If you are considering buying/building your own Plex Media server (or even want to test the capabilities of your existing Plex server), then you may have discovered that it is actually a lot harder to bench-test your multimedia system than it should be. Notwithstanding the fact that very, VERY few people are running the exact same server setup (even two people buying the same NAS drive might have different HDDs, SSDs, memory, caching, directories, network traffic and more), but then you need to factor in that the depth, frequency and volume of everyone’s media collection will differ wildly. One user might have a simple Nvidia Shield + external USB drive setup and mostly 1080P, another running a Synology DS920+ NAS and a tonne of 4K, meanwhile, user number 3 is a highly audio-focused user that wants to use pristine, flawless raw audio to their smart home speakers from their Plex library – These are just three setups and each is INCREDIBLY different in it’s hardware requirements! So, when you are in the market for a new server for your Plex system, or simply want to check your current setup does the job), it is recommended to run a benchmark by playing some ranged media that will stress test different areas of multimedia playback on your Plex server. I have been running Plex Media Server tests on NAS drives for a  number of years (a FULL PLEX TEST PLAYLIST can be found HERE on the NASCompares YouTube) and although I include fairly standard multimedia testing using familiar movies and TV shows, I have also used a tremendously thorough range of files known as the ‘JellyFish Files‘. This is an incredible range of files that cover everything from a 2MB sized 480p, low bitrate, H.264, all the way upto an insanely high end 1.4 GIGABYTE 400Mbps 4K UHD HEVC HDR file – ALL of which are the same 30 second media file. These files can be added to your Plex Media Server and playing them, whilst monitoring your system’s hardware and resource utilization will help you understand the limitations of your system and what the system can/cannot play natively, as well as what impact files that need on-the-fly conversion (known predominantly as ‘transcoding’ and we will cover that later). The original source website and author location of the JellyFish files has become vague over the years (with the original repository that I originally found them and credit, being a dead website now), however, I am often asked if I still have access to the Jellyfish archive and if I can share them. The answer to that first question is YES, but the 2nd question takes a little longer to answer. I tried to backlink/direct users to the repository for a long time, as well as locate the original author (feeling that it is not my work to feely distribute) but hit something of a wall and after my bazillion’th requests, I have decided to create a shared drive for ALL these files. Below are the links to the FULL range of JellyFish files for testing your Plex NAS, but before you proceed, there are a few things you need t keep in mind before you proceed:

Understanding the Jellyfish Files and the File Formats, Quality and Density on a Plex NAS Benchmark Test

Before you start testing your Plex Media Sever and its multimedia capabilities, it is worth taking a moment to understand the terminology and variations of media files. You could have two copies of ‘Marvel’s Avengers Endgame’, both in 4K, but due to variations in their bitrate, their compression technique and their file format/codec and one will play much, MUCH better than another on your system. Although there are many kinds of ways you can clarify your multimedia files, the FOUR most important variables/standards to check are Bitrate, Resolution, Codec and Video Compression Standard. Take a moment to learn about what these are and their impact using the glossary below:

• Bitrate – Bitrate is the number of bits per second. The symbol is bit/s. It generally determines the size and quality of video and audio files: the higher the bitrate, the better the quality, and the larger the file size because of File size = bitrate (kilobits per second) x duration. In most cases, 1 byte per second (1 B/s) corresponds to 8 bit/s. Video bitrate affects video quality in several ways. First, it is the key measure of any video file size. Secondly, high video bitrate results in high video quality and low bitrates result in poor video quality. However, using an extremely high bitrate is just a waste of bandwidth. In general, a higher bitrate will accommodate higher image quality in the video output, only when comparing the same video with the same resolution. Bitrates should be expected to go up whenever the resolution goes up, as more data is being processed. Therefore, high video bitrate may provide excellent quality, but it can also place a major strain on your hardware which can result in stutters.
• Resolution – Video resolution determines the amount of detail in your video or how realistic and clear the video appears. It’s measured by the number of pixels contained in the standard aspect ratio of 16:9, the most common aspect ratio for television and computer monitors. A higher number of pixels indicates a higher resolution and a lower number of pixels makes for a low-resolution video. For the common resolutions of 720 and 1080, the naming convention is based on the total number of pixels running in a vertical line down the display area. For 2K, 4K or 8K video, the resolution is named for the number of pixels running in a horizontal line across the frame. Previously, the resolution has been divided between standard definition (SD video) and high definition (HD video). Anything below 720 is considered standard definition. However, as screen resolutions on computer monitors and televisions continue to improve, it’s less likely for anything to be shot in SD.
• The difference between video resolution and frame rate – Digital videos are made up of thousands of still images played in sequence. While resolution refers to the amount of data in the frame, frame rate refers to how quickly those frames are cycled through, or how many stills are packed into each second. As with video resolution, choose your video’s frame rate based on the type of motion you’re trying to capture and the type of video formats you expect to release to your audience.
• Codec – Codecs are the oxygen of the streaming media market; no codecs, no streaming media. From shooting video to editing to encoding our streaming media files for delivery, codecs are involved every step of the way. Many video producers also touch the DVD-ROM and Blu-ray markets, as well as broadcast, and codecs play a role there as well. Codecs are compression technologies and have two components, an encoder to compress the files, and a decoder to decompress. There are codecs for data (PKZIP), still images (JPEG, GIF, PNG), audio (MP3, AAC) and video (Cinepak, MPEG-2, H.264, VP8). It’s important to distinguish codecs from container formats, though sometimes they share the same name. Briefly, container formats, or wrappers, are file formats that can contain specific types of data, including audio, video, closed captioning text, and associated metadata. Though there are some general-purpose container formats, like QuickTime, most container formats target one aspect of the production and distribution pipeline, like MXF for file-based capture on a camcorder, and FLV and WebM for streaming Flash and WebM content.
• HEVC, H.264 and H.265 – H.264 (AVC) and H.265 (HEVC) are both standards for video compression used in recording and distributing digital video. Why would you choose one over the other? The main difference between H.264 and H.265 is how each processes information and the resulting video file size and bandwidth consumption used with each standard. H.264 processes frames of video using macroblocks, while H.265 processes information using coding tree units (CTUs). CTUs process information more efficiently, which results in a smaller file size and less bandwidth used for your streaming video. H.264 (also called AVC, or Advanced Video Coding) is an industry-standard for video compression that allows for the recording, compression, and distribution of digital video content. H.265 is newer and more advanced than H.264 in several ways. H.265 (also called HEVC, or High-Efficiency Video Coding) allows for further reduced file size, and therefore reduced required bandwidth, of your live video streams.

There are several other terms that are more appropriate to Plex that it might be worth getting school’d up on, but these are optional and you can learn about them below in my video on Plex NAS servers for Dummies:

Where to Download the Files to Test Your Plex Media Server NAS

As mentioned, the Jellyfish files comprise a wide range of files that, although all the same 30 secs of jellyfish playing around in the sea, comprise around 56 files of varying degrees of quality and size. You can use the links below to head over to google drive for each specific file (each link opens in a new tab). Then you can use the download option at the top right corner to  download the file to your local machine:

For those looking to bulk-download, I am afraid that due to reasons of bandwidth hogging (when I shared these files with people in the past) and the sheer weight of these files, I have opted to keep these on a Google Drive shared drive. You should be able to add these files and bulk download them from inside your own Google Drive account, or you can message me directly for the full download link by contacting me directly using the contact section at the bottom of the page. Otherwise, here is the full range of Jellyfish files to download and test your Plex Media server NAS server or DIY/ByO system:

There you have it, those are the Jellyfish files for testing your Plex server. If you are still on the fence about the best plex media server NAS drive you should consider buying, you can use my article below that highlights the drives I would personally recommend and why:

(Click Below to view this article)

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If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here  

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WE LOVE COFFEE

The ZimaCube Pro, developed by Ice Whale Technology, is a high-performance NAS system that emerged from a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Positioned as a solution for advanced users, the ZimaCube Pro is designed to meet the needs of those requiring significant storage and processing power for a variety of demanding applications. The device is marketed towards users who require a reliable, high-performance system for tasks such as media management, content creation, and large-scale data processing. This review delves into its design, hardware specifications, connectivity options, performance metrics, and overall usability, providing a comprehensive evaluation of its strengths and limitations.

You can check Amazon for the ZimaCube Pro NAS – HERE

ZimaCube Review – Quick Conclusion / TLDR

The ZimaCube Pro stands out for its solid construction, comprehensive storage options, and advanced connectivity features, including dual Thunderbolt 4 ports and multiple Ethernet interfaces. These features make it a versatile tool for users who need high-speed data transfer and reliable connectivity.

However, the device also exhibits certain drawbacks, such as elevated noise levels, inconsistent write performance, and some software-related limitations. Although the ZimaCube Pro shows considerable promise, it requires further optimization to fully meet the high expectations set by its crowdfunding campaign and to deliver a more polished user experience.

ZimaCube Review – Design

The ZimaCube Pro is designed with a blend of functionality and aesthetics, focusing on both durability and efficient heat management. The device features a fully aluminum CNC chassis, which not only provides a robust structure but also aids in heat dissipation. The front panel is equipped with a plastic grille, contributing to the device’s ventilation, while the rest of the body is composed of aluminum, reinforcing its sturdy build.

The design includes a clear emphasis on space efficiency within its compact form factor. The internal layout is optimized to maximize space, allowing for extensive storage and connectivity options while maintaining effective heat dissipation. That said, there certainly was a % of users who were disappointed in the need for an external PSU (for further space-saving reasons).

It is a decent enough external PSU, but many who look at bigger solutions like the Zimacube will be less keen on ‘easy to accidentally disconnect’. The PSU aside, I have to give them enormous credit for getting SO MUCH hardware into such a compact, yet attractive frame. Despite these strengths, the design has some areas for improvement. For example, the process of removing the front panel for internal access can be cumbersome, which may be inconvenient for users who frequently need to access the internal components.

Design Features

The cooling of the system can be broken down into 2 areas. Active and Passive. Passive ventilation comprised vent holes..EVERYWHERE. For such a small case, it has ventilation on almost all sides. Really happy with this and this combined with 2 of the main vent panels being removable is a nice touch.

The inside of the system has 2 cooling systems in place. There is the expected CPU fan, and there are two rear mounted fans that are located under the rear vent panel.

Unfortunately, the system still needs optimization with regard to the reaction of these cooling systems and under even light-medium activity, these cooling systems really do ramp up in noise. Zimacube has stated that this has been acknowledged and an improved cooling system is being rolled out and supplied very soon.

But what about the default cooling fans noise?

The result of the existing fans however is that even when the system is performing very light operations, or even in ile, the system has a higher avg noise level than most other systems of the same scale. Below is the noise level of the system in low use for about 30 mins and THEN on idle afterwards:

The drive trays are much improved over those I saw in the ZimaCube N100 version (the prototype sent through at the start of 2024). They are ‘click and load’, so no tools required, slide in neatly to the bays, and hold the drives very firmly and are generally well put together. Also, I tested HDDs all the way up to 24TB (Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TBs) and did not encounter any compatibility problems.

The Zimacube also includes quite an impressive accessory kit. Not unusual, but they have definitely taken some extra time (and budget?) towards a well put together retail kit:

Also, with regard to design. Very small differences between the N100 version prototype that we received back in Jan 2024 and the Pro model now are visible.

The colour effect of the metal external casing, the build of the m.2 7th bay (more on that later), the trays (mentioned earlier) and the ports of course, all make a difference.

Let’s discuss ‘under the bonnet’ a bit and dig into what the ZimaCube Pro brings to the party.

ZimaCube Review – Storage and PCIe Lanes

The ZimaCube Pro provides substantial storage capacity, equipped with six SATA storage bays and four M.2 NVMe slots. These features are well-suited to users who require extensive storage for large datasets or media libraries.

The device employs an ASMedia ASM2824 PCIe switch to manage the M.2 slots, offering Gen 3 x8 lanes. This setup is intended to ensure high-speed data transfers and efficient use of the available PCIe lanes, particularly for users who rely on NVMe drives for high-performance storage needs.

Additionally, the device includes the ASM1116 controller to handle SATA interfaces, providing a Gen 3 x2 connection that supports up to 2,000 MB/s. This ensures that both SATA and NVMe drives can operate at their maximum potential without bottlenecks, making the ZimaCube Pro a versatile storage solution for different types of drives and configurations.

Storage and PCIe Specifications

The system also includes an OS SSD in an m.2 slot directly on the MoBo (not on the 7th bay slots) that is a Kingston Gen 4×4 256GB drive – when they could have EASILY just included a basic Gen3 ‘no name’ drive for ZimaOS – I really appreciate the extra effort and expense here

This combination of storage and PCIe capabilities makes the ZimaCube Pro a flexible and powerful platform for users who need to manage large amounts of data with both speed and reliability. However, the efficiency of this setup may be influenced by the overall system architecture, which can impact real-world performance. The storage bays are connected to the main motherboard via specialized DP cables. They have bolstered this to 2x connectors, as opposed to the 1x cable we saw on the N100 prototype.

It’s an inventive and rather unique solution (when a lot of brands feed a sister board directly into an angled smaller PCIe slot) and certainly assists in allowing for the greatly bandwidth needed for the M.2s in bay #7. But its still ALOT of bandwidth being fed into the system in an unconventional way.  That said, it DOES allow for creative distribution of PCIe lanes and physical PCIe slot. One interesting byproduct is that, despite this being an M-ITX board, the ZimaCube Pro features TWO PCIe slots – VERY unusual!

Whether you are looking at chunky height GFX/GPU cards or just having 2 cards that cover storage AND network improvements, its really impressive that they created this board ‘in house’ that is THIS expandable! They even managed to do this, whilst including default 10GbE connectivity, using an IOCREST 10GbE to M.2 adapter – thereby avoiding forfeiting a PCIe slot.

Overall, Icewhale has done a PHENOMENAL job cramming in THIS much hardware onto an M-ITX board, whilst also creating a great casing around it. The fan noise is kinda crazy (at least until we know if the improved cooling kit they are sending will help) and I have concerns about bandwidth throttling, but you really cannot fault the ingenuity here! Let’s discuss ports and connections.

ZimaCube Review – Ports and Connections

Connectivity is a notable strength of the ZimaCube Pro, which is equipped with a variety of ports designed to support a wide range of applications. The device includes dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, providing high-speed data transfer capabilities, particularly useful for content creators and professionals who need to move large files quickly and efficiently.

Additionally, the device features multiple Ethernet interfaces, including two 2.5GbE ports and one 10GbE port, offering flexible networking options for different environments and network demands.

The inclusion of four USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A ports and two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type C ports further enhances the device’s versatility, allowing for the connection of a wide array of peripherals, from external drives to media equipment. The HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 outputs add to the device’s multimedia capabilities, making it suitable for tasks that involve video output or display connections.

One EXCELLENT piece of news is that, alongside the 2.5G and 10G network connectivity, the system also supports Thunderbolt over IP / IP over Thunderbolt, at 20Gb/s. This means that DIRECT connectivity over a Thunderbolt 4 cable is possible – with Zimacube Pro even including a TB4 cable (something that is weirdly rare, even from QNAP and their own TB4 NAS solutions)

Hell, the system even features WiFi connectivity and Bluetooth, via an internal USB Dongle. That does mean that larger scale antennae are not present, but as a direct 2nd/3rd tier access method and for easy first time setup on a mobile, this really helps.

Ports and Connectivity

Overall, the ZimaCube Pro’s connectivity options are comprehensive, supporting a wide range of use cases and ensuring compatibility with various external devices and networks. The diverse port selection enhances the device’s flexibility, making it suitable for a broad spectrum of professional applications.

ZimaCube Review – Processing Hardware

The ZimaCube Pro is equipped with robust internal hardware, including an Intel i5-1235U processor and 16GB of DDR5 memory, which is expandable up to 64GB. This combination of processing power and memory is designed to handle demanding tasks, such as video editing, large-scale data processing, and other intensive applications. However, keep in mind that this is NOT ECC memory (CPU-related reasons).

As previously mentioned, the architecture of the device includes a detailed lane distribution strategy, managed by the ASMedia ASM2824 PCIe switch, which optimizes data flow across the device’s components. However, keep in mind that the ASM2824 is a Gen3 packet switch, and running on Gen 3×4 – so a maximum 4,000MB/s maximum bandwidth – that also means potential reductions on the drives bandwidth going through it across multiple drives.

The device also includes an ASMedia ASM1116 controller to manage the SATA interfaces, ensuring efficient data transfer between storage devices and the motherboard. That is running on a Gen 3×2 lane , so 2,000MB/s theoretical maximum. As long as the SSDs in Bay 7 are separate (as the dual DP cable new architecture indicates), this should be more than enough for the SATA media bays and will not present a problem to the M.2s as a bottleneck down the road (as observed previously online in the N100 prototype)

Internal Hardware

The hardware configuration of the ZimaCube Pro is well-suited to users who need a powerful and flexible NAS system. However, some performance inconsistencies, particularly in write speeds, indicate that further optimization may be required to fully realize the potential of the device’s hardware.

For the particularly nerdy, here is the full list of PCI devices inside the ZimaCube Pro NAS:

ZimaCube Review – Noise and Power Consumption

The ZimaCube Pro employs dual fans and a comprehensive ventilation system to manage heat effectively, particularly during intensive tasks. While the thermal management is generally efficient, the device’s aggressive cooling profile leads to higher noise levels, especially when the system is under load. This may be a concern for users who require a quieter operating environment.

Watch the video below (it’s been skipped ahead to the ‘noise test’ part):

In terms of power consumption, the ZimaCube Pro reflects its robust hardware. During idle periods, the device consumes approximately 51W, which increases to around 75W under heavy load. This level of power usage is expected given the high-performance components and the device’s focus on delivering reliable, sustained performance.

Noise and Power Consumption

While the noise levels and power consumption are in line with the device’s performance capabilities, they may be a consideration for users who prioritize energy efficiency or require a quieter workspace. The cooling system, while effective, could benefit from more refined noise mitigation strategies.

ZimaCube Review – Performance

The ZimaCube Pro offers substantial computing power, making it suitable for tasks such as video editing, large data transfers, and other resource-intensive applications. Initial performance tests indicate strong read speeds, particularly when using Thunderbolt connections, with speeds reaching up to 1.6GB/s.

However, the device’s write performance is less consistent, with speeds ranging from 300MB/s to 600MB/s, depending on the workload and storage configuration.

The device’s ability to handle multitasking efficiently is a key strength, allowing it to support environments where multiple users need simultaneous access to large datasets. Nevertheless, the performance was very inconsistent and sometimes I would get full 10GbE network saturation easily, whilst other times (using the same file/block/network packet sizes) I would see numbers at half! These results were from tests of the RAID 5 HDD array and were the best average results, representing 30 mins of varying tests. Then I switched over to see what level of saturation as possible using the 4x m.2 NVMe SSD bays in a RAID. First up, ATTO:

ATTO Disk benchmark gave pretty much the best results over 10GbE, but of course do not represent real world use. Below are performance numbers for 6x SATA HDDs in a RAID 5:

Finally, dipping into SSH and terminal, I was able to run direct performance tests on the SSDs internally, removing any network limitations entirely.

This performance was significantly reduced as soon as I tried to copy data from 1 SSD to the other internally.

After all of these, I then went ahead and conducted numerous Window transfer tests on both the HDD RAIID array and SD array, however, the variability in write performance suggests that the device may benefit from further firmware updates and optimization to ensure consistent performance across different tasks.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics indicate that the ZimaCube Pro is well-equipped for read-heavy tasks, but users with write-intensive workloads may need to consider the device’s potential limitations in this area.

ZimaCube Review – Multimedia in Plex Media Server

The ZimaCube Pro also functions as a competent Plex Media Server, particularly benefiting from its robust hardware. In tests using the Plex app pre-installed on the device, the ZimaCube Pro demonstrated strong capabilities in handling high-definition media files, including 1080p, 4K, and even some 8K content. However, the system’s performance varied depending on the file format and resolution. For 1080p and 4K files, the ZimaCube Pro performed admirably, with smooth playback and minimal buffering. The device utilized its Intel i5-1235U processor effectively, maintaining relatively low CPU utilization during direct play. However, when transcoding was required, particularly with high-bitrate 4K and 8K files, CPU utilization spiked significantly, and the system fans became noticeably loud. The ZimaCube Pro’s ability to transcode 8K content was limited, often resulting in buffering and high CPU usage. This performance indicates that while the device is powerful, it may not be fully optimized for the most demanding media tasks without further software updates and enhancements. Nonetheless, for typical home media server usage, the ZimaCube Pro provides a satisfactory experience, particularly for users who do not rely heavily on transcoding.

