A comprehensive comparison between Intel N100 Mini PCs and Raspberry Pi 5 for home server use. We analyze power consumption, performance, cost, and ideal use cases.
| Spec | Intel N100 Mini PC | Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $160-$260 | $80-$120 |
| CPU | Intel N100 (Alder Lake-N) | Broadcom BCM2712 |
| Cores/Threads | 4C / 4T | 4C / 4T |
| TDP | 6W | N/A |
| Idle Power | 6-10W (typical) | 3-6W (typical) |
| Memory | Up to 16-32GB DDR4/LPDDR5 | 8GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 1x M.2 + 1x SATA (varies) | microSD, PCIe 2.0 via HAT |
| Network | 2.5GbE on many models | 1GbE |
For most home server users, the Intel N100 offers better value despite the higher upfront cost. Its hardware transcoding, x86 compatibility, and expandability make it more versatile. However, the Raspberry Pi 5 remains excellent for ultra-low-power setups, learning projects, and simple services like Pi-hole.
For home server use, Intel N100 is generally better due to hardware transcoding support, more RAM capacity (up to 32GB vs 8GB), and native SATA storage. However, Raspberry Pi 5 uses less power (3-6W vs 6-10W idle) and costs less upfront.
Yes, but without hardware transcoding. Direct play works well, but transcoding requires software encoding which is slow and CPU-intensive. Intel N100 with Quick Sync is significantly better for Plex.
Raspberry Pi 5 idles at 3-6W while Intel N100 Mini PCs idle at 6-10W. Over a year running 24/7, this difference is about 26-35 kWh, costing roughly $3-5 extra at average electricity rates.
Intel N100 is better for running multiple Docker containers due to more RAM (up to 32GB), x86 compatibility with all images, and generally better I/O performance. Pi 5 works for light container usage.
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