I gave the Orange Pi 5 a try and I love it for hosting/data intensive applications. The real M.2 for a SSD is a game changer.
I still use RPi boards for all kinds of embedded solutions, especially once it's GPIO based work, but for server/network kinds of work I put it on the Orange Pi 5 board.
Could you suggest a couple SBC alternatives that I can look at? Currently using some Pi3s and Pi4s for some projects and interested in what I could switch to. I'm not using the GPIO or Pi camera, I am using USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and like the size, price, low power draw, and debian support on the Pi.
CM4 is the way to go IMO. Theres tons of compatible carrier boards from super slim boards that only use one of the socket connectors to large scale cluster boards.
Theres also alternative modules with different chips that are compatible (AFAIK) with all of the carrier boards.