Intel N305 Mini PC for Self-Hosting

Quick Recommendation

The Intel N305 is the best processor for serious self-hosting on a budget. It doubles the N100’s core count (8 vs 4) for roughly $50-100 more, handles 2-3 simultaneous 4K Plex transcodes via QuickSync, and idles under 11W. If you’re running more than a handful of Docker containers, the N305 is worth the premium over the N100.

Intel N305 Specifications

Spec	Value
Architecture	Alder Lake-N (12th Gen, 2023)
Cores / Threads	8 / 8
Base / Boost clock	1.8 GHz / 3.8 GHz
TDP	15W (configurable down to 9W)
L3 cache	6 MB Intel Smart Cache
iGPU	Intel UHD Graphics, 32 Execution Units
Memory support	DDR5 (up to 16GB officially, 32GB real-world)
PCIe lanes	9x PCIe 3.0
QuickSync	H.264, HEVC 10-bit, VP9, AV1 decode
Lithography	Intel 7 (10nm ESF)

N305 vs N100

The N100 dominates the budget mini PC market. The N305 steps up significantly:

Spec	N305	N100
Cores/Threads	8/8	4/4
Boost clock	3.8 GHz	3.4 GHz
TDP	15W	6W
iGPU EUs	32	24
Multi-core perf	~149% faster	Baseline
Single-core perf	~10% faster	Baseline
Typical mini PC price	$250-400	$150-250
Idle power (system)	9-11W	6-8W

When to choose N305 over N100:

• Running 10+ Docker containers simultaneously
• Plex/Jellyfin with multiple concurrent transcodes
• Immich photo indexing (ML tasks benefit from extra cores)
• Running Proxmox with VMs alongside containers
• Any workload where 4 cores isn’t enough

When the N100 is fine:

• Fewer than 8 containers, no transcoding
• Pi-hole + a couple of lightweight services
• Absolute minimum power consumption is the priority
• Budget under $200

Best N305 Mini PCs

Beelink EQ12 Pro — Best Overall

Spec	Value
CPU	Intel Core i3-N305 (8C/8T)
RAM	16GB or 32GB DDR5 (soldered)
Storage	500GB M.2 SSD + SATA 2.5” bay
Network	2x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet
USB	4x USB-A 3.2 + 1x USB-C
Display	2x HDMI + 1x USB-C (triple 4K@60Hz)
Cooling	Active dual-fan
Price	~$349 (16GB/500GB)

The EQ12 Pro is the default recommendation. Dual 2.5GbE is ideal for separating management and service traffic, or for link aggregation. The 32GB DDR5 option future-proofs for heavy workloads.

Pros: Dual 2.5GbE, proven reliability, strong cooling, expandable SATA bay Cons: Active cooling means some fan noise under load, RAM is soldered

Minisforum UN305C — Best Compact

Spec	Value
CPU	Intel Core i3-N305 (8C/8T)
RAM	8GB or 16GB LPDDR5
Storage	128-512GB M.2 + SATA 2.5” bay
Network	2x 1 Gigabit Ethernet
USB	4x USB-A 3.2 + 1x USB-C
Cooling	Low-noise passive/active hybrid
Price	~$250-350

Smallest form factor of the bunch. The 1GbE networking is a limitation — fine for most home setups but a bottleneck if you’re serving large files to multiple clients.

Pros: Compact, affordable, good starting config Cons: 1GbE only (no 2.5GbE), lower RAM ceiling

CWWK N305 — Best for Networking

Spec	Value
CPU	Intel Core i3-N305 (8C/8T)
RAM	DDR5 (configurable)
Storage	M.2 NVMe + SATA expansion
Network	4x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet (Intel i226-V)
Cooling	Fanless
Price	~$300-400

Four 2.5GbE NICs make this the clear choice if you’re running OPNsense, pfSense, or a software router alongside your self-hosted apps. Completely fanless. The PCIe expansion options allow adding NVMe storage beyond the primary slot.

Pros: 4x 2.5GbE, fanless, excellent for router/firewall + server combo Cons: Generic brand, less community support than Beelink/Minisforum

Protectli Vault Pro VP3230 — Enterprise-Grade

Spec	Value
CPU	Intel Core i3-N305 (8C/8T)
RAM	Up to 32GB DDR5
Storage	2x M.2 NVMe + SATA bay
Network	2x 2.5GbE (Intel i226-V)
Cooling	Fanless
Price	~$400-500

Premium build quality and US-based support. Overkill for most home users, but worth it if reliability and warranty matter to you.

