My Homelab Gear
Recommendations based on years of real use. Some links point to newer versions of gear I currently own — I recommend based on experience with these product lines. Affiliate links help keep the site running at no extra cost to you.
Servers & SBCs
Zimaboard (x3)
~$129 each
What I'd buy today — I run three of these as my main homelab workhorses.
Why I use it: 6W idle power draw, passive cooling, Intel N4100 is plenty for Docker and light VMs. Best value in homelab SBCs. I've been running these for years and they just work.
Buy on Amazon →ThinkServer RD640
~$100-150 used
What I'd buy today — my Proxmox host for heavier workloads.
Why I use it: Xeon E5-2620 v2, 8GB DDR3 ECC. Planning to max out the RAM and run Proxmox cluster. Great value for used enterprise gear.
Check on Amazon →Laptops
ThinkPad T480
~$150-250 used
What I'd buy today — my go-to recommendation for a budget Linux laptop.
Why I use it: Dual battery hot-swap, upgradeable RAM/storage, USB-C charging. The gold standard for used ThinkPads. I've used ThinkPads for years and this is the sweet spot.
Check on Amazon →Lenovo Yoga 910
~$200-350 used
What I'd buy today — a premium 2-in-1 if you want something nicer.
Why I use it: 16GB RAM, beautiful 4K display, premium build. The screen crack is a known issue — worth it if you find one cheap.
Check on Amazon →ThinkPad T460
~$80-120 used
What I'd buy today — the budget alternative if the T480 is too much.
Why I use it: Rock solid, cheap, runs Linux perfectly. Not as fast as the T480 but half the price.
Check on Amazon →ThinkPad X230
~$60-100 used
What I'd buy today — the classic for portability lovers.
Why I use it: The iconic ThinkPad. Classic keyboard, super portable, still capable with an SSD and lightweight Linux.
Check on Amazon →ThinkPad T470s
~$100-180 used
What I'd buy today — thinner and lighter than the T480.
Why I use it: Thinner than the T480, still upgradeable. A good middle ground between portability and power.
Check on Amazon →VPS & Hosting
SSDNode VPS
From $5-10/mo
What I use today — my primary remote server for public-facing services.
Why I use it: Great pricing for storage-heavy workloads. I use mine for hosting, backups, and remote access.
Get $20 credit →Networking
Netgear GS308 Switch
~$20-30
What I'd buy today — quiet, cheap, reliable gigabit switch.
Why I use it: Fanless, metal case, plug-and-play. Perfect for homelab. No frills, just works.
Buy on Amazon →Ubiquiti UniFi AP
~$80-100
What I'd buy today — rock-solid wireless access point.
Why I use it: Great coverage, VLAN support, reasonable price. The gold standard for homelab wifi.
Buy on Amazon →Storage
Samsung 870 EVO 1TB
~$80-100
What I'd buy today — my go-to SATA SSD for ThinkPad upgrades.
Why I use it: Reliable, fast, well-supported across Linux distros. Nothing fancy, just works.
Buy on Amazon →WD Red 4TB NAS
~$70-90
What I'd buy today — designed for 24/7 NAS operation.
Why I use it: CMR technology (not SMR), good warranty. I use these in my ZimaBoard NAS setup.
Buy on Amazon →