01-24-2025, 01:09 PM
Given your focus on media streaming and transcoding performance, I’d recommend considering either the Synology DS423+ or the QNAP TS-464, both of which offer solid performance and a good balance of features for your needs.
1. Synology DS423+
Price: Around $500-600
CPU: Intel Celeron J4125 (4 cores, 2.0GHz)
RAM: 4GB (expandable to 8GB)
Features:
4 bays, with room to expand via an external unit if needed.
Synology’s DSM OS is one of the most user-friendly, with excellent media management capabilities, including great support for Plex and Jellyfin.
Hardware transcoding for smooth 4K streaming, making it a good choice for media-heavy tasks.
Security features and a robust backup system are great for protecting your data.
Why: The DS423+ provides great value for its price, excellent performance for media streaming, and a polished user experience that makes it easy to manage. If you’re looking for reliability and performance in a straightforward setup, this is a great option.
2. QNAP TS-464
Price: Around $650-750
CPU: Intel Celeron J4125 (4 cores, 2.0GHz)
RAM: 4GB (expandable to 8GB)
Features:
4 bays, with expansion options for additional storage.
Offers a faster 2.5GbE port for improved network speeds and efficient media streaming.
The QTS OS is versatile, with support for various apps, including Plex, Jellyfin, and Docker.
Hardware transcoding support for 4K media, ensuring smooth streaming for large files.
Why: The TS-464 provides a bit more network speed with its 2.5GbE port, which is great if you're planning to stream high-quality media across your network. The QTS OS is flexible, and the system offers good expandability for the future.
Why Choose These?
Both of these NAS units are great for transcoding 4K content and provide enough processing power to handle media-heavy workloads. The DS423+ is a solid, budget-friendly choice with Synology's user-friendly software, while the TS-464 gives you a little more flexibility with 2.5GbE networking and QNAP's flexible OS if you anticipate growing your setup further.
1. Synology DS423+
Price: Around $500-600
CPU: Intel Celeron J4125 (4 cores, 2.0GHz)
RAM: 4GB (expandable to 8GB)
Features:
4 bays, with room to expand via an external unit if needed.
Synology’s DSM OS is one of the most user-friendly, with excellent media management capabilities, including great support for Plex and Jellyfin.
Hardware transcoding for smooth 4K streaming, making it a good choice for media-heavy tasks.
Security features and a robust backup system are great for protecting your data.
Why: The DS423+ provides great value for its price, excellent performance for media streaming, and a polished user experience that makes it easy to manage. If you’re looking for reliability and performance in a straightforward setup, this is a great option.
2. QNAP TS-464
Price: Around $650-750
CPU: Intel Celeron J4125 (4 cores, 2.0GHz)
RAM: 4GB (expandable to 8GB)
Features:
4 bays, with expansion options for additional storage.
Offers a faster 2.5GbE port for improved network speeds and efficient media streaming.
The QTS OS is versatile, with support for various apps, including Plex, Jellyfin, and Docker.
Hardware transcoding support for 4K media, ensuring smooth streaming for large files.
Why: The TS-464 provides a bit more network speed with its 2.5GbE port, which is great if you're planning to stream high-quality media across your network. The QTS OS is flexible, and the system offers good expandability for the future.
Why Choose These?
Both of these NAS units are great for transcoding 4K content and provide enough processing power to handle media-heavy workloads. The DS423+ is a solid, budget-friendly choice with Synology's user-friendly software, while the TS-464 gives you a little more flexibility with 2.5GbE networking and QNAP's flexible OS if you anticipate growing your setup further.