I tried to use a RPi for a NAS for the same reasons... but ended up breaking down and buying a proper NAS (QNAP in my case). And yes, you definitely get those

I tried to use a RPi for a NAS for the same reasons... but ended up breaking down and buying a proper NAS (QNAP in my case). And yes, you definitely get those extras. Mine also hosts a few virtual machines. The difference in speed and power is significant. But really, the bigger bonus to me is the stability. The RPi solution wasn’t nearly as stable. Yes, it costs more, but after all the extras like powered USB hubs, etc... it wasn’t that much more.