Cheap serverbox Hardware
Boxes matching or surpassing the DreamPlug in price and core features:
is supported in Debian (see stable armhf and testing armhf release notes, ARM multiplatform kernel notes, and similar notes for other archs).
- includes case
- fanless (in normal rooms, also on very hot days)
- $160/€120 or cheaper
- min. ½GB ram (for 32bit operation - likely min. 1GB for 64bit)
- min. 1GHz CPU (for ARMv5 CPUs - different for other CPUs)
- uSD slot, easy accessible
- ethernet (proper builtin or on daughterboard, not "toys" like USB-attached or ENC28J60)
Recommended
Boxes documented as using high quality componets:
- SATA connection, efficiently wired
- Gigabit ethernet, efficiently wired
Name |
Speed (GHz) |
Debian arch |
Ram (GB) |
disk (GB) |
battery |
SATA |
Wifi |
Ethernet speed |
Price (USD) incl. case |
|
Banana Pi Pro |
1x2 |
armhf/sunxi |
1 |
- |
- |
|
n |
1000 |
|
|
Cubieboard3/Cubietruck |
1x2 |
armhf/sunxi |
2 |
8 |
|
|
n |
1000 |
|
|
OLinuXino A20 LIME2 |
1x2 |
armhf/sunxi |
1 |
- |
|
|
- |
1000 |
|
Adequate
Boxes possibly using less than ideal componets or wiring:
Name |
Speed (GHz) |
Debian arch |
Ram (GB) |
disk (GB) |
battery |
SATA |
Wifi |
Ethernet speed |
Price (USD) incl. case |
|
APU.1D |
1x2 |
amd64 |
2 |
- |
- |
|
- |
1000x3 |
|
|
APU.1D4 |
1x2 |
amd64 |
4 |
- |
- |
|
- |
1000x3 |
|
|
Banana Pi M3 |
2x8 |
armhf/sunxi |
2 |
8 |
- |
( |
n |
1000 |
|
|
BeagleBone Black C |
1 |
armhf/omap |
½ |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
100 |
|
|
Cubieboard |
1 |
armhf/sunxi |
1 |
4 |
|
|
- |
100 |
|
|
Cubieboard2 |
1x2 |
armhf/sunxi |
1 |
4 |
|
|
- |
100 |
|
|
Cubieboard2-Dual |
1x2 |
armhf/sunxi |
1 |
- |
|
|
- |
100 |
|
|
Cubieboard5/Cubietruck+ |
2x8 |
armhf/sunxi |
2 |
8 |
|
( |
n |
1000 |
|
|
CuBox i2 |
1x2 |
armhf/freescale |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1000 |
|
|
CuBox i2 eX |
1x2 |
armhf/freescale |
1 |
- |
- |
|
- |
1000 |
|
|
CuBox i4Pro |
1x4 |
armhf/freescale |
2 |
- |
- |
|
n |
1000 |
|
|
CuBoxTV 1GB |
1x4 |
armhf/freescale |
1 |
- |
- |
|
- |
1000 |
|
|
CuBoxTV 2GB |
1x4 |
armhf/freescale |
2 |
- |
- |
|
- |
1000 |
|
|
DreamPlug |
1.2 |
armel/kirkwood |
½ |
2 |
- |
|
g |
1000x2 |
|
|
HummingBoard Pro i1 |
1 |
armhf/freescale |
½ |
- |
- |
- |
- |
100 |
|
|
HummingBoard Pro i2 |
1x2 |
armhf/freescale |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
100 |
|
|
HummingBoard Pro i2eX |
1x2 |
armhf/freescale |
1 |
- |
- |
|
- |
1000 |
|
|
Intel DE3815TYKHE |
1.4 |
amd64 |
+8 |
4 |
- |
|
n |
1000 |
|
|
ITEAD Core AW2041 |
1 |
armhf/sunxi |
1 |
4 |
- |
|
- |
1000 |
|
|
ITEAD Core AW2042 |
1x2 |
armhf/sunxi |
2 |
4 |
- |
|
- |
1000 |
|
|
MinnowBoard MAX |
1.3x2 |
amd64 |
2 |
- |
- |
|
- |
1000 |
|
|
MIPS Creator CI20 |
1.2x2 |
mipsel |
1 |
8 |
|
- |
- |
100 |
|
|
MiraBox |
1 |
armhf/armada |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
n |
1000x2 |
|
|
ODroid C1+ |
1.5x4 |
armhf/amlogic |
1 |
- |
|
- |
- |
1000 |
|
|
ODroid C2 |
1.5x4→2x1 |
armhf/amlogic |
2 |
- |
|
- |
- |
1000 |
|
|
OLinuXino A10 LIME |
1 |
armhf/sunxi |
½ |
- |
|
|
- |
100 |
|
|
OLinuXino A20 LIME |
1x2 |
armhf/sunxi |
½ |
- |
|
|
- |
100 |
|
|
OLinuXino A20 MICRO |
1x2 |
armhf/sunxi |
1 |
- |
|
|
- |
100 |
|
|
pcDuino 3S |
1x2 |
armhf/sunxi |
1 |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
100 |
|
|
Radxa Rock Lite |
1.6x4 |
armhf/rockchip |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
n |
100 |
|
|
Radxa Rock Pro |
1.6x4 |
armhf/rockchip |
2 |
8 |
- |
- |
n |
100 |
|
|
Sheeva Plug |
1 |
armel/kirkwood |
½ |
½ |
- |
|
- |
1000 |
|
|
Utilite Value |
1 |
armhf/freescale |
½ |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
1000 |
|
|
Wandboard Solo |
1 |
armhf/freescale |
½ |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1000 |
|
|
Wandboard Dual |
1x2 |
armhf/freescale |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
n |
1000 |
|
|
Wandboard Quad |
1x4 |
armhf/freescale |
2 |
- |
- |
|
n |
1000 |
|
|
Linksys WRT1200AC |
1.3x2 |
armhf/armada? |
½ |
¼ |
- |
|
ac |
1000x4 |
|
Legend:
- + at RAM size indicates replaceable option.
- ? at Debian arch indicates not yet fully supported.
- b/g/n/ac at Wifi indicates newest supported protocol
- + at Ethernet speed indicates switch ports
(
) at SATA indicates inferior USB bridge interface
- → at Speed means "from to", i.e. "1.5x4→2x1" means that 1.5 GHz with 4 cores as well as 2 GHz with 1 core is possible — and potentially further steps inbetween.
Promising
Upcoming devices looking promising, but not yet available for general sale.
Pine64+ and related boxes like Jide Remix Mini - mainline kernel not yet usable
Unsuitable
- Banana Pi Router: Sold only as board, not with case (and likely too expensive with case added).
- Cubieboard4: Sold only as board, not with case.
Exynos SoC boards: requires nonfree software to boot
Raspberry Pi boards might become usable if alternative firmware works and gets packaged for Debian.
Devices too expensive not listed here (that'd be a looong list).