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Shop for best network attached storage at Best Buy. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. Nov 29, 2018 - We tested five new NAS devices, and found the best for most home users. After testing five new two-bay network-attached storage (NAS).
Advertisement Network-attached storage (NAS) is a must-have for a modern home with multiple inhabitants. If everyone has their own computer and phones, a NAS can back up data so you never run out of space. And it’s the go-to as the best Looking for the best Plex server? Here are some of the best budget, prebuilt, and DIY ways to run a Plex server!
Indeed, out there. In fact, most NAS boxes will also have a failsafe second hard drive that keeps a copy of everything on your main drive, in case the main drive malfunctions.
In this article, we tell you what to look for in a NAS and recommend a handful of the best NAS devices to get you started. What to Look for in a NAS For this guide, our main requirement is a NAS that serves your backup needs, but also doubles up as a home media server. We still think, and fortunately, most NAS devices support Plex.
Even if it doesn’t come pre-installed, you can download it easily. Additionally, we are looking at two-bay NAS boxes. With these, you will be using only one drive, even though there is room for two. The other drive will be a mirror of your first, serving as a backup of all your data.
This is important since we are trying to make the NAS your main storage for all your phones, tablets, and computers. And yes, you will have to buy the hard drives yourself, as they don’t come with the NAS devices themselves.
Finally, give a thought to the interface and apps of your NAS’ manufacturer. If the box’s interface is too confusing, you won’t be able to use it to its fullest, like using a VPN. Synology, QNAP, and Western Digital all have simple and easy interfaces, and they come with great mobile apps so you can access your data even when you aren’t home. Top Pick.
Bays: Two bays or hard drives, with RAID. Processor: Dual-Core Intel Celeron N3060. Memory: 2GB RAM or 4GB RAM. LAN: 2 Gigabit ports. USB: 2 USB 3.0 ports. HDMI: No.
Audio: No. Plex: Hardware-accelerated video transcoding up to 1080p Why You Should Buy It: It’s almost an HTPC with its built-in HDMI port and a media playback remote. The is the best media server NAS for regular homes today. No other NAS offers this combination of features, as you get a capable processor and up to 4GB of RAM while also connecting the box directly to your TV via HDMI. And this is the only NAS box to have a remote control for media playback.
With a recent update to Plex, the QNAP TS-251A also supports hardware transcoding for Plex. You’ll need to manually enable this,. But once you do, you’ll get smooth playback. QNAP also lets you automatically transcode movies in the background, in case you don’t want on-the-fly hardware transcoding. For added security, the QNAP TS-251A supports full volume encryption. This is a bit overkill for a home user, but you can never be too careful with personal data.
The 4GB version isn’t always available so you might need to buy the 2GB one instead. You can also attach a microphone to the TS-251A and turn it into a karaoke machine.
How’s that for a media box? The big upgrade in the DS218+ is the J3355 processor, which supports hardware decoding of, which are crucial for smooth playback of high-resolution videos. If you’re using the NAS as a home media server with Plex, then this processor makes the biggest difference. The Diskstation 218+ is also the only NAS we’ve seen in this price range to come with an eSATA port.
It’s not a crucial feature, but it’s nice to have if you want to quickly connect a new hard drive to copy data. Note that instead of full volume encryption, the Diskstation 218+ offers folder-level encryption. It’s not a deal-breaker, especially for home users. That said, with Plex’s new update, the transcoding is smooth enough for the non-discerning eye. Couple that with the HDMI and audio ports, as well as the remote control, and the QNAP TS-251A is a better choice for 90 percent of users who want a good home media server and backup box. Budget Pick $150.99.
Bays: Two bays or hard drives, with RAID. Processor: ARM v7 processor. Memory: 1GB RAM. LAN: 1 Gigabit ports. USB: 2 USB 3.0 ports.
HDMI: No. Audio: No. Plex: No Video Transcoding, Hardware or Software Why You Should Buy It: It’s cheap! For half the price of the QNAP TS-251A or the Synology Diskstation 218+, you can still get a decent NAS box. The offers excellent value for money, but be ready for some tradeoffs. The biggest problem is that it doesn’t support video transcoding for Plex or any software. The built-in ARM processor is too weak for that, so you will need to transcode videos in advance.
Our guide to works just as well for Plex, so follow the same steps. It’s a tedious and annoying job, but hey, if you want something cheap, you will need to make some effort yourself. Best 4-Bay NAS $426.99. Bays: Four bays or hard drives, with two on RAID.
Processor: Dual-Core Intel Celeron J3355. Memory: 2GB RAM. LAN: 1 Gigabit ports. USB: 2 USB 3.0 ports.
HDMI: No. Audio: No.
Plex: Hardware-accelerated video transcoding up to 1080p Why You Should Buy It: It’s the long-term choice for anyone who wants a NAS box they will use for many years. Home users don’t always need a four-bay NAS box.
But here’s the thing. After you start using a NAS regularly, you’ll feel like two drives aren’t enough.
You’ll itch to add one more (or well, two more since you need a backup of whatever you add). Instead of buying a new NAS box in the future, if you can afford to spend the extra money right now, get the. We have looked at other too, but the 418play is the best in its price range. You’ll need to install Plex manually on it, but that’s a small step. Once you’ve set it up, it offers the smoothest Plex experience possible. The Diskstation 418play also adds a new. In layman’s terms, BTRFS is better for backup needs and file copying.
The performance for regular usage is the same, but if your data gets corrupted, there’s a better chance of recovering it with BTRFS than good old EXT4. Overall, if you can afford the extra dough, get the 418play. For more, read our The Synology DS418play is a fantastic choice for a beginner NAS – and even better, it's also the perfect media server, streaming your movies to anywhere in your home. Build Your Own NAS!
If these NAS devices are a little too expensive, you could always build your own. All you need is an old PC, or you can even pick up NAS stands for Network Attached Storage. As Windows became easier to use with network attached devices, and hardware prices fell, this term started to be used in the consumer market. Today there’s a wide variety. Then use our guide to FreeNAS is a free, open source BSD-based operating system that can turn any PC into a rock-solid file server.
Today I’m going to walk you through a basic installation, setting up a simple file share. And you’ll be up and running in no time. Explore more about:,.