Some people uses Raspberry Pis or an old desktop computers to make a cluster.

Either You trade power for watts or you trade watts for power.

I came across Asahi Linux. I think it opens possibilities to have 600$ powerful computers running on m1 using very low power. Using it as a single instance or a cluster.

What do you think ? What is your feeling about it ? :)

  • segfaulting@alien.topB
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    1 year ago

    Would be interested to see how the power draw is, from my experience on macbook the battery life was taking a ~30% hit on Asahi compared to MacOS. Whatever optimization Apple does just isn’t there. Also would virtualization work? Be efficient? Doubt you could get Proxmox running on one without a lot of hacking.

  • arwest@alien.topB
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    1 year ago

    You can install the apps you need in the MAC M1 (most of them) and run it as a server with MacOS. It’s not the best solution but I would prefer to give Asahi a bit more time (In fact, I have a M1 Mac and I am waiting). Right now the power of a M1 Mac with MacOS is incredible with the energy it consumes. If you want to test it and try new things, go ahead!

  • skunkwoks@alien.topB
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    1 year ago

    If you are rendering large, complex 3D videos, then maybe not. I’m sure it’ll be overkill as an FTPServer…

  • bufandatl@alien.topB
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    1 year ago

    You also could go the used mini PC route. HP EliteDesk 800 G3 mini for 100 bucks has a 35W CPU and uses very little power. When IDLE almost in an M1 ball park and even in Full Usage it wouldn’t exceed M1 by much. And you got x86_64 architecture which in some instances can be way more compatible with software than M1 aarch64 although it’s on a rise.