# New to Homelabbing - What Hardware Should I Start With?

**URL:** <https://forum.45homelab.com/t/new-to-homelabbing-what-hardware-should-i-start-with/3860>\
**Category:** Hardware\
**Created:** [June 4, 2026, 12:05pm UTC](https://forum.45homelab.com/t/new-to-homelabbing-what-hardware-should-i-start-with/3860 "2026-06-04T12:05:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![emmaleo](https://forum.45homelab.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@emmaleo](https://forum.45homelab.com/u/emmaleo)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 12:05pm UTC](https://forum.45homelab.com/t/new-to-homelabbing-what-hardware-should-i-start-with/3860/1 "2026-06-04T12:05:24Z")

</div>

Hey everyone! 👋

I’ve been reading through a lot of posts here and honestly this community is super cool. I really want to start building my own homelab but I don’t know where to begin lol.

I see you guys talk a lot about drives, HBAs, RAM upgrades and chassis stuff and it’s a little overwhelming for someone just getting started. Like I don’t even know if I should go with a proper server chassis or just use an old desktop PC to start.

Here’s what I’m confused about:

. For a beginner homelab, how many drive bays do I actually need to start?

. Is it better to buy used server hardware or go with something newer?

. How important is ECC RAM for a homelab – is it a must or just nice to have?

. What’s a good first HBA card that won’t break the bank?

I’ve been looking at some options on these sites:

[https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nas+hard+drive+4tb+homelab](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nas+hard+drive+4tb+homelab)

[https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?\_nkw=used+server+ecc+ram+ddr4](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=used+server+ecc+ram+ddr4)

> **[PC Servers & Software](https://etechdevices.com/collections/pc-servers-software)**
>
> Source bulk IT hardware, servers, and PC parts from eTechDevices. A reliable wholesale supplier serving enterprises and organizations in USA, Canada, and Europe

Any advice from you homelab pros would seriously help me out so much! Even just a “start here” tip would be awesome.

Thanks a lot in advance, really appreciate it!