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Hardware

Curated server builds, low-power Mini-PCs, enterprise NAS arrays, and drive benchmarks.

All Privacy Hardware NAS ZFS Reverse Proxy SWAG Plex Media Server Self-Hosting CrowdSec Fail2Ban Cybersecurity Networking Jellyfin Docker Automation

A picture showing the top of my server showing the USB3.0 enclosure connected to a USB3.0 port on the Fractal Design Define 7 XL. — Top of my server showing the USB3.0 enclosure connected to a USB3.0 port on the Fractal Design Define 7 XL.

The SATA Pivot: Mitigating IOPS Bottlenecks in a 18+ Drive Homelab

Is your ZFS array thrashing under Docker logs? You don't need a new server; you need a better bus. Learn how moving my OS to USB reclaimed SATA III ports for SSD caching - solving IOPS bottlenecks and extending drive life for under $20.

A picture of Core Lab's own Codex NAS & Server, she's a dusty girl before my bi-annual cleaning attack! — Core Lab's own Codex NAS & Server, she's a dusty girl before my bi-annual cleaning attack!

🛠️ The Homelab Physical: A Guide to Annual & Bi-Annual Maintenance

Neglect is the quiet killer of uptime. Don't let dust or "chip creep" sabotage your ZFS pools. This guide covers essential bi-annual routines - from LSI HBA cooling to reseating the "Big Three" - to keep your custom server healthy for the long haul.

Comic-style illustration of Synology, QNAP, and UGREEN NAS units side by side, highlighting storage vs computing differences. — Comic-style showdown: Synology vs QNAP vs UGREEN NAS - storage devices aren’t full servers.

NAS vs Server: What’s the Difference? (2026 Guide for Homelabs)

NAS vs server isn’t just semantics - it’s the difference between smooth performance and constant frustration. Learn when to use each and how to build the perfect homelab in 2026.

KDiskMark benchmark comparison on Linux showing Samsung 990 EVO Plus vs Sabrent Rocket 4.0 NVMe SSDs. — Side-by-side KDiskMark results on CachyOS: The Samsung 990 EVO Plus (Right) showing a significant lead in sequential read speeds over the Sabrent Rocket 4.0 (Left).

The Hybrid Gen 5 Experiment: High-Speed Linux Storage Without the Gen 5 Heat

Can a "Hybrid" SSD outperform the flagship Gen 5 screamers? I test the Samsung 990 EVO Plus on CachyOS to see how it handles BTRFS, thermals, and 2.5GbE NAS transfers in my newest workstation.

A three-part composite showing an old Dell PC, a modern white cube server, and a professional rack-mounted server with glowing green lights on a wooden desk against a bookshelf. — From humble beginnings to enterprise power: a side-by-side evolution of home server hardware, featuring a dusty Optiplex, a sleek Node 804, and a racked PowerEdge with green LED accents.

Plex Media Server

Best Plex Server Hardware (2026): Budget Builds to Enterprise NAS Guide

Building a Plex server in 2026? Learn how to choose the best hardware for 4K transcoding, from scavenged Intel QuickSync builds to high-end enterprise ZFS rigs.

Side view of white Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL PC with black Fractal Celsius S36 AIO, MSI 3070 Ti, glowing white fans, and a TIE fighter model inside the glass panel. — The heart of "Dirty Snow": High-contrast black components against the white Lian Li chassis, guarded by the TIE Fighter.

The 2026 Hybrid Workstation: Building "Dirty Snow" (Ryzen 9800X3D + Linux)

I built "Dirty Snow," a Ryzen 9800X3D workstation running CachyOS. See how this hybrid beast crushes gaming and virtualization with surprising thermals.

Fantastic Friday!

Holiday sales alerts and reminders, plus a rundown of the newest posts published on Core Lab this week.

🚨An Early Gift for My Subscribers: Pre-Holiday Tech Deals & Exclusive Codes❗

Curated pre-holiday deals on QD-OLED monitors, homelab mini-PCs, 2.5Gbps networking upgrades, and portable displays, plus exclusive subscriber codes.

How to Build a Silent Homelab: A Guide to Fans, Racks, and Acoustic Treatment — Photo by imgix / Unsplash

How to Build a Silent Homelab: A Guide to Fans, Racks, and Acoustic Treatment

A practical, three-part system for a quiet homelab: swapping enterprise fans for Noctua, choosing between open/enclosed/acoustic racks, and treating the room itself.

A VRAM quantisization chart, showing tiers starting from 8gb through to 24gb and what you can run. — VRAM Quant chart for reference,

Best GPU for Local LLMs (2026): VRAM Tier List & Buyer's Guide

Looking for the best GPU for local LLMs in 2026? Stop overpaying. Here is the ultimate VRAM tier list and buyer's guide for running Llama, Mistral, and Ollama locally.

A picture of Core Lab Custom Server/NAS while being built, on a floor beside oragizer bin, with drive cables hanging out and side, top panels removed. — Core Lab Custom Server/NAS while being built.

The "Core Lab" Monster: My 80+TB DIY NAS Build (2026)

A 17-drive, 80TB+ DIY NAS build log: enterprise SAS hardware, ZFS pool design, HBA cards, and the 3.3V pin gotcha that stops drives from spinning up.

Best Homelab Hardware Guide (2026): Servers, Mini-PCs, CPUs & Parts

Construct your Digital Fortress. From silent N100 "Gatehouse" nodes to massive "Command Center" storage servers, this is the battle-tested hardware we trust to hold the line in 2026.