ASK NC

Newly venturing into NAS territory for 4-member family, allowing our growth with look at our current device list and my newbie thoughts below. After review of 2022/2023 best picks article, I find myself a little on the fence about which I should choose and why. I'm open to any feedback/suggestion with my main newbie question being: Do NAS box systems price WITH hard drives for storage, or must the drives be purchased individually?
Devices (all pc, unless stated otherwise): One family desktop PC, 3 laptops, 2 iPad tablets, Ps5, Nintendo Switch, 2 iPhones (in another few years, will have need to support 4 mobile phones).

Thoughts on NAS storage structure: 6-Bay NAS, filled solely by SSDs broken down as follows:
1 Master (largest capacity drive - for receiving backups from the other 5). This drive would then back up to Cloud Storage.
1 Security cam/system (planned future install)
1 Misc. saves (word, excel, scans, etc..)
1 Music files
1 Familty photo/video
1 General computer backup

Exciting times as you step into the NAS world for your growing family! Regarding your question, NAS box systems typically don't include hard drives; those are usually purchased separately. Now, considering your device list and storage plan, a 6-bay NAS is a wise choice for future expansion.

In your budget range of $600-900, I'd recommend looking into the QNAP TS-664 or Synology DS1621+. Both are fantastic options with 6 bays, providing the flexibility you need. The TS-664 offers robust performance and features, while the DS1621+ boasts a powerful AMD Ryzen processor. Either can accommodate your SSD setup and meet the varied storage needs for your family.

Explore our NAS Finder tool at https://nascompares.com/nas-builder/ for more personalized suggestions. Happy NAS exploration!