A mini PC or NUC with some sort of virtualization software is an incredible solution for Homeassistant.
The hardware does not even need to be particularly modern, a 4th gen intel i5 will be about 3-5 times more powerful than a raspberry Pi and similar power usage since it will idle most of its life.
I use Proxmox as my software virtualization layer and it allows for a full supervised OS install with backups. I have not had an issue running it for years!
For those curious, I saw a refurbished HP EliteDesk 800 G3 with an i5 and 256GB SSD on Amazon for 90 euros and decided to order it. I will update how it went to get HA running on this.
Hi, not bad at all!
How much RAM?
I have just gotten myself an Orange Pi 5 with 8GB. I also added a 256GB NVME m.2 SSD. I didn’t have need for WiFi or BT, so that worked out well. The recorder database is sitting on my QNAP NAS, so that does not add load. And with about 20 Shelly devices, about 60 Zigbee devices, and various other odds and ends, but not too much (yet) in the way of automations, it’s currently running at about 1.5% CPU usage (with an occasional peak to 15%, apparently, though I haven’t seen that happening myself).
I ordered it from Aliexpress and had it sent over to Luxembourg (where I live). It was about 115 Euros including shipping at the time, but you can get the 4GB version for less than that. The SSD was around 39 Euros, but if you look you might be able to get that a bit cheaper too.
Note that with it being an Orange Pi, it’s a little fiddly to get working, but it’s been working flawlessly for about a month now.
Just got it today! Works like a charm. Has 8 GB of RAM
I bought a mac mini 2011 and installed ubuntu on it and HA in docker. Works great, but after connecting the camera, you can hear the cooling operation when motion is detected in the frigate. Otherwise satisfied, takes up little space, stylish, power supply inside.
Hey guys, I was reading this thread. What would be a better option, assuming price was the same . This
HP Elitedesk 800 G3 Mini Business Desktop (Intel Quad Core i5-6500T, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD) Type-C, DisplayPort DP, WiFi, WiFi, Ethernet, Keyboard+Mouse, Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (Renewed) https://a.co/d/ajt8RfG
Or this.
ACEMAGICIAN Mini PC, Intel N5095(up to 2.9GHz) Mini Desktop Computer, 12GB DDR4 RAM 256GB SSD, Dual HDMI 4K Screen Display, 2.4/5G WiFi & BT4.2, Gigabit Ethernet with VESA Mount for Daily Use/Office https://a.co/d/hMdR0Z6
Looking to begin my home assistant journey. I already have about 20 hue bulbs/accessories, and I have many smart switches and plugs connected to my Google home network with 6 speakers and 1 display. Will either of these be enough to add in say all this as well as3 or 4 camera feeds, and another 30 sensors or so?
For that kind of money- Intel NUC.
No question.
Sorry, do you mean the n5095 or the core i5
The Intel N5095 is a Celeron process and an i5 will kick its butt. You, also, get more RAM, larger SSD, and the EliteDesk has 1Gb ethernet (I looked it up) as well.
That is based on those 2 options.
For me I would look at an Intel NUC. My NUC is a i5, 8GB RAM and a 128GB SSD and it cruises along without a hitch (Note I do not have Frigate on my HA which is AI for cameras-I use Blue Iris on a separate system)
Hi Thomas - Stephen (and Rick) recommended neither of your options, and instead recommended an Intel NUC (assuming price was the same). The option you listed were both kind of overpriced (at least on Amazon), so if you are OK with a $250 - $300 box, you might as well go directly to Intel NUC.
N5095 boxes could be had around at roughly $100 on eBay.
And if you have to pick between the two, as Rick mentioned, go with HP with i5.
I’m in Canada, so the price for me is about as cheap as I can find. Even the recommended yellow hardware is over 170 for me.
Thank you for the help, everyone.
Hey all, great discussion and learned a lot about hardware you all recommend.
I have been using/testing out running HA on my Synology NAS in a Docker container. My main issue/downside is the Synology doesn’t allow for use of 3rd party devices, specifically USB dongles (zwave or zigbee) anymore. There are options to force the kernel to take these, but I’d rather not go that route.