Pros: Build quality, warranty, fanless, dual NVMe Cons: Most expensive option, only 2x NICs

Full Comparison Table

Feature	Beelink EQ12 Pro	Minisforum UN305C	CWWK N305	Protectli VP3230
RAM (standard)	16GB DDR5	8-16GB LPDDR5	Configurable	Up to 32GB DDR5
Storage	500GB + SATA	128-512GB + SATA	M.2 + SATA	2x M.2 + SATA
Network	2x 2.5GbE	2x 1GbE	4x 2.5GbE	2x 2.5GbE
Cooling	Active (dual fan)	Passive/active	Fanless	Fanless
Price	~$349	~$250-350	~$300-400	~$400-500
Best for	Media server	Compact homelab	Network/firewall	Enterprise use

Power Consumption and Running Costs

The N305’s 15W TDP is the full-system design target. Real-world measurements:

State	Power Draw	Annual Cost ($0.12/kWh)
Idle (OS, no containers)	9-11W	~$9-12
Light load (5-8 containers)	15-20W	~$16-21
Medium load (Plex transcode + apps)	25-28W	~$26-29
Full load (CPU + GPU maxed)	34-40W	~$36-42

Running an N305 mini PC 24/7 costs roughly $1-3.50/month in electricity. That’s less than a single LED light bulb.

For detailed measurements and comparisons with other hardware, see our power consumption guide and mini PC power consumption comparison.

What Can You Run on an N305?

With 16-32GB RAM and an NVMe SSD, an N305 mini PC comfortably handles:

Simultaneously running (15-25 containers):

• Jellyfin or Plex with 1-2 active transcodes
• Nextcloud for 2-5 users
• Immich for photo management
• Pi-hole or AdGuard Home
• Vaultwarden
• Home Assistant
• Nginx Proxy Manager or Traefik
• Uptime Kuma
• Duplicati or Restic for backups
• 5-10 additional lightweight services

Plex/Jellyfin transcoding capacity:

Scenario	Result
Direct play 4K HEVC	No CPU load (passthrough)
1x 4K HDR → 1080p transcode	~20% CPU via QuickSync
2-3x simultaneous 4K transcodes	Handled, ~60-80% GPU
4+ simultaneous 4K transcodes	Drops frames, not recommended
Mixed 1080p + 720p streams	4-6 concurrent, no issues

Enable hardware transcoding in Plex/Jellyfin settings and pass through /dev/dri to the container.

What the N305 can’t do well:

• 4+ simultaneous 4K transcodes (QuickSync limit)
• Heavy virtualization (multiple VMs with demanding workloads)
• Large-scale databases or indexing (limited by RAM/single-channel memory)

Storage Configuration

Typical N305 mini PC storage setup:

Primary M.2 NVMe (PCIe 3.0 x4): OS + apps — 512GB-1TB
SATA 2.5" bay: Media library — 2-4TB HDD or SSD

For higher capacity, add external drives via USB 3.0 or consider a DAS (Direct Attached Storage) enclosure. If you need 4+ drives, a dedicated NAS or DIY NAS build makes more sense.

Who Should Buy an N305 Mini PC

Buy an N305 if:

• You’re running 10+ Docker containers and the N100 feels limiting
• Plex/Jellyfin transcoding for your household is a primary use case
• You want headroom for growth without jumping to a full server
• Power efficiency matters (running 24/7)

Skip the N305 if:

• You only need Pi-hole + a few light services (N100 is cheaper and sufficient)
• You need 4+ drive bays (get a NAS instead)
• Budget is under $200 (N100 mini PCs start around $150)
• You need ECC memory or server-grade reliability (look at used Dell OptiPlex or ThinkCentre)

FAQ

Is the N305 worth the upgrade from N100?

Yes, if you’re running more than 8 containers or need Plex transcoding for multiple users. The 2x core count and better iGPU make a noticeable difference. If you’re running lightweight services only, the N100 saves money.

Can the N305 run Proxmox?

Yes. The N305 supports VT-x and VT-d for virtualization. With 32GB RAM (real-world max on some boards), you can run 2-3 VMs alongside containers. It won’t replace a dedicated Proxmox host for heavy virtualization, but it works for homelab experimentation.

How does the N305 compare to an Intel 12th/13th Gen i5?

The N305 is an efficiency-class chip. A 12th Gen i5-1235U has more performance but at 2-3x the power draw and price. For 24/7 home server use, the N305’s power efficiency usually wins unless you need significantly more compute.

What RAM should I choose?

16GB is the sweet spot for most self-hosters. Get 32GB if you plan to run Proxmox with VMs, heavy databases, or 20+ containers. Note that some models have soldered RAM — check before buying.

Which N305 mini PC is best for a Plex server?

The Beelink EQ12 Pro. Dual 2.5GbE handles high-bandwidth media streaming, the cooling system keeps QuickSync running smoothly under sustained transcoding, and the SATA bay lets you add a media storage drive.

Related

• Intel N100 Mini PC Review
• Best Mini PC for Home Server
• Mini PC Power Consumption
• Raspberry Pi vs Mini PC
• Best SSD for Home Server
• Plex Transcoding Hardware Guide
• How to Self-Host Jellyfin
• Docker Compose Basics