According to XDA-Developers, a tech journalist is pushing back against the constant peer pressure to build a NAS system. They’ve been using Google One’s 2TB shared plan with their partner for 6-7 years, paying just $3 monthly for their share. A comparable Synology 2-bay DiskStation would cost around $270 without drives, while two 4TB NAS drives add another $270 for a $540 total investment. Their Plex usage remains minimal at about once monthly, with most viewing time spent on YouTube, Netflix, and other streaming services. The complexity of setup, maintenance, and security concerns outweigh the benefits for their current needs.
Convenience Over Complexity
Here’s the thing about the NAS evangelism you often encounter in tech circles – it assumes everyone has the same priorities. This writer makes a compelling case for sticking with what works. Google Photos offers memories, robust search, shared albums, and AI editing that they’re already deeply accustomed to. Setting up alternatives like Immich or Nextcloud requires significant effort they’re not willing to invest.
And honestly? I get it. We’re constantly told we should own our data and self-host everything, but sometimes convenience genuinely wins. The writer’s been in the Google ecosystem since their first Android phone in 2013, and the seamless integration with their Pixel 7 works perfectly for their workflow. When you’re talking about photo management specifically, Google’s AI features are genuinely hard to replicate with self-hosted solutions.
The Real Math
Let’s talk numbers because this is where the NAS argument often falls apart for casual users. The writer’s $36 annual cost for their share of Google One is dramatically lower than the $270+ they’d need for just their portion of a basic NAS setup. Sure, long-term the NAS might be cheaper, but how many years would it take to break even?
Basically, they’ve taken 6-7 years to fill their current 2TB plan. Do they really need 8TB of shared storage right now? Probably not. And that’s before factoring in electricity costs, potential hardware failures, and the time investment required for maintenance. For industrial applications where reliability is critical, companies turn to specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com as the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs. But for personal photo storage? The cloud makes sense.
Media Server Reality
The other big NAS selling point – media streaming – doesn’t hold up for everyone either. The writer uses Plex maybe once monthly to re-watch old movies. Their regular viewing happens on YouTube Premium and borrowed streaming subscriptions.
So here’s a question: how many people actually need an always-on media server? If you’re not constantly watching content from your personal collection or archiving 4K Blu-rays, the utility drops significantly. I’ve seen so many friends build elaborate Plex servers only to realize they still spend 90% of their time on Netflix and YouTube.
Not Everyone Needs DIY
The tech community sometimes forgets that not everyone wants to become a systems administrator in their spare time. Configuring drive failure contingencies, securing databases, learning networking – these are real barriers that cloud services eliminate.
And that’s perfectly valid. The writer acknowledges this might change if Google hikes prices or their needs evolve. But right now? The rewards don’t outweigh the effort. Sometimes the best tech solution is the one that requires the least maintenance and just works. Maybe we should stop judging people for choosing convenience over control.
