Mini PCs, low-power hardware, and small-form-factor homelab builds. Idle wattage, N100/N305 reviews, thin client repurposing, and the cheap, quiet setups that actually run 24/7.https://minilabhq.com/enhttps://minilabhq.com/posts/hp-t620-t630-t640-thin-client-homelab/https://minilabhq.com/posts/hp-t620-t630-t640-thin-client-homelab/Used HP thin clients are still the cheapest entry into an x86 homelab. Here's what each generation actually idles at, what you can run on them, and the upgrade gotchas worth knowing before you buy.Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTthin-clienthp-t620hp-t630hp-t640low-powerhomelabbudgetMiniLabHQ Editorialhttps://minilabhq.com/posts/intel-n100-mini-pc-homelab-buying-guide/https://minilabhq.com/posts/intel-n100-mini-pc-homelab-buying-guide/What to look for when buying an Intel N100 mini PC for a 24/7 homelab — RAM, storage layout, NIC quality, BIOS quirks, and the brands worth (and not worth) buying.Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTintel-n100mini-pchomelabhardwarebuying-guideMiniLabHQ Editorialhttps://minilabhq.com/posts/measuring-mini-pc-idle-wattage/https://minilabhq.com/posts/measuring-mini-pc-idle-wattage/Spec-sheet TDP isn't what a mini PC actually pulls from the wall. Here's how I measure idle wattage with a $25 Kill A Watt, what to expect from common N100/N305/Ryzen boxes, and the BIOS settings that cut 2–4W.Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTidle-wattagepower-consumptionkill-a-wattmini-pcn100n305energy-efficiencyMiniLabHQ Editorialhttps://minilabhq.com/posts/n100-vs-n305-vs-n97-low-power-homelab-chips/https://minilabhq.com/posts/n100-vs-n305-vs-n97-low-power-homelab-chips/Intel's Alder Lake-N family ate the low-power homelab market in 2024. Here's how the N100, N305, and N97 actually compare on cores, idle watts, dollars per core, and which one fits your service stack.Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTintel-n100intel-n305intel-n97alder-lake-ncpu-comparisonlow-powerhomelabMiniLabHQ Editorialhttps://minilabhq.com/posts/200-dollar-n100-homelab-setup/https://minilabhq.com/posts/200-dollar-n100-homelab-setup/A first-person walkthrough of my current N100 mini PC homelab — every part, every service, every BIOS tweak, and what the whole thing costs to run per year. Built and documented so you can copy it.Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTn100homelab-buildbudgetdockernextcloudhome-assistantpi-holejellyfinMiniLabHQ Editorial