. Includes front USB-C port, SATA, and M.2 NVMe. |
Dell Micro (OptiPlex Micro / MFF)
This is the liter (USFF/MFF) mini-PC line from Dell.
| Model Example | Cost (Used Market) | Power | Key Features & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| OptiPlex 3050 | $80 - $187 | 19.5V 3.34А | 2017 model. Supports 6th-7th Gen i3/i5/Celeron/Pentium. 2x DDR4 slots, SATA, and M.2 NVMe. Popular used models also include 5050 and 7050 (similar specs, but 7050 may have i7 and 6 USB ports). Choose the cheaper option. |
Soft Routers (Industrial Mini-PC)
Fanless mini-PCs in aluminum cases with multiple 1 Gb or 2.5 Gb Ethernet ports. Designed for use as routers (OpenWrt, pfSense, OPNsense) but also support containers and virtualization (Proxmox, ESXi).
A potential drawback is overheating under high load/virtualization, though this can be mitigated with external cooling.
| Model Example | Cost (Ali) | Processor/Memory | Cooling/Network | Key Features & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topton | $190 (8/128 GB) | Celeron 5105, N100. DDR4, NVMe PCIe + SATA. | Fanless (can heat to 50-60°C). 4x 2.5 Gb Ethernet. mPCIe slot for Wi-Fi/4G (optional purchase). | |
| Unnamed (WooYi Sore) | $157 (8/128 GB) | Celeron 5105, N100. DDR4, NVMe M2 2280 + SATA (no bracket). | Fanless (average 40-50°C with Proxmox). 4x 2.5 Gb Ethernet. mPCIe slot for Wi-Fi/4G (optional purchase). N100 version lacks a COM port. |
Apple Hardware (Intel)
It is technically possible to install HA Supervised on Ubuntu running on macOS, but errors often occur. Installation via a Virtual Machine (VirtualBox or UTM) is the recommended method. Used Mac mini models from 2012–2014 cost around $70–$100, but newer models are significantly more expensive. I do not advise Apple for anything other than Apple OS and software.
Thin Clients (NetTop)
Thin clients are small computers with limited memory, used in business to connect to a server. However, they have enough resources to serve as a Home Assistant server. The advantages are low cost and high component quality.
| Model Example | Cost (Used Market) | Power | Key Features & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dell Wyse 5070 | $60 - $75 | 19.5V 3.34А | 2018 model. Processor options: Pentium Silver J5005 or Celeron J4105. 4-8 GB DDR4, 16-256 GB eMMC/SSD. Low cost, good quality. |
TV Boxes
Television boxes are inexpensive, energy-efficient devices, usually running on an ARM processor and Android OS.
| Chip Type | Pros/Cons |
|---|---|
| Rockchip | Better driver support and active developers (easier Linux core compatibility). |
| Amlogic | Uses closed components/drivers, which complicates full Linux support. |
| Allwinner | Partially supported by the community. Open drivers and Armbian images exist for many chips, but some peripheral functions may not work fully. |
These are interesting for experiments, but Linux images must be installed manually. It’s often recommended to use the Container (Docker) method, which works stably on unsupported operating systems like Armbian.
Disadvantages:
- Must find and flash the image yourself.
- HA OS images are generally not available due to hardware diversity and component closedness.
- Bluetooth may not work in some cases.
If you are buying a device specifically for HA, consider an inexpensive mini-PC at the same price for a more stable option.
| Model Example | Cost (Ali) | Processor/Memory | Network/Year | Key Features & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H96 MAX RK3318 | Varies | RK3318, 2/4 GB DDR3, 16-64 GB eMMC | 100M Ethernet, Wi-Fi 2.4/5G, BT 4.0. 2019. | Example of a Rockchip device. Armbian image available. |
| H96 Max X3 | $38+ | Amlogic S905X3, 4 GB, 32-128 GB eMMC | 100M/1000M Ethernet, Wi-Fi 2.4/5G, BT 4.0. 2020. | Example of an Amlogic device. Armbian image available. |
| HA Box Avatto HA70 | $52 | RK3318, 4 GB LPDDR4, 64 GB eMMC | 100M Ethernet. | TV box with pre-installed HA Supervised. Not recommended due to the end of official Supervised support. |
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