Which NAS I should go for?

[Enquiries]

UGREEN DXP4800 plus vs QNAP TS-464-8G vs Aoostar WDR PRO (Ryzen 7 5825U)?

Hello! I’m new to NAS systems and would appreciate recommendations for one that suits my family’s household. I know DIY systems are often recommended and cheaper than pre-built options, but they’re not feasible for me right now due to several reasons. That said, I’d love to build one in the future!

For now, I plan to use the NAS to store all my data, Set up cloud storage for my family, Create a media center for movies, music, photos, etc. And Possibly run a home surveillance system in the future.

After researching online, I’ve decided to avoid Synology due to their predatory decisions. Instead, I’m considering these three systems:

the UGREEN DXP4800 Plus,
QNAP TS-464-8G,
and Aoostar WDR PRO Ryzen 7 5825U.

I’m shopping from Canada, so I’ve converted prices to USD.

Here’s what I’ve found:

- UGREEN DXP4800 Plus ($550): Best hardware, with two extra NVMe M.2 slots and 10Gb Ethernet. However, its software is n

[ed]

Thanks for putting together such a clear and thoughtful breakdown of what you need. You’ve already narrowed it down to three solid contenders, so let me help you decide based on reliability, longevity, and ease of use, given your priorities.

The UGREEN DXP4800 Plus is undeniably great value for hardware. The 10GbE and dual NVMe are features you’d normally pay much more for, and it’s a solid foundation if you’re willing to wipe UgreenOS and replace it with something like TrueNAS, Unraid, or even HexOS later. As it stands though, Ugreen’s own OS is still very immature with limited features and questionable security. If you’re ready to roll your own OS, it’s the best hardware in this group.

The QNAP TS-464-8G is the safer “set and forget” choice. QNAP’s QTS software is mature, feature-rich, and very stable these days. They’ve patched the old ransomware issues, and it still has one of the most complete NAS ecosystems around. RAM is officially upgradable to 16GB, and many users have run it with 32GB unofficially. The hardware isn’t as impressive as Ugreen’s, but the software makes up for it if you want something easy and reliable right now.

The Aoostar WDR PRO is more of a mini-server than a true NAS. It’s a lot of raw CPU power for the money, and a Ryzen 7 can handle a good deal of workloads, but you’re correct that Ryzen doesn’t have Intel QuickSync so it won’t handle hardware-accelerated transcoding as efficiently in Plex. It also means you’re committing to fully managing your own OS and setup from scratch. It can work really well if you’re comfortable with Linux/TrueNAS/Unraid but it isn’t as polished or integrated as a proper NAS system.

My advice:
• If you want reliability and to spend more time using it than configuring it, pick the QNAP TS-464-8G.
• If you’re happy installing a new OS yourself and want the best hardware for your money, go with the UGREEN DXP4800 Plus and ditch UgreenOS.
• The Aoostar is a budget-friendly, powerful DIY box but lacks the NAS-specific features and transcoding of the others, so I’d only pick it if you’re fine with a more hands-on experience and don’t mind software transcoding in Plex.

If you’re sticking around your $600 budget and planning to grow into it, I’d personally lean UGREEN and plan to load a better OS when you’re ready, especially since you already have a HexOS license. If you’d rather avoid tinkering for now, the QNAP is still an excellent choice.