ZimaCube Review – Conclusion

The ZimaCube Pro is a well-rounded NAS solution that combines robust hardware with extensive connectivity options, making it a viable choice for users with demanding storage and processing needs. The device’s solid construction and comprehensive storage capabilities make it a reliable option for professionals involved in content creation, data management, and media processing. The dual Thunderbolt 4 ports and multiple Ethernet interfaces enhance its versatility, allowing it to adapt to various use cases and environments. However, the ZimaCube Pro also presents some challenges that potential users should consider. The device’s high noise levels, particularly under load, could be a concern for those who prioritize a quiet operating environment. The aggressive cooling profile, while effective in managing heat, contributes to this noise issue and may detract from the overall user experience. Additionally, the device’s write performance is less consistent than its read performance, which could impact users who require reliable and fast data transfer for write-intensive tasks.

The software functionality, while adequate, may require further refinement to fully leverage the device’s hardware potential. Firmware updates and enhancements could address these limitations, improving the device’s performance and user experience over time. In summary, the ZimaCube Pro shows significant potential as a high-performance NAS solution, particularly for specific user groups like content creators and data professionals. However, users should weigh the pros and cons carefully, considering their specific needs and environments, before investing in this NAS solution. While the device offers a solid foundation, further optimization and refinement could enhance its appeal, making it a more competitive choice in the NAS market.

You can check Amazon for the ZimaCube Pro NAS – HERE

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Want to follow specific category? Also Read...Week 51 Tech Round-Up – QNAPLocal AI and NAS Drives - IS TMinisforum MGA1 Docking StatioFAQ for DIY NAS Builds: EverytRecommended ATX Motherboards fRecommended ATX Motherboards fN305 6-Bay 10GbE NAS MotherboaCWWK Q670 8-Bay Gen5 NAS vPro Flashstor Gen 2 NAS ReviewHexOS NAS Software - Review of Subscribe

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This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below

Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

TRY CHAT

If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here  

Or support us by using our affiliate links on Amazon UK and Amazon US

    

 

WE LOVE COFFEE

The ZimaCube Pro, developed by Ice Whale Technology, is a high-performance NAS system that emerged from a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Positioned as a solution for advanced users, the ZimaCube Pro is designed to meet the needs of those requiring significant storage and processing power for a variety of demanding applications. The device is marketed towards users who require a reliable, high-performance system for tasks such as media management, content creation, and large-scale data processing. This review delves into its design, hardware specifications, connectivity options, performance metrics, and overall usability, providing a comprehensive evaluation of its strengths and limitations.

You can check Amazon for the ZimaCube Pro NAS – HERE

ZimaCube Review – Quick Conclusion / TLDR

The ZimaCube Pro stands out for its solid construction, comprehensive storage options, and advanced connectivity features, including dual Thunderbolt 4 ports and multiple Ethernet interfaces. These features make it a versatile tool for users who need high-speed data transfer and reliable connectivity.

However, the device also exhibits certain drawbacks, such as elevated noise levels, inconsistent write performance, and some software-related limitations. Although the ZimaCube Pro shows considerable promise, it requires further optimization to fully meet the high expectations set by its crowdfunding campaign and to deliver a more polished user experience.

ZimaCube Review – Design

The ZimaCube Pro is designed with a blend of functionality and aesthetics, focusing on both durability and efficient heat management. The device features a fully aluminum CNC chassis, which not only provides a robust structure but also aids in heat dissipation. The front panel is equipped with a plastic grille, contributing to the device’s ventilation, while the rest of the body is composed of aluminum, reinforcing its sturdy build.

The design includes a clear emphasis on space efficiency within its compact form factor. The internal layout is optimized to maximize space, allowing for extensive storage and connectivity options while maintaining effective heat dissipation. That said, there certainly was a % of users who were disappointed in the need for an external PSU (for further space-saving reasons).

It is a decent enough external PSU, but many who look at bigger solutions like the Zimacube will be less keen on ‘easy to accidentally disconnect’. The PSU aside, I have to give them enormous credit for getting SO MUCH hardware into such a compact, yet attractive frame. Despite these strengths, the design has some areas for improvement. For example, the process of removing the front panel for internal access can be cumbersome, which may be inconvenient for users who frequently need to access the internal components.

Design Features

The cooling of the system can be broken down into 2 areas. Active and Passive. Passive ventilation comprised vent holes..EVERYWHERE. For such a small case, it has ventilation on almost all sides. Really happy with this and this combined with 2 of the main vent panels being removable is a nice touch.

The inside of the system has 2 cooling systems in place. There is the expected CPU fan, and there are two rear mounted fans that are located under the rear vent panel.

Unfortunately, the system still needs optimization with regard to the reaction of these cooling systems and under even light-medium activity, these cooling systems really do ramp up in noise. Zimacube has stated that this has been acknowledged and an improved cooling system is being rolled out and supplied very soon.

But what about the default cooling fans noise?

The result of the existing fans however is that even when the system is performing very light operations, or even in ile, the system has a higher avg noise level than most other systems of the same scale. Below is the noise level of the system in low use for about 30 mins and THEN on idle afterwards:

The drive trays are much improved over those I saw in the ZimaCube N100 version (the prototype sent through at the start of 2024). They are ‘click and load’, so no tools required, slide in neatly to the bays, and hold the drives very firmly and are generally well put together. Also, I tested HDDs all the way up to 24TB (Seagate Ironwolf Pro 24TBs) and did not encounter any compatibility problems.

The Zimacube also includes quite an impressive accessory kit. Not unusual, but they have definitely taken some extra time (and budget?) towards a well put together retail kit:

Also, with regard to design. Very small differences between the N100 version prototype that we received back in Jan 2024 and the Pro model now are visible.

The colour effect of the metal external casing, the build of the m.2 7th bay (more on that later), the trays (mentioned earlier) and the ports of course, all make a difference.

Let’s discuss ‘under the bonnet’ a bit and dig into what the ZimaCube Pro brings to the party.

ZimaCube Review – Storage and PCIe Lanes

The ZimaCube Pro provides substantial storage capacity, equipped with six SATA storage bays and four M.2 NVMe slots. These features are well-suited to users who require extensive storage for large datasets or media libraries.

The device employs an ASMedia ASM2824 PCIe switch to manage the M.2 slots, offering Gen 3 x8 lanes. This setup is intended to ensure high-speed data transfers and efficient use of the available PCIe lanes, particularly for users who rely on NVMe drives for high-performance storage needs.

Additionally, the device includes the ASM1116 controller to handle SATA interfaces, providing a Gen 3 x2 connection that supports up to 2,000 MB/s. This ensures that both SATA and NVMe drives can operate at their maximum potential without bottlenecks, making the ZimaCube Pro a versatile storage solution for different types of drives and configurations.

Storage and PCIe Specifications

The system also includes an OS SSD in an m.2 slot directly on the MoBo (not on the 7th bay slots) that is a Kingston Gen 4×4 256GB drive – when they could have EASILY just included a basic Gen3 ‘no name’ drive for ZimaOS – I really appreciate the extra effort and expense here

This combination of storage and PCIe capabilities makes the ZimaCube Pro a flexible and powerful platform for users who need to manage large amounts of data with both speed and reliability. However, the efficiency of this setup may be influenced by the overall system architecture, which can impact real-world performance. The storage bays are connected to the main motherboard via specialized DP cables. They have bolstered this to 2x connectors, as opposed to the 1x cable we saw on the N100 prototype.

It’s an inventive and rather unique solution (when a lot of brands feed a sister board directly into an angled smaller PCIe slot) and certainly assists in allowing for the greatly bandwidth needed for the M.2s in bay #7. But its still ALOT of bandwidth being fed into the system in an unconventional way.  That said, it DOES allow for creative distribution of PCIe lanes and physical PCIe slot. One interesting byproduct is that, despite this being an M-ITX board, the ZimaCube Pro features TWO PCIe slots – VERY unusual!

Whether you are looking at chunky height GFX/GPU cards or just having 2 cards that cover storage AND network improvements, its really impressive that they created this board ‘in house’ that is THIS expandable! They even managed to do this, whilst including default 10GbE connectivity, using an IOCREST 10GbE to M.2 adapter – thereby avoiding forfeiting a PCIe slot.

Overall, Icewhale has done a PHENOMENAL job cramming in THIS much hardware onto an M-ITX board, whilst also creating a great casing around it. The fan noise is kinda crazy (at least until we know if the improved cooling kit they are sending will help) and I have concerns about bandwidth throttling, but you really cannot fault the ingenuity here! Let’s discuss ports and connections.

ZimaCube Review – Ports and Connections

Connectivity is a notable strength of the ZimaCube Pro, which is equipped with a variety of ports designed to support a wide range of applications. The device includes dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, providing high-speed data transfer capabilities, particularly useful for content creators and professionals who need to move large files quickly and efficiently.

Additionally, the device features multiple Ethernet interfaces, including two 2.5GbE ports and one 10GbE port, offering flexible networking options for different environments and network demands.

The inclusion of four USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A ports and two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type C ports further enhances the device’s versatility, allowing for the connection of a wide array of peripherals, from external drives to media equipment. The HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 outputs add to the device’s multimedia capabilities, making it suitable for tasks that involve video output or display connections.

One EXCELLENT piece of news is that, alongside the 2.5G and 10G network connectivity, the system also supports Thunderbolt over IP / IP over Thunderbolt, at 20Gb/s. This means that DIRECT connectivity over a Thunderbolt 4 cable is possible – with Zimacube Pro even including a TB4 cable (something that is weirdly rare, even from QNAP and their own TB4 NAS solutions)

Hell, the system even features WiFi connectivity and Bluetooth, via an internal USB Dongle. That does mean that larger scale antennae are not present, but as a direct 2nd/3rd tier access method and for easy first time setup on a mobile, this really helps.

Ports and Connectivity

Overall, the ZimaCube Pro’s connectivity options are comprehensive, supporting a wide range of use cases and ensuring compatibility with various external devices and networks. The diverse port selection enhances the device’s flexibility, making it suitable for a broad spectrum of professional applications.

ZimaCube Review – Processing Hardware

The ZimaCube Pro is equipped with robust internal hardware, including an Intel i5-1235U processor and 16GB of DDR5 memory, which is expandable up to 64GB. This combination of processing power and memory is designed to handle demanding tasks, such as video editing, large-scale data processing, and other intensive applications. However, keep in mind that this is NOT ECC memory (CPU-related reasons).

As previously mentioned, the architecture of the device includes a detailed lane distribution strategy, managed by the ASMedia ASM2824 PCIe switch, which optimizes data flow across the device’s components. However, keep in mind that the ASM2824 is a Gen3 packet switch, and running on Gen 3×4 – so a maximum 4,000MB/s maximum bandwidth – that also means potential reductions on the drives bandwidth going through it across multiple drives.

The device also includes an ASMedia ASM1116 controller to manage the SATA interfaces, ensuring efficient data transfer between storage devices and the motherboard. That is running on a Gen 3×2 lane , so 2,000MB/s theoretical maximum. As long as the SSDs in Bay 7 are separate (as the dual DP cable new architecture indicates), this should be more than enough for the SATA media bays and will not present a problem to the M.2s as a bottleneck down the road (as observed previously online in the N100 prototype)

Internal Hardware

The hardware configuration of the ZimaCube Pro is well-suited to users who need a powerful and flexible NAS system. However, some performance inconsistencies, particularly in write speeds, indicate that further optimization may be required to fully realize the potential of the device’s hardware.

For the particularly nerdy, here is the full list of PCI devices inside the ZimaCube Pro NAS:

ZimaCube Review – Noise and Power Consumption

The ZimaCube Pro employs dual fans and a comprehensive ventilation system to manage heat effectively, particularly during intensive tasks. While the thermal management is generally efficient, the device’s aggressive cooling profile leads to higher noise levels, especially when the system is under load. This may be a concern for users who require a quieter operating environment.

Watch the video below (it’s been skipped ahead to the ‘noise test’ part):

In terms of power consumption, the ZimaCube Pro reflects its robust hardware. During idle periods, the device consumes approximately 51W, which increases to around 75W under heavy load. This level of power usage is expected given the high-performance components and the device’s focus on delivering reliable, sustained performance.

Noise and Power Consumption

While the noise levels and power consumption are in line with the device’s performance capabilities, they may be a consideration for users who prioritize energy efficiency or require a quieter workspace. The cooling system, while effective, could benefit from more refined noise mitigation strategies.

ZimaCube Review – Performance

The ZimaCube Pro offers substantial computing power, making it suitable for tasks such as video editing, large data transfers, and other resource-intensive applications. Initial performance tests indicate strong read speeds, particularly when using Thunderbolt connections, with speeds reaching up to 1.6GB/s.

However, the device’s write performance is less consistent, with speeds ranging from 300MB/s to 600MB/s, depending on the workload and storage configuration.

The device’s ability to handle multitasking efficiently is a key strength, allowing it to support environments where multiple users need simultaneous access to large datasets. Nevertheless, the performance was very inconsistent and sometimes I would get full 10GbE network saturation easily, whilst other times (using the same file/block/network packet sizes) I would see numbers at half! These results were from tests of the RAID 5 HDD array and were the best average results, representing 30 mins of varying tests. Then I switched over to see what level of saturation as possible using the 4x m.2 NVMe SSD bays in a RAID. First up, ATTO:

ATTO Disk benchmark gave pretty much the best results over 10GbE, but of course do not represent real world use. Below are performance numbers for 6x SATA HDDs in a RAID 5:

Finally, dipping into SSH and terminal, I was able to run direct performance tests on the SSDs internally, removing any network limitations entirely.

This performance was significantly reduced as soon as I tried to copy data from 1 SSD to the other internally.

After all of these, I then went ahead and conducted numerous Window transfer tests on both the HDD RAIID array and SD array, however, the variability in write performance suggests that the device may benefit from further firmware updates and optimization to ensure consistent performance across different tasks.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics indicate that the ZimaCube Pro is well-equipped for read-heavy tasks, but users with write-intensive workloads may need to consider the device’s potential limitations in this area.

ZimaCube Review – Multimedia in Plex Media Server

The ZimaCube Pro also functions as a competent Plex Media Server, particularly benefiting from its robust hardware. In tests using the Plex app pre-installed on the device, the ZimaCube Pro demonstrated strong capabilities in handling high-definition media files, including 1080p, 4K, and even some 8K content. However, the system’s performance varied depending on the file format and resolution. For 1080p and 4K files, the ZimaCube Pro performed admirably, with smooth playback and minimal buffering. The device utilized its Intel i5-1235U processor effectively, maintaining relatively low CPU utilization during direct play. However, when transcoding was required, particularly with high-bitrate 4K and 8K files, CPU utilization spiked significantly, and the system fans became noticeably loud. The ZimaCube Pro’s ability to transcode 8K content was limited, often resulting in buffering and high CPU usage. This performance indicates that while the device is powerful, it may not be fully optimized for the most demanding media tasks without further software updates and enhancements. Nonetheless, for typical home media server usage, the ZimaCube Pro provides a satisfactory experience, particularly for users who do not rely heavily on transcoding.

ZimaCube Review – Conclusion

The ZimaCube Pro is a well-rounded NAS solution that combines robust hardware with extensive connectivity options, making it a viable choice for users with demanding storage and processing needs. The device’s solid construction and comprehensive storage capabilities make it a reliable option for professionals involved in content creation, data management, and media processing. The dual Thunderbolt 4 ports and multiple Ethernet interfaces enhance its versatility, allowing it to adapt to various use cases and environments. However, the ZimaCube Pro also presents some challenges that potential users should consider. The device’s high noise levels, particularly under load, could be a concern for those who prioritize a quiet operating environment. The aggressive cooling profile, while effective in managing heat, contributes to this noise issue and may detract from the overall user experience. Additionally, the device’s write performance is less consistent than its read performance, which could impact users who require reliable and fast data transfer for write-intensive tasks.

The software functionality, while adequate, may require further refinement to fully leverage the device’s hardware potential. Firmware updates and enhancements could address these limitations, improving the device’s performance and user experience over time. In summary, the ZimaCube Pro shows significant potential as a high-performance NAS solution, particularly for specific user groups like content creators and data professionals. However, users should weigh the pros and cons carefully, considering their specific needs and environments, before investing in this NAS solution. While the device offers a solid foundation, further optimization and refinement could enhance its appeal, making it a more competitive choice in the NAS market.

You can check Amazon for the ZimaCube Pro NAS – HERE

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If you have decided to invest in a network-attached storage device to host your Plex media server, then congratulations, you are close to owning one of the easiest and most user-friendly multimedia home server options out there with a GUI and features that rival the likes of Netflix and more. Although paid subscription streaming services can be very attractive and affordable in the short-term, in the long-term you end up paying for content you don’t own, a limited choice of content that changes regularly and even end up having to watch the occasion advert – on a PAID platform?! Many of us own hundreds of boxsets and movies at home in digital form, or in disc form that is waiting to be switched to a more streamable form, that you can simply load onto a NAS and then enjoy the benefits of Plex with. However, although the price of a solid NAS has come down substantially and the ease of setup never being more simple, there are still many common mistakes that people make when buying a NAS for a Plex media server the first time. These errors end up ich either costing more money to resolve or have to be endured until the next upgrade. In order to help you choose the right NAS for plex correctly the first time, I have compiled a list of the most common mistakes that NAS buyers make when choosing a solution. Some are small and some are large, but all of them are easy things to miss as you narrow down the choices. So here are 8 common mistakes made by Plex users when choosing their first NAS.

Extra Point! If you already have a Plex NAS users and having difficulty, I have already made several other guides on how to make the most of your plex NAS, as well as fix some common issues people encounter. You can click one of the articles below to open it in another tab and learn more. Alternatively, you can scroll to the bottom of the page and use the free advice section here on NASCompares.

Plex NAS CPU and Embedded Graphics

This is easy to miss and a common one as something that a number of brands will often try to skip over when talking about the hardware specifications of a NAS. There are many CPUs that are popular in the NAS world (Intel Celeron’s, Ryzens, Xeons and ARM v8s for example), more specifically targeted towards efficiency and long-term use. These processes, unlike gaming PCs, are designed for use for days, weeks and months at a time and do not have the luxury of liquid cooling systems or customised temperature control systems inside. Despite this, the range CPU used in NAS is still very diverse and unsurprisingly, many users will assume that a CPU with a high-performance speed in Gigahertz (GHz) and a larger number of cores will be best for Plex media server use. However, a processor that features embedded graphics, integrated graphics, on-board graphics or whatever they like to call it, will always perform better than a likewise processor without it in a single comparative playback. There are some remarkably affordable Celeron and Pentium processors on the market that can often outperform some Xeon processors at Plex media server performance, thanks to these CPU having an element of hardware onboard that is dedicated to visual and graphical structured data. A more powerful CPU may still ultimately handle more high-end media than a lesser Pentium or Celeron, however, it WILL use substantially more resources in order to do it. Always check to see if there is an embedded graphics CPU alternative before purchasing a non-GPU equipped CPU. I recommend an Intel Xeon-W series or the Intel i3/i5/i7 Core range processor.

Plex NAS and NOISE!

Something that I discuss a great deal on YouTube when discussing more powerful NAS solutions is the subject of noise. As soon as you start to consider more capable CPU NAS solutions, as well as consider larger enclosures for more capacity and scalability, you will have to prepare for the inconvenience of ambient noise. More enterprise drives with click, hum and wurr whilst in operation. Likewise, because more powerfully equipped CPU NAS feature passive cooling systems (rear fans and heat sinks), they often rely more on the chassis to assist the heat dissipation. The ultimate conclusion is that more high-performance NAS systems generally produce a large degree of ambient noise whilst in operation.

If you plan on installing your Plex NAS in an attic or suitably insulated location, this will be less of a concern. However, if you plan on being in close proximity to the NAS whilst enjoying the multimedia on your Plex server, the general background noise can be distracting at best and downright infuriating at worst.

Plex NAS and Appropriate Memory!

Most NAS systems that are recommended or advertised for use as Plex media servers will arrive with at least 2GB of memory. Considering that some people are able to run Plex media servers from as little as a raspberry pi, 2 GB of memory sounds like absolutely loads. However, the Plex media server component of this device is running on top of the NAS architecture and system software, which commands its own requirements with regard to CPU and memory utilisation. The result is that although 2GB of memory might seem like enough, it is highly recommended that you buy a NAS with 4GB of memory, or at least the ability to upgrade your available memory later in the lifespan of the system. The differences between DDR3 and DDR4 memory when it comes to Plex are pretty small ultimately, but the improved performance of a NAS with 4GB over 2GB is massive in terms of large media handling.

