As knowledge storage wants have grown, native storage options are extra necessary than ever. Nevertheless, native storage poses dangers as a result of hard drives can fail, and that is the place network-attached storage (NAS) techniques are available. NAS makes use of RAID expertise to distribute knowledge throughout a number of drives, defending you towards drive failures and enhancing efficiency. With NAS, you’ll be able to guarantee your knowledge stays safe and accessible, offering peace of thoughts in an more and more data-driven world.
The vary of NAS options available in the market might be overwhelming. There are lots of decisions on the market, and defining the most effective NAS is like naming the most effective automobile — it relies on your wants. That stated, I’ve lots of expertise utilizing, advising, and establishing NAS items and will help you take advantage of knowledgeable buy. In ZDNET’s newest replace, we carried out an intensive editorial refresh. We additionally added the Synology DS223, Ugreen NAS DH2300, and Synology BeeStation Plus to our suggestions.
Additionally: Should you invest in a NAS system at home to store your data? I did, and it’s already paying off
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What’s the greatest NAS machine proper now?
Based mostly on in depth testing, thorough analysis, complete product evaluate evaluation, and knowledgeable opinions, my prime choose for the most effective general NAS machine is the TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus. This distinctive NAS stands out as a robust choice, geared up with top-tier {hardware}, wonderful supporting software program, and SSDs. It affords storage capacities of as much as 64TB utilizing sturdy and dependable server-grade drives. I’ve pushed this technique laborious, and even simulated drive failures, and it took every thing in its stride.
Additionally: The best M.2 SSDs of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed
You possibly can’t go fallacious with this NAS, however at $765 for the unit alone and not using a gigabyte of storage, it is not low-cost. Learn on to find all of my suggestions for the most effective NAS units out there in the marketplace right now. Every choice has been fastidiously chosen to fulfill varied wants and preferences, making certain you discover the proper storage answer in your necessities.
The perfect NAS units of 2026
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TerraMaster/ZDNET
The TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus is my favourite NAS general as a quick, future-proof choice for many who want top-notch reliability and efficiency.
Why we prefer it: Transfer over laborious drives, strong state drives (SSDs) are the go-to selection for efficiency. Whereas conventional spinning laborious drives nonetheless excel in value and capability, solid-state M.2 drives have confirmed themselves to be extremely dependable.
SSDs provide important benefits, together with quicker learn and write speeds, better sturdiness, and decrease energy consumption. As expertise advances, the worth hole between SSDs and laborious drives has narrowed, making them extra accessible than ever. For these looking for a steadiness of efficiency and reliability, solid-state drives are undoubtedly the best way to go.
The TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus is the primary 8-bay, all-SSD NAS designed particularly for small companies. Constructed round an N305 8-core, 8-thread processor with a turbo frequency of as much as 3.4GHz, this NAS is not any larger than a hardback e book, and but delivers learn and write speeds as much as 1,024MB/s. That is actually a NAS that can match into the palm of your hand.
One other benefit of utilizing SSDs is that the unit would not have a pile of spinning disks, so even with energetic cooling, it runs at a whisper-quiet 19dB, even below full load.
Who it is for: That is the NAS for many who know they’re within the twenty first century and that SSDs are the way forward for storage. Increased capacities do get costlier than spinning HDDs, with this mannequin coming in at $765, however the reliability and efficiency are distinctive.
Who ought to look elsewhere: Received lots of HDDs to make use of? Transferring a bunch of HDDs from an older unit? Want the most affordable potential storage choices? Go for a NAS that makes use of HDDs.
TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus specs: Drive bays: 8x | M.2 SSD slots: 8x | Max capability: 64TB | RAM: 16GB DDR5 | 10G Ethernet ports: 1x | USB 3.0 ports: Twin 3.2 | PCIe Gen 3 x8 slots: Help PCIe 3.0 | HDMI: HDMI 2.0b
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Synology
The Synology DS223 Diskstation NAS is my best choice in order for you a NAS setup with suitable storage already included.
Why we prefer it: By far, the standout function of any Synology NAS is the corporate’s distinctive DiskStation Supervisor (DSM) software program. Whereas the Synology {hardware} is on par with many different NAS choices, the mix of {hardware} with DSM software program makes Synology’s choices noteworthy.
Additionally: We test the Synology DiskStation DS1817+ RAID
Obtainable for $1,042, the 2-bay Synology DS223 Diskstation NAS comes with 2X 12TB Seagate IronWolf SATA drives as commonplace. You should utilize this NAS for primary storage, as a non-public media server, or as a way to securely and rapidly share recordsdata.
