A personal computer (PC) is a device used to access websites, play video games, create works of art, keep in touch with loved ones, store lots of data, and much more. Mobile devices such as laptops or smartphones can now do many more tasks that were traditionally only available to PC owners. A network-attached storage (NAS) server is a device that can store a considerable amount of data and run various services. This can all be achieved on a PC, so what are the major differences between a NAS server or enclosure and a desktop PC?
1
A NAS is more like a server
Services, storage, and 24/7
You can use your PC as … well, a PC, and activate some NAS-like services. Windows and Linux allow shares to be created on available storage volumes, which can then be configured for those with credentials to access data stored on your PC. This is essentially how a NAS works, but you’ll miss out on some vital functions of a server. The first is a dedicated system running 24/7. That’s what a server (and NAS) is designed for, to be available daily. A PC isn’t typically designed for continuous operation, especially consumer-grade mechanical drives.
While your PC can be set up to have accounts connect to your OS and access data, you will be restricted on what you can do with your PC, depending on what other services you decide to run for the home. Although modern desktop PCs are powerful, valuable resources will be needed for NAS tasks that can have consequences if you need to use the PC. A dedicated NAS takes this workload and keeps it on a separate system. The two platforms have very different use cases and while they may overlap slightly, it’s still a good idea to keep them separate.
2
Desktop PCs are more powerful
Especially for gaming
Your PC has either an AMD or Intel processor and it’s considerably more powerful than what you’d typically see inside a NAS server. This is because a Windows or Linux PC will often run more demanding software and games. Even websites can be taxing on a system. It’s difficult to locate CPUs with fewer than six cores to avoid sluggish performance. The same goes for the GPU with the mighty Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 capable of playing the most demanding PC games at 4K. That’s far more than what a NAS server would use graphics for.
3
NAS is designed for big data
More drives than you can imagine
A NAS is used to store data though it has evolved over the years to run much more, be it a surveillance system or media streaming platform. You could even run a website from your home with a Synology NAS or TrueNAS. Although NAS hardware has become more powerful than simple network storage devices, they’re still designed to hold multiple drives. Depending on budget and application, you can purchase an enclosure with as few as two drive bays or as many as you need. Expansion units can be added to compatible NAS devices to allow more drives to be installed.
Standard ATX PC cases usually have between two and six drive bays for 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch storage drives. Motherboards can have a few M.2 slots but you’re still limited by the number of drives you can install. Depending on how much capacity will be required, it’s worth bearing in mind that SSDs top out at 4TB or 8TB depending on the series. Mechanical 3.5-inch drives can go up to 24TB and generally cost less per GB. Hot-swap bays are also good for quickly removing dead drives and replacing them with fresh units for the RAID to be rebuilt and this is something a desktop PC won’t support.
4
NAS typically uses less power
Great for running all year round
Most prebuilt turnkey NAS enclosures use low-power AMD, ARM, and Intel processors. These small servers can draw less power than a current AMD Ryzen CPU, which puts it into perspective. Running a desktop system as a NAS would prove inefficient compared to a dedicated build, but this is moot if you’re not too fussed about how much energy your monthly bill shows. So long as you can use the available power and performance for services, virtual machines, Docker containers, and other tasks, a PC can make sense if prebuilt NAS enclosures can’t keep up.
Use an old PC as a NAS
Are you struggling to choose between a PC and a NAS? Why not go for both by transforming an old desktop PC into a NAS? A NAS isn’t suited for running PC tasks and a desktop system wasn’t designed with network storage in mind, but should you upgrade to a new PC, the old system can be used as a NAS server. Numerous operating systems can achieve this, including Windows, Ubuntu, TrueNAS, Unraid, and OpenMediaVault. It’s easier than you think and can save you money compared to buying an entirely new turnkey pre-built (and diskless) NAS enclosure.