PLEX NAS Playback and 4K, HEVC/H.265 and HDR/10bit

Multimedia in 2024, especially 4K and 1080p high-definition media is not as straight forward as it once was. In order for video files to maintain incredible picture quality as the standards of playback client devices improve, multimedia file types and practices in their creation have had to evolve. This is made possible by the use of video compression techniques and superior format creation. Ultimately, that means that not all video files are created equal and high-end material, such as HDR and HEVC/H.265 require more advanced hardware to playback the media or software licences by the manufacturer in order to support the format.

The result is that some media files of this higher compression and format require powerful systems in order to be played, or in most cases will need to be automatically transcoded, to be reshaped into a more suitable format for client devices to play. Ways around this include utilising embedded GPU architecture on the CPU to get the job done or (as found in the case of QNAP) the ability to add licence support for the codex with additional smaller fees (in Cayin player). If the bulk of your media collection arrives in h264 or you plan on only using low to mid-level HD/4K content, you should be fine with something between an Intel Celeron and Intel Pentium.

Plex NAS – Freemium vs Subscription with Plex Pass

One of the main benefits and motivations of hosting a media server on a NAS is because most users like the idea of making one large payment at the beginning and never having to pay any long-term monthly subscription costs as the years go by, as found in Amazon Prime, Netflix and more. Indeed, Plex media server is available for your NAS and client devices (phone, TV, etc) for free. However, some people are still unaware that some of the premium and fully-featured functionality Plex is only available with additional monthly payments or a larger one-off lifetime membership with the Plex pass system. You do not need to this for general use, enjoying the scraping of metadata for making your media look good and even for sharing access to your collection with other users. However, features such as hardware transcoding, Live TV recording, connection with streaming services and improved content applications within Plex itself require you to pay. Ultimately most of these services can be ignored, but if you are using a NAS with embedded graphics or even a pre-installed GPU, then the option to use hardware transcoding is unavoidable.

Plex NAS and HDMI Out in 2024

Many users have seen that a number of systems arrive with additional HDMI ports and support of remote controls and peripherals. This means that rather than trying to push huge 4K multimedia files through your network (potentially maxing your bandwidth) to Plex client devices, you can output the NAS directly to a 4K TV and control it like any TV box. Up until early 2020 or so, this was a surprisingly easy and versatile option. However now in 2024, there are fewer Plex HDMI out applications available for common NAS brands, as well as reduced development by both Plex themselves and third-party developers to continue improving the existing tools. That means that although Plex over HDMI on a NAS is still possible, it is far less smooth and stable than it once was.

Do you even NEED transcoding on your Plex NAS?

Transcoding is a word that is thrown around a lot when it comes to streaming media privately from your own server. In its most basic form, transcoding simply means the changing of a multimedia file to a version that is better suited for the client environment. Maybe you own the latest Marvel movie in 4k UHD HEVC HDR/10bit format, which is great for your new OLED TV, but is huge overkill in terms of picture quality and file size to watch on your iPhone 7. So transcoding can allow Plex to change a file on-the-fly before it leaves the NAS and allows the client watching hardware to access a much smaller version, the still looks perfect on the device, but is far less taxing on its hardware and significantly reduces data consumption while streaming. Now, that is all fantastic and I have been making videos on the subject of transcoding for a number of years that help users understand how well individual NAS systems perform in different files types, but it still has to be noted that transcoding is not ESSENTIAL! If you intend to watch most of your multimedia on devices at home (ie on the same network as the NAS), plan on enjoying the content on high profile and prosumer devices made in the last year or two, OR don’t really plan on using metered or limited data connections when connecting with plex – then you really are not going to need transcoding at all! If you JUST want to watch your media and have the client hardware deices and connectivity to handle the hard/dense 4K media, then you can actually be quite conservative and opt for a I3/Pentium/Celeron NAS system, perhaps even a non-GPU equipped CPU like an Intel Atom or Ryzen Embedded Processor seen in recent releases (if you aren’t looking to go hardcode-4K).

Your Plex NAS needs to be connected to the Internet!

This is something that alot of first time NAS buyers who are considering Plex Media server (as well as NVIDIA Shielf, modded Mac Mini and Raspberry Pi users) do not quite know. When accessing your NAS multimedia with Plex and Plex Media Server, you do generally need to have the NAS and/or client connected to the internet. If you are accessing your device over the network (ie Fire TV near the sofa, NAS in the attic, both on the same network), you will still need the NAS to be connected to the internet. This is because Plex will need to ping it’s own servers periodically, update background processes, periodic metadata scraping and just generally requires an internet connection (especially for Plex Pass use). In fact, if you have the NAS on the network, but not connected to the internet (as you need to create, register and connect a Plex User Account to start connect the plex media directories), then you will not even be able to connect to the Plex server and complete the initialization. For many of us, this is not a huge deal, as the amount of internet-connected data used is tiny, or that they want to access Plex externally anyway means this was their plan all along. However, if you were hoping to use plex completely and utterly disconnected from the Internet and rely solely on the network for connectivity, you are likely going to encounter period accessibility issues and hurdles along the way.

And there you have it, 8 of the most comment mistakes and early hurdles faced by first time Plex NAS Buyers. If you are still on the fence, need guidance about the RIGHT solution for your multimedia needs (size, power, budget. etc), then use the free advice section below to message me and I will help you narrow down the very best solution for your needs. Bear in mind that this is ONLY manned by me, is not run for profit and is unbiased 1-to-1 advice, so I might take an extra day or two to reply. Thanks for reading!

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This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below

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If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here  

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Although Western Digital still is an absolute powerhouse in the world of general storage media for several decades, I think it would be fair to say that in the last few years, their NAS systems (My Cloud, My Book Live, etc) have taken something of a PR beating. They were one of the very first ‘highstreet’ brands that provided affordable NAS solutions to home/business users alike, giving them a much more accessible and higher performing alternative to growing 3rd party clouds like DropBox, Google Drive and more. This was further bolstered by their software and system setups being as close to ‘turnkey’ (i.e. switch on and GO) as there is in the market – even now in 2024. So, what is the issue? Well, between their system software support declining on the oldest systems in their portfolio (not unusual, they can’t support things forever) and several examples off remote access attacks taking place on their systems – it was the start of alot of users starting to wonder if the grass was greener elsewhere for them and their data. This all came to a head in late March 2023 when Western Digital was cyber attacked and alongside reports of at least 10TB of stolen data and a $10B+ ransom (see references and story here), the brand disabled their cloud services as a security measure for around 10 days and remained quite tight-lipped throughout – despite a large number of affected users demanding answers and access to their data. The brand DID show users how to enable local access via an arguably convoluted means, but by then the number of users looking at their WD system and considering jumping ship increased insurmountably, which is possibly what brings YOU here to today’s article. If you have been using a WD My Cloud, WD Personal Cloud Home or WD My Book Live, you might have been completely unaware just how far modern NAS technology has moved forward! So, today I want to run through the best alternatives to WD NAS. This has been broken down into the following key areas – Software, Internal Hardware, Price, Value, Security, Lowest Impact, Plex, Connectivity and for Business. But first, we should probably take a moment and ask – is WD NAS still ok to use?

Is WD My Cloud NAS Still Ok to Use in 2024?

It is important to highlight that this article is not about me saying the WD My Cloud range is bad, because it really isn’t and it is still one of the best bang for your buck NAS solutions you can buy right now in 2024 – as well as being remarkably user friendly for the first time NAS user! Additionally, with the majority of WD solutions arriving with bundled hard drives, a simple streamlined user interface and considerably better high street availability than any other brand, they are still a good solution. However, like most technology, the evolution and expectations in what it can do in the eyes of buyers change rapidly and although most other brands have pushed software and hardware innovation to some incredible lengths, the WD My Cloud NAS range has remained quite steadfast in its refusal to adapt. Although WD My Cloud is sturdy, safe, robust and makes no promises it cannot fulfil, in terms of what you can do with it and how you can evolve the system in its lifespan is tremendously limited. This along with some third party app brands not updating their applications for the WD NAS OS system has led to an increasing lack of support of these popular software platforms. Ultimately, the majority of people reading this are owners of a WD My Cloud NAS that are now looking to upgrade to something with a little more future-proofing and modern innovation. However, don’t overlook the fact that you can still use your WD My Cloud NAS as another tier of your backup strategy, by synchronising over the network or internet with numerous application methods available from WD themselves and others brands. 

Better Alternative to WD and Netgear for Software – Synology and DSM 7.2

Unsurprisingly, if you have been researching the subject of NAS and thinking of upgrading from a WD My Cloud NAS, then the name ‘Synology’ and its incredible software will almost certainly have appeared on your radar. Although the brand is not as establish or steeped in years as Western Digital, Synology is still over 20-years old and has produced hundreds of NAS solutions in their portfolio. The main difference between Synology and WD when it comes to NAS software is twofold. The first major difference is the first party software on offer. WD and it’s NAS OS have surprisingly thin software add-ons available, with most of the system abilities being classed more as day-to-day services – RAID functionality, USB backups, synchronised backups and low-level account control. WD-OS is very functional but it has not changed much in the last 5-6 years in terms of innovation and most of its key abilities are considered rather rudimentary in 2024. Synology on the other hand includes its DSM (Diskstation Manager) software platform with every NAS, which is is the equivalent of an entire operating system comparable to a desktop OS that can be accessed via the web browser and numerous mobile apps. The Synology supports all of the services that the WD My Cloud does, but has also evolved every one of them into a central data ecosystem. The range of first-party services, applications and add-ons that Synology provide are extensive and cover surveillance, virtual machine deployment, intelligent multi-tier backups, bespoke email server deployment and more. Alongside this, DSM also provides applications that attempt to wrestle the user away from third-party desktop client apps for business. Examples include Synology Chat that serves as an alternative to Skype, Synology Office which serves as an alternative to Google Docs/Office 365, Synology Video Station is a popular alternative to Plex Media Server as well as an alternative to the slick and easy UI of Google Drive and Dropbox with Synology Drive. The evolution of Synology software where is genuinely unparallel and although QNAP is always getting closer, it is still going to be very impressive for the end-user when switching away from WD My Cloud NAS OS to DSM.

The second reason that the Synology NAS software platform is significantly superior to the WD NAS software is the support of third-party applications. WD NAS OS does have access to a small apps centre that includes easy installation of a few third-party applications. Although the majority of these have been all but abandoned in terms of updates and utility in recent years, one popular 3rd party application that most users a few years ago purchased the WD My Cloud NAS for was Plex media server. However updates on the Plex media server application on the WD NAS platform have slowed down and because this is a third-party application, you are heavily reliant on the manufacturer to develop updates for the WD NAS platform – something that has become increasingly less frequent from 2020 onwards. Synology NAS on the other hand supports significantly more third-party applications in it’s app center, as well as numerous custom apps that can be installed manually. There is certainly a few bits of bloatware in this application centre that can be overlooked, but nevertheless, there is still a good 30-40x third-party applications here that are worth your time and updated with more frequency than those found on the WD NAS platform. Equally, as the popularity of Synology NAS has increased, so has the amount of time that developers have spent on both the first and third-party applications for this platform and this combined with the improvements in mobile applications has led to the Synology NAS range being wildly superior to that of WD NAS My Cloud in software. Add to this that Synology also provides the option of BTRFS as a filesystem choice option with its file self-healing and lower resource-consuming snapshot creation, as well as the Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) configuration for allowing mixed hard drive capacities, and the Synology NAS software is easily the preferred upgrade choice for those moving away from the WD My Cloud NAS platform for apps and services.

PROS of Synology NAS

• Easily the most intuitive and Usage browser-based GUI (award-winning DSM 7.1/7.2) – FULL DSM 7 Review HERE or DSM 7.2 Review HERE
• One of the best Surveillance NAS software solutions
• Most popular vendor for Mac users for it’s UI
• Incredibly feature-rich NVR software included, in Surveillance Station
• Includes Active Backup Suite – Enterprise level and fully featured Backup Co-ordination software
• Lowest Power Consumption vs other brands
• A large # of their systems arrive with m.2 NVMe SSD caching upgrade bays
• Quiet chassis compared with other brands
• Task specialised Ranges like ‘PLAY’, ‘PLUS’ and ‘J’ make buying easier
• The best range of first-party software, with Synology Office, Chat, Mail, Drive and more
• SHR and SHR-2 – also BTRFS available in most solutions
• Cloud Services available in Synology C2
• Desktop and Rack-mount options are available
• Best software for Home and SMB

CONS of Synology NAS

• Often the most expensive
• Recent Enterprise NAS Hardware has changed Compatibility in favour of Synology HDDs and SSDs
• Generally, Synology NAS has the lowest hardware power in their systems
• NVMe SSD Bays are for caching ONLY, they cannot be used for super-fast storage pools in MOST of their systems (recent releases support pools)
• More technically minded folk will need to dig a little to get to the nitty-gritty
• SHR is not available on Enterprise NAS Systems
• Network ONLY – no HDMI, Audio in/out, Thunderbolt, etc

Better Alternative to Netgear and WD for Price – Terramaster

As mentioned earlier, one of the appealing things for many first-time NAS owners that drew them to the WD My Cloud, etc range is that they are very well priced. If you want to buy a NAS from another company that still maintains this price point for the hardware, but includes some more software applications, supported services and modern features of NAS in 2024, then Terramaster might well be the best choice for you. Often considered the ‘budget choice’ in NAS for the last few years, their most recent hardware solutions have really upped their game – all the while maintaining a price point for the hardware that Synology and QNAP struggle to compete with (as they try to maintain a considerably more level hardware vs software package). Terramaster NAS do still arrive with an on-board 1st party software, known as TOS (version 5.1 at the time of writing) which though less evolved than Synology DSM or QNAP QTS, is still a noticeable degree more feature rich than the WD OS software – but with the added benefit of things like BTRFS/EXT4 file system choices, multi-tier backup managers, VM tools, AI-powered photo recognition and more. They even feature a fluid RAID system, known as TRAID, that is comparable to Synology Hybrid RAID and Drobo BeyondRAID that allows you to create a RAID storage pool using mixed drives – something that is surprisingly rare (and bloody useful for those that want to only half/partially populate a NAS, then add drives a few years later). You can find out more about the Terramaster TOS software in the video or article below:

Terramaster TOS Written Review (Will Open in New Tab)	Terramaster TOS YouTube Review

Moving away from the software though, it is the hardware of the Terramaster NAS series that (most) users are going to like. With the bulk of the systems in 2023/2024 arriving with M.2 NVMe slots, USB 10Gb/s, 4K HDMI 60FPS output and minimum 2.5GbE network ports (as well as quite a few affordable 10GbE solutions now), they also arrive with the same CPUs that their competitors use, but often as low as 25% cheaper. Then there is the chassis design of their solutions. Up until around 2020/2021, Terramaster solutions had a tendency to look a little dated. However, they have since introduced some fantastic looking 6-Bay, 9-Bay and even 12-Bay desktop solutions that capitalize on the efficient scaling and cooling of rackmount solutions, but in a desktop-designed chassis. A great example of which is in the NAS images below:

Terramaster still maintains it’s more affordable and budget reputation in the NAS industry, as well as their solutions often being the noisiest in the market by a few dB(A)s, but they have improved exponentially over the last few years and have closed alot of the gap between themselves and the bigger names in the NAS market, at least in the eyes of more cost-aware buyers. Finally, even if you LOVE the Terramaster Hardware, but do not want to use the software (as you have one already in mind or are put off by events last year when they were targetted by ransomware attackers), you can still use the majority of Terramaster NAS systems for TrueNAS Core, TrueNAS Scale, UnRAID and OpenMediaVault – Installing these Open-Source or Low-Cost/Resource NAS OS’s is super quick, can be easily reversed and done so without harming your hardware warranty. Overall, if you want to move away from WD NAS and towards something that is lower in price but still gives you more hardware to play with – Terramaster NAS is a solid WIN.

PROS of TerraMaster NAS

• Great Price vs Hardware
• VERY Fast Brand Evolution
• TOS 5 Software introducing Surveillance, FluidRAID (TRAID), AI-Powered photo Recognition and Isolation Mode
• Added a LARGE 2.5GbE selection of NAS in their portfolio
• Hugely Improved GUI and Client apps
• BTRFS available as file system choice
• Desktop and Rackmount options
• Similar Hardware to QNAP and Asustor, but at a Lower Price
• Straight forward range and classification
• Very Straight Fordwared Setup

CONS of TerraMaster NAS

• Very Few Mobile Apps
• Not quite as polished or fully featured as Synology/QNAP
• Despite Business targeting, very poor support of 10GBe till recently in the F2-423
• A little dated design
• Arrives with Warranty, but the turnaround is slower than many
• Have been targetted by Ransomware attacks in the last 2 years

Better Alternative to WD and Netgear NAS for Performance and Flexibility – QNAP

The performance of a NAS drive will often be dictated by both the internal and external hardware available. The quantity and number of hard drives you install inside will always provide something of a performance boost, but overall the performance will always be dictated by the primary components that the brand chooses to use and the external connectivity that a system features by default. Each one of the WD My Cloud range of devices are very efficient, make the most of the hardware inside and are designed for smooth running with little or no intervention by the end-user at any point. However, it has to be said that the hardware featured inside pales in comparison to that of QNAP alternatives in the last few years. With the WD My Cloud series largely concentrating on an Intel Pentium processor from 2015/16, alongside several ARM processors in 32-bit and 64-bit, they are certainly comparable to a number of much older QNAP NAS systems in the TS-X31K, TS-51D and TS-53D Series. Unfortunately, they soon get surpassed in comparison to the wide array of more modern processors available in QNAP desktop systems that can range from Pentium Gold, Newer Gen Celeron and Ryzen, to Intel Core i5, i7 and Xeon. This disparity also extends to the memory available, with most WD My Cloud systems arriving with between 1-2GB of memory that cannot be upgraded – whereas QNAP arrive with vast memory upgrade options and many models arriving with 4GB and 8GB by default. Then there is the fact that most of the QNAP NAS systems arrive with either 2.5GbE by default, very easy 5GbE/10GbE upgradability via USB and PCIe Cards and it is all uphill from there! QNAP provides their own QM2 card series which includes 10GbE ports, NVMe SSD multi-port cards and even combo cards that manage to give you a little of everything. All this together results in even mid-range/modest QNAP NAS systems having tremendous scope for higher performance than even the more high-end WD NAS right now.

The difference between QNAP and WD My Cloud is made even more clear when you learn that the majority of QNAP NAS systems released in 2024 ranges also include M2 NVMe SSD storage upgrade slots internally by default, that allow you to install SSDs that can be used for an area of superfast storage, tiered storage for data to be scanned and moved to the most appropriate media source or for caching to allow frequently access data to be copied over to the SSD for improved performance in the files that need it most. Although the use of SSDs for intelligent caching is by no means a new feature of NAS, it is still something that WD My Cloud NAS has yet to integrate and something that QNAP NAS has applied to the majority of their hardware portfolio. If one of your criticisms of WD NAS was that it felt underpowered and that your performance always felt like an uphill struggle, then most of the QNAP NAS range will absolutely blow you away by comparison. The software that all QNAP NAS arrive with, though not quite as fluid and user-friendly as the Synology DSM platform, is still really impressive, hugely customizable/flexible, arrives with many, many client apps for mobile/desktop devices and even arrives in a ZFS version for more powerful QNAP NAS systems – which in turn results in even higher performance potential. There is even a Thunderbolt NAS series from them that allows you to directly connect with the QNAP NAS on a few of their systems – allowing you to combine the ease of direct connectivity of Thunderbolt, with the multi-access nature of NAS. Finally we can highlight that a large number of the QNAP solutions also include an HDMI output and parallel GUI (so running alongside the normal NAS software, not just mirroring it over HDMI) that allows you to run many applications and tasks via a Keyboard/ouse and/or remote control setup. This can include surveillance (8 Camera Licenses included in the QVR Pro NVR/CCTV software btw), virtual machines, Multimedia with things like Kodi/Emby/Plex/Jellyfin and even use as a standalone PC! All this can be done and with the QTS/QuTS NAS software running in the background being accessed by hundreds of users and apps, all at the same time! They even produced one of the very first 8K PLEX native performing NAS I have ever tested:

So, with both the baseline level of hardware AND the upgradability of the internal hardware found in a QNAP NAS to be better than that found in WD My Cloud NAS, it’s a great upgrade for those that are interesting in improved internal performance in their next NAS purchase.

