What would you do with this old PC if you had €0 to invest in it?

I have an older desktop sitting around with:

  • AMD FX-6100, 6 cores at 3.3 GHz
  • NVIDIA GeForce GT 730
  • 24 GB RAM
  • ASRock 970 Extreme R2.0 motherboard
  • One SSD and one HDD

It still works, but I currently have no money to upgrade it or turn it into an ambitious homelab project.

I am trying to decide what would be the most useful and least wasteful thing to do with it.

A few possibilities I have considered:

  • Install a lightweight Linux distribution and use it for experiments
  • Turn it into a local server, NAS, self-hosting box, or automation playground
  • Use it to learn more about local AI, although I assume the GT 730 is far too limited for most modern models
  • Keep it until I have money for a few upgrades
  • Sell it cheaply and put the money towards a newer, more energy-efficient machine

My main concern with using it as a server is electricity consumption. Keeping an older FX-based desktop running all day might cost more, both financially and environmentally, than the practical value it provides.

What would you do in my situation?

Are there any genuinely useful €0 experiments this hardware is still suitable for? Is it worth keeping, or would selling it or reusing the parts elsewhere be the more sensible choice?

  • LazyLady@slrpnk.netOPEnglish
    2·
    20 hours ago

    Thank you for the detailed reply. It was useful, not rambling.

    The distinction you made between actively using an older computer and leaving it idling as a server helped me decide what direction makes sense. This is also my fallback PC, and I still use older games and physical discs, so I think keeping it is more valuable than selling it cheaply.

    I am now considering using it as an on-demand AI and self-hosting lab. It could synchronise files and make backups whenever it is switched on, while also running Linux, containers, local models and automation experiments. I would then shut it down when I am finished rather than leaving it online continuously.

    I also agree that replacing usable hardware purely for efficiency can be misleading once manufacturing impact is considered. My goal is now to extend its useful life without pretending that an old FX desktop is an efficient 24/7 NAS.