NAS for plex media server

[Enquiries]

I' m looking to get a Nas, just undecided. I have a gaming PC which I used to to run my plex server. I have a nvidia sheild that is hooked up to my bedroom TV and I have a living room TV that doesn't have a shield.

I would like a 4 Bay Nas maybe intel.. also would like to have a 2Gbe port with a choice to add ram.

Please is the main use, but would like to run a vpn on it as well.

[ed]

Sounds like you’re on the right track wanting a 4-bay NAS with an Intel processor and 2.5GbE ports — that’s a solid combo for Plex streaming, especially if you want smooth 4K playback on your Nvidia Shield. Having the ability to add more RAM later is definitely a smart move if you plan to run VPNs or other apps alongside Plex.

With your budget around $1500 CAD, you’ve got some good options to consider:

TerraMaster F4-424 Max — This one packs an Intel Core i5, comes with 8GB RAM (expandable), dual 2.5GbE ports, and supports M.2 SSD caching for snappy performance. It’s great for 4K transcoding and multitasking.

Asustor AS5304T — A little lighter on the CPU with an Intel Celeron J4105 but still solid for Plex and VPN use. Also has dual 2.5GbE and HDMI out if you want to connect directly to a TV.

QNAP TS-453D — Another popular Intel Celeron option, 4 bays, 2.5GbE ports, and easy RAM upgrades. QNAP’s OS is a bit more feature-rich, which is handy if you want to do more than just media streaming.

Synology DS923+ — Very user-friendly with a polished OS and great app support, but it only has 1GbE ports built-in (you can add 2.5GbE cards). If you prioritize ease of use and reliability, it’s worth a look.

Since you already have a mix of drives, make sure whichever NAS you pick supports different-sized drives without issues (most do these days). Also, consider adding an SSD cache if you want faster access to your most-used media.

All these options will handle Plex and VPNs well, so it mostly comes down to what OS you prefer and how much you want to tinker under the hood.