Suggested NAS

[Enquiries]

Hi Team, I am looking to purchase my first NAS. I am wanting to store my plex files on the NAS however do not want to run PLEX on it natively (I have a separate i5 Linux box which will do that) so mostly looking for a NAS which will work well as a storage and backup solution and potentially has docker or similar so I can install a home VPN for remote access etc. My Mini PC will run the majority of things (Plex, HomeBridge, Home assistant) so just needing something I can network attach and use for the storage side. I have several friends who share my plex external to the LAN so will need to be able to handle network reads to that effect. I usually keep my files to 720p or 1080p max. Ideally would like to be able to backup my iphone images too

[ed]

If you want the best balance of price, performance, and future headroom, I’d recommend the Synology DS925+ or the QNAP TS-464.

Here’s how they compare for your use case:

Synology DS925+
• Excellent for pure storage and backups with DSM’s integrated tools (Drive, Hyper Backup, and Synology Photos for iPhone sync).
• Docker and VPN support via Synology’s own container and VPN apps.
• Very quiet and efficient, ideal for 24/7 operation.
• Works perfectly as a network target for your Plex box — just map your media shares via SMB or NFS.
• Good long-term support and simple maintenance.

QNAP TS-464
• Slightly faster for file transfers and heavier Docker workloads.
• Dual 2.5GbE ports and PCIe slot if you want to add a 10GbE card later.
• More flexible app store and container management.
• Great option if you want to experiment with more network services in the future.

If your goal is simplicity, the Synology wins hands down. If you want more control and hardware options, the QNAP gives you that freedom.

You can find them here:
• Synology DS925+: Amazon US
• QNAP TS-464: Amazon US

Both will easily handle multi-stream reads over the network for your Plex clients and back up photos from your phone automatically.