NAS, or Network Attached Storage, are specialist computers that hold files and run services. A typical home NAS can support several users and provide many useful functions, providing an alternative way to secure personal data rather than merely relying on cloud services.
These capabilities and the ability to take on new functions and extra storage make them ideal for a digital household. They can provide a centralized media store, a location for backups, and even integrate with security cameras. We consider these enclosures the verybest NASfor home use, with a focus on affordability and flexibility.
Synology DiskStation DS224+
TerraMaster F2-223
Ugreen NASync DXP6800 Pro
Asustor Flashstor 6 FS6706T
Synology DiskStation DS223j
TerraMaster F4-424 Max
Synology BeeStation
TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus
Top picks for best NAS for the home
The undisputed best NAS for even the busiest of households
The Synology DiskStation DS224+ is the direct successor to the popular DS220+, which was praised for the value it offered to consumers looking to buy their first enclosure. The DS224+ has an Intel Celeron processor, 2GB of DDR4 RAM, and support for Synology’s excellent DSM operating system and catalog of apps.
The Synology DiskStation DS224+ is an excellent NAS, replacing the popular DS220+, which launched in 2020. While this newer enclosure didn’t arrive with all the upgrades many within the NAS community were hoping for, Synology hasn’t increased the MSRP over the predecessor, effectively offering a CPU upgrade for free. The Intel Celeron J4125 is a familiar processor and was present inside the Synology DiskStation DS920+. This enclosure was regarded as one of the best NAS for Plex, making this DS224+ a compelling choice for the home.
In our extensive testing, we found the NAS to perform just as well as its predecessor, with notable improvements in media transcoding and running more intensive apps. The faster processor can do all tasks with fewer system resources, allowing other tasks to be run or accounts to connect to the enclosure without slowing down overall performance. 2GB of DDR4 RAM should be enough to get started, but it can be expanded to a maximum of 6GB, as supported by Synology.
There’s no way to connect an expansion unit or any M.2 slots. Once you’ve fully loaded this NAS with data, you’ll need to consider a replacement with more bays. However, it’s a good place to start for a home NAS with its good value and affordable price tag. Just remember to factor in the cost ofNAS drives.
A great substitute for the two-bay Synology NAS
The TerraMaster F2-223 is one of the more powerful two-bay NAS from the brand, rocking a capable Intel processor, two drive bays, multiple 2.5GbE ports, and a decent OS. This is a good value choice for homeowners seeking a serious enclosure.
The TerraMaster F2-223 offers great value when compared against our top recommendation. The company priced this NAS at $260 while offering an Intel Celeron N4505 processor, supporting up to 32GB of RAM — which is more than some have in their desktop PCs — and M.2 slots for good measure. Not only is this NAS capable of handling a busier household, but it’s also a good pick for a smaller Plex Media Server installation. Don’t read too much into the available HDMI port, as TerraMaster has yet to enable this for media playback.
Still, the specifications and price make this a great pick for those wanting the best bang for their buck. The two 2.5GbE connections on the rear are ideal for taking advantage of additional network bandwidth or providing scope for infrastructure upgrades in the future. We found in our testing for review that the TerraMaster F2-223 only suffered from a limited app selection, resulting in the company relying on community-maintained offerings and a downgrade in cloud support compared to Synology.
TerraMaster F2-223 review: Great value NAS with two bays and an Intel CPU
TerraMaster’s most affordable 2-bay Intel NAS offers excellent value.
If you’re looking for a NAS to use as local storage without cloud-backed services, the TerraMaster F2-223 may be a better fit than the Synology DiskStation DS224+
Ugreen’s DXP6800 Pro is a six-bay NAS designed to deliver the best user experience possible. Sporting an Intel Core i5-1235U processor and supporting up to 64GB of RAM, the heart of this system is more like a PC than a NAS. Alongside the drive bays, it has two M.2 NVMe slots for extra space or to cache the physical drives. All told, the DXP6800 Pro is a highly flexible NAS that makes other units seem weak by comparison.
Ugreen entered the NAS market with all the panache of a canon baller in a swimming pool, launching six different NAS offerings from the outset. The DXP6800 Pro is one rung below its flagship DXP8800 Plus, and this is a high-end design with all the bells and whistles that make it a remarkably flexible solution.
The Intel 12th Generation Core i5 processor combined with up to 64GB of RAM enables this NAS to host multiple applications and services without breaking into a sweat. There are six conventional drive bays and two NVMe SSD slots, giving a total potential storage capacity of 160TB, based on current drive scales.
Ugreen NASync DXP6800 Pro is packed with all the power and ports you want in a NAS
The OS still has some growing to do
Comparing this unit to those from other brands, the DXP8800 Plus is more orientated to the software developer and technically minded. Ugreen’s UGOS operating system is relatively new, it doesn’t offer the suite of apps you might expect from Synology or QNAP. However, those who know how to use Docker containers and virtual machines can install all the classic NAS tools, like Plex.
