Best NAS Devices of 2025: Home and Small Business Network Storage Solutions Compared

Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices have evolved from simple file storage appliances into versatile home and business servers capable of running applications, streaming media, backing up important data, and even powering surveillance systems. This comprehensive guide examines the best NAS solutions of 2025, helping you select the perfect system for your specific needs, whether you’re a home user, content creator, or small business owner.

Understanding NAS Technology

A Network Attached Storage device is essentially a specialized computer optimized for data storage and sharing across your network. Modern NAS systems offer much more than file storage, serving as the central hub for your digital life.

Key NAS Components

Processor (CPU): Determines performance for file operations and applications
Memory (RAM): Affects multitasking capability and application performance
Drive Bays: Number of hard drives or SSDs the NAS can accommodate
Network Connectivity: Ethernet ports (1GbE, 2.5GbE, 10GbE) for network connection
Operating System: Manufacturer-specific OS with app ecosystem (DSM, QTS, etc.)

Benefits of a NAS System

Centralized Storage: Access files from any device on your network
Automatic Backup: Schedule backups from computers and mobile devices
Media Streaming: Host and stream your music, movie, and photo collections
Remote Access: Securely access files and applications from anywhere
Application Hosting: Run various applications like media servers, surveillance systems, and more
Data Protection: RAID configurations protect against drive failures

Top NAS Brands of 2025

Synology

The market leader known for its polished software experience and reliable hardware.

Software: DiskStation Manager (DSM) - widely considered the best NAS operating system
Strengths: User-friendly interface, excellent app ecosystem, regular software updates
Weaknesses: Premium pricing, limited hardware upgradeability
Best for: General users who prioritize ease of use and stability

QNAP

Known for hardware innovation and performance-focused systems.

Software: QTS (QNAP Turbo System)
Strengths: Powerful hardware options, excellent connectivity, highly customizable
Weaknesses: Software not as polished as Synology, steeper learning curve
Best for: Tech enthusiasts and professionals who need maximum performance

Asustor

Offers a good balance of features, performance, and value.

Software: Asustor Data Master (ADM)
Strengths: Competitive pricing, good hardware specifications, gaming-focused features
Weaknesses: Smaller app selection, less refined user experience
Best for: Users seeking value and gaming-oriented features

TerraMaster

Budget-friendly option with improving software features.

Software: TOS (TerraMaster Operating System)
Strengths: Affordable pricing, improving software platform, decent hardware
Weaknesses: Less mature software, smaller community and support
Best for: Budget-conscious users who need basic NAS functionality

Best NAS for Home Users

Synology DS224+ (2-Bay)

Perfect entry-level NAS for the average home user.

Processor: Intel Celeron N4505 (2-core, 2.0 GHz, burst up to 2.9 GHz)
Memory: 2GB DDR4 (expandable to 8GB)
Drive Bays: 2 (supports 22TB drives, up to 44TB raw capacity)
Connectivity: 2x 2.5GbE ports (with Link Aggregation)
Key Features:
- Excellent media streaming capability
- User-friendly Synology Photos for photo management
- Comprehensive backup solutions for computers and mobile devices
- Synology Drive (Dropbox-like file sync)
Price: $299 (diskless)
Pros: Simple setup, reliable performance, excellent mobile apps
Cons: Limited expansion options, no PCIe slot for upgrades

QNAP TS-453D (4-Bay)

A versatile multimedia powerhouse with expansion options.

Processor: Intel Celeron J4125 (4-core, 2.0 GHz, burst up to 2.7 GHz)
Memory: 8GB DDR4 (expandable to 16GB)
Drive Bays: 4 (supports 22TB drives, up to 88TB raw capacity)
Connectivity: 2x 2.5GbE ports, PCIe expansion slot
Key Features:
- HDMI output for direct connection to TV
- Hardware transcoding for Plex
- Virtualization Station for running virtual machines
- Container Station for Docker applications
Price: $499 (diskless)
Pros: Excellent multimedia capabilities, direct HDMI output, expandable
Cons: Higher power consumption, software interface can be overwhelming

Synology DS224+ 2-Bay NAS

www.amazon.com

Perfect home storage solution with intuitive software, automatic backups, seamless media streaming, and robust photo management for your digital life.

Best NAS for Media Enthusiasts

Synology DS924+ (4-Bay)

Ideal for serious media collectors with extensive libraries.

Processor: Intel Core i3-1220 (4-core, 3.3 GHz)
Memory: 8GB DDR4 (expandable to 32GB)
Drive Bays: 4 (plus 2 M.2 NVMe slots for caching)
Connectivity: 2x 2.5GbE ports, 1x 10GbE port
Key Features:
- Powerful transcoding capabilities for 4K content
- Synology Video Station and Audio Station for media management
- Supports numerous simultaneous Plex streams
- SSD caching improves application performance
Price: $649 (diskless)
Pros: Excellent performance, robust media applications, flexible storage options
Cons: Premium price, higher power consumption

QNAP TVS-h674 (6-Bay)

A high-performance media server for demanding users.

