I want to run an IPFS node for personal use in place of Google Drive.. I tried running it on my MacBook but had performance issues. Any suggestions on what hardware would be good for this purpose, but also on a budget?

As the line between reality and fantasy is increasingly becoming blurred, I want to be in a position to share the best of what I’ve been given. d/acc 

under $500 is what I have in mind, if possible?

You can actually use a raspberry pi fairly effectively! Of course would run better with more ram and hard drive space

You can actually use a raspberry pi fairly effectively! Of course would run better with more ram and hard drive space  https://www.pinata.cloud/blog/how-to-run-ipfs-on-a-raspberry-pi

A zimaboard might be up your alley! If you aren’t too concerned about noise/power cost then I’ve been having a lot of fun w a dell r730, got one for ~$350 without drives on ebay