01-24-2025, 01:13 PM
Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you're looking for a new NAS to support your Plex setup and expand your storage capacity.
Since you’re using Plex a lot and want to make sure you have plenty of options for software and performance, here are a few suggestions:
Option 1: Synology DS423+
The Synology DS423+ is a solid choice if you’re sticking with Synology. It offers a great balance of performance, features, and software flexibility, including DSM (DiskStation Manager), which is known for its ease of use and large array of applications. With Plex, you'll get solid media server support, and DSM’s interface allows you to manage your Plex server efficiently.
Software Options: Synology’s DSM platform has a wide range of apps available, and Plex runs well on it. It also offers other tools for media management, backups, and security.
Storage Flexibility: It supports up to 4 drives, so you can expand your storage easily by adding more drives later. You can also set it up in a RAID configuration to protect your data.
Option 2: QNAP TS-464
The QNAP TS-464 is another great option, especially if you want more flexibility and a bit more power. QNAP’s QTS operating system is similar to DSM in terms of functionality but with some extra features, like support for containerization and virtual machines (useful if you want to experiment with other software setups). QNAP also offers Plex support, and the hardware can handle transcoding quite well if you plan on streaming media to multiple devices.
Software Options: QNAP offers a large variety of applications, including Plex, multimedia servers, and more, allowing you to customize your setup.
Performance: With a quad-core Intel processor, it provides a good balance of power for tasks like media transcoding and running additional applications.
Option 3: Synology DS923+
If you’re looking to future-proof your setup and have the budget, Synology DS923+ is a fantastic option. It provides more processing power and RAM, which can help with intensive tasks like transcoding, especially for 4K media. You’ll also get the same great DSM interface and software options.
Software Options: DSM provides excellent support for Plex, along with other apps to improve your media and backup setups.
Future-Proof: The DS923+ supports more RAM and has PCIe slots for further upgrades (like a 10GbE network card), which can be helpful as your media library grows.
Conclusion:
If you're looking for the best balance of software and performance for Plex, I’d recommend either the Synology DS423+ or QNAP TS-464. Both provide excellent options for Plex and offer a variety of software for other use cases as well. If you want the ability to scale up more easily or plan to run additional apps, the DS923+ might be a good option.
Since you’re using Plex a lot and want to make sure you have plenty of options for software and performance, here are a few suggestions:
Option 1: Synology DS423+
The Synology DS423+ is a solid choice if you’re sticking with Synology. It offers a great balance of performance, features, and software flexibility, including DSM (DiskStation Manager), which is known for its ease of use and large array of applications. With Plex, you'll get solid media server support, and DSM’s interface allows you to manage your Plex server efficiently.
Software Options: Synology’s DSM platform has a wide range of apps available, and Plex runs well on it. It also offers other tools for media management, backups, and security.
Storage Flexibility: It supports up to 4 drives, so you can expand your storage easily by adding more drives later. You can also set it up in a RAID configuration to protect your data.
Option 2: QNAP TS-464
The QNAP TS-464 is another great option, especially if you want more flexibility and a bit more power. QNAP’s QTS operating system is similar to DSM in terms of functionality but with some extra features, like support for containerization and virtual machines (useful if you want to experiment with other software setups). QNAP also offers Plex support, and the hardware can handle transcoding quite well if you plan on streaming media to multiple devices.
Software Options: QNAP offers a large variety of applications, including Plex, multimedia servers, and more, allowing you to customize your setup.
Performance: With a quad-core Intel processor, it provides a good balance of power for tasks like media transcoding and running additional applications.
Option 3: Synology DS923+
If you’re looking to future-proof your setup and have the budget, Synology DS923+ is a fantastic option. It provides more processing power and RAM, which can help with intensive tasks like transcoding, especially for 4K media. You’ll also get the same great DSM interface and software options.
Software Options: DSM provides excellent support for Plex, along with other apps to improve your media and backup setups.
Future-Proof: The DS923+ supports more RAM and has PCIe slots for further upgrades (like a 10GbE network card), which can be helpful as your media library grows.
Conclusion:
If you're looking for the best balance of software and performance for Plex, I’d recommend either the Synology DS423+ or QNAP TS-464. Both provide excellent options for Plex and offer a variety of software for other use cases as well. If you want the ability to scale up more easily or plan to run additional apps, the DS923+ might be a good option.