Hey All... I currently live in an apartment, and have been using a 12U rack for the past several years. I'm getting a little tired of crawling on the floor to change this little bugger around. I've also nearly filled it up at this point. Does anyone have a decent 25/27U rack that they would recommend. I don't want anything terribly expensive, so something under $500 would be preferable. I'm trying to plan some projects for 2026 that don't require buying memory or storage, and this one has been bubbling just below the surface for a while now. Preferably it would be something 4-post, open on the sides, but with an option to add panels later if it somehow becomes desirable.

Been reading a lot on the forum discussing how high prices are especially around memory. A good solution is go on eBay or Facebook market and just buy a complete used computer that has the memory requirement you are looking for and just strip out what you need . After that, resell the computer or parts minus the memory. Another option are local paper, yard sales, thrift stores, etc. You would be surprise what you will find.

Beelink SER9 Max Review: Major Platform Upgrades and Real 10 Gig Networking https://www.virtualizationhowto.com/2025/12/beelink-ser9-max-review-major-platform-upgrades-and-real-10-gig-networking/ Will be giving this one away to someone posting their current home lab setup to this forum thread! (Can only ship US domestic unfortunately) https://www.virtualizationhowto.com/community/home-lab-pics/best-home-lab-server-pics-and-gear-in-2025/

Below are some links that I have come across that I think are good deals if you want to splurge on some home lab or home lab workstation upgrades. Let me know of other links you run across. Hopefully, we can all share and find the best deals out there. ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB GDDR7 OC Edition Gaming Graphics Card (PCIe 5.0, HDMI/DP 2.1, 3.125-slot, Military-Grade Components, Protective PCB Coating, axial-tech Fans): ASUS https://geni.us/s5xH Samsung SSD 9100 PRO 4TB, PCIe 5.0x4 M.2 2280, Seq. Read Speeds Up to 14,800MB/s, Best for AI Computing, Gaming, and Heavy Duty Workstations (MZ VAP4T0B/AM): SAMSUNG https://geni.us/Ux4FHT Samsung 49" Odyssey OLED (G93SC) Series Curved Gaming Monitor w QD-OLED, 240Hz, 0.03ms, DQHD, G-Sync Compatible, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro,Height Adjustable Stand,3 Yr Warranty,LS49CG932SNXZA: Samsung https://geni.us/n3uL8t KAMRUI AM21 Mini PC, AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS (8C/16T, up to 4.9GHz), 32GB DDR5 5600MHz RAM, 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 SSD, Mini Desktop Computer with Radeon 780M, USB4, Quad Display, Dual LAN, HDMI, WiFi 6 https://geni.us/eIqiw ACEMAGIC M1 Mini PC, Intel Core i9-11900H 32GB DDR4 1TB SSD, Mini Computers (4.9GHz, 8C/16T) PCIe3.0 Type-C/LAN 2.5G/HDMI/DP, 4K Triple Display 11 Pro Mini Desktop PC BT5.2/WiFi6/BT/for Home/Office https://geni.us/kd3P GEEKOM A6 Mini PC with AMD Ryzen 7 6800H, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, Radeon 680M, Compact Aluminium Design Windows 11 Pro Desktop Computer with USB4/8K/Wi-Fi 6E/BT 5.2/SD Slot https://geni.us/4siJ5 Beelink SER3 Mini PC AMD Ryzen 3200U Win 11 Mini Computers, 16G DDR4 500G PCIe3.0 SSD, Dual 4K 60HZ Display, 4xUSB3.2 Home Office Business Entertainment PC https://geni.us/KLNG

Thoughts on going with refurbished hard drives for a nas/media server to keep the cost down ? I see shucking was a popular strategy but does not seem to make sense with the current prices. Any reccommendations on the best places to buy refurbished drives ?