PROS of QNAP NAS

• Best Solutions for Plex Media Server in NAS
• Enterprise/Business Solutions feature ZFS
• 2.5Gbe, 5Gbe and 10Gbe Options
• Best Virtual Machine and Container Solutions in NAS
• NVMe SSD Bays can be used for Caching, Storage Pools or Tiered Storage Configurations
• Almost all range is metal in design, or a plastic but unique chassis
• HDMI and remote control included in most Media NAS devices
• Thunderbolt NAS options covering TB2, TB3 and even TB4 (TS-464)
• Two Surveillance Solutions (with 4/8 Camera Licenses included)
• The Best Backup/Synchronization solution in ‘Hybrid Backup Sync 3’
• Technical information far more readily available
• Lower price compared with Synology in terms of hardware
• Regularly updated software and Detailed GUI/APPs – FULL Review HERE
• Desktop and Rackmount options are available
• Much better business options and definitely the best for virtual machines

CONS of QNAP NAS

• A more android feel towards apps and stability means some users will be put off
• Lacking the BTRFS and SHR support of Synology
• Higher typical Power consumption
• Often a fraction noisier due to chiefly metal chassis
• Much larger range of devices can lead to confusion
• Most units arrive with 2-3 Years warranty, but longer will cost you more
• Have been targetted by Ransomware attacks in the last 2 years

Better Alternative to Netgear and WD Hardware Value for Money – Asustor

Of all the NAS brands I talk about, the one that all too often gets overlooked is Asustor. This is because they seemingly come ‘2nd’ or ‘3rd’ to most brands when it comes to the hardware, cost and software. However, they do make up for this by being excellent VALUE! By this, I mean that they provide a number of solutions that give you a little bit of what all the other brands provide – but in a single solution, rather than you having to choose between the others. Want BRTFS like Synology? Asustor and ADM has that. Want loads of desktop and mobile applications, plus an HDMI output like QNAP? Asustor has that! Want a price point that is low like Terramaster? They get pretty dare close with the Asustor Drivestor and Lockerstor series. They even provide some things that all the other brands do not too! Such as HDMI 2.0b for increased visual bandwidth handling, systems with FOUR Gen3 M.2 NVMe slots inside, dedicated 10GbE NVMe NAS’ and all the while arriving with minimum 2.5 GbE network ports and USB 3.2 10Gb/s. The Asustor software runs very smooth and although it lacks a few things (an AI photo application, 1sst party VM tool or a fluid/flexible RAID system like SHR/TRAID, etc), it IS very user-friendly and arrives with support of more 3rd party apps in it’s app center than most of the other NAS brands. Learn more about Asustor ADM below:

In the last year of two, Asustor has really innovated their ranges and alongside the 2nd generation of their Lockerstor series, effectively doubling down on the hardware of the Gen 1 (barely increasing the pricepoint too) and releasing several new cost-effective solutions in the Drivestor series too. This combined with improvements in their accessories and add-ons such as te 10GbE+NVMe SSD Combo card (the AS-T10G3), a 5-Port 2.5GbE switch and there is work on a dedicated home flash solution too. All of this, whilst the brand still manages to maintain a great ‘Value’ when compared to alternatives from Synology and QNAP. We should mention that they too (much like QNAP and Terramaster) were targetted by the Deadbolt ransomware group in 2022 and much like other brands, they immediately heightened the default security settings of their systems and made it much tougher/layered for novice users to open up ports on their system and give some apps remote access so easily. Overall, it is really hard to find better hardware value for money in pre-made/turnkey NAS than with Asustor solutions.

PROS of Asustor NAS

• Great Price vs Hardware – Often one of the lowest Prices Hardware solutions available
• Recent Lockerstor Gen 2 Releases are Incredible Value for the Hardware
• BTRFS Support
• First Brand to Adopt 2.5Gbe Commercially
• Nice software and still supports Kodi (unofficially), something slowly being pulled from other NAS Software stores – FULL REVIEW HERE
• Good selection of Home and Business NAS devices
• Early Adopter of HDMI 2.0a – so 4K at 60FPS and have their own HDMI GUI in Asustor Portal
• VM deployment and Container Support not dissimilar from QNAP, only not quite as flash
• Noise is pretty low on most home devices like the Nimbustor 2/4
• More Apps are available on the NAS app store, more than QNAP and Synology
• Product Naming is easier to follow than most brands

CONS of Asustor NAS

• Mobile Apps are very functional but appear a little sparse
• Many HDMI apps seem to be simplified web portals, rather than standalone applications
• Browser-based GUI does not feel quite as smooth as Synology DSM, but on par with others
• The Surveillance Center application feels very dated and less intuitive than most
• Have been targetted by Ransomware attacks in the last 2 years

Better Alternative to WD/Netgear for Connectivity – QNAP

The connectivity between the network-attached storage device and your local network hardware environment will massively dictate the speed at which your client devices can access your data for home or business use. Although there are a handful of more enterprise-level WD NAS solutions available, all of the WD My Cloud Feature 1Gbe with no means with which to upgrade that connectivity. Some NAS in the My Cloud range are a little better with dual 1Gbe RJ45 connections, but even then this is a small addition that in 2024 is less desirable than it once was. However, if you are looking for the best possible external connectivity in a modern NAS when choosing from or upgrading from a WD My Cloud NAS, then QNAP have easily the best selection of external connectivity on even their modest hardware solutions available.

Even on the 1/2-bay NAS solutions, you can find 2.5Gbe connectivity on a number of QNAP solution, which then scales progressively throughout their portfolio to multiple 2.5Gbe connections, 5Gbe connections and 10Gbe very easily while still maintaining a price point that remains compatible with that of even the biggest WD My Cloud solution. Then you have the fact that a number of QNAP solutions can be upgraded via PCIe or USB upgrade adaptors for more numerous external connectivity or at the enterprise level with larger bandwidth connections such as 25Gbe and 40Gbe of PCIe Gen 3 NICs for just a few £100s. Finally, there is the growing collection of Thunderbolt 3 equipped NAS systems from QNAP that allow a marginally more plug-and-play connection between the NAS and a thunderbolt 3 USB-C equipped client device. Ultimately QNAP NAS wildly outpaces the WD My Cloud range in terms of external connectivity and is arguably better for its external bandwidth than most NAS brands on the market today.

Better Plex Alternative to WD and Netgear – Synology and QNAP

As mentioned at the start of this article, many users purchased the WD My Cloud Pro NAS system as it was remarkably proficient at Plex Media Server, thanks to its choice of Pentium Processor and hardware transcoding in Plex as standard utilization. However, due to Plex not frequently updating the WD NAS Media Server application in line with how the platform has evolved over time, the WD My Cloud Pro PR2100 and PR4100 have grown increasingly less proficient at Plex Media Server, leading to guides and support walkthroughs being needed to bridge the gap more informally and this has been one of the largest driving force for users wishing to trade away from a WD NAS and onto something a little more modern. When it comes to buying a NAS that is primarily used for Plex media server, for the sheer simplicity and Performance it is hard to argue with a Synology or QNAP NAS as a better Plex media server. Although many would argue that a QNAP NAS would serve as a better Plex media server due to a higher class of CPU, the Synology NAS platform tends to get more out of the hardware at any given time in terms of efficiency which for most users and Plex media server is highly desirable for a stress-free, set up and forget architecture.

Here is my FULL Guide on Synology NAS for Plex (Click Below):

The performance of Plex media server on a QNAP or Synology NAS when compared with that of a WD My Cloud NAS though is not quite as clear-cut as you might like though. For a start, in order to take advantage of hardware transcoding on the NAS, you are going to need a paid Plex Pass, which may come as a real disappointment given that earlier revisions of Plex media server on the WD My Cloud allow Plex to use this CPU and hardware transcoding for free by default. However, the performance of this older Pentium in hardware transcoding is of a similar level to the software transcoding of the much newer Celeron found in the QNAP and Synology recent diskstation releases – so this advantage can be largely negated. One final point that, although not applicable to everyone is still worth considering when looking at a NAS for Plex media server, is how the system utilises the hardware resources available between both the Plex application, other software services and the system in general. Plex media server in its recent version consumes the majority of the hardware available on the WD My Cloud Pro system with even modest playback of 1080p media and is all but consumed by 4K files, leaving little or no resources for the rest of the NAS and it’s applications. The majority of Synology Plus Series Diskstation NAS systems, by comparison, thanks to using more modern hardware architecture and upgradeability in their design result in a smaller percentage of resource consumption buy Plex media server and therefore more fuel in the tank for other services too. If you are not planning on using hardware transcoding/encoding (i.e you have client devices that playback all your media natively with ease and/or you are only going to use the local network to stream), then you can start to look at non-integrated graphics NAS systems from QNAP and Synology too. Overall, though many of the other brands mentioned till now (Asustor, Terramster, etc) all arrive with similar hardware at each tier, I have regularly found that the Plex applications running in Synology DSM or QNAP QTS (either as the official app or as a container) jus run more efficiently on the QNAP/Synology platforms overall.

Better Alternative to WD and Netgear for Security and Scalability – TrueNAS

Let’s face it – 90% of users who are reading this article to move away from WD NAS are doing so for reasons of security. Or more precisely, they have lost faith/trust in their WD NAS’ balance of secure and reliable access. Aside from the storage of your data, another HUGE element of managing your NAS (TrueNAS or otherwise) is how well the system manages its network connectivity. This is such an important part of the perfect storage setup that it can often be the make-or-break of a system. This is especially true in 2024 as concerns of cyber security, ransomware, malware and remote access to your home/business network are extremely current! In the last 18 months, big turnkey/off-the-shelf NAS solution providers have been affected by ransomware and remote command injection-based attacks (Deadbolt, QSnatch, Dirty CoW, Dirty Pipe and more) and this has led to a large number of users rolling up their sleeves and deciding to move towards highly customizable/configurable solutions that allow them to craft a completely unique network security setup. Using TrueNAS to do this is arguably going to be a much more technical process BUT the range of customization and unique internal separate options that the platform offers is completely unique in many places and part of that stems from TrueNAS being built on FreeBSD (rather than Linux, as most other NAS platforms are built on, though there IS a Linux kernel TrueNAS option for those that want the benefits inherent to that platform in TrueNAS Scale). This allows a greater degree of partitional design that allows incredibly unique storage setups that brute force attacks and injected code methods can not overcome beyond a certain point. Eg If you think of TrueNAS on FreeBSD as a house, every single door in the house has a unique lock (multiple unique locks per door if you choose) and having keys to even a single door is just not enough to access everything. Even command-line/back-end access can be forbidden and for many that level of native isolation to the storage, backups and snapshots is damn near irresistible! Here are the elements of TrueNAS core that stood out for me in its network management and security.

Whether it’s compliance, performance, or economics, Federal, state and local governments have plenty to think about when choosing a data storage solution. TrueNAS provides various agencies with enterprise storage that is safe, secure, unified and scalable, which can be used with multiple applications. TrueNAS provides unrivaled data integrity protection, scales to 4PB, unifies block and file storage, balances price and performance, and uses the open source OpenZFS file system. Using TrueNAS eliminates the risk of deploying a complex storage infrastructure and reduces storage costs. The term JAILS is one that is thrown around a lot when people talk about security in the TrueNAS platform and for good reason. When it comes to installing a new third party tool/service that is not native to the platform, in TrueNAS you can install these additional components as completely contained areas of the system. These JAILS are excellent for securely and safely partitioning the system and services, that way in the event of troubleshooting, giving limited access to or quickly locking down a specific application or service. In essence, TrueNAS has two options to create a jail. Unusually for the platform, they even include a Jail Wizard (a hand holding guide, not a man in a big hat) which makes it easy to quickly create a jail. ADVANCED JAIL CREATION is an alternate method, where every possible jail option is configurable. There are numerous options spread across four different primary sections. This form is recommended for advanced users with very specific requirements for a jail. Many users might query why you would use a jail system such as this to run these contained storage/services, as opposed to a virtual machine or a container (as found more often in Linux). However, as jails run the FreeBSD operating system. These jails are independent instances of FreeBSD. The jail uses the host hardware and runs on the host kernel, avoiding most of the overhead usually associated with virtualization that requires hardware to be hard-locked or provisioned. The jail installs FreeBSD software management utilities so FreeBSD packages or ports can be installed from the jail command line. This allows for FreeBSD ports to be compiled and FreeBSD packages to be installed from the command line of the jail in a way that is considerably more configurable and more hardware efficient overall. That isn’t to say that TrueNAS ignores the versatility of Linux and containers, as their newer TrueNAS SCALE (Scale-out, Convergence, Active-active, Linux, Easy – doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, but covers the big advantages inherent to Linux kernel use) platform is built on Linux and takes advantage of those benefits too.

TrueNAS provides unrivaled data integrity protection for backup images by using the OpenZFS enterprise file system. OpenZFS is a next-generation file system in every regard, from its self-healing bit rot mitigation to its flexible snapshotting and replication. It guarantees that you recover the same data that was written. TrueNAS can also encrypt data and replicate it remotely. Many government organizations require encryption of at-rest and in-flight data, so TrueNAS supports disk-level encryption and encryption on data sent over the wire. TrueNAS remote replication (called TrueSync) can be encrypted; while the TrueNAS Web User Interface can be configured to work over HTTPS. Even its firmware updates are signed with a certificate issued by a public certificate authority. When you can’t leave security to chance, TrueNAS has you covered. Additionally, TrueNAS gives you flexibility in your choice of Big Data applications, while reducing the number of storage arrays needed. It is both a NAS and a SAN, supporting multiple block and file protocols. This gives you flexibility in your choice of applications, while reducing the number of storage arrays needed. Every common operating system, hypervisor, and application is supported. Instead of creating storage silos for your various applications, you can use one TrueNAS storage array. There is no avoiding that TrueNAS is an incredibly intimidating and HIGH learning curve platform to choose, especially when moving away from the chewable crayon and hand-holding presentation of WD My Cloud NAS systems – but in terms of security inside and out – very few platforms can challenge TrueNAS. Do keep in mind though that the system still gives YOU the power to make it insecure if you ignore the warning and/or allow 3rd party tools access. Ultimately, the power is in YOUR hands. You can learn more about TrueNAS Core (if you want the Linux version, that is TrueNAS Scale) in the review of the software below:

Better Alternative to WD and Netgear for Scale and Small Impact – UnRAID

You have likely heard about UnRAID in forums, community sites and server enthusiast discussion groups – but rarely on any premium platforms. This is because UnRAID performs a balancing act between a paid solution and Open-source. UnRAID is BY FAR the more resource lite server platform I will cover in this article and also has the potential to be BY FAR the cheapest too. UnRAID runs from a USB that you can connect to an existing system. That means whether you want to build a new PC/Server OR just want to re-use an old PC/Laptap/Mac Mini (maybe avoid that last one), you can simply put your UnRAID installation on a USB, connect it and boom – you have an UnRAID server that you can connect with over the network. It lacks alot of the bells and whistles of turnkey solutions like Synology and QNAP (all those client apps, 1st party apps and services in an app store, etc), but makes up for it by being fantastically efficient. It supports storage pools and volume type storage, but how the drives are held together and how redundancy/performance is managed is very different.

Unraid is unlike traditional RAID for a few reasons. In most RAID cases, when you write a file to a RAID array, more than one disk will spin up, and data is striped across several drives. So even a single file could exist on more than one drive. Because RAID uses more than one drive to read and write data, there is a performance benefit. RAID also offers a degree of safety. RAID5 can sustain the loss of a single drive, with RAID6 able to cope with the loss of two drives. RAID is still susceptible to catastrophic failure. If you were to lose two drives in a RAID5 array, you might not be able to get any of your data back. This is because the entirety of the data is dependent on the other disks. If you took out a single drive from a RAID5 array and plugged it into a computer, you won’t be able to see anything meaningful because the data is striped. A network share in Unraid can span multiple disks, but it manages the data quite differently compared to traditional RAID. Unraid can be configured to have up to two parity drives.

Similar to traditional RAID, this will prevent data loss if up to two drives die, keeping your data safe. There is a trade-off with storing the data in this method in that the performance for reading and writing data is limited to the speed of a single drive. However, Unraid mitigates this by allowing you to use an SSD as a cache drive. In Unraid, if one of your disks had to die, you could plug in another drive, and it would rebuild the data on that drive. However, if you were to lose more than one drive, you could still plug the remaining drives into a computer to retrieve what’s there. Another consideration with RAID is that the smallest drive limits the size of the array. This can limit how you can upgrade the size of a RAID array. Additionally, it may not be possible to add a single drive and increase the size of the array. The GUI might seem a little less graphical and easy to follow than your usual OS Desktop, but everything is well spaced out and you will find that things moderately intuitive once you get to grips with it.

In a direct Unraid vs Raid comparison, Unraid may not be as performant as traditional RAID, but it’s far more efficient. There is a massive reduction in power consumption because all the drives aren’t spinning to read and write data. Unraid is also efficient in how you can expand the size of the array. You can add a drive of any size, and it will increase the size of the array by that size, even if it doesn’t match the size of the other disks. As long as you ensure that your parity drive is equal to or larger than the biggest drive in your array, your data will be safe. The base configuration of an Unraid server requires only 2GB of RAM and a 1GHz processor. At idle, barely any RAM or CPU is used. Under regular usage, like a video playing and a file being written simultaneously, Unraid still barely bats an eye. This shows how efficient a basic Unraid performance is at managing its resources. One aspect puts people off Unraid: there is a cost attached to it. But it is excellent value for money, and there is a 30-day trial to try it for yourself and create your own Unraid NAS server. Moreover, Unraid has an excellent community forum that you can use for both support and advice on your build. One of the most significant advantages of Unraid is that it runs on regular PC hardware. Just keep in mind that the UnRAID software is not completely free. You can run it as a 30-Day trial, but you will eventually need to get a license key. You can find out more and get yourself an UnRAID License HERE – https://unraid.net/pricing?via=nascompares/

There’s no limit to how powerful you’d like to make your build as long as you’ve got the budget to match. If you require a NAS without virtualization or resource-intensive apps, you may even be able to repurpose an older computer that you own. All this said, if the idea of a DiY NAS build is too intimidating for you, you CAN use an existing NAS system and just convert it over to UnRAID very easily. It will need you to use a NAS with an HDMI out, at least 2GB of memory – but as you can see in the video below, it is very easy to run UnRAID on even a moderately priced NAS and end up with a fantastically capable UnRAID system indeed. Overall, although UnRAID cannot match the throughput externally/internally of the rest of the turnkey NAS solutions (or even compete with TrueNAS Core/Scale with ZFS), it allows you to reuse your existing hardware that you might have at home and set up an UnRAID NAS INCREDIBLY affordably!

Better Alternative to WD/Netgear My Cloud for Business – Synology

When network-attached storage was in its infancy, it was presented as a means for prosumers and small-medium business users to have an alternative to subscription-based Cloud services (DropBox, Google Drive, etc) with improved customizable security and larger capacities. Due to the nature of data and how it is the centre of all kinds of business in the last few decades, the idea of a business having its own server is hardly a new thing, given the importance of data retention and GDPR. However, the expectations from a business in what a server can do at even the most modest level have grown rapidly and a simple hard drive connected to the internet will simply not do! As mentioned earlier, the software available on the WD NAS OS platform is starting to look a little underwhelming in 2024, whereas Synology has invested heavily in software development for the NAS systems likely more than any other brand. Now, to cover the WHOLE Synology software and services that are included with their NAS’ would result in a review that is twice as long as this review so far! Synology’s Diskstation Manager software that comes with this device provides a massive arrangement of services, applications (first and third-party supported) and a huge number of client applications for Desktop clients, Mobile, Windows, Mac and Linux (as well as a bunch of other more home-based tools). These allow management and access to the data on a Synology in very tailored ways, as well as the web browser-based access that has the appearance, intuitive design and responsiveness of a local operating system. The DSM interface can be accessed by hundreds of users at the same time (with each user having tailored access, rights and privileges). DSM is available with ALL Synology NAS and the depth and abilities of DSM on any NAS are dependent on the hardware architecture of the NAS itself. In the case of most PLUS or XS series devices, they supports practically EVERYTHING (with the exception of SHR in the case of the XS, SA and UC series). If you want to learn about the latest version of DSM 7 and the software and services that are included with their systems, watch my FULL review below (alternatively, you can read the DSM 7 Full Review HERE):

Needless to say, most Synology NAS will support the bulk of DSM applications, features and services. Longtime followers of Synology (and NASCompres) will be familiar with the huge range of first-party applications and features of DSM, but for those less familiar, here are some highlights:

Synology Office – Create documents, spreadsheets, and slides in a multi-user environment. Real-time synchronization and saving make collaboration a breeze.

