01-08-2026, 04:04 PM
For the best balance of simplicity, reliability, and long-term support, Synology is still the top choice. Their DSM system is polished, remote access works without headaches, and automated backups for PCs, Macs, and phones are excellent. For your use case, the DS225 Plus or DS425 Plus models are ideal. Both have efficient Intel CPUs, built-in hardware transcoding for media, and support running light VMs or Docker containers. The 4 bay gives you more flexibility long term, especially if you want RAID5 or SHR for easy expansion.
If you want more performance per dollar, QNAP and ASUSTOR are stronger options. QNAP’s TS-x64 series (TS-262, TS-264, TS-464) remain some of the best “all-rounders” thanks to NVMe slots, 2.5GbE as standard, and the ability to drop in a 10GbE card later. They handle media streaming extremely well and offer virtualization station for light VM workloads. ASUSTOR’s Lockerstor 4 Gen2 and Flashstor 6 are also excellent in 2026, especially if you want NVMe-heavy storage or very fast app performance.
When choosing, prioritise these features instead of just storage capacity. Look for at least 2.5GbE networking to speed up transfers between multiple PCs and TV clients. Make sure the NAS supports hardware transcoding if you plan to stream outside your home. NVMe slots are helpful for caching or hosting VMs without slowing down the HDD array. And pay attention to the ecosystem: Synology offers the most stable apps, QNAP the widest variety, ASUSTOR a good balance of both.
For setup, the best workflow is to enable automated PC backups with Synology Active Backup or QNAP’s HBS3. For phones, both Synology Photos and QNAP QuMagie do reliable automatic uploads. For media streaming, just install Plex or Jellyfin on the NAS and point your TV apps at it. If you want smoother performance, consider adding a small NVMe volume for the Plex metadata, since that’s where speed matters most.
If you want more performance per dollar, QNAP and ASUSTOR are stronger options. QNAP’s TS-x64 series (TS-262, TS-264, TS-464) remain some of the best “all-rounders” thanks to NVMe slots, 2.5GbE as standard, and the ability to drop in a 10GbE card later. They handle media streaming extremely well and offer virtualization station for light VM workloads. ASUSTOR’s Lockerstor 4 Gen2 and Flashstor 6 are also excellent in 2026, especially if you want NVMe-heavy storage or very fast app performance.
When choosing, prioritise these features instead of just storage capacity. Look for at least 2.5GbE networking to speed up transfers between multiple PCs and TV clients. Make sure the NAS supports hardware transcoding if you plan to stream outside your home. NVMe slots are helpful for caching or hosting VMs without slowing down the HDD array. And pay attention to the ecosystem: Synology offers the most stable apps, QNAP the widest variety, ASUSTOR a good balance of both.
For setup, the best workflow is to enable automated PC backups with Synology Active Backup or QNAP’s HBS3. For phones, both Synology Photos and QNAP QuMagie do reliable automatic uploads. For media streaming, just install Plex or Jellyfin on the NAS and point your TV apps at it. If you want smoother performance, consider adding a small NVMe volume for the Plex metadata, since that’s where speed matters most.