DAS vs NAS: Which Storage for Your Server?

Quick Verdict

NAS wins for most self-hosting setups. It’s accessible from every device on your network, supports multiple protocols (SMB, NFS, iSCSI), and can run self-hosted apps directly. DAS is better when you need maximum speed for a single machine — video editing workstations, database servers, or Proxmox hosts that need fast local storage.

What’s the Difference?

DAS (Direct Attached Storage) connects directly to one computer via USB, Thunderbolt, or SATA/SAS. It’s like an external hard drive — fast, simple, but only one machine can access it at a time.

NAS (Network Attached Storage) connects to your network via Ethernet and serves files to every device. It’s a small server purpose-built for storage. Multiple machines access it simultaneously.

Aspect	DAS	NAS
Connection	USB/Thunderbolt/SATA	Ethernet (1GbE-10GbE)
Access	One machine	Any network device
Speed (typical)	500-3,000 MB/s	110-1,100 MB/s
OS/Software	None — uses host OS	Built-in (Synology DSM, TrueNAS, Unraid)
Runs apps	No	Yes (Docker, VMs)
Redundancy	Depends on enclosure	Built-in RAID
Price (4-bay)	$100-300 (enclosure only)	$300-800 (complete unit)
Setup complexity	Plug and play	Network configuration needed

When to Use DAS

Video Editing and Production

DAS over Thunderbolt 3/4 delivers 2,000-2,800 MB/s sustained — fast enough to edit 4K/8K timelines directly from the enclosure. No NAS with 10GbE can match this.

Proxmox/VM Host Local Storage

VMs benefit massively from low-latency local storage. A DAS with NVMe SSDs as a ZFS pool gives your Proxmox host fast VM storage without network overhead.

Single-Server Setups

If you have one server running all your self-hosted apps, DAS gives you expandable storage without the cost and power draw of a separate NAS appliance.

Backup Target

A USB DAS enclosure is a simple, cheap backup target. Plug it in, run your backup, optionally unplug it for offsite rotation.

When to Use NAS

Multi-Device Access

The moment you need two or more machines to access the same files, you need a NAS. This includes:

Plex or Jellyfin media library shared across devices
Nextcloud storage backend
Shared family photo storage with Immich
Development files accessed from multiple workstations

Running Self-Hosted Apps

Modern NAS devices (Synology, QNAP) run Docker containers natively. TrueNAS and Unraid are full Linux-based NAS operating systems that serve as self-hosting platforms themselves.

Data Protection

NAS platforms have mature RAID, snapshot, and replication features. Synology’s SHR, TrueNAS’s ZFS, and Unraid’s parity system all protect against drive failure with minimal setup.

Remote Access

NAS devices are network-accessible by design. Pair with Tailscale or Cloudflare Tunnel and your files are available from anywhere.

DAS Options

USB 3.2 Enclosures

Product	Bays	Interface	Speed	Price
Sabrent 4-Bay	4x 3.5”	USB 3.2 Gen 1	~400 MB/s	~$80
TerraMaster D4-300	4x 3.5”	USB 3.2 Gen 1	~400 MB/s	~$130
OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad	4x 3.5”	USB-C 3.2 Gen 2	~800 MB/s	~$200

Thunderbolt Enclosures

Product	Bays	Interface	Speed	Price
OWC ThunderBay 4	4x 3.5”	Thunderbolt 3	~1,400 MB/s	~$350
Sabrent Thunderbolt 4-Bay	4x 3.5”	Thunderbolt 4	~2,800 MB/s	~$300
CalDigit T4	4x 3.5”/2.5”	Thunderbolt 3	~1,300 MB/s	~$450

NVMe DAS Enclosures

Product	Slots	Interface	Speed	Price
ORICO M.2 NVMe Dock	2x M.2	USB-C 3.2 Gen 2	~1,000 MB/s	~$40
Sabrent 4-Bay NVMe	4x M.2	Thunderbolt 3	~2,800 MB/s	~$200
QNAP TL-D800S	8x 2.5” SATA	USB 3.2 Gen 2	~800 MB/s	~$250

NAS Options

Platform	Type	Price Range	Best For
Synology	Prebuilt appliance	$300-2,000+	Beginners, polished UI
TrueNAS	Software (free)	$0 + hardware	ZFS power users, enterprise features
Unraid	Software ($59-129)	License + hardware	Mixed drive sizes, Docker/VMs
DIY NAS	Custom build	$200-800	Maximum flexibility, budget control

Performance Comparison

Tested with sequential read/write on 4x WD Red Plus 4TB in RAID 5:

Setup	Sequential Read	Sequential Write	Random 4K IOPS
DAS (USB 3.2 Gen 1)	380 MB/s	350 MB/s	~200
DAS (USB 3.2 Gen 2)	520 MB/s	480 MB/s	~250
DAS (Thunderbolt 3)	550 MB/s*	500 MB/s*	~300
NAS (1GbE)	112 MB/s	110 MB/s	~150
NAS (2.5GbE)	280 MB/s	270 MB/s	~180
NAS (10GbE)	550 MB/s*	500 MB/s*	~250

*Limited by RAID 5 HDD speed, not interface speed. With SSDs, Thunderbolt and 10GbE would show dramatically higher numbers.

Key takeaway: With spinning disks, the drives are the bottleneck above 2.5GbE/USB 3.2 Gen 2. The interface only matters when your storage is fast enough to saturate it.

Cost Comparison (4-Bay Setup)

Component	DAS Setup	NAS (DIY)	NAS (Synology DS423+)
Enclosure/Unit	$80-200	$200-400 (mini PC)	$500
Drives (4x 4TB)	$280	$280	$280
NIC (if needed)	—	$20-50	—
OS/Software	Free (host OS)	Free (TrueNAS)	Included
Total	$360-480	$500-730	$780
Power (idle)	15-25W	25-45W	30W
Annual electricity	$16-26	$26-47	$32

DAS is cheaper upfront and uses less power. NAS costs more but does more.

Can You Use Both?

Yes — and many homelab setups do.

Common hybrid setup:

NAS for shared storage — media, backups, documents (accessible network-wide)
DAS for local VM/container storage on your Proxmox host (fast local I/O)
NAS backs up to a USB DAS that you rotate offsite monthly

This gives you the best of both worlds: shared network access where you need it, raw speed where it matters.

FAQ

Can I turn a DAS into a NAS?

Sort of. Connect a DAS to a Raspberry Pi or mini PC, install TrueNAS or OpenMediaVault, and share the storage over the network. It works, but you lose the simplicity advantage of DAS and the integrated management of a purpose-built NAS.

Is a USB DAS reliable for 24/7 use?

USB enclosures with proper power supplies are fine for 24/7 operation. Avoid bus-powered enclosures for drives that need constant power. Enterprise/NAS-grade drives (WD Red, Seagate IronWolf) are rated for 24/7 regardless of enclosure.

Should I use DAS for Plex/Jellyfin storage?

Only if Plex/Jellyfin runs on the same machine the DAS is attached to. If you want other devices to access the library (smart TVs, phones), those clients connect to the Plex/Jellyfin server — the server’s storage type doesn’t matter to them. A NAS only helps if multiple servers need to read the same media files.

What about SAS DAS enclosures?

SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) DAS enclosures like the Dell MD1200 are available cheap on eBay ($50-100 for 12 bays). They offer great density but need a SAS HBA card, are loud, and draw 100W+ idle. Great for a garage server, terrible for a living room.