Additionally included is Synology’s free Hyper Backup software program, which lets you again up your complete NAS or particular recordsdata and folders to most main cloud service suppliers. This versatile backup software program offers customers with enterprise-grade instruments in an easy-to-understand format. This makes establishing a correct 3-2-1 backup setting a breeze, it doesn’t matter what units you are liable for or what number of.
Who it is for: These available in the market for business-ready NAS options with suitable storage included as a part of the package deal.
Who ought to look elsewhere: This can be a professional-grade NAS unit, and people on the lookout for extra modest desktop items ought to think about one in all my different suggestions.
Synology DS223 Diskstation NAS specs: Drive bays: 2x | Max capability: 24TB | Max w/growth items: N/A | RAM: 2GB DDR4 | 1GB Ethernet ports: 1x | USB 3.2 ports: 3x
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Additionally: How to set up your own NAS for more reliable data backups
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Asustor/ZDNET
This Asustor AS5404T mannequin bridges worlds in a variety of methods, making it one in all my favourite versatile choices in the marketplace.
Why we prefer it: This mannequin offers 4 drive bays and help for 4 M.2 drives, enabling some very attention-grabbing performance-tiering work, each robotically and manually. There’s additionally an HDMI output, probably transferring this from the server closet to the household room.
The interior 8GB RAM is respectable, and ZDNET was impressed with the twin 2.5G Ethernet port. The Lockerstor 6 makes use of the ADM working system with greater than 200 App Central functions, together with varied instruments, enterprise functions, workplace functions, and digital dwelling leisure.
A standard theme within the evaluations of this NAS is ease of use, which, for what generally is a advanced community product, can be a breath of contemporary air for many who usually are not tech specialists.
Who it is for: This $583 NAS affords the most effective of each worlds — HDD for uncooked storage capability, and SSDs for when efficiency is required.
Who ought to look elsewhere: Need both HDDs or SSDs? Do not want a NAS that appears as snazzy as a gaming PC? There are different decisions that can be just right for you.
Asustor AS5404T specs: Drive bays: 4x | M.2 SSD slots: 4x | Max capability: 96TB | RAM: 8GB (expandable to 16GB) | 2.5G Ethernet ports: 2x | USB 3.0 ports: Twin 3.2Gen 3×1 | PCIe Gen 3 x4 slots: Help PCIe 3.0 on M.2 SSD | HDMI: HDMI 2.0b
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QNAP
For those who’re on the hunt for an reasonably priced option to enter the NAS world, take a look at the QNAP TS-233-US 2-Bay NAS at Walmart or Newegg.
Why we prefer it: QNAP has an incredible number of NAS units, and this lower-cost entry-level unit is totally price consideration. At solely $219 with out drives, this feature offers you with a option to rapidly create a non-public cloud at dwelling or the workplace.
Powered by an ARM Cortex-A55 2.0GHz processor, this NAS station can serve two beneficial functions at dwelling. It really works as a backup machine for Home windows and Mac through NetBak Replicator software program and Time Machine. The unit additionally serves as a storage system in your multimedia, together with images, movies, and necessary paperwork.
The entry-level NAS comes with 3.5-inch drive bays which might be suitable with 2.5-inch drives.
Who it is for: That is the NAS for individuals who’ve simply realized they want one as a result of an exterior drive would not defend their knowledge in addition to they thought.
Who ought to look elsewhere: This can be a modest unit, excellent for dwelling customers who need a secure backup, however less than the calls for of a hardcore person.
QNAP TS-233-US 2-Bay NAS specs: Drive bays: 2x | Max capability: Diskless (18TB | RAM: 2GB (as much as 4GB) | Ethernet ports: 1x | USB 2 ports: 2x | USB 3.2 ports: 1x
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Terramaster/ZDNET
TerraMaster’s F4-425 is a strong space for storing at a budget-friendly value.
Why we prefer it: TerraMaster has as soon as once more upped its recreation once more with the F4-425.
The person interface is clear, and the general utilization expertise is strong. This one is kitted out with the processing energy to help hardware-level 4K H.265 decoding, a high-speed Ethernet port, an HDMI port that allows you to flip this right into a media heart server, and help for extra functions.
This unit additionally helps TRAID, a proprietary storage expertise that provides as much as 30% better storage effectivity than conventional RAID with out affecting redundancy and reliability.
The unit can be tremendous silent at solely 21dB, making it excellent for peaceable places of work or dwelling rooms.
This unit is completely tool-free too, and all you have to swap drives are your fingers.
Who it is for: This $387 NAS is nice for individuals who need a high-performance, quiet unit with out the eye-watering price ticket that normally accompanies that.
