The author contrasts the experiences of using cloud storage with a Network Attached Storage (NAS) solution, highlighting the significant performance benefits of local storage. Their NAS setup, running TrueNAS with a RAIDZ2 pool, offers 16TB of usable space and allows for instantaneous file operations, a stark contrast to the latency encountered when using cloud services. For instance, transferring a 30GB folder of 4K video to the NAS takes mere seconds, while uploading it to the cloud can be painfully slow, dependent on various factors like ISP speed and provider throttling. Although cloud storage provides convenient remote access, the author argues that for most users, especially those who rarely need off-site access, the speed and reliability of a NAS outweigh the convenience of the cloud. They also address concerns about data safety, noting that cloud services often do not provide true backups, as changes are propagated automatically. Instead, the author has implemented a more secure backup strategy using rsync to ensure data integrity. Ultimately, after transitioning to a local-first environment, the author finds cloud storage unsuitable for important files due to inherent latency.