Choosing The Right Hardware

When deciding on what hardware you need for your server, you need to know what you're going to use it for. 

When you're running one or two services, a Raspberry Pi would probably suffice, while running your own personal cloud services might require a refurbished desktop computer.  Running your own media server may require a faster processor, a decent graphics card and adequate storage space for digital media.

Raspberry Pi and traditional desktop operating systems have differing install processes, but use the same software. 

Processing Power

Choosing the type of main processor you will use for your server is an important decision.  

The Raspberry Pi – and other single-board computers  – use a different type of processor than the one you'd find in a traditional desktop. ARM (Advanced RISC Machine) is a new class of processors that are in the same family as the one that power your cellphone.  Built for power efficiency, they cannot often handle sustained heavy loads and will overheat. These cost-effective mini computers are great hosting a personal website, BitWarden, Home Assistant or Grocy.

Traditional computers – such as desktops, laptops and servers – use an evolution of the same processors first developed in the 1970s.  They are known as x86 and named after the Intel 8086 that the architecture is based on.  These processors focus on sustained processing power and can handle much more intensive tasks.  These types of computers are great for hosting your own personal cloud with varied services, such as OwnCloud, Jellyfin, qBittorrent, or media procurement services.