09-26-2025, 12:52 PM
Thanks for laying out the details, that makes it much easier to recommend. Since the goal is to give your parents an easy photo-backup system that feels as close as possible to Google Photos, the software experience is the biggest factor here.
The Synology DS725+ would give you the smoothest mobile photo backup with Synology Photos, which really does a good job of automatic uploads, timeline sorting, and simple sharing links. It’s much easier for less technical users than the Asustor or QNAP apps. The main drawback is that the new 25+ series from Synology enforces their drive lock-in policy, so you’d need to use Synology HAT3310 or HAS5300 drives, which are essentially Toshiba enterprise/NAS drives rebranded. They work well, but you lose the flexibility of using WD Red or Seagate IronWolf.
The Asustor AS6702T is the more flexible option. It supports third-party drives and has stronger hardware on paper, with more ports and expandability. The trade-off is that Asustor’s photo apps are not as polished, so you may find yourself doing more remote support if your parents struggle with them.
The QNAP HS264 is a fanless, silent NAS intended more for a living room setup. It can handle the tasks, but QNAP’s photo apps are not as user-friendly, and for your use case I don’t think it offers an advantage. You’re also right that the QU405 isn’t the right fit here.
If simplicity and a near Google Photos-like experience are the priority, I’d go DS725+. If you’d rather avoid Synology’s drive lock-in and want the flexibility to use whatever 8TB NAS drives you like, the AS6702T is the safer bet. Either way, pairing the NAS with 8TB Seagate IronWolf or WD Red Plus drives would give you the reliability you need for photo backup and light sharing.
The Synology DS725+ would give you the smoothest mobile photo backup with Synology Photos, which really does a good job of automatic uploads, timeline sorting, and simple sharing links. It’s much easier for less technical users than the Asustor or QNAP apps. The main drawback is that the new 25+ series from Synology enforces their drive lock-in policy, so you’d need to use Synology HAT3310 or HAS5300 drives, which are essentially Toshiba enterprise/NAS drives rebranded. They work well, but you lose the flexibility of using WD Red or Seagate IronWolf.
The Asustor AS6702T is the more flexible option. It supports third-party drives and has stronger hardware on paper, with more ports and expandability. The trade-off is that Asustor’s photo apps are not as polished, so you may find yourself doing more remote support if your parents struggle with them.
The QNAP HS264 is a fanless, silent NAS intended more for a living room setup. It can handle the tasks, but QNAP’s photo apps are not as user-friendly, and for your use case I don’t think it offers an advantage. You’re also right that the QU405 isn’t the right fit here.
If simplicity and a near Google Photos-like experience are the priority, I’d go DS725+. If you’d rather avoid Synology’s drive lock-in and want the flexibility to use whatever 8TB NAS drives you like, the AS6702T is the safer bet. Either way, pairing the NAS with 8TB Seagate IronWolf or WD Red Plus drives would give you the reliability you need for photo backup and light sharing.