Mini PC vs Server for running virtual machines

Are you thinking about a home lab refresh this year? The Mini PC market has exploded with many options. In this episode, we take a look at a mini PC I picked up from Amazon, how well it can run VMs, and the possibilities of using mini PCs for home lab hardware moving forward. ★ Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrxcWtpd1IGHG9RbD_9380A?sub_confirmation=1 ★ My blog: https://www.virtualizationhowto.com ★ Twitter: https://twitter.com/vspinmaster ★ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-lee-vht/ ★ Github: https://github.com/brandonleegit ★ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/VirtualizationHowto/100092747277326/ ★ Discord: https://discord.gg/Zb46NV6mB3 Introduction to mini pc home labs - 0:00 A new mini PC that I picked up from Amazon - 0:57 Describing the GMKtek G2 Nucbox - 1:30 Describing the TDP values at idle and turbo - 1:45 Overview of the networking and gotchas with VMware ESXi - 2:25 Using a USB NIC with VMware ESXi and supported Realtek adapter - 2:52 Looking at the storage on the Nucbox - 3:39 Overview of the Nucbox connected using the ESXi host client - 4:09 Looking at vCenter Server monitoring after powering on VMs - 4:40 Looking at the specs in VMware ESXi - 5:13 Powering up additional VMs on the Nucbox - 5:33 Looking at performance metrics after powering on additional VMs - 5:55 Opening virtual machine consoles and looking at performance - 6:12 Pulling down a Docker container and running it in a VM on the Nucbox - 6:49 Thinking about the mini pc as a Docker container host - 7:20 Overview of the cost of the Nucbox - 7:36 Mini pc vs server thoughts on price, value, and power consumption - 8:14 Discussing power efficiency and electric costs - 9:16 Rethinking a home lab refresh with mini pcs? 9:30 Concluding thoughts on mini PC market that is growing and becoming more powerful - 10:03 Check out the following writeups: Mini PC vs Server: Best Home Lab Server in 2024? https://www.virtualizationhowto.com/2023/08/mini-pc-vs-server-best-home-lab-server-in-2024/ Mini Server for Home Lab: GMKtek Nucbox G2 https://www.virtualizationhowto.com/2023/08/mini-server-for-home-lab-gmktec-nucbox-g2/ 5 Tips to install ESXi on a Mini PC: https://www.virtualizationhowto.com/2023/08/5-tips-to-install-esxi-on-a-mini-pc/