My nephew is in the process of setting up a small computer supplies shop in HK/Shenzen so I'm hoping to be able to help him get the ball rolling and pick up some stuff to build a node. I'm attracted by SBC because of the small physical size but given the RAM requirements even the non raspi products are likely to get into US$50+ for the board alone. Given that price that leads me to considering some mini pc type product but they seem a bit overkill for a node setup. I have plenty of research to do.
Discussion
Yep, check what pcs people are using - I’ve heard some good feedback on simple laptops, but can’t remember the exact models. Plus if bitcoin price rises, raspberries’ prices tend to rise as well 😅
At the same time for the newbies I’m leaning towards the option of paying a few extra bucks (if possible), purchasing a raspberry and installing #[3] or some similar simple two-click OS.
Doing it all on your own, configuring Linux and stuff is not an easy task for someone inexperienced.