Processor: Intel Core i5-12400 (6-core, 12-thread)
Memory: 16GB DDR4 (expandable to 64GB)
Drive Bays: 6 + 2 U.2 NVMe bays
Connectivity: 2x 2.5GbE, 1x 10GbE, PCIe expansion
Key Features:
- QuMagie AI-powered photo organization
- HybridMount for cloud storage integration
- QuTScloud for virtual NAS environments
- Multi-zone multimedia streaming
Price: $1,099 (diskless)
Pros: Exceptional performance, extensive connectivity, future-proof
Cons: Expensive, complex for beginners, high power consumption

Best NAS for Small Business

Synology DS1522+ (5-Bay)

A versatile business NAS with excellent expandability.

Processor: AMD Ryzen R1600 (4-core, 2.6 GHz)
Memory: 8GB DDR4 (expandable to 32GB)
Drive Bays: 5 (expandable to 15 with DX517 expansion units)
Connectivity: 4x 1GbE ports (10GbE via optional adapter)
Key Features:
- Synology Active Backup for business devices and servers
- Synology Drive for team collaboration
- Synology Office suite (documents, spreadsheets, slides)
- Advanced user management and permissions
Price: $699 (diskless)
Pros: Reliable, expandable, excellent business applications
Cons: Base model lacks 2.5GbE or faster networking

QNAP TS-h973AX (9-Bay)

Hybrid storage design for businesses with diverse storage needs.

Processor: AMD Ryzen V1500B (4-core, 2.2 GHz)
Memory: 16GB DDR4 (expandable to 64GB)
Drive Bays: 5x 3.5” bays, 4x 2.5” bays (2 are U.2 NVMe)
Connectivity: 2x 2.5GbE, 1x 10GbE
Key Features:
- Tiered storage architecture (NVMe, SSD, HDD)
- QuTScloud for virtual NAS deployment
- Comprehensive backup solutions
- Virtual machine and container support
Price: $1,299 (diskless)
Pros: Flexible storage options, excellent performance, built-in 10GbE
Cons: Complex setup, higher initial investment

QNAP TS-h973AX 9-Bay Hybrid NAS

www.amazon.com

Professional-grade storage solution with tiered storage architecture, 10GbE connectivity, and comprehensive business applications for optimal data management.

Understanding RAID Configurations

RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configurations help balance performance, capacity, and data protection. Modern NAS systems also offer proprietary RAID alternatives like Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) that provide more flexibility.

Common RAID Types

RAID 0 (Striping)

Capacity: 100% of total drive space
Performance: Excellent (reads and writes distributed across drives)
Data Protection: None (failure of any drive means total data loss)
Ideal Use Case: Temporary storage where performance matters more than data safety

RAID 1 (Mirroring)

Capacity: 50% of total drive space
Performance: Good reads (can read from either drive), standard writes
Data Protection: Excellent (identical data on both drives)
Ideal Use Case: Critical data storage with minimal drives (2-drive setups)

RAID 5 (Distributed Parity)

Capacity: ~75% of total drive space (N-1 drives)
Performance: Good reads, slower writes due to parity calculations
Data Protection: Good (can survive one drive failure)
Ideal Use Case: General-purpose storage balancing capacity and protection

RAID 6 (Dual Parity)

Capacity: ~67% of total drive space (N-2 drives)
Performance: Good reads, slowest writes due to dual parity calculations
Data Protection: Very good (can survive two simultaneous drive failures)
Ideal Use Case: Large arrays where rebuild times are long and data is critical

Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR)

Capacity: Optimized based on drive sizes (allows mixed drive sizes)
Performance: Similar to equivalent standard RAID
Data Protection: 1-drive fault tolerance (SHR) or 2-drive fault tolerance (SHR-2)
Ideal Use Case: When you plan to expand storage with different sized drives over time

Selecting Hard Drives for Your NAS

Choosing the right drives is just as important as selecting the NAS device itself.

