SFF Proxmox Node Price Tracker
Dell OptiPlex Micro, HP EliteDesk/ProDesk Mini, Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny & ASUS NUC
A tiny, quiet, power-efficient PC is one of the best ways to run Proxmox without a full server rack. These enterprise small form factor machines get retired from corporate fleets constantly, which keeps the used market well stocked. This tracks current listings across the four brands homelabbers actually buy.
Why These Four Brands
Same reasoning that makes them a homelab staple.
Dell OptiPlex Micro
Extremely common in corporate refresh cycles, which keeps the used market well supplied with clean units.
HP EliteDesk / ProDesk Mini
Strong thermal design and reliable Wake-on-LAN, which matters if you want to power-manage nodes remotely.
Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny
Usually the cheapest per-core option in this class, with a straightforward internal layout for RAM/storage upgrades.
ASUS NUC 13 Pro
Sold new, not used -- current-generation CPUs and official support, at a real price premium over the enterprise surplus market.
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| Machine | Brand | Condition | RAM | Storage | Price | Deal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny (i5-8500T, 16GB, 256GB SSD) Intel Core i5-8500T · eBay | Lenovo | Used | 16 GB | 256 GB | $99.99 | View Deal |
Lenovo ThinkCentre M910q Tiny (i5-7500T, up to 32GB, 2x2TB SSD) Intel Core i5-7500T · eBay | Lenovo | Used | 16 GB | 512 GB | $149.99 | View Deal |
HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Mini (i5-6500T, 16GB, 256GB NVMe) Intel Core i5-6500T · eBay | HP | Used | 16 GB | 256 GB | $169.00 | View Deal |
Dell OptiPlex 3060 Micro (i5-8500T, up to 64GB, 2TB SSD) Intel Core i5-8500T · eBay | Dell | Used | 16 GB | 512 GB | $179.99 | View Deal |
Dell OptiPlex 3040 Micro (i5-6500T, 8GB, 256GB SSD) Intel Core i5-6500T · Newegg | Dell | Refurbished | 8 GB | 256 GB | $181.60 | View Deal |
HP EliteDesk 800 G4 Mini (i5-8500T, up to 64GB, 2x2TB SSD) Intel Core i5-8500T · eBay | HP | Used | 16 GB | 512 GB | $199.99 | View Deal |
Lenovo ThinkCentre M910x Tiny (i5-7500, 16GB, 256GB NVMe) Intel Core i5-7500 · eBay | Lenovo | Used | 16 GB | 256 GB | $229.00 | View Deal |
HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Mini (i7-7700T, up to 64GB, 2TB SSD) Intel Core i7-7700T · eBay | HP | Used | 16 GB | 512 GB | $229.99 | View Deal |
Lenovo ThinkCentre M910x Tiny (i5-7500, 16GB, 512GB NVMe) Intel Core i5-7500 · eBay | Lenovo | Used | 16 GB | 512 GB | $234.99 | View Deal |
HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Mini (i5-9500T, 16GB, 512GB NVMe) Intel Core i5-9500T · eBay | HP | Used | 16 GB | 512 GB | $249.00 | View Deal |
Dell OptiPlex 7060 Micro (i5-8500T, up to 64GB, 2TB SSD) Intel Core i5-8500T · eBay | Dell | Used | 16 GB | 512 GB | $259.99 | View Deal |
Lenovo ThinkCentre M920x Tiny (i5-8500, 16GB, 512GB NVMe) Intel Core i5-8500 · eBay | Lenovo | Used | 16 GB | 512 GB | $269.00 | View Deal |
Dell OptiPlex 7070 Micro (i7-9700T, up to 64GB, 2TB SSD) Intel Core i7-9700T · eBay | Dell | Used | 16 GB | 512 GB | $349.99 | View Deal |
Lenovo ThinkCentre M920q Tiny (i7-9700T, up to 64GB, 2x2TB SSD) Intel Core i7-9700T · eBay | Lenovo | Used | 16 GB | 512 GB | $349.99 | View Deal |
Lenovo ThinkCentre M920x Tiny (i5-8500, 32GB, 1TB NVMe) Intel Core i5-8500 · eBay | Lenovo | Used | 32 GB | 1.0 TB | $389.00 | View Deal |
Dell OptiPlex 3040 Micro (i5-6500T, 16GB, 1TB SSD) Intel Core i5-6500T · Newegg | Dell | Refurbished | 16 GB | 1.0 TB | $397.78 | View Deal |
HP EliteDesk 800 G6 Mini (i5-10500T, 32GB, 1TB SSD) Intel Core i5-10500T · Newegg | HP | Refurbished | 32 GB | 1.0 TB | $397.78 | View Deal |
Dell OptiPlex 7080 Micro (i7-10700T, up to 64GB, 2TB SSD) Intel Core i7-10700T · eBay | Dell | Used | 16 GB | 512 GB | $449.99 | View Deal |
Dell OptiPlex 7070 Micro (i9-9900T, up to 64GB, 2TB SSD) Intel Core i9-9900T · eBay | Dell | Used | 32 GB | 512 GB | $499.99 | View Deal |
HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Mini (i9-9900T, up to 64GB, 2TB SSD) Intel Core i9-9900T · eBay | HP | Used | 32 GB | 512 GB | $499.99 | View Deal |
ASUS NUC 13 Pro Barebone Kit (i5-1340P) -- RAM/storage sold separately Intel Core i5-1340P · Newegg | ASUS | New | Barebone | — | $519.00 | View Deal |
ASUS NUC 13 Pro Tall Barebone Kit (i5-1340P, Tall Case) Intel Core i5-1340P · Micro Center | ASUS | New | Barebone | — | $539.00 | View Deal |
ASUS NUC 13 Pro Slim Barebone Kit (i7-13620H) -- RAM/storage sold separately Intel Core i7-13620H · Newegg | ASUS | New | Barebone | — | $649.00 | View Deal |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best small form factor PC for a Proxmox node?
There's no single best answer — it depends on budget and RAM needs. Used Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny and HP EliteDesk Mini machines from 8th/9th-gen Intel offer the best price-to-performance for a first node. Dell OptiPlex Micro units hold value better on resale. ASUS NUC 13 Pro machines are sold new as barebone kits, so factor in RAM and storage costs separately.
Do these machines support VT-x and VT-d for Proxmox?
Generally yes, on 6th-generation Intel Core CPUs and newer (the "T" suffix models common in these machines, like i5-8500T, all support VT-x). VT-d (IOMMU, needed for PCI passthrough) support varies by BIOS and generation — 8th-gen and newer machines from HP and Lenovo tend to expose it more reliably than earlier Dell Micro units.
What happened to the Intel NUC brand?
Intel sold the NUC brand and design rights to ASUS in 2023. Today's business-class NUC 13 Pro line continues the same compact form factor under ASUS. Note that ASUS's separate "ROG NUC" line is a very different, much more expensive gaming-focused product and isn't a fit for a homelab node.
How much RAM do I need for a Proxmox homelab node?
16GB is a reasonable minimum for running a handful of lightweight VMs or containers. 32GB gives real headroom for running several services simultaneously. Most of the machines on this page can be upgraded well past their stock RAM configuration, so buying a cheaper base config and upgrading RAM yourself is often the better value.
Should I buy used enterprise SFF machines or a new mini PC?
For pure price-per-core, used enterprise machines (Dell/HP/Lenovo) usually win — corporate fleets replace them on a refresh cycle while they still have plenty of life left. New mini PCs like the ASUS NUC cost more but come with current-generation CPUs, official support, and no wear history.