Network Attached Storages (NAS) are no longer a stranger to consumers. As the amount of desktop computers and laptops increases, easy file access from all of them is needed. A NAS unit is a centralized solution that removes the need to keep a certain computer on just for file-sharing purposes. It is also energy-efficient: while a desktop PC can easily consume 100 - 500 W, both tested units required only less than 30 W with 2 running hard drives inside. When there is no activity, both units have also the ability to put the drives to sleep, consuming even less than that.

But it is much more than that. Most of the units on the market today can also share a USB printer to the local network, in case the printer itself is missing this option (cheap printers usually are). Even more importantly, a NAS can contain several hard drives and perform a RAID setup with one click. Worried about your files getting lost due to hard drive failure?  Well, you should be. Hard drives do fail. And they fail often. A RAID1 setup will mirror the files you save on the NAS automatically to 2, or more hard drives (eg. 2 x 500GB drives show up as a one 500GB drive). This does not remove the need for backups - if the NAS itself gets stolen or some weird malfunction, you could still lose the files without appropriate backups on an external media. But it certainly keeps the files much more safe in case a hard drive fails.