What advantage does an NUC have over let's say your old laptop? They seem like they're the same price as laptops with laptop specs but are missing most critical components and are a bit smaller.
My last 'old laptop as a server' dying is actually what prompted me to buy the NUC. It was a chromebook pixel long out of warranty. Until it bit the dust it suited my needs. Being a bit smaller is a nice bonus, it might be silly but I think the NUC is kind of cute.
Seems rather expensive, didn't you have another laptop laying around? I have so many that I don't think I'll ever see the point to them, especially with thinkpads for cheap or free
The laptop I had before the last was an Asus Eeepc that developed a dodgy AC adaptor port. I still have it and it could be made to work, but it was never a very good computer in the first place. It runs loud and hot for what it is. Before that, and the oldest computer I still have in my closet, is my T60p thinkpad. I'd need to buy a replacement fan before using that one again, and I'm not sure it would be worth the hassle to resurrect (again.) If I were inclined to fix up an old thinkpad I think I'd rather get a second-hand X-series since they're not nearly so huge.