However, those who want a more sophisticated NAS environment from the outset can swap UGOS for TrueNAS, a third-party NAS OS. But that change is another technical exercise hinting that the DXP6800 Pro is more for technology aficionados than the average home user.
Go all-out with flash storage for best performance
If you’re looking for a NAS with excellent transfer rates, look no further than the Asustor Flashstor 6 FS6706T. This thing is rapid, with six M.2 slots available for speedy SSD drives. There’s 2.5GbE networking, HDMI output, expansion support, and expandable RAM, making the FS6706T an impressive NAS.
Spinning mechanical drives offer the best value in terms of price-per-GB, but they’re loud, have motors that cause vibrations, and aren’t terribly reliable. Moving parts are more likely to break than immobile parts, so SSDs are becoming more commonplace in NAS. Asustor went above and beyond with the Asustor Flashstor FS6706T by offering no 3.5-inch drive bays. Instead, this enclosure houses six M.2 NVMe drive slots for rapid solid-state storage.
This opens access to many possibilities for creating a home server without noise, high power draw, and vibrations. Using SSDs may be more expensive than mechanical drives, especially when purchasing those designed for NAS usage, but it could be worth it if you desire the best endurance. This NAS would be a good match for storing data and running some services or creating a media streaming platform. The Intel Celeron N5095 is one we’ve seen in many of the best NAS, and 4GB of DDR4 RAM is a great starting point.
Asustor Flashstor 6 FS6706T review: A unique next-gen NVMe SSD NAS
Asustor’s new all-flash NAS enclosures are an interesting launch
Having access to six M.2 slots for speedy NVMe drives is great on its own, but this requires considerable bandwidth for it to be worth the investment. Unfortunately, as we highlighted in our review, it’s impossible to run six PCIe 3.0 drives at full speed and enjoy the highest data transfer rates. The CPU and two 2.5GbE network points act as a bottleneck for the available storage slots. It’s no deal-breaker and will only affect those seeking high speeds across the network. We found fully saturating the two 2.5GbE ports to be more than enough for the home or office.
A cheap NAS with access to Synology’s ecosystem
Synology’s DiskStation DS223j is the replacement for the popular and well-received DS220j, an affordable 2-bay enclosure with access to the company’s excellent DiskStation Manager (DSM) OS. Rocking a new ARM processor and more RAM, it’s a solid choice for those who simply wish to store files and backups.
There’s little reason to consider anything other than the Synology DiskStation DS223j for a NAS that won’t cost much. This enclosure costs less than $200, yet manages to house two 3.5-inch drive bays for up to 40TB of raw storage capacity. This makes it the ideal NAS for homes and NAS beginners where more intensive apps such as Plex Media Server will not be installed. Streaming media with this enclosure is possible, but transcoding is out of the question due to the ARM processor.
Synology made this NAS affordable by using a Realtek RTD1619B processor. It’s an ARM chip that packs less punch than its Intel Celeron counterparts. This does mean the enclosure draws less power and should run cooler. 1GB of DDR4 RAM is installed, and this is all you’ll be able to use, as there’s no option to expand it. Like all other Synology NAS enclosures, the DS223j runs DiskStation Manager (DSM), providing access to the best-in-class operating system.
Synology DiskStation DS223j review: Another great budget-friendly NAS for storage
Taking Synology’s new super-affordable two-bay NAS for a spin
We found the NAS to be an excellent budget-friendly enclosure with only a few drawbacks when factoring in its low price. First, there’s the issue of limited system resources. 1GB of RAM may not be enough for busier households with multiple accounts attempting to perform various NAS-related tasks. The CPU isn’t the most powerful in an enclosure, either. There’s no expansion support and a single 1GbE connection to the network can quickly become saturated. Still, the DS223j is a good, affordable NAS for most homes.
Performance home and office NAS
A follow-up to the successful TerraMaster F4-424 and F4-424 Pro, the Max delivers the same value ethos, but is built for those who want a more powerful solution. Leapfrogging NAS based on Intel Core i3 and ARM processors, the F4-424 Pro has an Intel Core i5 processor and comes with 8GB of RAM, expandable to 64GB. But where this unit shines is that it has two 10GbE LAN ports, allowing it to shift nearly 2,000MB/s to LAN connected users.
TerraMaster NAS solutions have matured in recent years, and the TerraMaster F4-424 Max demonstrates what a sophisticated machine it can now offer.
From the outside, this is a black four-bay NAS made largely of plastic that seems to ape those made by Synology, but inside, TerraMaster delivers many unique features that its competitors don’t provide at this, or in some cases, at any price.
The ten-core Intel Core i5-1235U processor delivers as much processing power as a typical high-end Ultrabook, and when combined with up to 64GB of DDR5 memory, there are plenty of resources to run multiple demanding applications and services with ease.
The maximum internal storage is 88 TB (22 TB x4), but additional external drives can be attached via USB using drive arrays like the TerraMaster D8 Hybrid.
