this post was submitted on 06 Dec 2025
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External HDD docking station + laptop/SFF/thin client vs ATX tower w/ internal mounts for NAS? (lemmy.ml)
submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by yo_scottie_oh@lemmy.ml to c/selfhosted@lemmy.world
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My current setup is two always-on hard drives hooked up to this two-bay external hard drive docking station plugged into a laptop via USB cable for whatever network sharing I may need. This has been good enough so far, but I'm anticipating the need to expand down the road, i.e. adding a third drive. When that time comes, part of me thinks I oughta just spring for the 4-bay version of what I already have and keep on keeping on. Another part of me thinks maybe I should plan a new build in a mid-ATX case w/ 4 or 5 HDD mounting slots for future expandability.

One thing about the external docking station that appeals to me is how portable it is, meaning if I ever want to spring for a beefier laptop or one of those thin clients, I can just plug the HDD docking station into the new host and away I go. Another nice thing about laptops and SFF equipment is how energy efficient they are. On the other hand, planning a new ATX build w/ HDDs mounted internally would enable me to plan the whole thing top to bottom w/ whichever components I like, but I'm a tad concerned about how feasible it is to achieve the same level of power efficiency w/ an ATX build compared to a laptop/SFF/thin client w/ external docking station.

Has anyone else out there had this dilemma, and which way did you go? Any advice or warnings about what might come back to bite me down the road if I stick w/ the external docking station or go w/ an ATX build?

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[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Why go full ATX? Get something like a Jonsbo N2 case and an ITX board. Still small and portable, but far more reliable.

Most of the power draw of any NAS system is running the drive motors.

[–] a1studmuffin@aussie.zone 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

If you have the room, why not go full ATX? More compatibility with available parts and room for future upgrades! Drives, GPUs, NICs, HBAs etc.

[–] fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Also usually cheaper components.

ITX boards tend to cost more than bigger boards, you're limited to one slot, and usually the cases are super limited in size for heatsinks or other stuff.

[–] nagaram@startrek.website 2 points 6 months ago

There's a few options now, but you can get Intel N100 ITX boards Like this one from ASUS with a soldered on N100 CPU for the cost of a normal motherboard.

If its just a NAS, and I do recommend having a separate Just a NAS, that CPU fucks hard.