Who ought to look elsewhere: For those who’re eyeing a super-budget or top-end NAS unit, this would possibly not be in your radar.
TerraMaster F4-425 specs: Drive bays: 4x HDD | Max capability: 120TB | RAM: 4GB | 2.5G Ethernet ports: 1x | USB 3.2 ports: 3x | HDMI port: 1x
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Ugreen/ZDNET
Ugreen is a brand new child on the block by way of NAS techniques, however they’re of the identical high quality that I’ve come to count on from the corporate’s different merchandise.
Why we prefer it: This 2-bay unit options an Intel N100 Quad-core CPU, 8GB DDR5 RAM, 2.5GbE, and a 4K HDMI port. There are even two M.2 slots, and with all bays and slots stuffed up, the NAS can maintain as much as 64TB of storage.
This $390 NAS has all of it, together with superior encryption and superior person account setup, so your knowledge is totally protected. Whereas it is not essentially the most superior NAS in the marketplace, this feature is a superb all-rounder in your backups.
Who it is for: This can be a nice entry or mid-range NAS for many who have modest necessities.
Who ought to look elsewhere: For top-end execs, the restrict of two HDD slots can be restrictive, and you may most likely need to degree up with one other NAS answer.
Ugreen NASync DXP2800 specs: HDD/SSD | Max capability: 64TB | RAID: JBOD/Primary/0/1 help | M.2 Slots: 2 | USB ports: 1x USB-C and 3x USB-A | HDMI port: 1 | Ethernet: 2.5GbE
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|
Finest network-attached storage |
Worth |
Bays |
Storage as bought |
Ethernet |
|
TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus |
$765 |
8 |
Diskless |
4x 1GbE ports |
|
Synology DS223 Diskstation NAS |
$1,042 |
2 |
0TB to 24TB |
1 x RJ-45 1GbE LAN-Port, 3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port |
|
Asustor AS5404T |
$583 |
8 |
Diskless |
2x 2.5GbE ports |
|
QNAP TS-233-US 2-Bay NAS |
$219 |
2 |
Diskless |
1x GbE port |
|
TerraMaster F4-425 |
$387 |
4 |
Diskless |
1x 2.5GbE ports |
|
Ugreen NASync DXP2800 2-Bay NAS |
$390 |
4 |
Diskless |
1x 2.5GbE port |
Selecting the best NAS machine is simple, starting with an evaluation of your funds and storage necessities. Distributors sometimes provide fashions ranging from two bays, permitting for 2 drives, and upwards.
For these requiring substantial storage, choosing a mannequin with extra bays is advisable. Nevertheless, in case you’re venturing into NAS units for the primary time, you may need to begin with an entry-level or transportable choice. This lets you change into acquainted with NAS expertise with out instantly committing to extra superior and costlier tools.
Under is an easy chart to help you additional in making your determination:
|
Select this NAS machine… |
In order for you… |
|
TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus |
Overlook the HDD and embrace the efficiency of the SSD. Not solely does this NAS provide unbelievable efficiency, however using SSDs implies that an 8-bay machine is not any larger than a hardback e book. |
|
Synology DS223 Diskstation NAS |
A top-tier NAS unit. By combining strong {hardware} and 24TB of storage, this unit guarantees complete storage for small companies and distant staff alike. |
|
Asustor AS5404T |
The perfect NAS from a good model. This mannequin additionally options 4 laborious drive bays, help for 4 M.2 sticks, and makes use of the ADM 4.0 working system. |
|
QNAP TS-233-US 2-Bay NAS |
The perfect worth storage with strong efficiency. This entry-level mannequin will add appreciable worth to your community with out breaking the financial institution. |
|
TerraMaster F4-425 |
The perfect mid-tier NAS has a pleasant person interface. Coming on the low finish of mid-tier pricing, it nonetheless has a high-speed Ethernet port, an HDMI port, and the efficiency to deal with 4K video decoding. |
|
Ugreen NASync DXP2800 2-Bay NAS |
The proper NAS in your desktop. Compact, however highly effective, with the capability to place a whopping 64TB of storage in your desk. |
If you end up on the lookout for a brand new NAS machine, it is essential to think about a number of key elements to make sure you select the choice that most closely fits your wants:
- Use Instances: Establish the first operate of your NAS machine. Whether or not it is for video enhancing, establishing a house workplace, or leisure functions, understanding its meant use is important given the funding. This readability will information your decision-making course of.
- Price range: Decide your funds early on. NAS techniques usually carry a hefty price ticket. Moreover, in case you go for a diskless mannequin, keep in mind to account for the price of buying storage individually.