Synology Chat – Aimed at businesses, Synology Chat is an IM service that transforms the way users collaborate and communicate.

Synology Drive – Host your own private cloud behind the safety of your NAS with 100% data ownership and no subscription fees. Drive has become one of the premier applications of DSM and allows uses to create intelligent shared team folders that support versioning, file streaming+pinning, encryption, Windows AD support (soon) and native file system support with Windows and macOS.

Synology Photos – Manage your photos and videos with deep-learning algorithms that automatically group photos with similar faces, subjects, and places. Designed after the merger of Synology Photo Station and Moments, it also includes tailored folder, sharing and categorization features to help photographers manage their photos and share them with clients for feedback or business development.

Synology Calendar – Stay on track, share calendars, and schedule meetings, while ensuring sensitive information remains safely stored on company premises.

Synology Active Backup for Business (ABB) – Consolidate backup tasks for virtualized environments, physical servers, and personal computers, and rapidly restore files, entire machines, or VMs – license-free. This software also arrives as a specialised Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace platform to sync with those platforms and allow a bare metal tier to your cloud office services

Synology Hyper Backup – Backup your NAS safely and efficiently to multiple destinations with deduplication, integrity checks, compression, and versioning.

Synology Surveillance Station – Safeguard your business, home, and other valuable assets with reliable video surveillance tools. With improved AI services being accessible thanks to Synology BC500 and TC500 Cameras (which arrived in mid 2023 and a new CC400W Camera slated for mid 2024). Additionally, you can connect this platform with Synology’s cloud platform to use ‘C2 Surveillance’ and bolster the odds of recordings being maintained in the event of accidental/malicious damage to your surveillance system.

Synology Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) – An intuitive hypervisor that supports Windows, Linux, and Virtual DSM virtual machines. Its powerful disaster recovery tools help users achieve maximum service uptime.

Synology High Availability – Synology High Availability (SHA) combines two Synology NAS servers into one active-passive high-availability cluster, alleviating service disruptions while mirroring data.

Synology Central Management System (CMS) – Synology CMS allows you to manage multiple Synology NAS servers quickly and conveniently from a single location.

Synology Video Station – Manage all your movies, TV shows, and home videos. Stream them to multiple devices or share them with friends and family.

Synology Audio Station – Manage your music collection, create personal playlists, stream them to your own devices, or share with family or friends.

Synology File Station – Manage your Synology NAS files remotely through web browsers or mobile devices. This tool allows complete file management and contains all the features and services of your own native file management platform (archiving, extracting, Copy, Cut, Paste, Sharing, native file format opening, integration with the rest of the Synology applications, property/metadata access, etc)

Should I Choose Synology, QNAP, TrueNAS, Terramaster or Asustor NAS?

So, if you have reached this far in the article, you are likely wondering whether you should switch from a WD My Cloud NAS towards either a Synology or QNAP NAS? It’s a valid question, as both brands (especially in recent years) managed to carve their own very distinct design, the priority of build and available utilities for different end-users. Synology will always be the software-optimized choice over hardware (60/40) and manages to get the very most possible out of comparatively less hardware in their own first-party applications. QNAP NAS on the other hand has more of a hardware focus (again 60/40) which means that they have a better 1t and 3rd party hardware balance when it comes to using their system in your environment. Synology is a solution that wants you to do things its way and in return gives you a smooth if safe and predictable outcome. QNAP NAS manages to be exceedingly customizable and adaptable and for those who take the time to tweak it, setup it up from scratch or adapt it to their 3rd party environment, can achieve much better results overall. Below is two videos that focus on each brand and key consideration on QNAP and Synology before you buy. Take a look:

Choosing A NAS – Need More Help?

So, those were the key considerations for those looking to buy a new NAS or looking to upgrade/migrate from an older NAS Drive. However, there is still so much that you may need to know to range from operating system compatibility, how to connect the NAS in the best way, ideal software and the best backup methods. If you still need help choosing the NAS solution for your needs, use the NASCompares free advice section below. It is completely free, is not a subscription service and is manned by real humans (two humans actually, me and Eddie). We promise impartial advice, recommendations based on your hardware and budget, and although it might take an extra day or two to answer your question, we will get back to you.

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This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below

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If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here  

Or support us by using our affiliate links on Amazon UK and Amazon US

    

 

WE LOVE COFFEE

Now that users are beginning to get their hands on the pre-ordered UGREEN NASync server devices, a one of the most popular applications that many will want to run is Plex Media Server. Easily one of the most powerful and capable media server applications in the market for hosting your own multimedia, whilst presenting it in a comparable fashion to massive streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+ and Prime, many UGREEN users were disappointed to discover that there is no native PLEX application available in the UGOS App centre of their new system. Never fear! They HAVE added Docker support! Docker is a containerized application software – which in less techie terms, means that it allows you to run applications and services on their own without needed to be run on an operating system like Windows, MacOS or Android. However, creating a containerized version of Plex, so you can host a Plex Media Server on your new UGREEN NAS is a little more complicated that a simple 1-click installer! So, today I want to guide you through how to set up your Plex Media Server container and start hosting your multimedia locally and over the internet!

Quick note, for the sake of clarity. ‘Plex Media Server’ is what you will be running from your NAS, also known as the ‘host’. The version of PLEX that you use on the devices you are going to watch/listen to your multimedia on is called a ‘Plex Client’.

Testing? If you want a better idea of how well your UGREEN NAS will playback different kinds of 1080p, 4K and 8K Multimedia, I have made a review below of how each UGREEN NAS system hardware handled playback:

What Do You Need?

In order to set up Plex Media Server, there eare a few things it is recommended you have the following things ready:

1.1 Gather Information and Materials:

• UGREEN NAS device – DUH!
• NAS admin account credentials.
• A computer connected to the same network as the NAS. Can be done with a phone/tablet with a web browser – but it’s not ideal!
• Internet access, albiet briefly, just to link your Plex account with your server
• *optional* A Plex Pass Account if you wish to use more advanced features (hardware transcoding, inclusive applications, etc)
• (Briefly) an SSH tool (recommend PUTY here, as it’s free and straightforward)

Note, if you would prefer a VIDEO GUIDE on how to install and Setup Plex Media Server on your UGREEN NAS, You can watch the YouTube video HERE. Let’s begin.

**2. Setting Up Docker on UGREEN NAS

2.1 Access UGREEN NAS Interface:

• Ensure your UGREEN device is fully powered on and has the latest UGOS Firmware (as only software after May 2024 has the Docker application in the App center)

• Open a web browser and enter the IP address of your NAS to access its web interface.

2.2 Install Docker:

• Go to the App Center in the NAS interface.
• Search for “Docker” and install it.

• Docker is a platform that enables you to run applications in isolated containers.

2.3 Open Docker:

• Once installed, open Docker from the list of applications.

**3. Downloading and Setting Up Plex Image

3.1 Go to Docker’s Image Tab:

• In Docker, navigate to the “Image” tab.

3.2 Search for Plex:

• Type “Plex” in the search bar.
• Select the “linuxserver/plex” image for stability and community support.

3.3 Download the Plex Image:

• Click “Download” to fetch the Plex image.
• This image will be used to create a container.

**4. Preparing Multimedia Folders

4.1 Access File Manager:

• Open the file manager on your NAS.
• Select an existing Shared Folder (top level folders that your system has already created. ALTERNATIVELY, you can click the ‘+’ symbol,  then select ‘Create Shared Folder’ and create a new primary shared folder.

4.2 Create Media Folders:

• Create the following directories inside the shared folder for organizing media:
  • config
  • data
  • movies
  • music
  • pictures (can also be named photos, but can make things tricky)
  • transcode
  • tv shows

4.3 Upload Media Files:

• Move or upload your multimedia files into the respective folders. Use drag-and-drop or upload functionality.
• IMPORTANT – Head into the Control Panel > User Management to check that the account you plan to use with the Plex Docker Creation has permission to access the folders that are created for the Plex Media and Configuration

**5. Setting Up Plex Container in Docker

5.1 Select Plex Image:

• Go back to Docker, select the Plex image you downloaded, and click “Launch” to create a new container.

5.2 Name and Configure Container:

• Give the container a name (e.g., “Plex”).
• Allocate CPU and memory resources as required.
• Ensure “Restart Policy” is set to “Always” to restart the container if it stops.

5.3 Add Mount Points:

• In the container setup, add mount points for each media folder:
  • /config -> config
  • /data -> data
  • /movies -> movies
  • /music -> music
  • /pictures -> pictures
  • /transcode -> transcode
  • /tv -> tv shows

5.4 Set Permissions:

• Ensure each directory has read and write access to allow Plex to manage and access the media.

5.5 Network Settings:

• Set the network mode to “Host” to share the same network as your NAS for easy access. It’s not essential, and you can change this later if you want to bind PLEX to a different physical port or network group. But to keep it easy at the start, leave this at ‘Host’

**6. Environmental Variables and Advanced Settings

6.1 Add Environmental Variables:

• Enter the following environmental variables for Plex:
  • PLEX_CLAIM (obtainable from Plex.tv claim)
  • TZ (time zone, e.g., Europe/London)
  • PUID and PGID (use 1000 for a standard user or obtain from your NAS settings)

6.2 Enable SSH and Obtain UID/GID:

• Temporarily enable SSH in the NAS control panel.

• Use a tool like Putty to access your NAS, and type id username to obtain the UID and GID.
• Use 192.168.x.x as the IP address to connect, with port 22.

• Use the information gained from PUTTY to fill out the environmental options you created in the docker container

6.3 Command Line Access:

• Use command line tools to run and manage Docker and Plex configurations if needed in future.
• DISABLE SSH!!! (if you do not plan to use it further)
• Additionally, for HARDWARE TRANSCODING it is advised to run in Privilege Mode, in order to give the docker enough control over the CPU’s integrated GFX

**7. Finalize and Run the Plex Container

7.1 Verify Configuration:

• Review all configurations and settings.
• Click “Done” to create and start the Plex container.

7.2 Access Plex:

• Open a new browser tab and enter the IP address of your NAS followed by :32400/web to access Plex (e.g., http://192.168.x.x:32400/web).

7.3 Log into Plex:

• Use your Plex account to log in.
• Go through the initial setup, naming your Plex server and setting up media libraries.

**8. Configuring Plex Media Server

8.1 Add Media Libraries:

• Click “Add Library” and choose the type (Movies, Music, TV Shows, etc.).
• Navigate to the corresponding media folder on your NAS (e.g., /movies).

8.2 Set Metadata and Agents:

• Configure metadata agents to fetch information about your media.
• Ensure correct scraping of data such as cover art, descriptions, and actor details.

8.3 Enable Transcoding:

• Go to Settings > Server > Transcoder.
• Enable hardware transcoding if your NAS supports it

8.4 Network and Access Settings:

• Configure network settings to allow remote access if desired.
• Set appropriate access permissions for different user profiles.

**9. Testing and Final Adjustments

9.1 Test Media Playback:

• Play various media files to ensure everything is working correctly.
• Check both local and remote playback (if configured).

9.2 Troubleshoot Issues:

• If there are problems, check Docker logs for errors.
• Adjust settings as needed to resolve issues.
• IMPORTANT  You can verify that Plex is using the CPU int.gfx (i.e hardware transcoding) during playback by playing a media file, then heading into the PLEX SERVER > SETTINGS  > DASHBOARD options and above the CPU/RAM use, you will see your file being played – look for ‘H/W Transcoding’. If it says ‘S/W transcoding’, you are using raw CPU power to do the job, which is less efficient.

9.3 Regular Maintenance:

• Update Plex and Docker as necessary.
• Regularly back up your NAS and Plex configurations.

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Want to follow specific category? Also Read...Week 51 Tech Round-Up – QNAPLocal AI and NAS Drives - IS TFAQ for DIY NAS Builds: EverytRecommended ATX Motherboards fRecommended ATX Motherboards fN305 6-Bay 10GbE NAS MotherboaCWWK Q670 8-Bay Gen5 NAS vPro Flashstor Gen 2 NAS ReviewHexOS NAS Software - Review ofN305 6-Bay 10GbE NAS Motherboa Subscribe

You can also follow specific search terms:

This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below

Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

TRY CHAT

If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here  

Or support us by using our affiliate links on Amazon UK and Amazon US

    

 

WE LOVE COFFEE

Now that users are beginning to get their hands on the pre-ordered UGREEN NASync server devices, a one of the most popular applications that many will want to run is Plex Media Server. Easily one of the most powerful and capable media server applications in the market for hosting your own multimedia, whilst presenting it in a comparable fashion to massive streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+ and Prime, many UGREEN users were disappointed to discover that there is no native PLEX application available in the UGOS App centre of their new system. Never fear! They HAVE added Docker support! Docker is a containerized application software – which in less techie terms, means that it allows you to run applications and services on their own without needed to be run on an operating system like Windows, MacOS or Android. However, creating a containerized version of Plex, so you can host a Plex Media Server on your new UGREEN NAS is a little more complicated that a simple 1-click installer! So, today I want to guide you through how to set up your Plex Media Server container and start hosting your multimedia locally and over the internet!

Quick note, for the sake of clarity. ‘Plex Media Server’ is what you will be running from your NAS, also known as the ‘host’. The version of PLEX that you use on the devices you are going to watch/listen to your multimedia on is called a ‘Plex Client’.

Testing? If you want a better idea of how well your UGREEN NAS will playback different kinds of 1080p, 4K and 8K Multimedia, I have made a review below of how each UGREEN NAS system hardware handled playback:

What Do You Need?

In order to set up Plex Media Server, there eare a few things it is recommended you have the following things ready:

1.1 Gather Information and Materials:

• UGREEN NAS device – DUH!
• NAS admin account credentials.
• A computer connected to the same network as the NAS. Can be done with a phone/tablet with a web browser – but it’s not ideal!
• Internet access, albiet briefly, just to link your Plex account with your server
• *optional* A Plex Pass Account if you wish to use more advanced features (hardware transcoding, inclusive applications, etc)
• (Briefly) an SSH tool (recommend PUTY here, as it’s free and straightforward)

Note, if you would prefer a VIDEO GUIDE on how to install and Setup Plex Media Server on your UGREEN NAS, You can watch the YouTube video HERE. Let’s begin.

**2. Setting Up Docker on UGREEN NAS

2.1 Access UGREEN NAS Interface:

• Ensure your UGREEN device is fully powered on and has the latest UGOS Firmware (as only software after May 2024 has the Docker application in the App center)

• Open a web browser and enter the IP address of your NAS to access its web interface.

2.2 Install Docker:

• Go to the App Center in the NAS interface.
• Search for “Docker” and install it.

• Docker is a platform that enables you to run applications in isolated containers.

2.3 Open Docker:

• Once installed, open Docker from the list of applications.

**3. Downloading and Setting Up Plex Image

3.1 Go to Docker’s Image Tab:

• In Docker, navigate to the “Image” tab.

3.2 Search for Plex:

• Type “Plex” in the search bar.
• Select the “linuxserver/plex” image for stability and community support.

3.3 Download the Plex Image:

• Click “Download” to fetch the Plex image.
• This image will be used to create a container.

**4. Preparing Multimedia Folders

4.1 Access File Manager:

• Open the file manager on your NAS.
• Select an existing Shared Folder (top level folders that your system has already created. ALTERNATIVELY, you can click the ‘+’ symbol,  then select ‘Create Shared Folder’ and create a new primary shared folder.

4.2 Create Media Folders:

• Create the following directories inside the shared folder for organizing media:
  • config
  • data
  • movies
  • music
  • pictures (can also be named photos, but can make things tricky)
  • transcode
  • tv shows

4.3 Upload Media Files:

• Move or upload your multimedia files into the respective folders. Use drag-and-drop or upload functionality.
• IMPORTANT – Head into the Control Panel > User Management to check that the account you plan to use with the Plex Docker Creation has permission to access the folders that are created for the Plex Media and Configuration

**5. Setting Up Plex Container in Docker

5.1 Select Plex Image:

• Go back to Docker, select the Plex image you downloaded, and click “Launch” to create a new container.

5.2 Name and Configure Container:

• Give the container a name (e.g., “Plex”).
• Allocate CPU and memory resources as required.
• Ensure “Restart Policy” is set to “Always” to restart the container if it stops.

5.3 Add Mount Points:

• In the container setup, add mount points for each media folder:
  • /config -> config
  • /data -> data
  • /movies -> movies
  • /music -> music
  • /pictures -> pictures
  • /transcode -> transcode
  • /tv -> tv shows

5.4 Set Permissions:

• Ensure each directory has read and write access to allow Plex to manage and access the media.

5.5 Network Settings:

• Set the network mode to “Host” to share the same network as your NAS for easy access. It’s not essential, and you can change this later if you want to bind PLEX to a different physical port or network group. But to keep it easy at the start, leave this at ‘Host’

**6. Environmental Variables and Advanced Settings

6.1 Add Environmental Variables:

• Enter the following environmental variables for Plex:
  • PLEX_CLAIM (obtainable from Plex.tv claim)
  • TZ (time zone, e.g., Europe/London)
  • PUID and PGID (use 1000 for a standard user or obtain from your NAS settings)

6.2 Enable SSH and Obtain UID/GID:

• Temporarily enable SSH in the NAS control panel.

• Use a tool like Putty to access your NAS, and type id username to obtain the UID and GID.
• Use 192.168.x.x as the IP address to connect, with port 22.

• Use the information gained from PUTTY to fill out the environmental options you created in the docker container

6.3 Command Line Access:

• Use command line tools to run and manage Docker and Plex configurations if needed in future.
• DISABLE SSH!!! (if you do not plan to use it further)
• Additionally, for HARDWARE TRANSCODING it is advised to run in Privilege Mode, in order to give the docker enough control over the CPU’s integrated GFX

**7. Finalize and Run the Plex Container

7.1 Verify Configuration:

• Review all configurations and settings.
• Click “Done” to create and start the Plex container.

7.2 Access Plex:

• Open a new browser tab and enter the IP address of your NAS followed by :32400/web to access Plex (e.g., http://192.168.x.x:32400/web).

7.3 Log into Plex:

• Use your Plex account to log in.
• Go through the initial setup, naming your Plex server and setting up media libraries.

**8. Configuring Plex Media Server

8.1 Add Media Libraries:

• Click “Add Library” and choose the type (Movies, Music, TV Shows, etc.).
• Navigate to the corresponding media folder on your NAS (e.g., /movies).

8.2 Set Metadata and Agents:

• Configure metadata agents to fetch information about your media.
• Ensure correct scraping of data such as cover art, descriptions, and actor details.

8.3 Enable Transcoding:

• Go to Settings > Server > Transcoder.
• Enable hardware transcoding if your NAS supports it

8.4 Network and Access Settings:

• Configure network settings to allow remote access if desired.
• Set appropriate access permissions for different user profiles.

**9. Testing and Final Adjustments

9.1 Test Media Playback:

• Play various media files to ensure everything is working correctly.
• Check both local and remote playback (if configured).

9.2 Troubleshoot Issues:

• If there are problems, check Docker logs for errors.
• Adjust settings as needed to resolve issues.
• IMPORTANT  You can verify that Plex is using the CPU int.gfx (i.e hardware transcoding) during playback by playing a media file, then heading into the PLEX SERVER > SETTINGS  > DASHBOARD options and above the CPU/RAM use, you will see your file being played – look for ‘H/W Transcoding’. If it says ‘S/W transcoding’, you are using raw CPU power to do the job, which is less efficient.

9.3 Regular Maintenance:

• Update Plex and Docker as necessary.
• Regularly back up your NAS and Plex configurations.

Join Inner Circle

Want to follow specific category? Also Read...Week 51 Tech Round-Up – QNAPLocal AI and NAS Drives - IS TPLEX Playback Error: Please chFAQ for DIY NAS Builds: EverytRecommended ATX Motherboards fRecommended ATX Motherboards fN305 6-Bay 10GbE NAS MotherboaCWWK Q670 8-Bay Gen5 NAS vPro Flashstor Gen 2 NAS ReviewHexOS NAS Software - Review of Subscribe

You can also follow specific search terms:

This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below

Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

TRY CHAT

If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here  

Or support us by using our affiliate links on Amazon UK and Amazon US

    

 

WE LOVE COFFEE

Even after two years since its introduction, the QNAP TS-464 NAS continues to hold its ground as one of the most lauded offerings in QNAP’s extensive lineup. Esteemed for its adept balance of hardware efficiency and cost-effectiveness, this model has etched its name among the top contenders in the NAS market. As we delve into this device once more in 2024, our aim is to provide a examination of its performance, features, and potential considerations for prospective buyers – Does it still stack up well in 2024, with new brands and products entering the market?

