Will Powerful NAS Devices Kill the Mini PC Market in 2025?
This is one of those topics that can usually get some good discussions going and one that is thought provoking, especially with the hardware that is coming down the pipes this year. I am super excited about the NAS market this year and I really think we have new models that I am honestly just as excited about as mini PCs that we have seen drop on the market recently, like the MS-A2. However, modern network attached storage devices are almost like consumer-grade HCI nodes as they have everything – compute, storage, and networking in one unit. With powerful new devices like the Minisforum N5 Pro and Aoostar WTR Max hitting the market in summer 2025, the question is no longer “Can a NAS do more than storage?”, it’s “Will NAS devices replace mini PCs altogether?”. Let’s look at the nas vs mini pc 2025 debate and see how things stack up.
NAS devices are more than just storage
For years, you are probably like me, and remember that NAS devices were just these solitary boxes that sat in the corner of the office or home network and did one thing – store files. For most, it was never anything more than that. Then, we started using them for storing and managing backups, and then hosting Plex media server, etc. However, for the most part, we never considered a NAS a serious compute devices. They were always just a bit anemic for this purpose.
That’s changing and fast. Today’s NAS devices are shipping with extremely powerful specs:
- Multi-core desktop-grade CPUs (e.g., AMD Ryzen AI and PRO series)
- Up to 128 GB of DDR5 RAM
- Native support for Docker, VMs, and Kubernetes
- High-speed 10GbE networking
- NVMe storage arrays
- PCIe expandability
- AI-ready hardware acceleration (OCuLink for eGPU support)
This is no longer the NAS of 2018. This is a true server and arguably with the focus on storage and other powerful hardware, for many use cases, these are better than traditional mini PCs. Let’s look at a couple of examples of what I think will be the future of NAS devices and arguably could kill the mini PC market from a home server perspective.
Minisforum N5 Pro
When I saw the Minisforum N5 Pro announced as well as the specs that it would have, it is one of the most impressive NAS devices that will be coming out this year. Even though it is called a NAS device, its specs read like a next-gen hyper-converged node.
Key specs:
- Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370 (12 cores / 24 threads)
- Memory: Up to 96 GB ECC DDR5 (betting this will go to 128)
- Storage: Multiple NVMe slots and SATA bays
- Networking: Dual LAN (10GbE + 5GbE)
- Expansion: USB4, HDMI, DisplayPort, and OCuLink
- OS support: Compatible with Windows, Linux, and various NAS operating systems
From what Minisforum has showcased and shown on their videos, the unit features a very modular build with what looks to be something like an MS-A2 that pulls out from the bottom and “plugs into” the NAS chassis.
Why this matters:
- You can run a full Proxmox cluster, a Docker Swarm, or even Kubernetes node directly on top of the N5 Pro
- It’s capable of supporting AI inference tasks using an external GPU using the OCuLink port
- With ECC memory and redundant networking, these are even enterprise-grade specs
This device is aimed squarely at the home lab and edge server enthusiasts that once just used something like a NUC or custom mini PC build and I think it will be a winner on this front.
Aoostar WTR Max
Another extremely powerful and interesting NAS that has extremely impressive specs is the Aoostar WTR Max. It is one of the boldest in terms of hardware as well. Note the following specs:
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8845HS
- Memory: Up to 128 GB DDR5
- Storage: 11 drive bays, including both NVMe and SATA support
- Networking: Dual 10GbE + 2.5GbE
- Expansion: USB4, HDMI, and OCuLink for eGPU
Note what stands out about this NAS
- You can use this device as your main NAS and run VMs, Docker, and also GPU-based tasks with it
- Its is rack-mountable or can be shelved like a typical server
- This unit would be ideal for use with homelab clusters, on-site backup with AI processing, or lightweight HCI nodes.
