Network-Attached Storage devices and External Hard Drives perform similar jobs. However, one is better than the other for multiple reasons. We’ll be going through some of the advantages and drawbacks they each have.

Hard Drive Pros/Cons Table
PROS | CONS |
Cheap storage | Storage not upgradable |
Portable | Usually very slow 5200 RPM drives |
External power not needed | Only accessible by devices with USB support |
Network-Attached Storage Pros/Cons Table
PROS | CONS |
Expandable Storage | Usually requires external power source |
Connected to the network so accessible by wireless devices | More expensive than external Hard Drives |
Multiple con-current connectivity possible | Requires some knowledge of networking to configure correctly |
If you want basic storage then we recommend going with a standard external Hard Drive. If you want to access your files from anywhere at home and from almost any device then get a NAS.
Please see below for our digital diagram of a typical NAS server setup and a typical external Hard Drive setup.

As you can see per our diagram, the NAS setup is slightly more complex. Meanwhile, an external Hard Drive is basically plug and play. You connect it directly to your computers USB port and “go to town.”
The biggest advantage of a NAS is easily the network connectivity. If you store a lot of media, such as music and videos. You can stream them directly to your computer, phone, tablet, or even T.V. from anywhere in the house.