Note – Full Review of the QNAP TS-464 NAS on YouTube HERE , and the long form written Review HERE

Physical Design and Hardware Efficiency: A Fusion of Compactness and Performance

The TS-464 makes a lasting impression with its compact and efficient design, catering to environments where space is at a premium. Powered by either an Intel N5105 or N5095 processor, renowned for their remarkable blend of low power consumption and robust performance, this NAS stands as a testament to efficiency and power.

With options ranging from 4 to 8 GB of DDR4 memory and support for up to four hard drive bays, users are afforded ample storage capacity without sacrificing on footprint.

Noteworthy is its energy-efficient operation, boasting a CPU with a thermal design power (TDP) between 10 to 15 watts, ensuring minimal disruption to home or office settings.

Expansion Capabilities: Embracing Versatility

The TS-464 shines in its expandability, offering multiple M.2 NVMe SSD slots and a PCIe slot for additional enhancements. Empowering users to integrate 10 GbE network cards, NVMe storage solutions, or even Wi-Fi cards, this NAS epitomizes adaptability to evolving needs.

Furthermore, the inclusion of USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports facilitates high-speed connectivity to external storage devices and peripherals, enhancing its versatility and usability across diverse applications.

Performance as a Plex Media Server: A Reliable Entertainment Hub

Among its many strengths, the TS-464 excels as a Plex media server, leveraging efficient hardware transcoding capabilities. Capable of seamlessly handling multiple simultaneous 4K video streams, this NAS offers unparalleled value for media enthusiasts. Despite the availability of more powerful alternatives, the TS-464’s exceptional cost-to-performance ratio remains a compelling choice for users seeking a dependable home media server solution.

Broad Compatibility: A Testament to Freedom of Choice

The TS-464 stands out for its broad compatibility with an extensive range of storage media from various manufacturers. This inclusivity empowers users to select from a diverse array of hard drives and SSDs, including enterprise-grade options, without being confined to proprietary solutions.

At a time when some NAS manufacturers prioritize proprietary compatibility, the TS-464’s expansive support for third-party storage drives underscores its commitment to user freedom and flexibility.

Fixed Memory and Software Challenges: Areas for Growth and Enhancement

Recent developments, such as the transition to fixed memory configurations in newer TS-464 models, pose potential limitations for users seeking memory upgrades. While this shift aligns with industry trends towards cost and power efficiency, it may present challenges for users accustomed to the flexibility of upgradable memory configurations. Additionally, criticisms surrounding the QNAP QTS operating system persist, with users citing inconsistencies and complexities in the user interface. Despite ongoing efforts to refine the user experience, software-related challenges continue to warrant attention and improvement.

Security and Future Prospects: Navigating Challenges and Building Trust

Security remains a focal point for QNAP, with efforts to address vulnerabilities and bolster overall security measures. While strides have been made in software updates and security advisories, challenges persist in rebuilding trust and confidence among users. As newer, more efficient CPU options emerge, questions linger regarding potential hardware upgrades in future iterations of the TS-464. However, concrete plans from QNAP regarding hardware refresh cycles remain elusive, leaving room for speculation and anticipation among users.

Category	Specification
CPU	Intel® Celeron® N5095 4-core/4-thread processor, burst up to 2.9 GHz
CPU Architecture	64-bit x86
Graphic Processors	Intel® UHD Graphics
Floating Point Unit	–
Encryption Engine	AES-NI
Hardware-accelerated Transcoding	–
System Memory	8 GB RAM
Maximum Memory	8 GB
Flash Memory	4GB (Dual boot OS protection)
Drive Bay	4 x 3.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s
Drive Compatibility	3.5-inch SATA hard disk drives, 2.5-inch SATA solid state drives
Hot-swappable	Yes
M.2 Slot	2 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 x1
SSD Cache Acceleration Support	–
2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Port (2.5G/1G/100M)	2 (2.5G/1G/100M/10M)
5 Gigabit Ethernet Port (5G/2.5G/1G/100M)	Optional via PCIe expansion card
10 Gigabit Ethernet Port	Optional via PCIe expansion card
Wake on LAN (WOL)	–
Jumbo Frame	–
PCIe Slot	1
USB 2.0 port	2
USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) Port	2 x Type-A
IR Sensor	Optional QNAP RM-IR004 remote control
HDMI Output	1, HDMI 2.1 (up to 4096 x 2160 @ 60Hz)
Form Factor	Tower
LED Indicators	Power/Status, LAN, USB, HDD1-4
Buttons	Power, USB copy, Reset
Dimensions (HxWxD)	165 × 170 × 226.5 mm
Weight (Net)	2.26 kg
Weight (Gross)	3.59 kg
Operating Temperature	0 – 40 °C (32°F – 104°F)
Storage Temperature	-20 – 70°C (-4°F – 158°F)
Relative Humidity	5-95% RH non-condensing, wet bulb: 27˚C (80.6˚F)
Power Supply Unit	90W adapter, 100-240V
Power Consumption: HDD Sleep Mode	21.618 W
Power Consumption: Operating Mode, Typical	40.536 W
Fan	1 x 120mm, 12VDC
System Warning	Buzzer
Kensington Security Slot	–
Standard Warranty	3 years
Max. Number of Concurrent Connections (CIFS) – with Max. Memory	1500

Still A Solid Contender with Room for Scalability

The QNAP TS-464 NAS continues to impress with its adept blend of performance, expandability, and affordability, solidifying its position as a compelling choice in the NAS market. Despite its enduring popularity, areas for refinement and improvement, such as fixed memory configurations and software inconsistencies, underscore opportunities for growth and enhancement. As QNAP navigates security challenges and explores advancements in hardware technology, the TS-464 stands as a testament to the brand’s commitment to delivering innovative and reliable NAS solutions. Whether deployed for media streaming, data storage, or network applications, the TS-464 remains a timeless contender in the ever-evolving landscape of network-attached storage, poised to evolve alongside the evolving needs of its users.

Verdict – Should You Still Buy the QNAP TS-464 in 2024?

The QNAP TS-464 NAS persists as a steadfast contender in the ever-evolving NAS market, showcasing a commendable balance of features and performance even two years post its initial release. Its enduring popularity stems from a blend of compact design and hardware efficiency, underpinned by the Intel N5105 or N5095 processor, renowned for its low power consumption and robust performance. This amalgamation of hardware prowess and cost-effectiveness renders the TS-464 a suitable choice for a spectrum of environments, be it home or small businesses, where space and power efficiency are paramount considerations. Moreover, the device’s expansion capabilities serve as a cornerstone of its appeal, offering users the flexibility to adapt to evolving storage needs seamlessly. With multiple M.2 NVMe slots and PCIe slots at its disposal, the TS-464 embodies versatility, empowering users to augment their storage infrastructure with additional network cards, NVMe storage, or even Wi-Fi cards. These expansion options not only future-proof the NAS but also ensure that it remains adaptable to emerging storage technologies and networking standards.

However, amidst its strengths, potential buyers must navigate certain limitations that could impact their decision-making process. Chief among these is the transition towards fixed memory configurations in newer models, which may restrict the flexibility of memory upgrades—a factor that enthusiasts and power users should consider carefully. Furthermore, while the QTS operating system boasts a plethora of features and functionalities, users may encounter some inconsistencies and complexities in navigating the interface. This discrepancy, although not a deal-breaker, underscores the importance of user experience and interface design in enhancing the overall usability of the NAS. Despite these nuances, the QNAP TS-464 NAS remains a reliable storage solution, catering to diverse user requirements with its performance, expandability, and compatibility features. As such, its enduring relevance in the NAS landscape underscores its status as a noteworthy contender for those seeking a robust and versatile storage solution for their home or business needs.

SOFTWARE - 8/10

HARDWARE - 10/10

PERFORMANCE - 9/10

PRICE - 8/10

VALUE - 9/10

8.8

PROS

Very compact chassis design, despite large storage potential
A BIG jump in hardware and scale from the TS-453Be and TS-453D, but with a largely identical RRP at launch
Easily one of the most hardware packed SMB/Mid-range 4-Bay on the market
Up to 16GB of Memory is fantastic
m.2 NVMe SSD Bays AND a PCIe Upgrade Slot (no need to choose one upgrade path)
8x Included Camera Licenses
Includes Anti-virus, Firewall Tool, VPN client tools, Malware Remover, network manager and Security Councilor Tool
3 Different Container/VM tools that also feature image download centers
10Gb/s (1,000MB/s) USB Ports will be incredibly useful
Large range of expansion options in the TR/TL series in 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 Bays

CONS

The PCIe Slot is PCIe 3×2 and the M.2 SSD Bays are PCIe 3×1 (likely limitations of all this H/W on a Celeron+chipset
QNAP Has had 3 ransomware hits in 2019-2021 (Qlocker, Qsnatch and Deadbolt). Lots of Security app/changes since, but people remember and QNAP needs to win back that trust in 2022/2023

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Even after two years since its introduction, the QNAP TS-464 NAS continues to hold its ground as one of the most lauded offerings in QNAP’s extensive lineup. Esteemed for its adept balance of hardware efficiency and cost-effectiveness, this model has etched its name among the top contenders in the NAS market. As we delve into this device once more in 2024, our aim is to provide a examination of its performance, features, and potential considerations for prospective buyers – Does it still stack up well in 2024, with new brands and products entering the market?

Note – Full Review of the QNAP TS-464 NAS on YouTube HERE , and the long form written Review HERE

Physical Design and Hardware Efficiency: A Fusion of Compactness and Performance

The TS-464 makes a lasting impression with its compact and efficient design, catering to environments where space is at a premium. Powered by either an Intel N5105 or N5095 processor, renowned for their remarkable blend of low power consumption and robust performance, this NAS stands as a testament to efficiency and power.

With options ranging from 4 to 8 GB of DDR4 memory and support for up to four hard drive bays, users are afforded ample storage capacity without sacrificing on footprint.

Noteworthy is its energy-efficient operation, boasting a CPU with a thermal design power (TDP) between 10 to 15 watts, ensuring minimal disruption to home or office settings.

Expansion Capabilities: Embracing Versatility

The TS-464 shines in its expandability, offering multiple M.2 NVMe SSD slots and a PCIe slot for additional enhancements. Empowering users to integrate 10 GbE network cards, NVMe storage solutions, or even Wi-Fi cards, this NAS epitomizes adaptability to evolving needs.

Furthermore, the inclusion of USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports facilitates high-speed connectivity to external storage devices and peripherals, enhancing its versatility and usability across diverse applications.

Performance as a Plex Media Server: A Reliable Entertainment Hub

Among its many strengths, the TS-464 excels as a Plex media server, leveraging efficient hardware transcoding capabilities. Capable of seamlessly handling multiple simultaneous 4K video streams, this NAS offers unparalleled value for media enthusiasts. Despite the availability of more powerful alternatives, the TS-464’s exceptional cost-to-performance ratio remains a compelling choice for users seeking a dependable home media server solution.

Broad Compatibility: A Testament to Freedom of Choice

The TS-464 stands out for its broad compatibility with an extensive range of storage media from various manufacturers. This inclusivity empowers users to select from a diverse array of hard drives and SSDs, including enterprise-grade options, without being confined to proprietary solutions.

At a time when some NAS manufacturers prioritize proprietary compatibility, the TS-464’s expansive support for third-party storage drives underscores its commitment to user freedom and flexibility.

Fixed Memory and Software Challenges: Areas for Growth and Enhancement

Recent developments, such as the transition to fixed memory configurations in newer TS-464 models, pose potential limitations for users seeking memory upgrades. While this shift aligns with industry trends towards cost and power efficiency, it may present challenges for users accustomed to the flexibility of upgradable memory configurations. Additionally, criticisms surrounding the QNAP QTS operating system persist, with users citing inconsistencies and complexities in the user interface. Despite ongoing efforts to refine the user experience, software-related challenges continue to warrant attention and improvement.

Security and Future Prospects: Navigating Challenges and Building Trust

Security remains a focal point for QNAP, with efforts to address vulnerabilities and bolster overall security measures. While strides have been made in software updates and security advisories, challenges persist in rebuilding trust and confidence among users. As newer, more efficient CPU options emerge, questions linger regarding potential hardware upgrades in future iterations of the TS-464. However, concrete plans from QNAP regarding hardware refresh cycles remain elusive, leaving room for speculation and anticipation among users.

Category	Specification
CPU	Intel® Celeron® N5095 4-core/4-thread processor, burst up to 2.9 GHz
CPU Architecture	64-bit x86
Graphic Processors	Intel® UHD Graphics
Floating Point Unit	–
Encryption Engine	AES-NI
Hardware-accelerated Transcoding	–
System Memory	8 GB RAM
Maximum Memory	8 GB
Flash Memory	4GB (Dual boot OS protection)
Drive Bay	4 x 3.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s
Drive Compatibility	3.5-inch SATA hard disk drives, 2.5-inch SATA solid state drives
Hot-swappable	Yes
M.2 Slot	2 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 x1
SSD Cache Acceleration Support	–
2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Port (2.5G/1G/100M)	2 (2.5G/1G/100M/10M)
5 Gigabit Ethernet Port (5G/2.5G/1G/100M)	Optional via PCIe expansion card
10 Gigabit Ethernet Port	Optional via PCIe expansion card
Wake on LAN (WOL)	–
Jumbo Frame	–
PCIe Slot	1
USB 2.0 port	2
USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) Port	2 x Type-A
IR Sensor	Optional QNAP RM-IR004 remote control
HDMI Output	1, HDMI 2.1 (up to 4096 x 2160 @ 60Hz)
Form Factor	Tower
LED Indicators	Power/Status, LAN, USB, HDD1-4
Buttons	Power, USB copy, Reset
Dimensions (HxWxD)	165 × 170 × 226.5 mm
Weight (Net)	2.26 kg
Weight (Gross)	3.59 kg
Operating Temperature	0 – 40 °C (32°F – 104°F)
Storage Temperature	-20 – 70°C (-4°F – 158°F)
Relative Humidity	5-95% RH non-condensing, wet bulb: 27˚C (80.6˚F)
Power Supply Unit	90W adapter, 100-240V
Power Consumption: HDD Sleep Mode	21.618 W
Power Consumption: Operating Mode, Typical	40.536 W
Fan	1 x 120mm, 12VDC
System Warning	Buzzer
Kensington Security Slot	–
Standard Warranty	3 years
Max. Number of Concurrent Connections (CIFS) – with Max. Memory	1500

Still A Solid Contender with Room for Scalability

The QNAP TS-464 NAS continues to impress with its adept blend of performance, expandability, and affordability, solidifying its position as a compelling choice in the NAS market. Despite its enduring popularity, areas for refinement and improvement, such as fixed memory configurations and software inconsistencies, underscore opportunities for growth and enhancement. As QNAP navigates security challenges and explores advancements in hardware technology, the TS-464 stands as a testament to the brand’s commitment to delivering innovative and reliable NAS solutions. Whether deployed for media streaming, data storage, or network applications, the TS-464 remains a timeless contender in the ever-evolving landscape of network-attached storage, poised to evolve alongside the evolving needs of its users.

Verdict – Should You Still Buy the QNAP TS-464 in 2024?

The QNAP TS-464 NAS persists as a steadfast contender in the ever-evolving NAS market, showcasing a commendable balance of features and performance even two years post its initial release. Its enduring popularity stems from a blend of compact design and hardware efficiency, underpinned by the Intel N5105 or N5095 processor, renowned for its low power consumption and robust performance. This amalgamation of hardware prowess and cost-effectiveness renders the TS-464 a suitable choice for a spectrum of environments, be it home or small businesses, where space and power efficiency are paramount considerations. Moreover, the device’s expansion capabilities serve as a cornerstone of its appeal, offering users the flexibility to adapt to evolving storage needs seamlessly. With multiple M.2 NVMe slots and PCIe slots at its disposal, the TS-464 embodies versatility, empowering users to augment their storage infrastructure with additional network cards, NVMe storage, or even Wi-Fi cards. These expansion options not only future-proof the NAS but also ensure that it remains adaptable to emerging storage technologies and networking standards.

However, amidst its strengths, potential buyers must navigate certain limitations that could impact their decision-making process. Chief among these is the transition towards fixed memory configurations in newer models, which may restrict the flexibility of memory upgrades—a factor that enthusiasts and power users should consider carefully. Furthermore, while the QTS operating system boasts a plethora of features and functionalities, users may encounter some inconsistencies and complexities in navigating the interface. This discrepancy, although not a deal-breaker, underscores the importance of user experience and interface design in enhancing the overall usability of the NAS. Despite these nuances, the QNAP TS-464 NAS remains a reliable storage solution, catering to diverse user requirements with its performance, expandability, and compatibility features. As such, its enduring relevance in the NAS landscape underscores its status as a noteworthy contender for those seeking a robust and versatile storage solution for their home or business needs.

SOFTWARE - 8/10

HARDWARE - 10/10

PERFORMANCE - 9/10

PRICE - 8/10

VALUE - 9/10

8.8

PROS

Very compact chassis design, despite large storage potential
A BIG jump in hardware and scale from the TS-453Be and TS-453D, but with a largely identical RRP at launch
Easily one of the most hardware packed SMB/Mid-range 4-Bay on the market
Up to 16GB of Memory is fantastic
m.2 NVMe SSD Bays AND a PCIe Upgrade Slot (no need to choose one upgrade path)
8x Included Camera Licenses
Includes Anti-virus, Firewall Tool, VPN client tools, Malware Remover, network manager and Security Councilor Tool
3 Different Container/VM tools that also feature image download centers
10Gb/s (1,000MB/s) USB Ports will be incredibly useful
Large range of expansion options in the TR/TL series in 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 Bays

CONS

The PCIe Slot is PCIe 3×2 and the M.2 SSD Bays are PCIe 3×1 (likely limitations of all this H/W on a Celeron+chipset
QNAP Has had 3 ransomware hits in 2019-2021 (Qlocker, Qsnatch and Deadbolt). Lots of Security app/changes since, but people remember and QNAP needs to win back that trust in 2022/2023

Where to Buy a Product
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Want to follow specific category? Also Read...Week 51 Tech Round-Up – QNAPLocal AI and NAS Drives - IS TFAQ for DIY NAS Builds: EverytRecommended ATX Motherboards fRecommended ATX Motherboards fN305 6-Bay 10GbE NAS MotherboaCWWK Q670 8-Bay Gen5 NAS vPro Flashstor Gen 2 NAS ReviewHexOS NAS Software - Review ofN305 6-Bay 10GbE NAS Motherboa Subscribe

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This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below

Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

TRY CHAT

If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here  

Or support us by using our affiliate links on Amazon UK and Amazon US

    

 

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Choosing Between the Synology DS423+ and QNAP TS-464 NAS is more than just about how you are spending your money at checkout! Making a move away from 3rd public cloud storage can be a big, BIG decision for some users. The ‘freemium’ and low cost monthly subscription to the likes of Google Drive and DropBox seems like a drop in the ocean, right up until you realise that over the years you have spent hundreds of pounds and you face the fact that you are going to need to consider moving that data onto something more long term and ‘in house’. For many users, this is their first encounter with two of the bigger brands in the world of NAS, Synology and QNAP and although at a glance they seem to provide the same kind of solution, even a brief second glance reveals that these two brands have very, very different ideas of where you should be spending your money. Synology is the sleek, apple-esc presented solution that promises a smooth and uncomplex experience, with an arguably more rigid and fixed architecture. Whereas QNAP is the more customizable and flexible in its hardware and software, but has a slightly higher learning curve and requires more time to configure perfectly. Both brands provide an excellent range of NAS solutions with each of the solutions in today’s comparison being quite similar in price, but what you are getting for your money, the range of software included, the scope of hardware that is available and how they translate to upgradable and scalability is incredibly different! So, today we are going to compare the Synology DS423+ NAS released in March 2023 (HEAVILY comparable to the 2020 gen DS920+) against the spring 2022 released QNAP TS-464 NAS.