Other notable NAS devices in 2025
Besides Minisforum and Aoostar, other manufacturers are following suit:
- QNAP TS-h1290FX: EPYC powered, ECC memory, with 25 GbE and flash storage (extremely expensive but incredibly awesome in terms of specs)
- TerraMaster T12 Pro: Multi-core Intel processor with lots of storage options running TOS 6
- Asustor Lockerstor Gen 3: Added GPU support and NVMe caching layers.
Each of these NAS devices blur the lines between a NAS and a general-purpose server.
NAS vs Mini PC in 2025
| Feature | Modern NAS Devices | Traditional Mini PCs |
|---|---|---|
| CPU Power | Ryzen 7/9 PRO, up to 12 cores | Core i5/i7, Ryzen 5/7/9 |
| Memory Capacity | Up to 128 GB ECC DDR5 | Typically 64 GB max (although can go 128 in most cases) |
| Storage | Multi-bay with hot-swap | Internal M.2, limited SATA |
| Networking | 10GbE, 2.5GbE standard | Usually 1GbE, maybe 2.5GbE, few with 10 GbE |
| Expandability | PCIe, OCuLink, USB4 | USB and limited expansion, some have OCuLink |
| OS Support | Linux, NAS OS, Hypervisors (possibly ESXi), Proxmox, TrueNAS | Windows, Linux, ESXi, Proxmox, TrueNAS (but limited by storage capabilities) |
| Virtualization Ready? | Yes, often out-of-the-box | Usually can do virtualization out of the box as well with Proxmox, and some with ESXi compatibility |
| Price (Comparable Build) | Often cheaper all-in-one for the features | More piecemeal & pricey to get the options you want and can be limited by internal ports, etc |
Clearly, NAS devices are catching up and really even surpassing mini PCs in terms of specs and capabilities when it comes down to it.
Why this matters for home lab builders
Often with mini PCs, you struggled to get the storage options that are needed to do real virtualized environments. You have to add some type of storage, usually a NAS device anyway, to add the type of storage you want/need for your home lab.
But now, with one device like the N5 Pro or WTR Max, users can:
- Run a complete Proxmox or other virtualized stack without needing to worry about external hardware and run it all on the NAS itself (like an HCI node)
- Host a NAS with ZFS or Btrfs
- Run Docker or Kubernetes natively
- Spin up GPU-accelerated AI workloads due to the OCuLink port
- Have 10GbE connectivity
All of this means you no longer need multiple devices, which cuts on power consumption, and makes things much simpler and easier to manage and maintain.
Why mini PC will still survive
Despite all of this, I don’t think mini PCs will be going away any time soon. There are several reasons I think for this to take note of. Despite all the power and flexibility these new modern NAS devices are bringing to the table, mini PCs still offer:
- Portability: They are smaller and more mobile
- Customization: Home lab enthusiasts may still prefer the customizability of some mini PC options over buying a NAS
- Cost: A low to mid-range mini PC is way cheaper than something like the N5 Pro or WTR Max
I think like most things, the new and powerful NAS devices give us options that are sorely needed. Again it provides an almost HCI type node that can be used for hyperconverged virtualization in the home lab and provide much stronger storage options compared to most mini PC options.
Wrapping up
We are certainly into very exciting times when it comes to the nas vs mini pc 2025 debate. NAS devices aren’t just evolving to become something better, they are transforming into full-fledged servers that can do most everything a mini PC can do and more.
Forthcoming options like the Minisforum N5 Pro and the Aoostar WTR Max are great examples of what we are going to start seeing in this realm and companies now are even targeting the home lab crowd in their marketing of such devices.
However, despite the power and new features and functionality of modern NAS devices, I don’t think mini PCs are going away any time soon. They still fit a very specific audience that are looking at getting into running their own home server and they perhaps don’t need all the storage options given by a true NAS device. These options are still going to be cheaper than a full-fledged NAS and offer many of the same benefits. However, stay tuned. I think 2025 is shaping up to be the year NAS devices go mainstream as full home servers.
