The best NAS devices of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

The TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus is my favourite NAS general as a quick, future-proof choice for individuals who want top-notch reliability and efficiency.

Why we prefer it: Transfer over onerous drives, strong state drives (SSDs) are the go-to selection for efficiency. Whereas conventional spinning onerous drives nonetheless excel in worth and capability, solid-state M.2 drives have confirmed themselves to be extremely dependable.

SSDs supply important benefits, together with sooner learn and write speeds, higher sturdiness, and decrease energy consumption. As expertise advances, the worth hole between SSDs and onerous drives has narrowed, making them extra accessible than ever. For these in search of a stability of efficiency and reliability, solid-state drives are undoubtedly the way in which 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 isn’t any greater than a hardback ebook, 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 beneath full load.  

Who it is for: That is the NAS for individuals who know they’re within the twenty first century and that SSDs are the way forward for storage. Increased capacities do get dearer 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? Shifting a bunch of HDDs from an older unit? Want the most cost effective attainable 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

The Synology DS223 Diskstation NAS is my best choice if you’d like a NAS setup with appropriate 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.

Accessible for $1,042, the 2-bay Synology DS223 Diskstation NAS comes with 2X 12TB Seagate IronWolf SATA drives as normal. You need to use this NAS for fundamental storage, as a non-public media server, or as a way to securely and rapidly share recordsdata. 

Also 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 supplies customers with enterprise-grade instruments in an easy-to-understand format. This makes establishing a correct 3-2-1 backup atmosphere a breeze, it doesn’t matter what gadgets you are answerable for or what number of.

Who it is for: These available in the market for business-ready NAS options with appropriate storage included as a part of the bundle. 

Who ought to look elsewhere: It is a professional-grade NAS unit, and people searching for extra modest desktop items ought to contemplate certainly one of 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

This Asustor AS5404T mannequin bridges worlds in various methods, making it certainly one of my favourite versatile choices available on the market. 

Why we prefer it: This mannequin supplies 4 drive bays and assist for 4 M.2 drives, enabling some very attention-grabbing performance-tiering work, each routinely and manually. There’s additionally an HDMI output, probably transferring this from the server closet to the household room.

The inner 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 purposes, together with varied instruments, enterprise purposes, workplace purposes, and digital house leisure.

A typical theme within the evaluations of this NAS is ease of use, which, for what could be a complicated community product, shall be a breath of recent air for individuals who should not tech specialists.

Who it is for: This $583 NAS presents the perfect 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 selections that can give you the results you want. 

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

If you happen to’re on the hunt for an reasonably priced option to enter the NAS world, try the QNAP TS-233-US 2-Bay NAS at Walmart or Newegg.

Why we prefer it: QNAP has a fantastic choice of NAS gadgets, and this lower-cost entry-level unit is totally price consideration. At solely $219 with out drives, this feature supplies you with a option to rapidly create a non-public cloud at house or the workplace.

Powered by an ARM Cortex-A55 2.0GHz processor, this NAS station can serve two beneficial functions at house. 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 on your multimedia, together with images, movies, and necessary paperwork. 

The entry-level NAS comes with 3.5-inch drive bays which are appropriate 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: It is a modest unit, good for house customers who desire 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 

TerraMaster’s F4-425 is a strong space for storing at a budget-friendly worth. 

Why we prefer it: TerraMaster has as soon as once more upped its sport 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 assist hardware-level 4K H.265 decoding, a high-speed Ethernet port, an HDMI port that permits you to flip this right into a media middle server, and assist for added purposes. 

This unit additionally helps TRAID, a proprietary storage expertise that provides as much as 30% higher storage effectivity than conventional RAID with out affecting redundancy and reliability.

The unit can be tremendous silent at solely 21dB, making it good for peaceable workplaces or dwelling rooms. 

This unit is completely tool-free too, and all it’s essential to swap drives are your fingers.

Who it is for: This $387 NAS is nice for individuals who desire a high-performance, quiet unit with out the eye-watering price ticket that often accompanies that. 

Who ought to look elsewhere: If you happen to’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 

Ugreen is a brand new child on the block by way of NAS programs, however they’re of the identical high quality that I’ve come to anticipate 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 isn’t essentially the most superior NAS available on the market, this feature is a superb all-rounder on your backups.  

Who it is for: It is a nice entry or mid-range NAS for individuals who have modest necessities.

Who ought to look elsewhere: For prime-end execs, the restrict of two HDD slots shall be restrictive, and you may most likely need to degree up with one other NAS resolution. 

Ugreen NASync DXP2800 specs: HDD/SSD | Max capability: 64TB | RAID: JBOD/Fundamental/0/1 assist | M.2 Slots: 2 | USB ports: 1x USB-C and 3x USB-A | HDMI port: 1 | Ethernet: 2.5GbE