suggestion: 2-4 bay NAS for home backups, media server and some tinkering

[Enquiries]

I've been using a Syn DS413 for years and want to upgrade. Looking for a turnkey NAS with 2 or 4 bays. My main use cases are: 1) network storage of personal/media files, that doubles down as a media server for a smart tv/speakers; 2) torrent client; 3) run some containers in the future (cannot now)

I want something x86 based that I can run some containers on, which I cant do now. A nice-to-have would be some sort of dual-boot mechanism so I could install TrueNAS or something and tinker on my own time - but not sure if this even exists. 2.5GBe is nice to have, 10Gbe not needed.

I'm overall happy with Syn but the walled garden + dated hardware on current models + your comments about their move to proprietary hardware and enterprise put me off quite a bit. On the other hand, I do love their stability, ease of use, feature completeness (not that I use a lot of it). From my own research, I am pending towards the QNAP TS-464 but wanted to hear your thoughts. TY for the advice!!!!

[ed]

It sounds like you're after a solid upgrade from your Synology DS413, and I think you're on the right track with the QNAP TS-464! It’s a great choice for your use cases—it’s x86-based, which will allow you to run containers, and it has the ability to handle media streaming to your smart TV and speakers.

Regarding your interest in dual-booting, QNAP doesn’t officially support dual-boot setups like TrueNAS and their own OS, but you can install and run TrueNAS Core or other OS options in a VM using their Virtualization Station. This way, you can tinker and experiment without compromising the main NAS functionality.

As for 2.5GbE, the TS-464 does come with that feature, which will help with faster file transfers and streaming, especially when dealing with larger media files. While 10GbE isn’t necessary for your use case right now, the 2.5GbE is definitely a good future-proof option.

If you're looking for alternatives, you might also want to check out the QNAP TVS-672N (a bit higher-end), which also supports containerization and has the PCIe slots for additional upgrades like 10GbE cards, and it would provide a lot more expansion flexibility as your needs grow.

Overall, I think the QNAP TS-464 will serve you well for your current needs and give you plenty of room to tinker and expand in the future.