TerraMaster’s F4-424 Max is for true NAS power users
A little server with big specs
Other helpful ports include HDMI output and the dual 10GbE LAN ports, enabling the TerraMaster F4-424 Max to support many users simultaneously.
While the apps available for the TerraMaster TOS operating system aren’t as polished as those available from Synology, native versions of Plex and Time Machine support are available. For those with more specialist needs, this NAS also supports Docker containers.
Like the Ugreen DXP6800 Pro, the TerraMaster F4-424 Max is probably overkill for most home users, but it has plenty of potential for those who want to grow a system and have a centralized file store at the center of the network.
NAS without the fuss
The Synology BeeStation is a simple cloud and file storage solution made for home use. It includes 4TB of storage and is ready to run out of the box. The device’s limitation is that its operating system doesn’t offer apps, and the capacity can’t be increased.
With the same processor and memory as the Synology DiskStation DS233j, the BeeStation has enough resources to serve files and sync Cloud services to home network installation. As an alternative to a complete Synology DiskStation NAS architecture, Synology honed the BeeStation to be a basic NAS with its own pre-installed 4TB drive and BSM operating system.
Synology client software allows folders to be synced to the BeeStation and other systems, including Windows, Apple Mac, and Android devices. And, as you might expect with Synology, the solution is highly polished and ready to go out of the box.
The BeeStation might be less ideal because the internal storage can’t be upgraded, though external USB drives can be added. The BSM operating system doesn’t have user-installable apps like DSM, and other than the two BeeFiles and BeePhoto tools, there isn’t any additional web-based functionality. The BeeStation needs DNLA media serving and a BeeVideo application, but Synology hasn’t delivered these yet or indicated that they will be coming.
What the BeeStation offers is a simple-to-deploy NAS solution that can centrally sync files from multiple devices and also keep a local copy of Cloud stored files from Google Drive, DropBox, or OneDrive. Those who need more functionality than that should consider alternatives, including those from Synology that run DSM and have drive bays.
Synology BeeStation review: A great first NAS
Looking for a straightforward NAS for your home? This is it!
SSD NAS with portability in mind
TerraMaster’s first SSD NAS is the F8, an eight M.2 NVMe drive unit that can be deployed with up to 64TB of capacity. As it doesn’t use conventional storage, the F8 is quiet and compact and can be easily transported, unlike most NAS. Network connectivity is via 10GbE LAN, enabling file transfers to hit over 800MB/s for that compatible infrastructure. The F8 isn’t cheap, but compared to the cost of filling its drives, that’s probably the least expensive part.
For a long time, NAS fans have expected an SSD NAS from TerraMaster, and while they appeared from QNAP and Asustor, it took TerraMaster a little longer to deliver.
The F8 SD Plus is a high-end SSD NAS that rivals the likes of the Asustor Flashstor 6 FS6706T, with eight M.2 slots, not the six that the FS6706T has. Those extra slots allow for more capacity and extra performance when the drives are organized into RAID packs.
Being fast internally is only so useful, but TerraMaster also provided a 10GbE LAN port, enabling the unit to file server to a PC with the same network port at 800MB/s, or multiple connected machines using slower connections. That’s impressive for a NAS that you can easily carry, and is ideal for those who need to collect or dispense large amounts of data quickly.
Where TerraMaster somewhat dropped the ball is that there are no SD Card slots on this NAS for dumping video or photos, and the USB provided is only USB 3.2 Gen 1, not Gen 2 or Thunderbolt.
For those who like the idea of the F8 SSD Plus, but not the price, TerraMaster also offers a cheaper model with the same number of slots, but with a less powerful CPU and less memory.
TerraMaster’s F8 SSD Plus is the NAS I want to travel with
Super quiet, super fast, mostly portable
Choosing the best NAS for home
Spending lots of money on an exotic NAS with features you are unlikely to use or even need is tempting. Depending on the brand and enclosure, systems with many bays can cost thousands of dollars once populated with drives.
Less ambitious NAS can be bought for as little as $100 and fitted with a couple of smaller drives salvaged from old PCs if your budget is limited.
Another way to reduce the budget is to repurpose old PC hardware, using inexpensiveNAS enclosuresmade for system builders. Exactly how powerful a NAS needs to be is governed by the number of simultaneous users it is likely to support and the sorts of services it will run.
The least powerful NAS available can serve files to a handful of users, but platforms that can transcode video on the fly and capture video from multiple security cameras need better hardware.
As a starting point, we’d recommend a two-bay NAS with an Intel Celeron processor, as this has sufficient power for even a busy household with multiple family members who are simultaneously accessing data stored on the server or apps.
A great example of this type of NAS is the Synology DiskStation DS224+, a capable enclosure with an Intel Celeron processor and DDR4 memory with 2GB installed from the factory that can be upgraded. Out of the box, it has access to Synology’s excellent DSM operating system and comes with two 1GbE network connections.
Competitors like TerraMaster may offer NAS with 2.5GbE ports or even 10GbE on some NAS, but two 1GbE links are sufficient for most home networks streaming video and music.
