The greatest reasonably priced NAS (network-attached storage) enclosure provides you all of the options that you simply’d search for in an internet-connected storage drive for much less. Ideally, it ought to have the ability to again up the information and pictures on all units on your house community, play your media assortment throughout units, and supply ample storage for all of your knowledge wants. There are loads of nice choices that do exactly that, however my favourite continues to be the Synology DiskStation DS220j, which is a superb starter mannequin in case you’re trying to improve your house community.Why you may belief Android Central
Our knowledgeable reviewers spend hours testing and evaluating services and products so you may select the perfect for you. Find out extra about how we check.(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)Synology DiskStation DS220jA unbelievable total choiceReasons to purchase+Exhaustive software program options+Outstanding worth+Gigabit Ethernet connectivity+Holds as much as 32TB of storage+Runs quietIf you are trying to construct a NAS for backing up knowledge from all of the telephones and Windows and macOS machines in your own home or storing your audio and media library, Synology is the perfect place to begin. The model makes the perfect house NAS enclosures and sells dozens of enclosures throughout all worth factors. If you are taking a look at a funds mannequin to get began, the DiskStation DS220j is a superb choice.The DS220j has two drive bays, and every bay can accommodate onerous drives as much as 16TB. The NAS is available in at an affordable worth, however that is only for the diskless enclosure — you’ll have to purchase NAS onerous drives, like Seagate’s 4TB IronWolf onerous drive, individually. The IronWolf drives are designed to run in NAS enclosures, they usually include vibration safety and 24/7 reliability.You can choose up the DS220j and a 4TB onerous drive for a low worth, and in doing so, you will get a strong NAS enclosure with wonderful software program options. Synology’s DiskStation Manager software program is the gold commonplace within the trade. It comes with an exhaustive listing of choices that make it simple to again up the information on all units throughout your house community, stream audio and video seamlessly. There’s even a utility that routinely types the pictures uploaded to the NAS into albums. You have the choice to arrange person accounts and have members of the family arrange their very own personal area for pictures and different knowledge on the NAS.I’ve been utilizing Synology’s NAS servers for almost a decade now, and I maintain coming again to them for the highly effective software program options. There’s thrilling information right here, with Synology rolling out DSM 7.1 — its largest software program replace so far, with a brand new interface and have additions. The DS220j has lots going for it on the {hardware} entrance: you get a Realtek RTD1296 chipset, 512MB of RAM, Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, and two USB 3.0 ports. It works effectively as a Plex server, and also you’re getting excellent worth for what you are paying right here.(Image credit score: Western Digital)Western Digital My Cloud Home 4TBA nice all-in-one optionReasons to purchase+Easy to make use of+Integrated onerous drive+Great worth+Gigabit Ethernet+One USB 3.0 portReasons to avoid-Limited software program features-Not upgradeableWestern Digital’s My Cloud Home is a strong alternative in case you’re searching for an built-in NAS enclosure with a tough drive built-in. The enclosure is aimed toward first-time NAS consumers, and it helps you to simply again up pictures out of your cellphone and knowledge from Windows and macOS machines in your own home. There’s additionally a USB 3.0 port on the again for slotting in an exterior drive and transferring its contents over to the NAS.You can also stream domestically saved content material on units in your house community. With particular person person accounts, your loved ones members will have the ability to save content material from their units to the NAS immediately. WD additionally has a My Cloud Home app that offers you entry to the NAS on the go.The software program options are restricted right here, however in case you’re simply trying to get a NAS to backup knowledge and stream media domestically on your house community, the My Cloud Home is a good alternative. Considering you are getting the enclosure and a 3TB drive for a low worth, it is a fantastic worth.