- Bays: The variety of bays you want is straight tied to your storage necessities. For these dealing with in depth multimedia recordsdata or planning long-term storage, choosing a tool with extra bays is advisable, however you do not go overboard. Two or three is perhaps sufficient for dwelling use, whereas it’s possible you’ll want extra for work initiatives.
- Growth: For those who imagine it’s possible you’ll want extra storage sooner or later, be sure that the product you have an interest in is scalable.
- Connectivity: NAS units fluctuate of their connectivity choices, from Ethernet and HDMI ports to transportable fashions that may generate Wi-Fi hotspots. Make sure the machine you select has the connectivity options that align along with your wants.
- Backup options: The lack of knowledge might be catastrophic. Examine how your potential future NAS setup handles backups.
- Buyer evaluations: Discover what current customers are saying to verify it’s the proper funding for you.
Right here at ZDNET, our experience in NAS units spans many years. Our picks are knowledgeable by a mixture of in-depth testing, verified buyer suggestions, and real-world person interactions, with explicit emphasis on user-friendly interfaces, efficiency, an intensive evaluation of every mannequin’s strengths and weaknesses, and, importantly, value level.
-
Consumer-friendly Interface: We prioritize NAS fashions which might be easy to arrange and handle, that includes software program that simplifies utilization and enhances sharing and collaboration capabilities.
-
Quick Efficiency: A NAS machine accelerates saving and retrieving the info, making it notably environment friendly for duties like video enhancing — outpacing many cloud storage providers.
-
Strengths and Weaknesses: Understanding that no mannequin is flawless, we spotlight the benefits and downsides of every, offering readability on how they may match your safety wants, setup preferences, and workflow necessities, together with portability.
-
Worth: Recognizing funds constraints, we fastidiously think about every product’s value. Though preliminary prices might be excessive, they might provide financial savings over time in comparison with ongoing cloud service subscriptions.
Newest information
- Analysts say the NAS market is on an upward trajectory, with companies, specifically, asking for scalable options to ever-growing knowledge storage wants.
- Western Digital’s stock rose amid investor curiosity in AI.
- Synology launched new all-flash storage options for the enterprise market.
It relies on how a lot knowledge it’s important to retailer, how a lot entry you need to it, and the way valuable that knowledge is to you.
Exterior drives are nice for a number of gigabytes of information, but when your wants are nearer to terabytes, or you might have knowledge that must be accessible throughout a number of techniques, otherwise you need to defend your knowledge from loss or corruption, that is the place a NAS comes into its personal.
Effectively, on the face of it, sure, however when you dig deeper, not likely. NAS items want a community to hook up with , ao until you might have this in place, a NAS is not going to be appropriate.
Additionally, USB exterior drives are very a lot a plug-in-and-go expertise, whereas NAS items require a good bit of setup and a few technical experience (networking and RAID issues) to get going.
The very last thing you need to be doing is spending huge bucks on a NAS after which placing common drives into it.
Listed below are the drives I like to recommend:
You possibly can repurpose an previous PC and even construct a very custom NAS solution to fulfill your actual wants.
ZDNET creator and resident {hardware} knowledgeable David Gewirtz has constructed his personal NAS packing containers for years, together with some that had been extremely custom-made. However because the NAS choices from distributors like Synology, QNAP, and Drobo improved, the necessity to construct his personal diminished.
For those who’re snug with the prospect of sourcing PC components and constructing PCs, you may most likely need to go it by yourself. However in case you’re new to PC constructing, shopping for an equipment NAS might be the best way to go.
RAID, which stands for Redundant Array of Impartial Disks, is a knowledge storage expertise that mixes a number of bodily disk drives right into a single logical unit for improved efficiency, redundancy, or each. The first function of RAID is to boost knowledge safety and enhance storage effectivity by distributing knowledge throughout a number of disks in varied configurations often known as RAID ranges.
This is a breakdown of three of the commonest RAID ranges:
RAID 0 (Striping)
RAID 0 splits, or stripes, knowledge evenly throughout two or extra disks. This configuration affords improved efficiency as a result of a number of disks might be learn or written concurrently. Nevertheless, remember that this offers no redundancy. If one disk fails, all knowledge within the array is misplaced.
RAID 1 (Mirroring)
RAID 1 duplicates, or mirrors, knowledge throughout two or extra disks. This setup affords excessive knowledge redundancy as a result of every disk within the array accommodates a precise copy of the info. If one disk fails, the info might be recovered from the opposite disk(s). Nevertheless, observe that RAID 1 doesn’t enhance efficiency and successfully reduces usable storage capability by half.
