Do I even need a NAS or a 2.5Gbe network? I thought I just needed a dock..

[Enquiries]

Hello! First off, THANK YOU for the generous gift of your time and expertise to answer random IT questions from people like me. I'm sure you're busy, so I will try to be as brief as possible below:

I am a freelance Creative Director who works in a variety of locations, though primarily from home. My computer is an Apple M1 MAX. I do not collaborate on-site (physically) with anyone while at home. When I work with clients, files are typically posted to the cloud, through a variety of services – Usually determined by my clients existing systems and workflows. I am hoping to improve my productivity by creating a performant, desktop-like experience while in my office, while also having the ability to unplug and work on the go.

I currently use external USB 3.1 Gen 1 drives for active projects, assets. and backup (G-DRIVE ArmorATD type drives). My internet service is 1Gb, which I access through a Gen 1 Eero setup.

[ed]

Yes, if you rely on cloud services and USB drives, then NAS might not be the best choice. Especially if you travel often.
Even if you have a 1Gbit Internet, you also need to consider upload speed in your home. Then also download speed wherever you are remote.
Often cloud will be faster. But you could use Synology cloud instead. It will be faster than NAS when connecting remotely. But also all data will be synced to the NAS so you get faster speeds and a backup when you are at home/ office.

I hope this helps.