Inspired by the list https://github.com/lamw/homelab from https://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2020/02/vmware-community-homelabs-project.html

Use case – ESXi white box that is silent and performs well under heavy workload.
No bottlenecks for cores or memory for the vrealize suite of products amid nsx-v, and vCD.
Local NVMe think provision storage for low latency vs an NFS/iSCI remote share over a 1GB connection.
2 USB NICS to tinker with LLDP and NSX-T.

• HP ProDesk 400 G4 Desktop Mini PC – https://support.hp.com/ph-en/document/c06047054
  $315 Jan 2019
• Intel Core i5-8500T processor – 6 cores, 6 threads, 9 MB cache. 35W – up to 3.5 GHz maximum Turbo Frequency (2.1 GHz base frequency) – BIOS set to 50% fan use to prevent it from spinning up and down.
• Realtek RTL8111HSH-CG Gigabit Network (GbE) connection – Had to create a custom ESXi 6.7 Community Supported image using this NIC driver https://vibsdepot.v-front.de/wiki/index.php/Net55-r8168
• Samsung PM961 1TB PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280 SSD – 862998-001 MZVLW1T0HMLH (OEM 960 EVO) – https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/ssd/client-ssd/MZVLW1T0HMLH/
  $315 on ebay April 2017 (1TB can be found for around $100 today)
• Samsung 32GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM  https://camelcamelcamel.com/Samsung-2666MHz-Memory-Computers-M471A4G43MB1/product/B07N124XDS
  $236 for 2 sticks.
• Anker USB 3.0 to RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter RTL8153   https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B00NOP70EC
  Using the USB Network Native Driver for ESXi – https://flings.vmware.com/usb-network-native-driver-for-esxi
  $16 for 2 used ones on ebay
• NETGEAR GS108Tv2 — 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Smart Managed Pro Switch – https://www.netgear.com/support/product/GS108Tv2.aspx
  $31 used on ebay

Total USD
$315
$236
$315
$16
$31
=
$913

If purchased today (March 2020) and you sold the 8GB of RAM that came with the HP, the cost would be in the low $600’s

If you wanted 8 cores 9700T, the prodesk 600 G5 is in the 600s on ebay and has 2 NVMe slots and 1 SSD.

Photo under my TV
Left (black) is my HTPC.  Right the the ESXi Whitebox.
HP EliteDesk 800 G2 DM 35W
Intel i5-6500T CPU @ 2.50GHz – 4 cores / 32 GB RAM / Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 1TB
Splunk / Workstation for vSAN ESXi host and overflow ESXi hosts when needed.

Router
Asus RT-AC66U – Firmware FreshTomato – Runs NTP. Blocks the internet via a range of IP’s used for hosts and VM, but on the same subnet so I can access them from my pc.
https://www.linksysinfo.org/index.php?threads/fork-freshtomato-mips-development-discussion-only-for-support-always-open-your-own-thread.74145/