New NAS to replace current QNAP

[Enquiries]

I have a QNAP TS-251+. 6 yrs old. Original 1T WD Gold drives. 40k plus hours on drives and old QNAP technology.
-backup files, financial data, store movies, pictures, some music (not much), PLEX for home use and to share via internet with my kids. Also have one camera in place, planning for second - store recordings. My use isn't huge, but I want another six to seven years from a new NAS. I have 1 unused WD Gold 1T drive, two with data (mirrored set in the NAS). -two NVME's as new "drives"? or Sata SSDs? or WD Gold server level drives again? Would like to use my current drives until they die - or is that a bad idea? I have looked at Synology - old technology. QNAP - a little better hardware, used to the OS. UGREEN - too new, no PLEX support. Terramaster - still has software growing pains, but seems much better hardware for future proofing, but struggling software. I have built many PC's but no longer desire to spend hours messing with software configs. No self build

[subfam2]

I have a QNAP TS-251+. 6 yrs old.  Original 1T WD Gold drives.  40k plus hours on drives and now rather outdated QNAP technology. 
My gneneral use is:  -backup files, financial data, store movies, pictures, some music (not much), PLEX for home use and to share via internet with my kids.  Also have one camera in place, planning for second - store recordings.  My use isn't huge, but I want another six to seven years from a new NAS.  I have 1 unused WD Gold 1T drive, two with data (mirrored set currently in the NAS). My questions are:  -two NVME's as new drives?  or Sata SSDs?  or WD Gold server level drives again?  Would like to use my current drives until they die - or is that a bad idea? I like the idea of being able to use different sized drives at the same time - but also understand that would cause issues with simple drive mirroring.  Unless I can set up two mirrored systems in the NAS? 

I have looked at Synology - old technology.  QNAP - a little better hardware, I'm used to the OS.  UGREEN - too new, no PLEX support from what I can see.  Terramaster 424 (base, not pro or max) - still has software growing pains, but seems much better hardware for future proofing, but struggling software.  I have built many PC's but no longer desire to spend hours messing with software configs.    

This is my personal inquiry from a few minutes ago on the main webpage of Nas compares - then joined the forum.  I have modified the initial inquiry some so please take a look at it in my post here for the edits.  I appreciate all perspectives!  Thx

[adamscott]

Continuing to use your current WD Gold 1TB drives until they fail can be a reasonable approach, especially if they’re still functioning well. With 40k+ hours on them, their lifespan may be limited. It’s wise to maintain regular backups of your important data, just in case.

[ed]

Based on your requirements and budget, here are a few suggestions:

Synology DS223+

Pros: Reliable OS, solid media and backup features, good long-term support.
Cons: Slightly dated hardware, but sufficient for your use case.
QNAP TS-264

Pros: Better hardware than Synology, familiar OS, supports Plex and future expandability with NVMe slots for caching.
Cons: Slightly pricier but closer to future-proofing.
Terramaster F2-423

Pros: Modern hardware, affordable, and future-proof for light use.
Cons: Growing software still lacks the polish of Synology or QNAP.
Drives:

Keep your WD Gold drives as long as they pass SMART health checks but plan for replacement soon.
For new drives, consider Seagate IronWolf or WD Red Plus for reliability, or NVMe SSDs if speed and caching are critical.
Given your desire for ease of use, QNAP or Synology are your best bets. The QNAP TS-264 offers more hardware flexibility, while Synology excels in simplicity and long-term support.