Mini PC

[MarkDersh]

Hello, Anyone have experience with this mini PC? Mini PC i7 ACEMAGIC, Intel Core i7-11800H Mini Computer(8C/16T, 24MB Smart Cache,up to 4.6 GHz) 32GB DDR4 1TB NVME SSD, Mini Desktop Computer with 4K Triple Display/WiFi 6/BT5.2 for Gaming/Office/Home https://a.co/d/bIKPLli

Or have a similar machine that would be on the same budget and system configuration.

Thanks

 

[Pifouney]

sorry, we're not amazon.

What do you want to do ?

 

[MarkDersh]

For more context, I'm looking to setup a home lab.

I plan on running five or six linux machines and a few windows machines. Also looking to setup a truenas.

I was thinking a older tower could be used for storage.

Thanks

 

[Pifouney]

OK

If you do not plan to use ZFS FS, you're good. Proxmox is extremely flexible for hardware. But technologies like ZFS need professionnal stuf prerequists.

Did you have precises questions for your lab ?

 

[Randell]

32GB of memory might be a little light if you plan on running all those at the same time. I say might because my laptop right now only has 8GB (Win 11) but it always seems to be maxed on usage, but still runs fine.

It is going to depend greatly on what you plan to do with the VMs.

As Pifouney mentioned, ZFS is going to want memory; by default is going to try for 50% of your ram for stuff. You can tune that down. Or not, but it should give it back if you need it for other things.

 

[UdoB]

ZFS is going to want memory; by default is going to try for 50% of your ram for stuff.

Nitpicky comment: the default is 10% for some time now....

Edit: reference: https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/ZFS_on_Linux#sysadmin_zfs_limit_memory_usage

 

[esi_y]

To me, the OP's question is more about if anyone knows the said hardware, I for instances know some Intel NUCs had stability issues with certain Linux kernels and driver issues, needed limiting C STATES or disabling features in firmware. So no, I do not know this specific hardware.

Also, your "1TB NVME SSD" (nothing known about it) can be eaten by ZFS write amplification and, in cluster setup by PVE bugs.

I do not really know what people mean with these semi-informed ZFS comments, I have an old file server with 8T storage striped mirror with ZFS on 8G and doing 10 years just fine 24/7 without RAM issues.

Also, ZFS is not a file system that is "professional", it is a copy-on-write filesytem that performs poorly and it uses its own RAM caching unlike others. It is popular with homelabbers because PVE does not probivide any other RAID-capable options in GUI and it is brittle and terrible choice for most setups, certainly terrible for root on Linux, it is alright for a backup storage on spinning drives where it fares better than tape.

 

[UdoB]

...ZFS... and terrible choice for most setups

Wherever it is available I will prefer this one over all other. (Yes, I do check if the hardware does fit.)

No, I don't want to start a long discussion; this has been done, for sure. You choose your appropriate filesystem stack and I'll choose mine.

This is just for the OP, even though he didn't ask this question: there are pro's and con's regarding most available filesystem options.

Choose your poison, choose wisely. It may be difficult to switch after the fact.

 

[esi_y]

Wherever it is available I will prefer this one over all other. (Yes, I do check if the hardware does fit.)

Then you might be better equipped to help the OP here (I see these weekly on homelabbers forums), I cannot help them and everyone stops replying (on a forum where ZFS is this popular as here):

https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/z...o-error-on-import-attempt.156075/#post-712516

No, I don't want to start a long discussion; this has been done, for sure. You choose your appropriate filesystem stack and I'll choose mine.

Exactly.

This is just for the OP, even though he didn't ask this question: there are pro's and con's regarding most available filesystem options.

Choose your poison, choose wisely. It may be difficult to switch after the fact.

Yeah the one thing I will add though, there's actually "no networking" really on that mini PC, the WiFi I would kind of disregard and 1Gb Ethernet won't be exciting.

I saw one Type-C port there, but not Thunderbolt either.

Then again, mostly the skeletons in the wardrobe with mini PCs are stability and compatibility issues and I do not know this specific hardware.