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+--- Thread: Looking for a NAS (/showthread.php?tid=11752)
Looking for a NAS - Enquiries - 02-21-2025
Hi, I currently back up my mac mini and mac book via time machine, my mac mini also houses all of my Plex media and is the plex media server. The drive in my mac mini is 1TB and is very nearly full, probably about 2/3 is plex and the other 1/3 is family videos/photos. The photos/Videos are backed up to time macine on a disk which i rotate every week or so and leave looked in a safe at work, so although I plan on migrating the library to the NAS I already have these backed up.
The NAS will primarily server as easy access to the photos and media for the family and expand my storage, happy to continue to utilise the MAc Mini for the Plex Media Server.
I do have 4 WD Red 3TB drives sitting around at home which can be utilised.
Although i'm fairly happy to tinker, I do enough of that at work, so something thats fairly easy to setup and maintain, ideally something I can spend an hour setting up and then pretty much forget about would be ideal
RE: Looking for a NAS - ed - 02-21-2025
For your use case, here are three great options that should fit your needs and budget:
Synology DS423+:
A 4-bay NAS with an Intel Celeron quad-core processor and 2GB of DDR4 RAM (expandable), this model is known for its easy setup and stable performance.
It supports Plex, Time Machine, and other file management services. Synology’s DSM operating system is user-friendly, making it easy to set up and maintain.
With 2.5GbE networking, you’ll enjoy faster data transfers as well.
QNAP TS-464:
Also a 4-bay NAS, the TS-464 comes with an Intel Celeron quad-core processor, 4GB of RAM (expandable), and 2.5GbE ports.
This is a solid option for both Plex media streaming and Time Machine backups. QNAP’s QTS OS is feature-rich and supports various apps that can be added later if you want to experiment with containers or additional services.
It's also expandable, so you can add extra drives or upgrade RAM in the future.
QNAP TS-462:
This model is slightly more affordable while still offering 4 bays and an Intel Celeron quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM (expandable).
The TS-462 is a great choice for personal and family media storage, and with 2.5GbE networking, it supports faster data transfer speeds, which is a nice touch if you plan on streaming or accessing large media files.
Like the TS-464, it supports Plex and Time Machine, and it’s built on QNAP's QTS OS, making it easy to configure and manage.
All three models provide good value for money and can handle your Plex and Time Machine requirements, with the flexibility to grow if your needs change. The Synology DS423+ might be ideal if you want the reliability and ease of use, while the QNAP TS-464 and TS-462 are solid choices if you prefer QNAP’s OS and extra features.