RAID 5 (Striping with Parity)
RAID 5 combines striping with parity, distributing knowledge and parity data throughout three or extra disks. Parity offers fault tolerance, permitting the array to face up to the failure of a single disk with out knowledge loss. RAID 5 affords a very good steadiness of efficiency, redundancy, and storage effectivity.
The first distinction between Community Hooked up Storage (NAS) and Direct Hooked up Storage (DAS) lies in how they’re linked to and accessed by units in a community.
NAS units connect with a community, sometimes by means of Ethernet, offering storage that may be accessed by a number of units on that community. This setup permits a number of customers and units to entry and share knowledge concurrently over the community, making NAS supreme for collaborative environments. NAS items usually include their very own working techniques and may help quite a lot of functions, together with file sharing, media streaming, and even server features like hosting. These units are managed through a web-based interface, permitting for distant administration and configuration. Moreover, NAS options are usually extra scalable, permitting for simple growth by including extra drives or connecting extra NAS items to the community.
In distinction, DAS units join on to a pc through USB, Thunderbolt, or one other direct interface, making them accessible solely to that particular laptop. DAS techniques are sometimes single-user units, that means solely the linked laptop can entry the saved knowledge. For different units to entry this knowledge, it have to be shared by means of the pc to which the DAS is linked. DAS items are less complicated and normally don’t include their very own working techniques or help for extra functions past primary storage. These units are managed straight by means of the working system of the linked laptop, with out the necessity for web-based interfaces. As a result of they join on to a pc, DAS units can provide quicker knowledge switch charges in comparison with NAS, which depends on community speeds.
The selection between NAS and DAS relies on particular necessities for accessibility, scalability, and efficiency. NAS is greatest suited to environments the place a number of units must entry and share knowledge, comparable to in properties with a number of customers, small companies, or skilled settings requiring collaborative entry to massive recordsdata. However, DAS is right for single-user situations the place quick knowledge switch charges are vital, comparable to video enhancing, graphic design, or private knowledge storage wants.
Distributors sometimes estimate the lifespan of a NAS machine to be between three to 5 years. Nevertheless, it is potential for a NAS to exceed this vary, doubtlessly lasting as much as a decade. Regardless of this, the chance of failure escalates over time.
Be looking out for indicators of {hardware} deterioration, like sluggish efficiency and connectivity issues, which can point out impending failure.
You possibly can doubtlessly enhance a NAS machine’s lifespan by permitting it to hibernate whereas not in use. For instance, if you’re away from dwelling for a number of months, it’s possible you’ll need to think about giving it a relaxation. Nevertheless, NAS units might be left on completely, as many NAS units have been particularly constructed to permit this.
The prices of establishing a NAS system can rapidly spiral, however that relies on what number of drives you plan to make use of. For a single drive setup, it’d solely be a number of hundred {dollars}. As you want extra bays and if efficiency is a precedence, it’s possible you’ll find yourself spending 1000’s of {dollars}.
Newest Updates
- Might 2026: In ZDNET’s Might replace, we carried out an intensive editorial replace. We additionally added the Synology DS223, Ugreen NAS DH2300, and Synology BeeStation Plus to our suggestions.
- October 2025: My prime choose of the TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus sees a giant value drop, from $800 to $680 for the naked unit. Including storage to that is nonetheless going to be dear, however your cash now goes a bit additional. The Ugreen NASync DXP2800 has additionally dropped $30, so in case you’ve been eyeing this one, now’s a very good time to go for it. The FAQ has additionally been expanded to cowl the distinction between NAS items and USB exterior laborious drives, and in addition so as to add some recommendations for HDDs and SSDs appropriate for NAS.
- September 2025: We added the First up, the TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus and the Asustor AS5404 as prime picks. We additionally changed the TerraMaster F4-423 with the newer F4-424.
Different NAS units to think about
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Synology/ZDNET
An reasonably priced desktop NAS different is the $285 Synology 2-Bay DiskStation DS223.
That is the “diskless” package deal, so you have to add your individual laborious drives. A pair of the
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UGREEN
The $200 Ugreen NAS DH2300 2-Bay Desktop NASync is a superb different for freshmen who need an reasonably priced, diskless setup.
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Synology
For one thing a bit completely different, the $560 Synology BeeStation Plus is an 8TB cloud storage system that may very well be excellent in your dwelling workplace.
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Wish to know methods to arrange your NAS for higher reliability? Take a look at this piece by ZDNET’s David Gewirtz. Additionally, be happy to take a look at our guides on the most effective external hard drive solutions and the most effective microSD cards of 2026.
