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Best option for media server

#1
Hi,

I've been putting off getting a NAS for quite some time. Now that i'm finally willing to commit, I have trouble selecting the correct NAS. I intend to use it mainly for media storage and our photo backup. I'd like to run the plex server on it so I can watch whaterver is stored on there on the devices around the house. Not really planning on sharing it with people outside the household, but I expect that may be the case within some months.
Was really looking forward to the easy interface of the synology systems, but the lack of gpu embedded cpu's and now the whole issue with the limited selection of available drives is putting me towards QNAP.
That being said, I'm aiming for a 4-bay to start with, and populating it with 2 drives (between 8 and 12 tb, depending on availability). Exact size isnt an issue for now, and I can always expand.

I would like your opinion on 'the best' system between synology and qnap in this situation. Budget would include 2 drives.
Many thanks!
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#2
Thanks for getting in touch. Based on your intended use — mainly Plex, photo backups, and future light sharing — and your budget of €1000–1300 including drives, I’d lean toward a QNAP system for your case, especially if hardware transcoding is something you’d benefit from.

Synology does offer a very user-friendly interface and smooth setup, but most of their recent systems lack integrated GPUs for Plex hardware transcoding, and their locked-down drive compatibility may cause long-term frustration if you’re planning to mix and match or upgrade drives over time.

I’d suggest looking at the QNAP TS-464 or QNAP TS-473A. Both support hardware transcoding, have more open drive compatibility, and give you the flexibility to expand RAM or add a 10GbE card later if needed. The TS-464 is especially good for home users, while the TS-473A is more powerful but might stretch the budget depending on drive prices.

Start with 2x 10TB drives in RAID 1 or SHR-style mirroring, then expand as needed. Plex, photo syncing, backups, and remote sharing will all be well-supported. Just make sure to enable snapshots or a proper backup strategy once your data starts to accumulate.
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