Buying a NAS (my first NAS)

[Enquiries]

Dear Sir, I am on to buy my first NAS and plan to choose between QNAP TS-464, Asustor AS6704T and As5404T (video transcoding is important). Planned usage: storage of family media, movies, synchronization of work-stuff + movie streaming or playback via hdmi port to TV. The NAS will be placed in the living room so noise is a factor! I like the robust construction of the Lockerstor and the display panel, but I am a bit afraid of the larger noise. However, I wonder if less efficient heat dissipation could be an issue in the plastic chassis of Nimbustor. This debate pushes me towards QNAP, however, the soldered 8GB RAM distracts me: my plan is to upgrade the RAM to 16 GB. Final questions: should I be happy with the 8GB RAM and choose QNAP or go for the Nimbustor? Or shall I hope that noise will not disturb watching movies and buy the Lockerstor? Thanks a lot for your advice!

[ed]

Choosing your first NAS is an exciting step, especially with options like the QNAP TS-464, Asustor AS6704T, and AS5404T on your list. Given your needs—family media storage, synchronization of work documents, and movie streaming—the QNAP TS-464 and Asustor AS6704T stand out, especially for their video transcoding capabilities. The TS-464 is equipped with a robust Intel Celeron N5095, which excels at handling 4K media streaming and transcoding, making it ideal for high-quality playback. It also features a compact design, effectively managing heat despite its plastic chassis, which shouldn’t be a major concern in a typical home setup. The 8GB RAM is soldered, but it's quite capable of handling your described tasks, and for most users, this should be sufficient.

On the other hand, the Asustor AS6704T, with its Intel N5105 CPU and expandable RAM, provides a bit more flexibility for future upgrades and includes an HDMI port for direct connection to your TV, which is a significant plus for media enthusiasts. However, it may produce slightly more noise due to its metal chassis and higher cooling requirements, though this is often manageable by using SSDs or placing the NAS in a well-ventilated cabinet.

If noise is a critical factor, consider investing in quieter fans or SSDs, which can be installed in the HDD bays to minimize sound. Both NAS models can handle your multimedia needs effectively, but if upgrading RAM to 16GB is crucial for you and noise isn’t a primary concern, the AS6704T is a solid choice. However, if you prefer a quieter, slightly more compact option with excellent out-of-the-box performance, the TS-464 is excellent too. For more details, you can explore the NAS finder tool here: https://nascompares.com/nas-builder/.

[attila.jancso]

Dear ed,
Thanks a lot for your detailed response. Just a quick quastion: your advice compares two of my possible target NASs and I clearly understand now the possible advantages/disatvantages of these two. (I am leaning towards the QNAP out of these two NASs.)
However, I also mentioned in my first message the AS5404T (Nimbustor) device which is very similar to the Lockerstor 'brother' in terms of its hardware except the possibility of a 10GB PCIe upgrade (and that it has a plastic chassis). Would there be another reason why not to consider this Asustor as a possible choice? Is it inferior to the AS6704T from other aspects (than the PCIe card slot) which I am not aware of? Thanks again, and please enjoy your ko-fi!