Buying advice for my first NAS

[Enquiries]

Dear Nascompare team,

Thank you so much for valuable insights regarding the NAS snene - it is complicated world indeed. I'm a home user, first time buying a NAS, getting overwhelmed by the amount of options and cannot make a choice, so I would like to have your advice on choosing one.

My needs:
- File/photo backup/browsing from phones (5 users), replacing a 2TB Google Drive
- Media server. I'm using Stremio / Netflix directly on the TV now, and looking for alternatives with Plex/Jellyfin (does they support torrenting?)
- Security cameras. I have 2 with ONVIF support, may grow in the future.
- Adguard home, VPN server, and simple web host (for my kids to play with web development)

My research:
- I almost finalized on Synology since they cover everything and give peace of mind - but I cannot find 2023-2024 version selling around.
- Is DS225+ good for 5 years or should I pay 150$ more for DS425+ ?
- Is there a comparable option?

Thanks a ton,
Nam.

[ed]

Thanks for the message, and you’re absolutely right — the NAS world is full of options, and it’s very easy to get overwhelmed, especially when you’re trying to cover so many different uses from day one. But you’re thinking about this the right way.

To your questions:
• The Synology DS225+ is a great entry point, and for basic file backup, photo browsing, Jellyfin/Plex, AdGuard, and light camera use (2–3 ONVIF cameras), it should hold up well for several years. It runs DSM 7.2, supports Docker, and has a decent CPU for most home tasks.
• The DS425+ gives you 2 more drive bays and a slightly newer CPU, which helps if you want to expand later (e.g., add more storage or run multiple apps at once). If you think your storage needs will grow past 2 drives or want more performance headroom, the $150 extra may be worth it.

That said, if you’re open to alternatives:
• QNAP TS-464 (if available near your region) gives you 4 bays, better multimedia support, and HDMI out, but has a steeper learning curve.
• Asustor AS5402T or AS3302T could also be good fits — solid hardware, 2 bays, and good Plex/Jellyfin support with torrent clients built-in or via Docker.

Finally, both Plex and Jellyfin support torrent-related tools, but the downloading itself usually requires apps like qBittorrent, which you can install via Docker or built-in app centers on most NAS platforms.