Which NAS I should go for?

[Enquiries]

Hi! I’m new to NAS and need recommendations for a family household system in Canada (prices in USD). DIY isn’t feasible now, but I may build one later. Needs: data storage, family cloud, media center (movies, music, photos), and future home surveillance. I’m avoiding Synology due to their practices. Considering:

UGREEN DXP4800 Plus ($550): Great hardware (2 NVMe M.2, 10GbE), but new OS lacks features/security.

QNAP TS-464-8G ($620): Mature OS, but past ransomware concerns; unsure about RAM upgradability.

Aoostar WDR PRO ($430 w/ 512GB SSD + 16GB RAM, or $370 barebones): Cheapest, powerful CPU, but may need custom OS and ryzen may lag in transcoding compared to Intel unless I'm wrong.

Reliability and longevity are key. I already have a HexOS license, but open to other OS options until Hex will fully release. Which is best, or are there better alternatives in the $600 range? Thanks!

[ed]

For a family NAS that will handle file storage, private cloud, media streaming, and possibly surveillance down the line, here’s my take:

UGREEN DXP4800 Plus – You’re right to note it has the best hardware for the price, with 10GbE, strong CPU, and dual NVMe slots. The downside, as you already sensed, is that the Ugreen OS is still quite immature. It works, but it doesn’t yet have the polish, stability, or long-term support you’d get from something like QNAP. If you’re willing to wipe it and install TrueNAS or Unraid yourself, then this is a fantastic piece of hardware. If you want something more set-and-forget, it may not be ideal yet.

QNAP TS-464-8G – This is the safe choice. The hardware isn’t as flashy but it’s perfectly fine for what you’re planning, and QNAP’s software is much more mature and feature-rich than Ugreen’s. You get good app support, decent surveillance software, and stable updates. If you want to just set it up and not have to troubleshoot much, this is the one I’d recommend today.

Aoostar WDR PRO Ryzen 7 5825U – This is effectively a powerful mini-server rather than a proper NAS. The hardware is excellent and much faster than the others, but you’re left to install and configure the entire system yourself. If you’re already comfortable with Linux/TrueNAS/Unraid or want to learn, it can be rewarding. But it won’t have the same level of plug-and-play experience, and there’s no NAS-specific support or ecosystem like you get with QNAP.

My suggestion: If you want the most straightforward setup and don’t mind slightly lower specs, go with the QNAP TS-464-8G. If you’re comfortable installing your own OS or willing to learn, and you want the best value hardware, the UGREEN DXP4800 Plus is a very strong option, as long as you replace its software. The Aoostar is really more of a DIY enthusiast’s platform and may be overkill given your needs.