Скачать или смотреть Episode 59 | Homelab Hardware Showdown: Rack Servers vs Workstations vs Mini Clusters

Welcome back to Crowbar Kernel Panic! 🚀
In this episode, we dive into the three main “lanes” of homelab hardware and help you decide which one makes sense for your space, budget, and goals:

Lane 1: Refurb Enterprise Rack — the loud, hot, datacenter monster 🏢

Lane 2: Workstation Builds — the “Goldilocks” option for power and sanity ⚖️

Lane 3: Low-Power Mini Clusters — silent bookshelf datacenters 📚

We compare cost, noise, power draw, expandability, and real-world use cases. Plus, we talk through subscriber comments, Kubernetes setups, and share some personal homelab stories (including when things go hilariously wrong).

If you’re thinking about building your own homelab, or just want to hear about the trade-offs, this episode is for you.

👉 Join the Discord for discussion and advice:   / discord  
👉 Follow along with the GitHub configs: https://github.com/bomccoy/homelab-pr...

0:00 – Cold open: rack envy & podcast kickoff
1:16 – Welcome + episode intro
2:03 – Celebrating 300 subscribers 🎉
3:20 – The forgotten Arch Linux livestream promise
4:02 – Reading listener comments (Kubernetes, MicroK8s, K3s, TrueNAS tips)
7:32 – Overcomplicating homelabs vs keeping it fun
8:10 – First vlog + Proxmox install recap
9:55 – Advice on NAS, HA, and TrueNAS VM setup
11:38 – More listener comments: Node.js, Docker, Proxmox struggles
13:19 – Inviting listeners to the Discord
14:13 – Real-life homelab hardware problems (BIOS, GPUs, and POST woes)
20:18 – Lane 1: Refurb Enterprise Rack (datacenter monster)
27:49 – Lane 2: Workstation Builds (the Goldilocks option)
37:02 – Deep dive into Bo’s workstation build (Ryzen 5800X3D, Lian Li case, Noctua cooler, G.Skill RAM)
44:22 – The power supply debate 🔌
48:22 – Wrapping up Lane 2 builds
50:49 – Lane 3: Low-Power Mini Clusters (Dell micros, HP minis, Lenovo tiny PCs)
53:17 – Benefits and trade-offs of clustered nodes
57:09 – Head-to-head: Lane 2 vs Lane 3
1:01:14 – GitHub/GitLab repo for configs
1:01:35 – Closing thoughts + what’s next