Qnap TVS H474

[Enquiries]

I have a TS 469 Pro II which is pretty old now, I've slightly fallen out of love with it and can't seem to get the WAN access sorted, have upgraded to MAc M4 Pro. Thinking of loading with all SSDs so it is silent and cheaper to run. Might do som virtualisation on it but need to learn. WHat SSDs should I buy, what RAM upgrade should I get and what would you recommend. Can you get thunderbolt PCI expansion card for this NAS now?

[ed]

It sounds like you're ready to upgrade to a more modern, quieter, and energy-efficient NAS setup! Transitioning from your QNAP TS-469 Pro II to a QNAP TVS-H474 is a great decision, especially for virtualization, as well as for handling your Plex, file serving, and backup needs.

SSDs for Silent Operation and Performance
For a silent and efficient system, SSDs are a fantastic choice. When selecting SSDs, you have a few options to consider depending on your budget and performance needs. TLC (Triple-Level Cell) SSDs provide a good balance between price and endurance, while QLC (Quad-Level Cell) SSDs are more cost-efficient, though they have a slightly lower lifespan.

Here are some reliable models that work well in NAS environments:

Samsung 860 EVO (TLC, reliable performance)
Crucial MX500 (TLC, great value)
Seagate IronWolf 525 (0.7 DWPD, ideal for NAS)
WD Red SN700 (1.0 DWPD, perfect for intensive workloads)
Since you're aiming for a silent system, you'll want to make sure your SSDs offer high endurance ratings (such as TBW—Terabytes Written) to ensure longevity, especially in a RAID configuration. Look for models with 0.5 DWPD (Drive Writes Per Day) or higher for caching or constant read/write tasks.

RAM Upgrade for Virtualization
The QNAP TVS-H474 supports up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM, which makes it well-suited for virtualization. For general home use and Plex, 16GB-32GB should be sufficient, but if you’re planning to run multiple virtual machines or resource-intensive applications, upgrading to 64GB would provide better performance and stability.

Be sure to use QNAP-compatible memory to ensure compatibility and avoid potential issues. This will help optimize performance and system stability, especially when you're running VMs or handling demanding tasks like transcoding for Plex.

Thunderbolt PCI Expansion
Regarding Thunderbolt, the QNAP TVS-H474 supports Thunderbolt 3 expansion cards, which can be incredibly useful if you need high-speed connections for media production or other fast data transfer needs. The QNAP QXP-T32P Thunderbolt 3 PCIe card is a good option for adding Thunderbolt 3 ports to your NAS. This will enable high-speed data transfer and provide flexibility for things like direct media editing or backing up large files quickly.

However, I’d recommend confirming compatibility with your specific model, as it’s important to check the QNAP compatibility list or consult their support to ensure the right Thunderbolt card is available for the TVS-H474.

Final Recommendations
The QNAP TVS-H474 is an excellent NAS for your needs, but be mindful of the cost involved in upgrading the SSDs and RAM. If you’re aiming for a 16TB RAID 5 setup, you'll need at least 3 SSDs of 5TB-6TB each. This configuration will give you good performance and scalability for your storage needs, with the option to expand as your data grows.