To add yet another advice:

• Get a Lenovo or dell slim client (not a nuc/mini pc but the bigger version with data ports. Roughly same power but more useful hardware)

• get 2*4 tb hdd for mass storage

• a 500gb ssd for the os. If you have the money, maybe even 2 of them and clone them

• the os is tricky. You can use proxmox, which is basically like Linux but as you have multiple vms in there you can have multiple Linux installed to take care of. Another choice would be something like truenas, casaOs, unraid etc. I can’t recommend one there, I use proxmox and its great if you like CLi/sah

• to make it accessible from not home, use tailscale. You can also use a domain/dns to not have to remember ips

• if you have the option, take a mother thin client or pc with same amount of storage to another location and install a backup system, like proxmox backup system. That way your data is safe. Take a look at encryption if you dong trust the other place.

• my backup server draws 15w idle and 40-50w when its working

• my home lab is drawing 30w idle and 60 under load

• its just another factor to be aware of

Have fun!

That id my main issue. The lack of transparency send me down a bug hunt for a few hours before I realized apt installed a snap package. Makes me angry for some reason, but now I know