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Is there such a device category?

Server machines (rack, SAS drives..) can offer 8 RAM slots, usually sporting 32-64GB RAM, and are common enough to be cheap to purchase... but not to operate (100s of Watts)

Low-power solutions (used laptop - mobile processor, low-power RAM, etc) typically offer no more than 8GB (16 being the largest I've seen), but can operate @ 30W, a value I am guessing a desktop computer can't approach (I could be wrong).
A Google search for low-power servers floods me with offers of ARM computers with integrated RAM, always too little.

Storage is not a problem, and processor can be any 2+ core (even ARM). It's just the RAM that matters - lots of it, on a single computer. What should I look among?

[edit] Not looking for bleeding edge tech, more economy.

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    Would you consider building from components? There are low-power Atom-based server boards available with pleanty of RAM slots.
    – marctxk
    Aug 8, 2016 at 11:52
  • @marctxk Throw me search terms, please. Mini ITX? Something else, that stands for "with eff-loads of RAM slots"?
    – kaay
    Aug 8, 2016 at 11:58
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    I think Via or Asrock make a mini itx for low-power servers with 4 RAM slots which I guess is 64G. I noticed it in a news item last year. I didn't go for it myself because I wanted more CPU. There may be others now.
    – marctxk
    Aug 8, 2016 at 12:06
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    What's the larger goal and application? Some context would definitely help.
    – ewwhite
    Aug 8, 2016 at 12:10
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    I think you might be easier going for a regular server, you can get WAY more memory in them that you seem to think, something like a HPE DL160 Gen9 will happily take 1TB of memory and you could pop in a pair of cheap/low-power CPUs like E5-2630Lv3's - the DL380 Gen9 will allow for 3TB of memory with the same CPUs.
    – Chopper3
    Aug 8, 2016 at 12:37

2 Answers 2

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HP has a small-form-factor server in the ProLiant DL320e Gen8 V2 system.

These can be equipped with Intel E3‑1240v3 or E3‑1240v3L low-wattage CPUs, yet have the RAM expansion you need. This server idles well below 100W. ~54W with the E3-1240v3 CPU. The low-power model may be even better.

See: http://www.alphr.com/hp/32368/hp-proliant-dl320e-gen8-v2-review

Modern servers don't use that much power.

Here's a busy 2-CPU HP ProLiant DL380p Gen8 set to max power consumption (no C-states or power management).

enter image description here

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Not sure why you think you would need "100s of watts" to operate a rack server, but if it's just about the available memory, have a look at the Supermicro Atom boards (up to 64GB of memory) or even the Xeon SoC models (up to 128GB). In case this is still not enough, think about getting a dual socket mainboard, which supports up to 1TB. In the later case, you would like to run low power CPUs, which are the Intel models with the trailing L.

Full disclosure: I'm not working for Supermicro (but still would recommend them), and I'm pretty sure similar options are available from other vendors as well.

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  • re: "100s of watts" - my ignorance, I suppose - my knowledge out of date. The 700W power supplies for servers with even just 2 drives led me to that conclusion. Is there a comparison of some sort? How a desktop and laptop with equivalent components (and, say, no- or identical drives) compare under light load? I don't even know the efficiency of a desktop power supply when drawing only a small current.
    – kaay
    Aug 8, 2016 at 12:40
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    A modern 2 CPU server from a quality manufacturer (HP/Dell) will live in the 80W-200W range.
    – ewwhite
    Aug 8, 2016 at 12:46

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