Here are the NAS systems we recommend based on your answers:
Running apps or light virtual machines at home does not require enterprise hardware, but it does benefit from choosing the right NAS.
The recommendations on this page focus on NAS systems that are capable of handling apps, containers, or lightweight virtual machines while still being reasonable to manage in a home or small office environment.
How to think about these recommendations
For most people, a NAS used for apps or virtual machines needs three things above all else.
• Enough processing power for the workloads you plan to run
• Upgradeable memory so the system can grow with your needs
• Reliable network connectivity for day to day use
The systems below are ordered to help you choose a capable starting point without paying for features you may never use.
I have an older version of the TerraMaster budget option, which I’ve been happy with.
Preview
HomeTechHacker Recommendation
Product Name
TERRAMASTER F6-424 NAS Storage 6Bay – N95 Quad-Core CPU, 8GB DDR5 RAM, Dual 2.5GbE Ports, Network Attached Storage with High Performance (Diskless)
QNAP TS-664-8G-US 6 Bay High-Performance Desktop NAS with Intel Celeron Quad-core Processor, M.2 PCIe Slots and Dual 2.5GbE (2.5G/1G/100M) Network Connectivity (Diskless)
Synology 8 Bay DiskStation DS1825+ (Diskless)
Budget Pick
Product Name
TERRAMASTER F6-424 NAS Storage 6Bay – N95 Quad-Core CPU, 8GB DDR5 RAM, Dual 2.5GbE Ports, Network Attached Storage with High Performance (Diskless)
HomeTechHacker Recommendation
Product Name
QNAP TS-664-8G-US 6 Bay High-Performance Desktop NAS with Intel Celeron Quad-core Processor, M.2 PCIe Slots and Dual 2.5GbE (2.5G/1G/100M) Network Connectivity (Diskless)
Step-Up Pick
Product Name
Synology 8 Bay DiskStation DS1825+ (Diskless)
If you are unsure which option to choose, start with the HomeTechHacker recommendation and move on.
In most home environments, proper setup and realistic workload expectations matter more than small differences in hardware specifications.
Additional NAS Options
Below are additional NAS options that may be a better fit depending on budget, bay count, or how simple you want the setup to be.
| # |
Preview |
Product |
Price |
|
| 1 |
|
QNAP TS-473A-8G-US 4 Bay High-Speed Desktop NAS with AMD Ryzen 4-core CPU, 8GB DDR4 Memory and…
|
$879.00 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
UGREEN NAS DXP4800 Pro 4-Bay Desktop Network Attached Storage, Intel Core i3-1315U 6-Core CPU, 8GB…
|
$799.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
QNAP TS-433eU-US Compact 1U Short-Depth rackmount 2.5GbE NAS, Affordable Edge Storage with NPU…
|
$599.00 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
UGREEN NAS DXP2800 2-Bay Desktop All-Round Ideal for Content Creators and Enthusiasts, Intel N…
|
$439.99
$389.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
UGREEN NAS DH4300 Plus 4-Bay Desktop NASync, Support Capacity 128TB (Diskless), Remote Access, AI…
|
$373.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 6 |
|
Synology 2-Bay DiskStation DS225+ (Diskless)
|
$339.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 7 |
|
UGREEN NAS DH2300 2-Bay Desktop NASync, Support Capacity 64TB (Diskless), Remote Access, AI Photo…
|
$199.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 8 |
|
Synology 2-Bay DiskStation DS223j (Diskless)
|
$194.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 9 |
|
BUFFALO LinkStation 210 2TB 1-Bay NAS Network Attached Storage with HDD Hard Drives Included NAS…
|
$175.99
$153.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 10 |
|
UGREEN NAS DXP4800 Plus 4-Bay Desktop NAS, Intel Pentium Gold 8505 5-Core CPU, 8GB DDR5 RAM…
|
|
Buy on Amazon |
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