Best for the money (lowcost)

[Enquiries]

I am "considering" doing a Home Media server or NAS I guess, to house movie's, tv shows, music video's, music and such. I have Audials One Ultra 2025 (I have never used it) and additionally will use Jellyfin or Plex (never used them either), to manage/filing the media collection.

So what are the best Home NAS devices for a $700 or below budget??

Thank you,
Mike

[ed]

Thank you for reaching out! For a $700 budget, you can set up an excellent home NAS for your media collection. Here are some recommendations for NAS devices and setups that maximize your storage and performance while keeping within your budget:

1. Synology DS423 ($400–$450)
Why Choose It?

Affordable 4-bay NAS with Synology's user-friendly DSM interface.
Ideal for beginners with apps like Plex or Jellyfin and support for media organization.
Solid performance for media streaming to multiple devices.
Recommended Drives:

2 x 8TB Seagate IronWolf or WD Red Plus (~$400 for both).
Total setup: ~$800.
Start with 2 drives in RAID 1 and add more later for RAID 5 (more storage).
2. TerraMaster F4-423 ($450)
Why Choose It?

4-bay NAS with more powerful hardware (Intel Celeron N5105).
Slightly less polished interface compared to Synology but still effective.
Supports Plex/Jellyfin for media streaming.
Recommended Drives:

2 x 6TB Seagate IronWolf (~$300 for both).
Total setup: ~$750.
3. Asustor AS3304T ($350–$400)
Why Choose It?

Affordable 4-bay NAS with good hardware for streaming.
ADM OS is simple and supports Plex and Jellyfin.
Recommended Drives:

2 x 8TB Seagate Exos (~$400 for both).
Total setup: ~$800.
4. DIY Option: Mini PC as a Media Server
Why Choose It?

More customization and flexibility with software like UnRAID, TrueNAS, or Ubuntu Server.
Reuse existing hardware if you have any.
Suggested Hardware:

Mini PC: Beelink SER5 Pro (~$400, AMD Ryzen 5 5600H).
External USB or DAS enclosure with HDDs (e.g., 2 x 8TB drives, ~$400).
Total setup: ~$800.
Recommendation for Storage Maximization:
For your $700 budget, I recommend the TerraMaster F4-423 with 2 x 6TB drives or the Asustor AS3304T with 2 x 8TB drives. These setups balance cost, performance, and future scalability. Start with 2 drives in RAID 1 and expand as your needs grow.