With that being said, I feel the standalone device like you all have mentioned here is my best bet. I am looking for something that is similar to the OP, but definitely willing to spend a little more $$ for quality and future proofing. I like the idea of the Intel NUC, I have search a few and not sure what options would suit the best. Here is my setup of my system currently and what I want to do ultimately:
Currently in my HA Docker setup:
Future addition needs:
What I am looking for is a possible recommendation list for the Hardware:
Thank you for anyone who helps take on this to guide me and maybe others in the starting steps!
Intel NUC
I’d grab an i5 for future proofing, and an i7 if you want to use frigate for cameras and maybe even an i9 if you are going to go crazy with cameras >8 and want them all on Frigate.
I use a LST39 LR from Zooz for my Z wave doggle and it is rock solid. I have an ISY-994 with Zwave that I was using before, and I hated Z Wave because of it. I moved over to the dongle, and I am in love with Z wave again. I do not have anything which is Zigbee, nothing against it, but my devices led me down the Z Wave path, and I’d prefer to limit my protocols.
For your window and door sensors, take a look at a Honeywell or DSC Alarm system as an option. Find one that is compatible with the Envisalink. They use 433MHz (as I recall). I use an Envisalink to pull it into HA, and overall, it gives me peace of mind to have an alarm, but I can also use the sensors for all kinds of other things as well. E.g. I shut off my HVAC system when a door or window, based on the alarm sensors I have, is open for 5 minutes or longer-this prevents my family from sending $$$ out the window when they need “fresh air” and the HVAC is running.
Personally, for me I have learned 2 lessons.
Buy 1 before buying many. Install it. Test it. Review it with the others in your home, and then buy more.
If you buy anything that is mesh network based whether that is Zwave, Zigbee, Insteon, etc. then be prepared to build the network out more (in direct violation of Lesson 1) before passing judgement on it. NOTE: Powered devices are much more helpful than battery powered devices in building a robust network in most cases. My example is I had 2 door locks which were Zwave. Only devices I really had in my entire network, no Wifi option back then, and honestly I thought they were junk. I ended up adding some light switches that had motion detectors in them, which were also Z wave, to all of my bedrooms as an upgrade later and BOOM my door locks came to life and are now rock solid.
I decided to go for a NUC a while ago too, but I’m struggling with the install. What OS to use? Windows, Linux, in case of Linux, which version? Maybe you can explain your setup a bit? I have quote some knowledge around Windows, but Linux (Ubuntu) only little. I tried Windows - Docker - Containers, but got stuck.
I’d like to use the hardware for Home Assistant as well as for video playback.
Any help is welcome.
Cheers!
After the short failure trying ZigBee and some immature matter devices I now settled with WiFi based hardware with esphome.
It’s such a treat - always works - no laggs - no meshing problems - like a dream!
I learned the hard way that it is stupid try to built a mesh network from ground when already having WiFi coverage from top to bottom (like 99.5% of us?).
Also the battery powered devices are a real pain on the long run beside many ZigBee devices are a PITA and only work half even when investing time with quirking. In the end it was even easier to install esphome (and integrate it with 1-click into HA) then to onboard a random ZigBee device.
My matter mileage also wasn’t any better. Not sure about zwave, skipped that because they easily cost five times more than wifi-esphome stuff.
Video playback on a server?
HaOS and do video playback on another device 
Hi, thanks for your reply.
My plan was to install Ubuntu and run Home Assistant in Docker. Then use VLC or something to play video. Maybe then it’s just better to run one Rpi 4 or 5 from SSD for HaOS and another one for video playback? Would it be possible to install PiHole alongside HaOS or better use the extra (video)-Rpi for PiHole? Sorry for the off-topic.
I run Plex Media Server on an Intel NUC i7 that I bought new a few years go. I run HAOS on an Intel NUC i3 that I bought used on eBay a year ago for about $100. Why complicate your life with managing Docker, VM’s or containers?