(Image credit score: Synology)Synology DiskStation DS120jEverything you want — for lessReasons to purchase+Easiest approach to entry Synology’s wonderful software program+Great worth+Gigabit Ethernet+Holds as much as 16TB of storage+runs quietReasons to avoid-Single onerous drive bay-Not supreme for Plex streamingIf you are searching for a extra reasonably priced choice that permits you to get began with Synology’s wonderful DiskStation Manager software program, the DiskStation DS120j is a superb alternative. The NAS is offered for lower than another choose on this listing, and you’ll choose up a 4TB IronWolf onerous drive and get began with a 4TB media server for not a complete lot of money. The price of the HDD makes the DS120j marginally costlier than WD’s My Cloud sequence, however you get rather more sturdy software program.DiskStation Manager’s standout function is that you simply get Android and iOS purchasers that allow you to stream audio, video, and entry pictures saved on the DS120j. Also, you may entry the NAS from outdoors your house community, making the NAS your individual personal music and video streaming service.The DS120j is a one-bay mannequin, which suggests you may slot in a single onerous drive. A 4TB drive could be the perfect alternative right here, however in case you assume you will want extra storage, you may at all times get an 8TB IronWolf drive, supplying you with the choice to double the storage. The extensibility mixed with the sturdy software program provides Synology an edge over the likes of Western Digital and Buffalo on this phase.On the {hardware} aspect of issues, the DS120j comes with a Marvell Armada 3700 chipset, 512MB of RAM, Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, two USB 2.0 ports, and a 60mm fan on the again. Overall, the DS120j is a unbelievable option to get began with what Synology presents with out spending an excessive amount of cash.(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)Synology DiskStation DS220+The greatest two-bay NAS for PlexCauses to purchase+Powerful {hardware}+Works nice with Plex and over DLNA+4K transcoding on the fly+Holds as much as 32TB of storage+Two Gigabit Ethernet portsReasons to avoid-No M.2 SSD slots for caching-ExpensiveNeed extra energy than the DS220j or the DS120j? You’ll need to check out the DiskStation DS220+. The NAS options Intel’s highly effective Celeron J4025 chipset and comes with 2GB of DDR4 RAM, making it a unbelievable alternative as a NAS for Plex. You get two drive bays that may accommodate 32TB of storage and two Gigabit Ethernet ports that may hyperlink collectively.One of the standout options of the DS220+ is that it will probably simply deal with 4K transcoding. You’ll come throughout this time period usually sufficient within the NAS world, and what it means is that the DS220+ can basically convert a video file from one format to a different on the fly, permitting it to play on any system. So when you’ve got a video with an .MKV file extension, and it does not play in your TV, the NAS converts the file right into a playable format, supplying you with the choice to stream it in your TV. This is all executed routinely, so that you need not fear about manually choosing file codecs.I’ve been utilizing the DS220+ for a number of months now, and one of many options I like probably the most is Synology’s Android and iOS apps. I can monitor the standing of the NAS or entry information, photographs, and movies immediately from my OnePlus 9. The DS220+ is thrilling as a media server because of its sturdy {hardware}, and also you get the identical nice set of software program options in DiskStation Manager as different Synology merchandise. You’ll want to select up a minimum of one onerous drive, so in case you’re getting a 4TB IronWolf drive, you will be spending fairly a bit. However, that is nonetheless first rate, contemplating the {hardware} on provide right here will final you many years.What’s the perfect low-cost NAS you should buy proper now?(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)If you wish to arrange a media server, you would possibly assume you need to spend some huge cash. However, whilst you ought to spend three figures — and a bit of additional for a tough drive together with the enclosure — you do not have to spend towards the higher finish of your funds.The level I’m making an attempt to make is you do not have to take a position a ton of cash to get a dependable NAS that excels on the fundamentals. That’s evident with the DiskStation DS220j — it delivers every part you are searching for in a NAS, and the software program on provide makes it a standout choice. For occasion, you should utilize it to play 4K movies on all units on your house community, arrange your individual audio and video streaming servers, and routinely again up the information throughout your community. If you want a bit extra energy for constructing a Plex 4K server, it is best to check out the DiskStation DS220+. Round up of at this time’s greatest offers