Adsorption storage utilizing activated carbon is acknowledged as a promising approach for hydrogen storage duo to its high efficiency. This study compares the activated carbon adsorption storage method with the conventional empty tank storage approach. Finite element simulation is conducted to analyze the hydrogen charging process. Results reveal that under conditions with an initial temperature of 281 K and a storage pressure of 50 MPa, the adsorption tank exhibits a higher system volumetric capacity compared to the empty tank, with an increase of 12.6%. Furthermore, the influence of activated carbon's macroporosity and adsorption performance on storage capacity is investigated. It is indicated that increasing macroporosity effectively enhances storage capacity. Additionally, a comparison between the hydrogen storage performance of AX-21 activated carbon and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) highlights the significant impact of adsorption performance of the adsorbent materials on the storage capacity and temperature distribution.