NAS-Optimized Drives

WD Red Plus/Pro: Designed specifically for NAS environments, reliable, with vibration protection
Seagate IronWolf/IronWolf Pro: Built for 24/7 operation, higher workloads, includes health management
Toshiba N300: Good balance of performance, reliability, and value
HGST Ultrastar: Enterprise-grade reliability, higher cost

Drive Considerations

CMR vs. SMR: Choose CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording) drives for better reliability and performance in NAS environments
Capacity vs. Redundancy: Balance your storage needs with proper protection (larger drives mean longer rebuild times)
RPM: 5400 RPM drives run cooler and quieter, 7200 RPM offers better performance
Cache Size: Larger cache (256MB vs 64MB) can improve performance for certain workloads

HDD vs SSD vs NVMe Storage: Technical Differences Explained

Essential NAS Applications and Use Cases

Media Streaming and Management

Plex Media Server: Stream your media collection to any device
Synology Video/Audio Station: Native media management without subscription
Jellyfin: Open-source media solution
Emby: Flexible media server alternative

Backup Solutions

Computer Backup: Time Machine (Mac), Windows Backup, Synology Active Backup
Cloud Backup: Sync with Google Drive, Dropbox, BackBlaze B2, Amazon S3
NAS-to-NAS Backup: Snapshot Replication for disaster recovery
3-2-1 Backup Strategy: Implementation using a NAS as your primary backup

Home Surveillance

Synology Surveillance Station: Professional-grade camera management
QNAP QuMagie: AI-powered recognition and organization
Camera Compatibility: Works with thousands of IP camera models
Storage Requirements: Calculate capacity needs based on resolution and retention

Virtualization and Containers

Virtual Machines: Run Windows, Linux or other operating systems
Docker Containers: Lightweight application deployment
Application Examples: Home automation, development environments, web servers
Resource Requirements: CPU, RAM, and storage considerations

WD Red Plus 6TB NAS Hard Drive

www.amazon.com

Specifically designed for NAS environments with NASware technology, reliable 24/7 operation, and optimized performance for RAID configurations.

Networking Considerations for NAS Performance

Network Connection Options

1GbE (Gigabit Ethernet): Standard option, ~120MB/s theoretical maximum
2.5GbE: Growing in popularity, ~300MB/s theoretical maximum
10GbE: High-performance option, ~1200MB/s theoretical maximum
Link Aggregation: Combines multiple network ports for improved throughput and redundancy

Network Setup Recommendations

Dedicated Switch: Separate NAS traffic from other network activities
Cat6 or Better Cabling: Ensures full throughput capacity
Jumbo Frames: Optimize performance for large file transfers (if all network components support it)
Quality of Service (QoS): Prioritize NAS traffic for critical applications

Power Protection and Management

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

A UPS is essential for preventing data corruption during power outages.

Capacity Sizing: Choose based on NAS power consumption plus 20% headroom
Runtime Requirements: Minimum 10-15 minutes to allow for safe shutdown
Connectivity: USB connection allows NAS to receive shutdown signal
Recommended Models: APC Back-UPS Pro, CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD

Power Consumption Considerations

Idle vs. Active: Modern NAS systems use 15-30W idle, 50-100W+ under load
Drive Selection: Enterprise drives consume more power than NAS-optimized drives
Scheduled Power: Configure power on/off schedules for lower-priority NAS systems
Hibernate Settings: Balance accessibility with energy usage

Data Security Best Practices

Physical Security

Location: Secure, well-ventilated, dust-free environment
Access Control: Physical access limitation
Environmental Factors: Temperature, humidity, power stability

Network Security

Separate VLAN: Isolate NAS traffic
Firewall Rules: Restrict external access
VPN Access: Secure remote connection
HTTPS Enforcement: Encrypted web interface access

User Management

Strong Passwords: Enforce complex password policies
Two-factor Authentication: Add an extra security layer
Principle of Least Privilege: Users access only what they need
Activity Monitoring: Audit logs and notifications

Conclusion: Choosing the Right NAS

The ideal NAS system depends on your specific requirements:

Home Media Users: Synology DS224+ or QNAP TS-453D provide excellent media capabilities with user-friendly interfaces
Content Creators: Synology DS924+ or QNAP TVS-h674 offer the performance needed for video editing and large media libraries
Small Businesses: Synology DS1522+ or QNAP TS-h973AX provide the reliability and features necessary for business operations
Data Hoarders: Consider QNAP TVS-h1688X or Synology DS1821+ for maximum expansion capabilities
Budget-Conscious: TerraMaster F4-423 or Asustor Drivestor 4 Pro offer good value for basic NAS functions

Remember that a NAS is a long-term investment. Consider not just your current needs but how your storage requirements might grow over the next 3-5 years. Choosing a system with room to expand will often prove more economical than replacing an undersized unit.

Conclusion

A high-quality NAS for your home or small business doesn’t have to break the bank - there are excellent options at every price point. Choose a model that provides room for growth, adequate performance for your intended use case, and the right balance of features and expandability.

Remember that the real cost of a NAS system includes not just the enclosure, but also the hard drives you’ll install. Invest in NAS-optimized drives for the best reliability and performance.

Understanding Hard Drive Types Learn about the different types of hard drives and which ones are best suited for your NAS.

Synology DS1522+ 5-Bay NAS

www.amazon.com

Business-ready storage solution with expandable capacity, comprehensive backup tools, and collaboration features for growing organizations.