Your Steam Deck can be a NAS—and 4 other devices hiding in your closet


Cloud storage is expensive, we like to host our own content locally these days, and can you really put all your trust in third-party backup solutions?

The fact is that more and more people are installing a NAS (Network-Attached Storage) device on their home networks, and that’s awesome. That is, until you see how much a proper purpose-built dedicated NAS costs! The good news is that you probably already have at least one device that can act as some sort of NAS, for better or worse.

A gaming handheld can secretly double as a portable NAS

It’s literally a PC

Hand holding a Steam Deck handheld gaming PC displaying a Linux container management interface on its screen. Credit: Adam Conover / XDA

Let’s not bury the lede here. Yes, you can turn a Steam Deck into a NAS because the Steam Deck is just a computer running Linux. My colleague Adam Conover over at XDA turned his Steam Deck into a home server using Docker and various containers.

There’s no reason you couldn’t replace the OS or use a container to perform NAS duties. The same goes for any handheld PC. Just replace the software or add NAS software to the existing OS. Of course, you don’t want to keep using the device as a gaming handheld at this point. It’s just a great use of a device that you may no longer be using for its intended purpose.

Handheld PCs tend to have very powerful CPUs and a decent amount of RAM, at least 16GB, and some have more. So why not put all that processing power to good use?

Lenovo Legion Go 2 gaming handheld.

7/10

Dimensions

295.6 x 136.7 x 42.25 mm

Brand

Lenovo

Weight

2.03 pounds

Chipset

AMD Ryzen Z2/Extreme

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 features the AMD Ryzen Z2/Z2 Extreme processor, up to 32GB of RAM, and an 8.8-inch OLED 144Hz display for gaming on-the-go. With a solid battery lift lasting over two hours of intense gaming, the Legion Go 2 is ready for whatever you throw at it.


Old mini PCs make shockingly good low-power NAS boxes

Small but mighty

Mini PC Plex server with multiple USB drives connected. Credit: Sydney Louw Butler / How-To Geek

I’m a big fan of mini PCs, especially old ones that you can buy for very little money. They’re awesome for self-hosting services on your LAN, and that includes running a NAS OS on one. Mini PCs, especially Intel Mini PCs, tend to have powerful multicore CPUs, upgradable RAM and SSD storage, a decent amount of fast USB ports for external drives, and at least one Gigabit Ethernet port. Considering that you’re looking at maybe $30–$100 for a good one of the right vintage, and it’s a sweet deal.

Routers already have most of the hardware needed for a NAS

Basic but usable

Power barrel jack and USB ports on the back of the BE7200 Dual Band WiFi 7 XGS PON VoIP Router. Credit: Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

If your router has a USB port, there’s a good chance it supports USB mass storage and network sharing. While it’s not a proper NAS with all the bells and whistles, if all you need is a shared network drive, then plugging a USB hard drive into your existing router and simply sharing it on your LAN is good enough. As long as your router’s up and running, the storage should be available.

It’s crude, but I’ve done this many times over the years and it works!

Single-board computers are no longer just hobby projects

What can’t SBCs do?

A Raspberry Pi 4 music server. Credit: Nick Lewis/How-To Geek

Another colleague of mine, Nick Lewis built the low-power NAS you see above using a Raspberry Pi 4. The Pi 4 and the later Pi 5 have capable multicore CPUs, and you can get both models with decent amounts of RAM.

If you already have a Raspberry Pi or other suitable single-board computer, then it’s worth trying. My only concern here is that the prices of these boards have gone up quite a lot, which is why I lean towards the mini PC side of things, given the bargains you can get on used models.

raspberry pi 5-1

Brand

Raspberry Pi

Storage

8GB

It’s only recommended for tech-savvy users, but the Raspberry Pi 5 is a tinkerer’s dream. Cheap, highly customizable, and with great onboard specs, it’s a solid base for your next mini PC.



Your old desktop PC or laptop might be the best NAS you already own

There’s also the least surprising set of options: an old laptop or desktop. Again, these are just computers, and you can put whatever software you like onto them. If you use an old desktop tower, you have all that modularity, and potentially plenty of internal drive bays you can use.

If you use a laptop as a NAS, then you have a self-contained device with peripherals and a battery backup, so that has its advantages too. The core strategy here is to use what you already have before committing to an expensive NAS device, and if you’re in the right frame of mind, anything can look like a NAS.



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Recent Reviews


What streaming platform do you think of when you hear the term “comfort shows?” There are plenty of great comfort shows over on Netflix, or maybe available with an HBO Max subscription. But for me, I always think of Peacock.

With a Peacock subscription, there are so many options for classic comfort shows that will no doubt make your day—and provide you with that comfy need that we all so desperately crave. Here are seven that you must check out.

