Expectation: dirt-cheap, power-efficient and reasonably fast SBC computers so you can dedicate one per service (or form a cluster!). Reality: a RPI 4 costing a

Expectation: dirt-cheap, power-efficient and reasonably fast SBC computers so you can dedicate one per service (or form a cluster!). Reality: a RPI 4 costing as much as a whole Intel NUC, but slower, without upgradable RAM, without native ports to mass storage (SATA/M.2), and not as reliable. Didn't even have to think that far to see that SBC computers are a joke^W^W not there yet. Considered buying a NanoPi or a Raspberry CM + some board to build a router, with at least 2 physical Gigabit ports. Tallying up all components (sbc, case, power supply, heat sink, etc.) made the NUC with 4 gigabit ports look a bargain. I really wanted to go the !x86 route, but...