Newbie here: Help me pick my first Home Server hardware (Mini PC vs. Mac Mini vs. Tower?)

I’ve been lurking here for a bit and I’m ready to dive into the world of self-hosting, but I’m a bit overwhelmed by the hardware choices. I don't have much experience with server configurations yet, so I’m looking for some "starting point" advice.

I’m trying to figure out what the minimum requirements are that I should look for to have a smooth experience.

Specifically:

Processor: What’s the baseline? (e.g., Is an Intel i3/i5 enough, or do I need something beefier?)

RAM: Is 8GB enough to start, or is 16GB/32GB the standard for a stable home lab?

Storage: How much SSD space should I set aside for the OS and Docker containers before moving to HDDs for bulk data?

The Form Factor Dilemma: I’m also torn between three main paths and would love to hear your pros/cons on these:

Mac Mini: I’ve heard they are power-efficient and quiet, but are they a headache for a beginner to set up as a server?

Mini PC (NUC, Beelink, etc.): These seem popular here. Is this the best "bang for buck"?

Full-Sized Desktop/Tower: Is the extra power consumption and footprint worth it for the internal drive bays?

My Goals (for now):Pi-hole, AIO Streams, Vaultwarden, Home Assistant, simple File Server and open WebUi.

I’d appreciate any "I wish I knew this when I started" tips regarding hardware. Thanks in advance!

https://redd.it/1x4beji
@r_SelfHosted