[wtallis]

> An older server with 192G of RAM, 24 cores and >8TB of storage can easily be had and upgraded within $1k,

Are you referring to a used server, or just buying a minimally-equipped new server and upgrading it with aftermarket RAM and (low-quality) SSDs?

[jabbany]

Used (decommissioned from equipment retirement from companies) server, upgraded by maxing out the RAM slots and using the cheapest available SSDs.

This is a pretty common practice for homelab enthusiasts, or so I hear.