Synology DS423+ vs QNAP TS-464 NAS – Design

The design of the QNAP TS-464 and Synology DS423+ are both very uniform to the brands, utilizing existing designs in their respective Home/Prosumer/SMB ranges. Both are 4-Bay desktop solutions that are designed to be deployed easily and pretty much anywhere. They are largely the same in physical volume, with the Synology DS423+ arriving the tiniest pinch larger, but both systems provide a similar level of storage on their four SATA and 2x NVMe M.2 SSD bays. The Synology has the more traditional shape of the lockable storage media bays being immediately visible, but finish this with an incredibly modernistic shape and matt surface design. The front of the system features a single USB backup port, as well as 5 LEDs for system/drive activity and those two M.2 SSD bays are located on the base of the system. The QNAP TS-464 NAS uses a more glossy and slightly coloured design by comparison (featuring a copper side panel), with the 4 drive bays of the system being covered by a slidable and lockable semi-translucent panel. The QNAP also featured the same LED/USB present, but there are more LEDs on the QNAP and the USB here is both a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Port (10Gb/s) and is accompanied by a one-touch copy button. This is one of the early examples of how things in the NAS market have moved forward in hardware but Synology has instead doubled down on their focus of it’s DSM software platform above all else. The QNAP TS-464 is certainly the more expensive NAS of the two, with the DS423+, despite being newer and having a different position in the brand’s portfolio (see the DS923+ to learn more), but the hardware you are getting for that price tag is notably different and will become a clear divide between these two. Because of the compact design, both systems need to factor in intelligent cooling, as they will likely be in operation 24×7. This is another clear area where the brands have gone in different directions here.

QNAP TS-464 NAS 168mm × 170mm × 226 mm	Synology DS423+ NAS 166 mm x 199 mm x 223 mm

The ventilation on the Synology DS423+ is certainly more visible but in a much more ‘branded’ and slick way. The QNAP TS-464 features no front-facing ventilation, instead using two small areas of ventilation on the sides of the chassis and the base of the TS-464 featuring further ventilation under each of the storage bays. The Synology on the other hand has much more passive airflow, with each of the individual storage bays being surrounded by a slit of ventilation and the side panel of the DS423+ having the Synology logo featured as further ventilation. Higher-end Synology desktop models feature metal mesh panels inside these logos to capture dust, but this is less of a concern in the more compact and discreet DS423+. Overall, I would certainly say that the Synology DS423+ have more visible efforts to maintain system temperature than the QNAP TS-464 (which is a real surprise when you see how the hardware these two systems are sporting compares) but both maintain a good operation temperature.

QNAP TS-464 NAS	Synology DS423+ NAS

When you look at the rear of the TS-464 and DS423+ NAS, you see another big difference in how each system maintains their respective internal temperatures, with the QNAP featuring a single 120mm fan that covers the bulk of the internal hardware airflow path and the Synology featuring two 92mm fans that cover around 70% of the rear of the chassis. Of the two, I would say the QNAP TS-464 is the noisier in operation of the two (when populated with 4x 4TB WD Red HDDs) by the tiniest of margins, but it isn’t really till you entertain the idea of enterprise HDDs or drives larger than 10TB that you need to worry about ambient sound around these two systems. Both the DS423+ and TS-464 can have the rotations per minute (RPM) of their fans changed manually or left on automatic as the system changes the internal cooling to ensure maximum efficiency.

QNAP TS-464 NAS	Synology DS423+ NAS

Overall, the design of the Synology DS423+ is still the better-looking system of the two and although I personally really like the copper and glossy look of the QNAP TS-464 NAS, I know that the bulk of users will want to ‘set up and forget’ their NAS, so these aesthetic design choices are less important to them. Equally, although the QNAP fan has the potential to cool its respective system much more, I think the Synology features a better balance of active airflow and passive ventilation overall. The QNAP still wins pretty big on its inclusion of a USB 3.2 Gen 2 One Touch Copy button enabled port for faster and more manual backup options (as well as still allow automated and connection-triggered backups as the Synology), but overall on points, this round belongs to the Synology DS423+ NAS.

QNAP TS-464 versus Synology DS423+ NAS – Internal Hardware

This is an area where you really see how both brands focus their priorities on the solutions they offer, as well as how the components common to NAS have evolved in the 2 years between their respective releases. The Synology DS423+ arrives with a familiar architecture to it’s predecessor (the DS420+) and is a fairly tried and tested formula by the brand. Synology was the first company to introduce NVMe SSD storage bays into desktop NAS systems around 5 years ago (something that QNAP has only really been catching up on in the last 2 YEARS). Likewise, Synology has made a few very brand-specific decisions in their system architecture that this rather more proprietary brand is often keen to implement. For example, the default DDR4 memory inside (2666Mhz SODIMM) is actually soldered to the main internal board (4x 256MB Modules), with an additional empty memory slot to allow an additional 4GB Synology-branded memory module. As the DS423+ has a CPU that has a maximum 8GB of memory, this is an oddly artificial limitation that results in the DS420+ only allowing 6GB of max memory, an odd move that is perhaps done out of system PCI/Bandwidth, rather than any kind of manufacturer restriction. The QNAP features a newer gen CPU (as you would expect after the later release) and this CPU allows up to 16GB of memory (4GB in the default model) across two upgradable slots. Likewise, returning to those M.2 NVMe slots, both system feature 2 bays that can be used for SSD storage upgrades, although both the DS423+ and TS-464 support SSD caching (when a pool of SSDs is used to speed up data write/read in conjunction with the larger HDD RAID array), Synology ONLY RECENTLY allowed NVMe Storage Pools on their platform, whereas QNAP  has allowed NVMes as standalone storage pools, for app booting, running the OS from and even their own special internal tiering system known as QTier. This is the first of several key differences between the QNAP TS-464 and Synology DS423+ NAS that show the divide in hardware between these units.

Of course, the clearest difference that most PC builder-minded people are going to notice is the CPU. NAS systems are designed to be operational for days, weeks, months and even years at a time. Therefore, in order to maintain optimal performance, as well as lower power consumption and lessen the damage that long-term operation can inflict on a processor, the CPUs used in NAS are a great deal more modest. In the case of the Synology DS423+ and QNAP TS-464 NAS, they feature Intel Celeron processors, each featuring an embedded graphics component (allowing graphical operations, multimedia handling and visual data to be handled by a specialized area of the processor), quad-core architecture and a base level clock speed of 2.0Ghz that can be burst (turbo/increased when needed). However, the newer generation N5105/N5095 CPU in the QNAP is able to reach a higher overall clock speed and also is more efficient (i.e uses a little less hardware resources to get a task done than it would take on the J4125 typically, so, therefore, can do more tasks overall when the full CPU power is utilized). Indeed, CPUBenchmark rated the newer CPU 30%+ higher in it’s scoring than the J4125 (again, as you would expect for a CPU released more than a year later by Intel), so this processor means that more can be done on the QNAP (in like for like tasks) and also this CPU allows a greater range of hardware to be built into the system. CPUs are one of the largest quantifying factors of how a NAS is built and this is because they can only handle a certain amount of connected hardware (storage bays, ports, expansion slots, etc) when connected to a larger controller/motherboard. This is commonly referred to as the # of PCI lanes and the chipset used in the build of the system. Because this newer Intel N5105 / N5095 CPU has more lanes to use at once than the J4125, it allows the newer NAS drive to have more hardware.

These additional CPU resources, as well as the increased maximum memory and flexibility of how the M.2 NVMe SSD slots can be used ultimately mean that in terms of internal hardware, the newer released QNAP TS-464 wins over the Synology DS423+ NAS. It is worth remembering that the M.2 NVMe SSD slots on the QNAP TS-464 are PCIe Gen 3 x1 (down to the Celeron CPU still not having anywhere near the scope in it’s flexibility that the likes of an Intel Core, Ryzen or Xeon might have) and will bottleneck at 1,000MB/s, but this is still better than nothing and there is still the lingering question of the Gen 2 slots on the DS423+ being 2×2 or 2×4 – which will potentially limit the M.2 NVMes on the DS423+ further still. So the QNAP still seems to have a better balance of NVMe SSD support in its architecture overall.

Synology DS423+ or QNAP TS-464 NAS – Ports & Connections

Now ports and connections on the Synology DS423+ and QNAP TS-464 NAS is an area that is INCREDIBLY diverse in it’s approach by either brand. Once again, the reasons clearly to do with the CPU choice and position on their respective brand portfolios, but also the brand’s own decisions in build architecture/priorities still massively continue to be a contributing factor here. The Synology DS423+ NAS certainly comes across as the weaker of the two here in its connectivity and although a lot of the QNAP’s advancements in connectivity could be described as ‘future upgrades and simply facilitating extras or addons’, it still manages to provide a greater deal of connectivity to the day 1 user than the Synology system here. The port(s) that almost certainly will be the one that jumps out immediately on each system is the network connections. The DS423+ NAS arrives with 2x 1GbE ports which, although allowing link aggregation to create 2GbE with a smart switch, was still a little underwhelming in 2023 when released and looking increasingly out of step with modern network tech in 2024 (as we had already started seeing 2.5GbE arriving at the same price as 1GbE with a number of client hardware devices in 2020). The newer QNAP TS-464 features 2x 2.5GbE (so 5GbE via link aggregation and a supported switch) which now that some ISPs and budget switch manufacturers are providing affordable 2.5GbE solutions, will be incredibly useful. Then the is the additional PCIe upgrade slot on the QNAP NAS that allows upgrades towards 10GbE, dual-port 10GbE cards and even combo cards to add 10G and further M.2  NVMe bays via a single card. Again, there ARE upgrades and not something in the baseline model, but you can not argue with the future-proofing available here. Additionally, the DS923+ NAS released in December 2022 had the option to upgrade to 10GbE – something hugely absent here in the eyes of many on this 4xSATA and 2xNVMe DS423+ NAS. There is simply no avoiding that the 2023 released DS423+ looks a little dated in 2024, in large part to those 1GbE ports are something of a limiting factor.

After the network and PCIe differences that favour the TS-464, the distance between the 2023 and 2022 NAS hardware architecture here is further extended. The Synology DS423+ features a further USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) port, but LACKS the option to upgrade it’s storage down the line with an expansion (such as with the eSATA port on the DS920+ and DS923+ NAS supporting the DX517 official expansion). QNAP counters this on the TS-464 with the inclusion of another USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb/s) port, as well as some (obviously less useful) USB 2.0 ports. These USB 2.0 Ports are primarily designed to be used in conjunction with the optional visual output (HDMI 2.0 4k 60FPS) on the QNAP as a KVM (Keyboard, video and mouse) setup with the included parallel HD Station application and its tool. The HDMI and direct interface of the QNAP is still pretty niche as a service on this system, but it has a number of useful multimedia, surveillance and VM utilities that can be quite impressive. Expansions on the TS-464 are more diverse than the 5-Bay DX517 on the DS423+ (which again, is NOT supported anyway), with QNAP offering 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12-Bay expansion chassis (arriving in JBOD or hardware RAID enabled) that connect over USB or an inclusive PCIe card. Overall, it comes as no surprise that in terms of hardware, the QNAP TS-464 still takes the first place, as the Synology DS423+ (like most of the brand’s solutions) is prioritizes the DSM platform and it’s tools/services over the hardware. Let’s discuss the software on each of these brands.

QNAP TS-464 or the Synology DS423+ NAS – Software

When you are choosing to buy a Synology or QNAP NAS, it is always worth bearing in mind that you are not just buying a bunch of hardware, but you are actually getting a fully-featured software solution. Both the Synology DS423+ and QNAP TS-464 arrive with each brand’s premium NAS software and services platform, DSM and QTS respectively. Both of these platforms include a traditional operating system level of accessibility and control, that can be accessed via pretty much any web browser or desktop OS, as well as numerous tailored mobile client applications. The Synology DSM platform is a lot more comparable in design and control with Mac OSX and is by far the more user-friendly option of the two. The QNAP QTS platform is a lot more comparable to Android in its initial GUI and then more like Windows in it’s navigation, arriving as the option with a greater deal of configuration and control, but with a steeper learning curve. Another big difference between QTS and DSM is how they present their services, with QNAP providing a larger degree of support of 3rd party applications (both in the app center and in the configuration of their own range of 1st party applications. Synology DSM on the other hand proves a larger and more impressive range of fist party tools that are designed to replace/improve upon the 3rd party tools you might be using, with many of it’s applications being comparable to top tier 3rd party paid tools in the market (the Synology collaboration suite, the Surveillance Station application and pretty much everything in Synology Drive, just as a start). The QNAP platform also, in it’s efforts to be as widely compatible and configurable as possible, occasionally stems into over-complexity and risks the user tripping over itself as it tries to manage the larger scale of configuration Whereas, although the Synology DSM platform may seem a pinch more closed and fixed, it manages to prevent the users from accidentally ruining their own storage system. Here is a full breakdown of the key applications that are included with the QNAP TS-464 and Synology DS423+, broken down into categories:

As you can see, both NAS brands provide similar levels of software, services and features, but they are presented in very different ways. Once again, I cannot emphasise enough how much more the QNAP platform is configurable but ALSO how it can often give you too much configuration and risk overwhelming less experienced users. The Synology DSM platform, for all its comparative rigidicy, is still overall the better software experience and you definitely see that Software over hardware priority from the brand clearly here. I have made long, LONG reviews on each of the NAS brand’s and their software platforms, which you can watch below for much, much more information on their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Ultimately, it will come as no surprise that Synology come out on top in terms of software compared with the QNAP. That is not to say that the QNAP QTS platform is not good, it really, really is and some of the applications that are included for home and business users are often genuinely impressive, unique and provide facilities to the end-user that are wholly unavailable on any other NAS platform (eg Multimedia Console as a single portal media manager, the 2-3 Click VM storages and repository that are available in Virtualization Station, Linux Station and Container Staton or the QuMagie AI-powered tool that is able to cover a greater range of subjects and categories that any other NAS photo tool out there). However, the QNAP QTS platform is not quite as polished, as user-friendly and as responsive as the Synology DSM platform overall. If you want a better idea how these two NAS software platforms compare directly (i.e face to face), then you can check out my DSM vs QTS video below:

Alternatively, if you are NOT interested in using the software included with your NAS, there is always the option to install TrueNAS – Something that is surprisingly easy on the QNAP NAS (see video below):

QNAP TS-464 or the Synology DS423+ NAS – Conclusion

Ultimately, choosing between the Synology DS423+ and QNAP TS-464 largely comes down to a question of hardware vs software. The QNAP TS-464 is by a long distance the more advanced in hardware in practically every way (thanks of course to the brand’s focus in this direction) which leads to that system having a tremendously large scope in terms of what you can do with it, how far the storage can be expanded and how upgradable the system can be. The QNAP is the better future-proof hardware choice and despite the Synology NAS platform having a stronger software platform, it still has a vast array of software and services available in QTS nonetheless. For those that are hardware-focused or want a NAS to support their existing 3rd party client tools and apps, the QNAP TS-464 is by and larger the better choice. The Synology DS423+ NAS on the other hand, despite its 2-3 year older hardware (already premiered in the 2020 released DS920+) and arguably safer/sensible stance on hardware in general, is still a great NAS that will likely becoming more popular and palatable in the 4-Bay NAS market as the pricing becomes a bit more flexible (as many will still weigh the DS423+ with the older DS920+ that still has stock floating around and opt for the latter). Add to that the core strength and first-party focus of DSM leading to this hardware+software solution providing you with a huge array of polished and premium feeling tools at your disposal. As long as you are happy to do things ‘Synology’s way’ and are looking for an easy to use system that will not tax the end-users brain, you will find Synology the better software choice overall.

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Isn’t it great when any facet of the tech industry gives birth to competition! In the early days of any new form of technology, the relative scarcity and newness of anything result in very few options for buyers to get the best value or competitive experience for their money. However, it doesn’t take long before competition emerges, innovation flourishes, and ultimately any different form of new tech becomes a more fleshed-out choice for the buyer. The same has certainly happened in the world of network-attached storage (NAS), and although there are several different brands available in NAS, the two biggest names are quite comfortable: Synology and QNAP. For buyers looking at a compact, fully-featured NAS solution, two of the very best options in 2024 are the Synology DS224+ and the QNAP TS-262. Both of these solutions are targeted at home users who want to be able to do a little bit of everything and although they do have a decent amount of small business potential, they have slightly different attitudes towards what you can get for your money. Although it could be very easy to describe this comparison as hardware versus software, the reality is a little bit more nuanced. But before we go ahead and compare these two current-generation NAS solutions, we need to also highlight what both of these systems have in common. Regardless of whether you choose the DS224+ or TS-262 NAS drive, you are guaranteed the following:

• Both units feature an Intel Celeron processor for a good price vs hardware balance
• Both can Stream and Transcode on the fly (so, live) 1080p HD or 4K media, with superior performance natively and mid-range performance in Plex, as well as both arriving with integrated graphics, so more aggressive graphical manipulation (encode/decode/conversion) is done much more efficiently
• Both the Synology DS224+ and TS-262 NAS support AI-supported photo and ‘thing’ recognition supported to a very high degree from the free branded software included
• For Business users who currently enjoy the use of Google Workspace or Microsoft/Office 365, both of these NAS provide excellent means to backup your mass cloud accounts (as well as natively sync, dupe and configure rules on the fly)
• Both the TS-262 NAS and DS224+ NAS support snapshots, for more incremental and version-protecting failsafe in efforts to protect you from Malware and Ransomware attacks, by allowing multi-versioning storage history to browse through and restore
• Both units are DLNA certified so can be accessed, browsed and played from by popular DLNA devices, such as Amazon Firestick, Alexa, Google Home, Chromecast, DS224+ TV, Bose, Sonos, iPads, etc, as well as connectivity between these platforms with IFTTT
• Both are multi-bay, RAID enabled devices NAS devices that support JBOD, RAID 0 and RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6 and RAID 10 (as well as Synology Hybrid RAID too for their Plus series range), though support of storage media on each device does differ significantly in places

• Both devices run on their own proprietary operating system that can be accessed remotely or locally. These include regular updates to the firmware, security patches, applications and more. Ranging from multimedia, home and multi-tiered backup applications, to more business-end tools such as Surveillance software, Virtual Machine deployment and business-class backup and synchronization tools.
• Both the TS-262 and DS224+ use and can be accessed equally by a multitude of mobile applications such as DS File, DS Video, Moments, DS Photo, DSCam and DS Music that are created by and constantly improved by Synology. As well as QFile, QMusic, QuMagie and QManager from QNAP for iOS and Android.
• Both NAS are completely compatible with Windows, Android and Mac systems, as well as acting as a bring between software platforms to share and distribute files for migration and file sync (Synology Drive and QNAP QSync)
• Both units can be used as mail and/or business servers, providing excellent 3rd party CRM and first-party CMS systems. There is the Synology collaboration Suite of applications Chat, Drive, Mail, Calendar, Office and Active Backup Suite. Whereas on QNAP there is the QMail, Hybrid Backup Sync 3, Virtualization station and BoXafe tools
• Both systems support the NVR use with QVR Pro and Surveillance Station applications, support numerous cameras and arrive with at least 2 camera licenses with your purchase (8 Camera Licenses with the QNAP, 2 with the Synology)

Both systems are fully featured examples of what each brand can offer on their own individual server platform. However, you want to know what is different about them and which one best deserves your data!

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-262 NAS – Price and Value

Normally, in these comparisons, I would very quickly highlight that when comparing Synology and QNAP, the latter would be the more affordable choice. It has kind of been that way for a while, but things changed towards the end of 2022 when Synology revamped and reorganized their portfolio. In brief, Synology changed a number of the positions of their solutions while simultaneously removing a few different tiers in a portfolio to change which solutions were covering home, small business, medium business, and large-scale deployments. This meant that some systems had their hardware and their price point realigned up or down to better suit the overall portfolio and choice for buyers, and the result is that the DS224+ surprisingly manages to be the lower price of these two very similar systems in some (not all) locations. The DS224+ arrives at around $350 (give or take currency exchange, tax, and shipping), whereas the TS-262 arrives much closer to the $400 mark and in some regions actually crosses this a little higher too. Part of this raised price on the QNAP TS-262 is because of a change in memory implementation (arriving as a fixed 4GB memory and later changing to 2 SODIMM slots and more flexibility). More affordable examples of the TS-262 are available online (couple below), but typically the price is going to be a pinch higher.

