Tutorials Projects Hardware About

Raspberry Pi Server
Hardware Guide 2025

Everything you actually need - and nothing you don't. Tested picks for boards, storage, cooling, and accessories.

Sara Lin
Co-Founder · Updated January 15, 2025 · All hardware personally tested

Which Raspberry Pi for a server?

[i]
Short answer

Raspberry Pi 5 (4GB or 8GB) for new builds. Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB or 8GB) if you want to save money and Pi 5 units aren't available in your region. Avoid anything older than Pi 4 for a primary server.

Model CPU RAM USB 3.0 Approx. Price Best for
Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB) Top Pick BCM2712 2.4GHz 8GB LPDDR4X Yes x2 ~$80 Everything - media, NAS, Docker, HA
Raspberry Pi 5 (4GB) BCM2712 2.4GHz 4GB LPDDR4X Yes x2 ~$60 Most server workloads, Pi-hole, VPN
Raspberry Pi 4 (8GB) BCM2711 1.8GHz 8GB LPDDR4 Yes x2 ~$75 Budget-conscious multi-service builds
Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB) BCM2711 1.8GHz 4GB LPDDR4 Yes x2 ~$55 Pi-hole, WireGuard, NAS, single services
Raspberry Pi Zero 2W BCM2710A1 1GHz 512MB LPDDR2 OTG only ~$15 Pi-hole only, simple single services

Storage: SSD over microSD, always

MicroSD cards wear out fast under server workloads. The frequent read/write cycles that server software generates will kill a microSD in months. Boot from USB SSD instead.

Samsung 870 EVO 1TB SSD
Best Value
SATA SSD connected via USB 3.0 to USB-A adapter. Read speeds up to 560 MB/s. Reliable, widely available, good price per GB.
~$75
WD Blue SN580 500GB NVMe (Pi 5 only)
Pi 5 Pick
The Raspberry Pi 5 supports NVMe SSDs via the PCIe interface with an HAT+ adapter. Massively faster than SATA over USB.
~$55 + adapter
USB 3.0 to SATA Adapter
Required for SATA SSDs
The UGREEN USB 3.0 to SATA adapter is reliable and doesn't have the power issues that affect cheaper cables. Use a powered hub for 3.5" HDDs.
~$12
Seagate IronWolf 4TB HDD
For NAS Builds
NAS-rated HDD designed for 24/7 operation. Larger capacity at a lower cost per GB than SSDs. Pair with USB-powered hub and SSD for OS.
~$90

Cooling: don't skip this

Both the Pi 4 and Pi 5 throttle their CPU when they get hot. A Pi running at 80°C will perform measurably worse than the same Pi at 50°C. For a server that runs 24/7, active cooling is not optional.

Official Raspberry Pi Active Cooler
The official active cooler for Pi 5. Clips directly onto the chip, includes variable-speed fan. Keeps Pi 5 under 60°C under load. Highly recommended.
~$5
Argon ONE M.2 Case (Pi 4)
A case with a built-in fan and aluminium body for passive heat dissipation. Includes M.2 SATA slot - great two-in-one for Pi 4 builds with SSD storage.
~$45
GeeekPi Tower Cooler
A dual-fan tower heatsink that's extreme overkill in the best way. Keeps even an overclocked Pi cool. Good for Pi 4 builds where you want silent but effective cooling.
~$15

Power Supply

Underpowering a Pi is one of the most common causes of mysterious crashes and SD card corruption. Use the official power supply.

Official Raspberry Pi 27W USB-C PSU (Pi 5)
Mandatory for Pi 5
Pi 5 requires USB-PD negotiation at 5V/5A. The official PSU handles this correctly. Third-party supplies that don't support USB-PD will default to 3A and show an undervoltage warning.
~$12
Official Raspberry Pi 15W USB-C PSU (Pi 4)
Pi 4 Standard
Pi 4 needs a USB-C supply capable of 5V/3A. The official supply is reliable and correctly wired. Avoid cheap cables.
~$8

Affiliate disclosure: Links to products above are Amazon affiliate links. We earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. All products are ones we use in our own homelab builds.

Next: Build your server

Boot Raspberry Pi from USB SSD

Ditch microSD for good. 5x faster and dramatically more reliable.

Beginner|10 min
Install Pi-hole: Network-Wide Ad Blocking

The single most impactful thing you can run on a Pi server.

Beginner|12 min
Install Docker on Raspberry Pi

Run multiple services cleanly. Essential for any serious Pi server build.

Beginner|11 min