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Hey. I'm looking for advice to build a power efficient 16tb nas. I would like a more diy type of solution, excluding. I was quite interested in the n100 celeron cpus but it seems the lack of pcie lanes really limits this. I also looked into used office hardware, which I am really interested in.
I intend to run a lot of docker containers (various webapps), use this as some sort of backup, as well as a media server.
I am having a lot of difficulty finding a reasonable solution without breaking the bank. I am open to and would prefer using used hardware.
Thank you!
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You're on the right track with used office hardware—it’s one of the best ways to get a solid, power-efficient NAS setup on a budget. Given your $300 budget (excluding drives), here are some practical options:
Best Used Office Hardware for a NAS:
Dell OptiPlex 7050 / 7060 Micro or SFF
Intel 6th–8th Gen i5/i7 CPUs (low power, decent performance).
M.2 NVMe support (some models).
Can be found for $150–$250.
Limitations: Usually only 1–2 drive bays; external storage expansion may be needed.
HP EliteDesk 800 G3 / G4 SFF
Similar to Dell OptiPlex but often cheaper.
Supports a low-profile PCIe card for SATA expansion.
Price: ~$200.
Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q / M910q Tiny
Super compact, low power (~15-25W idle).
M.2 slot for fast cache.
Price: ~$180–$220.
HP ProDesk 600 G4 Mini or Lenovo M720q Tiny with Thunderbolt
Can use a Thunderbolt 3 PCIe enclosure for additional SATA/PCIe connectivity.
If You Need More Drive Bays (Better for a NAS)
Dell PowerEdge T40 / T140 or HP MicroServer Gen8/Gen10
True small server options.
More drive bays but higher power draw (~50W+ idle).
Price: $200–$300.
Dell Precision T3610 / T5600 (Older Xeon Workstations)
Has PCIe expansion, but power efficiency is lower (~50–80W idle).
Great for running lots of Docker containers.
Additional Recommendations:
HDD Storage:
Consider used enterprise drives (Exos, WD Gold) for cost savings.
Check server surplus resellers or eBay.
HDD Connectivity:
If the PC lacks enough SATA ports, use a PCIe SATA controller or a USB 3.1 to SATA dock.
OS Recommendations:
Unraid (great for Docker, but costs $59+).
TrueNAS Scale (ZFS but slightly heavier).
Debian/Ubuntu + Docker + MergerFS (lightweight, flexible).
Final Thoughts
If you prioritize power efficiency, go for an HP EliteDesk or ThinkCentre Tiny and use external HDDs or a USB 3.1 DAS. If you want more expandability, a used Dell T40 or workstation with PCIe slots is a better bet.
