Picking the right PC case to build a network-attached storage (NAS) can prove tricky. A mini PC can make for a compelling starter NAS, but there are limited internal storage options, relying on I/O for external enclosures and direct-attached storage (DAS). If you want to build the ultimate NAS with plenty of room for expansion, look no further than the Fractal Design Node 804. This thing has everything you need for storing lots of files and even running a service or a few.

What makes a good NAS PC case?

It's all about storage

The PC case has to contain all the sensitive hardware and protect it from dust and other external elements. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, though when it comes to NAS, you'll want to focus on different features and specs. Firstly, we need a case to support the motherboard size, just like we would for a desktop PC. Next is the number of 3.5-inch bays. Unlike PCs, NAS usually run on SATA 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives, and we'll need somewhere to install them.

Traditional ATX mid and full tower cases are a great option for building a NAS, as they often have a few drive bays for increasing capacity without resorting to external enclosures. Newer hardware will usually favor speedier NVMe storage on the motherboard over separate storage drives. This isn't great for NAS as we're more focused on capacity rather than outright bandwidth and file transfer speeds. That's where something like the Fractal Design Node 804 comes into play.

Cooling is another factor one must consider when building a DIY NAS. This system will run continuously and will pump out some heat with all the drives and CPU under load. Depending on what kind of hardware you'll be using, this can result in requiring a hefty cooling solution. Not all PC cases can support larger coolers. But the rest of the chassis specs are almost optional. We likely won't require an AIO liquid kit, nor is a side panel window or front I/O a priority.

The Fractal Design Node 804 is (almost) perfect

Everything you need for a powerful NAS

The Node 804 from Fractal Design has been around for some time now, but it's a tried and tested chassis. It's so old that there's even support for a 5.25-inch disk drive, which can read and write to those spinning disks that were all the rage in the early 21st century. But the star of this show is what's behind the front panel. There's an expansive internal volume for a full-size ATX power supply, a CPU cooler with a maximum height of 160mm, and a MicroATX motherboard.

Support for a full-size ATX motherboard would have been great, but even MicroATX boards come with ample SATA ports and PCI slots for expansion cards. I built a NAS using this case, a Ryzen 9 7950X with a MicroATX board, and a PCI card to handle six mechanical SATA HDDs, all running TrueNAS. It was a monster, using a be quiet! Dark Rock Pro CPU cooler and plenty of case ventilation. Running Jellyfin and other intensive Docker containers was no problem.

By default, the Node 804 has space for up to 10 3.5-inch drives, though you can install 8 and use 2 slots of SSDs, but it all depends on how you wish to configure your network storage. Most modern boards will have multiple M.2 SSD slots for caching, the OS, and storing other data you'd need quick access to. That makes the Node 804 a Jack of all trades, offering plenty of expansion and storage options for building a NAS tailored to your needs.

Plenty of cool air can be pulled in by up to 10 fans, which can be installed in a push-pull configuration, keeping running drives within optimal temperature ranges. Five PCI expansion cards can be installed before running out of cut-outs in the rear of the Node 804, though I only required three for the low-profile GPU and SATA port expansion solution. The only weakness the 804 has as a NAS device is a lack of hot-swap capabilities.

If Fractal were to revise this case design, the company could keep the vertical mount system for the 3.5-inch drives, but fix them to the top panel with hot-swap bays. This may require the case to be altered or widened, but it would make it considerably easier to use for those who prefer to swap out drives without having to take the system apart. That said, I've only lost one HDD so far inside a NAS, and the 804 wouldn't need to be opened for some time once up and running.

Compared to many cases out there, I have a soft spot for the Fractal Design Node 804. It has a classic design, doesn't take up too much space, and has plenty of useful specs that make this one of the best chassis for NAS I've used.