Rate My Best Home Server Build aka Workstation!
So, my new build is kicking off! Thanks to a motherboard sent over by Minisforum, the BD790i X3D with the AMD Ryzen 9 7945X3D processor. This little board packs a punch and is definitely a sweet spot for gamers with the high thread count and extra cache for gaming. With this home server/workstation build, I wanted to lean more heavily on the aesthetics of the build. So sit back and read through what I have in store for my best home server build in 2025 so far.
Disclosure: The links below are monetized by the Amazon affiliate programs and I earn a small commission from those clicking on those links. Note that prices may change from the prices and/or discount rates noted, and this post only shows the prices available when the article was published
Table of contents
What is the intention with this build?
For me, I have to start with the intent of the machine and the reason why I am building a server or workstation before I can really gear up for it. With this build, I wanted to build around the strengths of the BD790i X3D with the AMD Ryzen 9 7945X3D processor. My current workstation, a three year old IBM workstation with a threadripper is starting to show its age.
I thought this would be a great opportunity to build out a new workstation that can double as a home lab server, maybe even doing GPU passthrough in Proxmox with a workstation VM. But, this can still be a primary workstation machine that allows me to do my work, create content, and even game a little bit when I want.
The case
For the case with this build, again I wanted to focus on aesthetics, so I opted for the Thermaltake Tower 200 which I had seen before and has been a case that I have wanted to build in. So, I decided to pull the trigger on this one and it is perfect for the mini ITX form factor of the BD790i X3D. It can even do Micro ATX, but definitely read the fine print on that as the m-ATX is not completely compatible.
The Power Supply (PSU)
For the power supply, I used a familiar favorite at least for me in the past few builds that I have had zero trouble with and it has delivered good and clean power to the builds I have completed in the last few months. The PSU I went with again is the Cooler Master MWE Gold 850 V2 Full Modular PSU with 850W, and 80+ Gold Efficiency.
Motherboard, CPU, and CPU fan
I have already basically detailed this above, but I’m using the Minisforum BD790i X3D motherboard that includes the Ryzen 9 7945X3D processor. You can see the main features of the motherboard here:
| Feature | BD790i X3D |
|---|---|
| CPU Model | Ryzen 9 7945HX3D |
| L3 Cache | 128 MB (3D V-Cache) |
| Cores and threads | 16 cores and 32 threads |
| Best For | Gaming, cache-sensitive tasks |
| Thermal Design | Heatsink + 120mm fan (has lower critical temp 89 degrees C) |
| Price Tier | Higher |
You can find it here on Amazon:
You will need a CPU fan that installs on top of the preinstalled heatsink from Minisforum. For the CPU fan that Minisforum says is required as the passive cooling of the heatsink alone isn’t enough, I am using the Artic P12 slim fan. I wasn’t sure if there would be any clearance issues with the optional side panel fans you can install, so I opted for the slim model for the fan.
Memory
For the memory, I had to go with the max for DDR5 SODIMM memory, with the new Crucial 128 GB SODIMM memory kit. This includes (2) 64 GB SODIMM modules in the kit for the new max total for DDR5 SODIMM of 128 GB.
As most of today’s boards do, the Minisforum BD790i X3D only officially supports 96 GB of memory, but it can also do the new 128 GB kit unofficially. However, definitely use this kit at your own risk in terms of support.
Graphics card
I didn’t want to break the bank on a new graphics adapter. However, there are a lot of decent cards out there you can use for this build. A great option I think that is a current card and isn’t a terribly expensive pill to swallow is the ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX ™ 5070 12GB GDDR7 OC Edition:
Storage
For the storage on this build, I wanted something fast and cheap. For the boot drive, I went with the Predator 1 TB Gen 4 NVMe drive. These are fast and cheap.
For VM storage and general storage, I went with the heavily discounted Samsung EVO 990 Pro 4TB drive. It has a massive 40% off at Amazon while they are clearing out their stock of this massive drive to make room for the now current Samsung EVO 9100 Pro. However, This Gen4 drive is enough performance and best bang for the buck.
RGB lights
With a really cool home server build that seconds as a workstation, I had to add some RGB. I found this light kit that looks to have really good reviews and will add the flare to the build that it needs. It is the RGB LED Strip Computer Lighting via Magnet with Controller for Desktop Computer Case Mid Tower Full Tower light kit:
Wrapping up
Stay tuned for a build video coming on this build out on the YouTube channel very soon. This has been a fun build to piece together around the BD790i X3D board and I am definitely looking forward to the performance uplift from my current workstation from a graphics and productivity standpoint. The great thing about these types of builds is that you can use them as a dedicated server with GPU passthrough and run your main workstation off a VM with the hardware passed through or you can dedicate it to a home server altogether. However, with the graphics tweaks with this board, I am leaning towards the workstation option with everything included. Let me know in the comments what you guys think about this one.
