Can a used mini PC be a NAS? Drive limits and better options
Updated 2026-09-25
The honest answer: a 1-litre PC makes a good small SSD NAS, not a big hard-drive NAS. The most any model here holds is three internal drives (two NVMe and one 2.5"), and there is no room for 3.5" hard drives.
Models that hold the most drives
| Model | Drives (NVMe + 2.5") | PCIe | Faster networking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dell OptiPlex 7080 Micro | 2 + 1 | PCIe (dGPU option) | 1 GbE (USB for more) |
| HP EliteDesk 800 G4 Mini | 2 + 1 | None | 1 GbE (USB for more) |
| HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Mini (verify) | 2 + 1 | None | 1 GbE (USB for more) |
| HP EliteDesk 800 G6 Mini (verify) | 2 + 1 | None | 1 GbE (USB for more) |
| HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini | 2 + 1 | None | 1 GbE (USB for more) |
| HP Elite Mini 800 G9 | 2 + 1 | None | 2.5GbE via Flex IO port with an Intel I226-V 2.5GbE controller (must be configured at purchase) |
| Lenovo ThinkCentre M920x Tiny | 2 + 1 | PCIe (dGPU option) | 10GbE via Low-profile PCIe network card in the riser slot (riser and bracket bought separately) (owner-reported, not a vendor option) |
| Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 1 Tiny | 2 + 1 | PCIe x8 via riser | 10GbE via Low-profile PCIe network card in the riser slot (riser and bracket bought separately) (owner-reported, not a vendor option) |
Good fits
- An all-SSD NAS for documents and photos, mirrored across two NVMe drives.
- A backup target or a Nextcloud / Immich server with the bulk data on SSD.
- A 2.5GbE or 10GbE path helps: a single SATA SSD already outruns 1 GbE.
The USB enclosure question
USB drive enclosures work for backups, but they are a compromise for a ZFS or RAID pool: USB bridges can drop drives or hide drive health data, which is why TrueNAS and most ZFS guides advise against USB-attached pools. For several hard drives, a small tower or a purpose-built NAS is the better tool; a mini PC can still run the apps next to it.