The Office

A classic comedy

Dwight in The Office. Credit: NBC

I mean, you knew it was going to be on here, don’t lie.​​​​​​​

The Office was a nine-season sitcom that took the world by storm. Starring Steve Carell as Michael Scott, this iconic workplace comedy follows the professional and personal lives of workers at a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

I think The Office is a show that defines the word “comfort.” Anytime I ask people what they usually put on in the background, The Office is always the first choice because it’s easy to follow, has characters you want to root for, and is so freaking funny (even if some of those jokes have not aged well all these years later). It’s certainly worth a shot

Parks And Recreation

Amy Poehler is the best

Amy Poehler in Parks and Recreation speaking to a camera Credit: NBC

Another great comfort show that also happens to come from the same developer of the U.S. version of The Office (the wonderful Greg Daniels), Parks and Recreation is a sitcom mainly about Leslie Knope, a mid-level bureaucrat who is trying to improve her home in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, in the Parks and Recreation department.

The series is extremely well-received and has some huge stars attached, including Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Adam Scott, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, and more. With seven seasons and one hundred and twenty-six episodes, you’re in for a long binge.​​​​​​​

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

The laughs go on and on

b99.jpg
Andy dressed asAndy Samberg as Jake Peralta with his arm around Eva Longoria as Sophia Perez in Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is one of those shows that I think everyone has seen at least one episode of, just because it’s so funny. The main premise of the series follows the lives of police officers, detectives, and others in a fictional police precinct in New York, specifically in Brooklyn.

This series was a hit for NBC, and while it did move to another streaming platform towards the end of its run, it is a beloved comedy perfect for a weekend of comfy watching. Not only that, but the stars—Andy Samberg, Terry Crews, and more—have some of the best chemistry out there and will, no doubt, make you laugh out loud.

Everybody Loves Raymond

Who doesn’t love an Italian Long Island-er?

Ray Romano in Everybody Loves Raymond Credit: CBS

You better believe I put Everybody Loves Raymond on here—because everyone loves it!

This late 1990s-early 2000s sitcom stars Ray Romano as Ray Barone, an Italian-American who lives on Long Island and has made it as a successful sports writer. It tells the story of his family and how he deals with the drama, juggling his wife, his neighbors, and more.​​​​​​​


The Simpsons on Disney+ on a 4K TV in a green living room.


The 5 Most Popular Comfort Shows and Where to Stream Them

Switch on these shows when you want to switch off.

I genuinely cannot think of another television show I have seen more often over the last couple of decades than this, and the number of reruns is astronomical. With nine seasons, Everybody Loves Raymond is the type of binge you don’t want to miss.​​​​​​​

Modern Family

A series anyone can relate to

Claire and Phil Dunphy in Modern Family Credit: ABC

Now this is my kind of comfort show. Modern Family—and all eleven of its seasons—is available to stream on Peacock.

This groundbreaking sitcom tells the stories of three diverse families in the suburbs of Los Angeles and how their lives intersect. But it’s so much more than that. The comedy is hysterical, and yet each episode finds a new way to tug at your heartstrings.

Not only that, but it’s also just a genuinely relatable show for modern-day parents, and I’m not just saying that because of the name. It touches on both funny topics and social issues, making it a really well-done series. There’s a reason why there were so many Emmys thrown at this series.

That ‘70s Show

So much smoke—and friends!

Topher Grace on That '70s Show. Credit: Fox

For some reason, That ‘70s Show was the series I was obsessed with as a kid. And honestly, it’s a vibe, even now. The series mainly follows six teenagers in Wisconsin between 1976 and 1979 as they come of age, experience growing pains, and learn to come into their own while also smoking the devil’s lettuce, if you know what I mean.

On a real note, That ‘70s Show is a hilarious series with great performances from Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Wilmer Valderrama, and so many more. This series has been with me on my good days and bad, and while its little successor, That ‘90s Show, on Netflix is a fun one, nothing compares to the original. You’re missing out if haven’t had the chance to sit down and watch the whole show.

Saturday Night Live

Laughs and more

Bill Hader and Ben Affleck in Saturday Night Live Credit: NBC

OK, so hear me out.

I know, when it comes to comfort shows, we honestly do think sitcoms are cute, but I think Saturday Night Live falls into that category. Why? Because it’s one of those shows that you can put on in the background and just chill.

It’s not something that’s heavily serialized or has any real plot to follow. It’s just funny sketches and enjoyable music performances. That’s it. And with the number of seasons that are available to watch on Peacock, you can’t really get better than this.


Peacock is such a great subscription service, and honestly, it just makes me want to rewatch each of these awesome shows. What are you looking forward to watching on a comfy weekend?

peacock thumbnail

Subscription with ads

Yes, $8/month

Simultaneous streams

3




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