New NAS or just mac mini with a DAS

[Enquiries]

Hi,
My first NAS was a DS211J followed by a DS214Play. At home we have al Iphones some ipads en a couple of Mac Computers/laptops.
I was wondering if my Mac mini (base M1 256gb/8gb) with a DAS would make more sence then a New NAS. The Mac Mini uses a little energie and i have 4TB of external ssd storage (one 2 tb and two 1 tb ssd's) I don't use my NAS anymore for Music and movie storage (spotify and streaming services) only Back-ups and file sharing.
Kind regards Jasper

[ed]

Thanks for reaching out and sharing your setup!

Given that you mostly use your NAS now for backups and file sharing, and that your media consumption is handled via streaming services, your Mac mini paired with a DAS (Direct Attached Storage) could definitely be a sensible and efficient choice. The Mac mini’s low energy consumption and the fast external SSDs you already have make for a solid, compact setup—especially if you don’t need the extra NAS features like RAID, remote access, or app ecosystems.

That said, if you anticipate needing more advanced features down the line—like centralized multi-user management, automated backups, or running additional services like Plex or surveillance—then a NAS might still be worth considering.

If your current and future storage needs stay around 4TB to 6TB and you’re comfortable with managing your backups manually or through macOS tools, your Mac mini + DAS setup should serve you well.