Guessing you just read the first sentence? The build the article is about is a 200 DIY, not the N5 mentioned in the intro.

$200 + board/CPU, the $699 Aoostar includes board/CPU.

The intention is to get one of those ~$100 N100 minipcs for the guts. Still coming in under budget vs the commercial option.

All that being said, there are more affordable NAS cases that would eliminate the labor. This is both an art piece and a because-I-can kind of venture.