I'm not sure this is allowed here. Apologies and please delete if it is not.
I was looking for decent, inexpensive hardware for a semi-dedicated Home Assistant supervised server and found something that is working better than expected.
What I wanted:
- Debian 12 supported hardware.
- Fast processor.
- SSD.
- 8GB ram.
- Integrated battery - no UPS needed.
- Built in display and keyboard if possible to make management easier so a laptop is fine.
- Advanced BIOS options.
I took a risk on a Dell 3140 small laptop from Woot. I just finished moving my HA installation to it and am pleased enough to post here. It's $170 (refurbished) right now and the one I received looks brand new. While this is just an OK laptop, for a HA server it's terrific.
Positives:
- Debian 12 supports the hardware without any additional drivers. Everything just works after install.
- The N200 processor is more than 2x faster than a Raspberry Pi 5's CPU.
- Built in BIOS battery management. A charge limit can be set to preserve the battery since it will be plugged in all the time. 6+ hours indicated battery life with a limited 75% charge.
- Low power usage. Powertop says it's drawing about 6 watts with several USB devices plugged in.
- BIOS Option to automatically power on upon power restoration.
- 128GB SSD is more than big enough to support Debian 12, HA plus some additional apps. My installation uses less than 25GB leaving plenty to spare for Timeshift and some file sharing. Replacement 2230 NVMe SSDs are cheap.
- Fanless & completely silent.
- Built like a tank.
Negatives:
- Built like a tank. Chunky for a small laptop.
- No integrated Ethernet port.
- Mediocre screen.
This is commercial grade product that will hopefully last a long time and might be worth considering if you're looking for Home Assistant hardware.