Neither of these prices includes storage media and, depending on the capacity of the drives you are considering in either of these two main NAS systems, that is going to take its toll on your budget. So if the price tag of the system you are buying carries a lot of weight in your decision, the Synology DS224+ is probably going to be a better cost choice for you. However, we do have to factor in that not only is the price difference between these two devices comparatively small in the grand scheme of things, but we also have to think about what we get for our money and ultimately ‘value’! In this context, a NAS can be judged on its value in two very distinct ways: the hardware that you are getting for your money and the inclusive software the system arrives with, and it is in this way that these two NAS systems are remarkably different in terms of their priorities.

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-262 NAS – Hardware and Connections

Very few of my comparisons have displayed two NAS systems that, although at a casual glance are very similar, are so wildly different in the finer details and scalability than these two NAS devices. The Synology DS224+ system is easily the less hardware-rich of the two, heavily relying upon a hardware architecture that feels somewhat dated in comparison to the QNAP TS-262. In Synology’s defense, they have had a lot of time experimenting and testing their software with this particular CPU (the Intel J4125 quad-core Intel Celeron) and clearly know how to make the most out of it within their software in terms of efficiency and capability. Nevertheless, for PC builders, those who understand how hardware innovates over time, and those who are looking for the best value for money in their kit, this Synology CPU choice is pretty underwhelming. Thanks to that portfolio change I mentioned earlier by Synology, the hardware you find in this home user multimedia NAS is actually near enough identical to the 2020 generation prosumer and fully-featured TIA. That would be pretty good if it wasn’t for the fact that the CPU was released in 2019 and that despite this system’s similarity to the 2020 prosumer tier, some scalability options and upgrade options are not available here. The QNAP, by comparison, manages to scale up over the Synology in so many different ways, with a couple of slightly peculiar backsteps along the way. First, let’s look at the arrangement of that hardware side by side:

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP S-262 NAS Hardware Comparison
Synology NAS
Amazon Price:	$305 (09/08/23 – Check Amazon)	$332 (09/08/23 – Check Amazon)
Processor model	Intel Celeron N5105	Intel Celeron J4125 (2019 Gen)
processor architecture	64-bit	64-bit
processor clock	2-core 2.0 (base frequency) / 2.9 (burst frequency) GHz	4-core 2.0 (base frequency) / 2.7 (burst frequency) GHz
Integrated Graphics	Yes (450-800Mhz)	Yes (250-750Mhz)
Hardware encryption engine (AES-NI)	Yes	Yes
system memory	4GB DDR4 non-ECC	2 GB DDR4 non-ECC
Pre-installed memory modules	Yes, Fixed	Yes, Initial 2GB Fixed
Total number of memory slots	0	1
Maximum memory capacity	4GB	6 GB (2 GB + 4 GB)
The maximum number of disk slots for an expansion unit	2x USB 3.2 (Supports 2/4/8 Bay Expansions)	N/A
M.2 drive bay	Yes, x1 (Gen 3×1)	N/A
Compatible Disk Type	3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD 2280 M.2 NVMe	3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD
Disk hot-plug support*	Yes	Yes

The big hurdle for a lot of users is clearly going to be that CPU choice. Side by side, the quad-core CPU inside the Synology is going to mean more cores for the system to take advantage of over the dual-core inside the QNAP. Potentially, both CPUs feature integrated graphics, which also means that for processes such as transcoding, handling of graphical data, and simple offline conversions, they are going to use fewer system resources to get the job done. But when we take a closer look, we can see that there is a lot more to it. For a start, the N4505 jewel court CPU inside the QNAP is a much newer generation processor and features a slightly higher clock speed too. Despite half the available core numbers, that is going to result in the CPU being noticeably more efficient thanks to modern innovation by Intel in newer refreshes of their processors. The integrated graphics on the N405 CPU are of a higher birth speed, and although the QNAP CPU will lose out on the sheer breadth of processing capabilities being dual-core rather than quad-core, in a home user environment, and unless you are going to push the system hard, you aren’t really going to feel it.

Then there is the memory inside the two NAS systems and a very distinct difference in how either brand deploys their systems. The Synology system arrives with less default memory at 2GB versus 4GB on the QNAP. However, the Synology features an upgradable Sodimm memory slot that allows you to add a further 4GB of memory. The QNAP, on the other hand, features 4GB by default, but that 4GB is soldered internally for reasons of efficiency and cost (in light of continued memory shortages over the last 2 years and rising NAND flash costs), which results in the TS-262 NAS not allowing memory upgrades further. Therefore, you are getting more RAM on the QNAP on day one, but better long-term scalability by around 50% on the Synology. The fact that both systems feature soldered memory by default is super annoying, particularly when you know both of the CPUs can support more memory officially according to Intel, of 8 GB and 16 GB respectively.

From this point, however, in terms of hardware, QNAP absolutely steals the show moving forward! In terms of ports, connectivity, and upgrade options, Synology has clearly taken a very rigid stance on the DS224+ system, and this results in an incredibly low glass ceiling in comparison to the TS-262 NAS and the sheer wealth of ways to upgrade its hardware throughout the system’s lifetime. The most obvious example is in network connectivity and one that more modern network equipment is going to benefit most! The Synology DS224+ arrives with two Ethernet ports, both gigabit in architecture. Synology has come under fairly regular criticism for sticking quite rigidly with 1Gb network ports on the bulk of their systems, only providing improved gigabit connections or 10G on their XS or enterprise-grade systems by default. Although these two Ethernet ports support bonding options such as link aggregation, port trunking, and the more modern and easy-to-set-up SMB multi-channel via Windows, there are going to be a lot of users that are disappointed with gigabit network port when even domestic-class hard drives these days can comfortably provide 160 to 200 megabytes per second performance, and increasingly affordable SATA SSDs double or triple that number. Therefore, an external connection that immediately throttles performance down to 109 megabytes per second per port is going to be disappointing. This is further exacerbated by the fact that there is no means to upgrade the network connectivity on the Synology NAS beyond 1G, with no PCIe upgrade slot or any compatibility or support officially for 2.5G or 5G adapters which are becoming increasingly affordable.

The QNAP TS-262, on the other hand, is a completely different story! Arriving with a single Ethernet port, you may think things have started poorly, but this Ethernet port is 2.5 GB Ethernet (2.5 times that of the Synology) and whether you are running a one gig architecture and/or thinking of upgrading your network equipment, this is going to allow you to have higher performance via the single port than both of the ports on the Synology combined. However, this is further improved when you discover that the QNAP now also supports network adapters as I alluded to earlier, meaning that you can add a $20 2.5G USB upgrade and even a $50 5G upgrade to the system to further upgrade network connectivity and fully capitalize on the increased performance afforded to you via your media inside the system in RAID 0 or RAID 1. In fact, these USB ports get even better when you find out that, unlike the 5GB. USB 3 Gen 1 ports in the Synology, the QNAP features 10G USB 3 Gen 2 ports. These USB ports support vastly more peripheral and accessory devices on the TS-262 than they do on the DS224+, ranging from network upgrades, wireless upgrades, office peripherals, and assignment towards virtual machines for either more utilization. But more importantly, these USB ports support storage expansions from QNAP that allow you to add a further two, four, eight, and sixteen bay expansions (in conjunction with the PCIe slot), which means that you are not limited in the system’s lifetime to just those two bays of storage. Synology, on the other hand, has no expansion support for the DS224+. They do have a couple of expansion devices for desktop use in their portfolio, but they are connected via eSATA and have not added this connection to their DS224+ NAS.

Continuing down the rabbit hole of expansion and scalability, there is the fact that the QNAP NAS has a PCIe upgrade slot. It cannot be understated just how important and useful a lot of users are going to find this upgrade slot; even entry-level home users are going to feel the benefits here. Unsurprisingly, there is no PCIe upgrade slot on the Synology DS224+, but why is it such a big deal that these NAS devices would feature one? Well, much like the previous point I made about default network connectivity on the DS224+ and TS-262, having a PCIe upgrade slot means that you can add even greater network connectivity such as 10 GbE via a one or two-port card! There is also support for SSD storage upgrade cards that allow you to add two more M.2 NVMe SSDs and turn this 2-bay NAS into a 4-bay NAS! Or you can go ahead and get combo cards that have both built into a single card that occupies one slot and gives you a massive storage upgrade and a massive external bandwidth upgrade! There is even support for Wi-Fi 6 upgrade cards, USB port upgrade cards, and a long-ranging list of third-party PCIe cards that can be installed inside this system to improve performance inside and outside! Because of the CPU choice here and efforts to keep things affordable on systems on the scale of the DS224+ and TS-262, the PCIe architecture of this upgrade slot is gen 3 x 2, which does limit the internal bandwidth to 2000 megabytes per second, but nevertheless, having the option of this upgrade on the TS-262 alongside those network USB upgrade choices, when the DS224+ provides neither, is definitely something worthy of note.

However, the upgrades on the QNAP TS-262 do not stop there with this system. Also arriving by default with two times M.2 NVMe SSD base as well. That’s right; you don’t even need to wait to upgrade with a PCIe card, and you can go ahead and utilize M.2 SSDs for caching or as raw storage pools straight away on day one, thanks to the system featuring these by default. Remember earlier when I mentioned that the Synology DS224+ is using hardware architecture in this home-tier solution that three years ago was in the prosumer tier, about certain hardware limiting choices have been made? One of those was the two M.2 NVMe SSD base that previous generations of this device had featured and are notably absent on the Synology DS224+. It’s a real shame that Synology opted to not feature these in this architecture, despite clearly having enough resources here to support it. This is quite a clear choice by the brand to place the system in a very specific area of their portfolio so it does not overlap the next tier, the Synology DS723+.

Finally, there is the fact that the QNAP TS-262, like a number of other different NAS solutions in their portfolio that feature integrated graphics, also arrives with visual output, in this case, an HDMI 2.0 4K 60 frames per second port. This visual output, combined with two dedicated USB 2.0 ports that can be used for low priority peripherals alongside this if you choose, allows you to run a completely parallel (not mirrored!) Software GUI that is dedicated to the HDMI out, called HD station. Well, it should be highlighted that QNAP does not update this service and its applications anywhere near as frequently as it does the other apps in the brand’s portfolio. There is still a good range of services that can be used here that allow you to run a standalone surveillance system with KVM, a direct multimedia center that has direct control via an infrared remote control/Wi-Fi remote via mobile/USB keyboard and mouse, the ability to run a standalone PC via this HDMI, while the system also continues to run the QNAP NAS OS and apps over the network as usual, and a whole bunch of other things. Synology has always been pretty clear about their integration of HDMI out on their systems, largely ignoring it for any system other than a handful of their surveillance systems. This is by no means a killer feature for most users, and I know that the percentage of QNAP NAS owners that actually utilize the HDMI is surprisingly small. But nevertheless, this is just another example of the sheer scope of hardware that has been packed into the QNAP TS-262.

Overall, it should come as absolutely no surprise that in terms of hardware, the QNAP TS-262 absolutely smashes it! Even if the base-level hardware of the Synology had been a more modern generation CPU choice (and we have to at least give them the benefit of the doubt that the system does provide more scalability in terms of memory and is a quad-core CPU too!), the overall standard and modern architecture of the QNAP TS-262 is just impossible to ignore, and you are getting frankly insane value for money in terms of hardware on the TS-262, then you do on the slightly older feeling DS224+ by comparison. However, we can’t just focus on the hardware, as having the best hardware in the world won’t mean anything if you can’t utilize it properly. So let’s start talking about the software that is included with both of these NAS systems to see if this is where Synology can shine.

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-262 NAS – Software and Services

Spoiler alert, Synology is going to win this! If you have been spending even a moderate amount of time looking at either of these brands, you’ll know that where QNAP seemingly hit the accelerator in the hardware department, Synology absolutely dominates in terms of the software! QNAP arrives with QTS 5.1, the latest iteration of their software, and although it does lack some of the smoothness and intuitive nature of the Synology platform (DSM 7.2), it is still a very well-put-together and heavily-featured platform. Here is how they compare:

The TS-262 also supports QNAP’s QTier service, a unique alternative to utilizing faster SSDs as storage pools or for caching. With Q Tier, you can combine your available slower hard drive storage media and faster SSD media into a single storage pool. Upon doing so, over time the system will learn what are the most frequently accessed files, ranging from small metadata and OS files all the way up to larger block data, which is then moved (not copied, as found with caching in smaller files) to the faster storage area. Then over time, as you and your other users use the TS-262, those more frequently accessed files will be retrieved from the faster SSD and create a much more responsive and faster user experience. Combine that with the improvements in the base level, network bandwidth on day one, or via upgrade, and the benefits of QTier in a mixed media storage device are very useful indeed.

We also have to acknowledge that one of these two brands suffered something of a PR disaster back in 2021/2022 when QNAP was one of the brands that was targeted by the Deadbolt ransomware group (alongside Asustor and Terramaster), resulting in more than 3,000 successfully hit devices who suffered targeted data encryption in small or whole system storage extents. The impact of this, combined with QNAP’s handling of the attack and their response to semi-force updates on systems remotely, resulted in a lot of lost face by many in this brand, and they will be carrying the stigma of this event for quite a few years yet. In comparison, Synology, though targeted by the group, were not successfully attacked, and at the time of writing, it appears that no Synology NAS user was ever hit by Deadbolt ransomware. In fact, aside from the Synolocker attack on Synology NAS systems over a decade ago, there has not been any widespread reported successful attack on their platform that comes even slightly close to the Deadbolt attack on QNAP.

To put this into a little bit of perspective, all network-attached storage devices received regular security updates for years, long beyond the hardware warranty of any singular NAS hardware. This is because software development can only ever really be one step ahead of the hackers. A brand releases software, hackers begin to try to find vulnerabilities, and when successful, the software brand releases a firmware update, and the cycle begins again. The majority of software these days is actually built on just a handful of different software architectures such as Linux, which in turn go through the same cycle of update>attack>update as any other software. However, when THEY roll out an update, the software that is built on them needs to customize that firmware update on their platforms, which takes time! Both of these brands, alongside every other reputable software brand that has even a hint of internet/remote access, has their security advisory pages that you can find online, which will detail the number of vulnerabilities that have been highlighted and the progress of their resolution. So, no brand will ever be considered 100% bulletproof from security vulnerabilities, as any piece of software might have a vulnerability that has just simply not been found yet, but there is simply no denying that between these two brands when it comes to security and how they have managed this subject, Synology seemingly has the edge.

If you are still on the fence about whether you should buy the Synology DS224+ or QNAP TS-262, and you intend to spend a decent amount of time with their respective software, then I would strongly recommend that you head to one of the two demo pages below. Both of these allow you to test out and experience the respective NAS software from each of these brands and will give you a good understanding of how each one works, how intuitive or user-friendly they are, and whether either software will provide you the level of reliability, stability, or customization that you are going to need before you purchase either the DS224+ or TS-262 NAS.

Synology Diskstation Manager 7.2 Online Demo – HERE

QNAP QTS 5.1 Online Demo – HERE

Ultimately, much like previously when QNAP was holding court and comfortably winning the hardware comparison of these two NAS devices, in the case of software, Synology absolutely smashes it. It’s not a complete flawless victory, as the QNAP QTS platform does provide a wide range of first-party services, much more customizable and adaptable services, and a wide range of third-party support compared with Synology DSM. But in terms of UX design, smoothness of GUI, long-term security management, and first-party ecosystem services, the Synology DSM platform on the DS224+ comfortably places it ahead. This is as you would expect from a brand that, when purchasing one of their solutions, places the emphasis on the software more than anything else. You can really feel the investment there! If you are in need of further comparison, you can check out my reviews on both DSM and QTS below in the software reviews over on YouTube:

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-262 NAS – Verdict and Conclusion

It would be so, so easy to simply label this a case of hardware versus software, and indeed there is a ring of truth to that when you look at just how much is packed in with both the DS224+ and TS-262 in terms of priorities from either brand. However, the reality is a little bit more nuanced, as it really will come down to both what the user needs and their level of experience. Though the software on the DS224+ towers over the hardware when you purchase the device, it also needs to be stated that good software can make the most of weaker hardware, and having a system that requires a lower skill level in order to make the most out of it, for some, is going to be worth its waiting gold! You need to think of the Synology NAS systems as something of a complete ecosystem rather than just a data storage solution, providing more applications to replace those third-party alternatives that may exist in your network and create a truly synchronized storage networking communication environment! However, all of that arrives with limitations, with a lower glass ceiling and often with a feeling that the system is being held back intentionally in efforts to maintain that balance in the case of the DS224+. The TS-262, by comparison, gives you more hardware, more bandwidth, greater opportunities to upgrade and scale out your storage, and does so with a software platform that takes off the training wheels. This can lead to inconsistencies, this can lead to a higher learning curve, and ultimately leads to an experience where you may have to spend more time getting the system to wrap around your existing workflow rather than the other way around. This is where the TS-262 excels, as it tries to give you the control to do things your way, but may also hit the odd hurdle when it’s trying to do and be too many things to too many people. If you are looking for a streamlined experience that will hold your hand the whole way, go for the Synology DS224+! If you are looking to take the reins of your hardware, get a system to work the way YOU want it to, and have more opportunities to scale up your network storage in many directions, go for the QNAP TS-262. Both systems excel in what they’re trying to do at this price point, and as long as you know what you want from this system in advance, they will fulfill those needs appropriately!

NAS
Amazon Price:	QNAP TS-262 NAS $305 (21/04/24 – Check Amazon)	Synology DS224+ NAS $335 (21/04/24 – Check Amazon)

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One of the most popular reasons that users choose to buy a network-attached storage (NAS) device is for use as a media server. The appeal is pretty clear. With most users now owning decades of media (either in digital form or ripped from optical media at home), the ability to enjoy these box sets and Movies on the latest devices can be complicated. Despite this, streaming all of your multimedia from a NAS to all of your TVs, phones, tablets and other devices are growing increasingly popular and a lot of this is thanks to the increasing affordability of NAS from brands like Synology and QNAP and free software from companies like Plex and Emby. The most popular NAS for home media tends to be Synology, with its support of numerous media server applications and its own premium video service app too. This combined with the oversaturation of third-party online streaming services that ask you to pay a subscription (such as Netflix) with little control or right to ownership of the media you watch means that many users just want to enjoy their own unique media collections. So now that a lot of users are choosing to switch from the likes of Netflix and Prime Video towards an in-house media server, the next question is which piece of software they should choose.

The most popular private media server app right now worldwide to counter the likes of Netflix is Plex Media Server, software available in host and client form that allows you to transform your media collection into a glossy, slick and informative UI that genuinely rivals big online streaming platforms. Synology on the other hand would likely prefer users to stick with their own fully-featured media server application, Synology Video Station, which they have invested well in and developed to an impressive standard that easily rivals that of Plex. So today I want to compare these two media server choices and help you decide which one is the ideal media server choice for you.

Important – ‘Free’ Vs Paid Media Server Services on a NAS

Before going any further, it is worth addressing the elephant in the room, namely that a number of key media server services that are included with Plex Media Server are locked behind a paid subscription service known as Plex Pass. Whereas Synology Video Station is an application that is included with your NAS on Day 1 at no additional cost. All that said, neither service can technically be called free, as both still require you to purchase a Synology NAS. Additionally, it is still worth highlighting that some more recent Innovations in Plex online services and utilisation of hardware transcoding (the ability to use the CPU’s embedded graphics or an available graphics card to adapt files on the fly to make them better suited to a client) is not available on the free tier of Plex, but ARE available by default in the Synology Video Station application. You can still utilise software transcoding on Plex for free and this will deal with a large degree of transcoding requirements, but the fact that you have to pay extra within the Plex app to utilise the hardware already available on your NAS is something a number of users find difficult to accept. Throughout this article, any feature that is only available as a paid Plex Pass feature will be highlighted as such.

Plex VS Synology Video Station – Installation and First Time Setup

Installation of either the Synology Video Station or Plex Media Server application is near enough identical. Both are readily available in the Synology app centre and can be installed within two clicks. Both media server applications do not require your multimedia files to be stored in a pre-designated/directory location and the sources for TV shows, Movies and more can be scanned and indexed by each media server application after they are installed. In fact, the initial installation on both is incredibly straightforward and there is really only one main difference between them. That difference is that whereas the Synology Media application uses your original NAS login credentials, Plex will require you to set up an account with them online in order to use the software, even if you only intend to use your Plex Media Server on the local network/DLNA. As Plex is a third-party application, this is a little understandable if a tiny bit annoying for some. 

It is also worth highlighting that both media server applications will receive regular updates during their lifespan and this is treated slightly differently too. As Synology Video Station is a first-party app, as soon as an update is available, you will be notified immediately in the app centre and even have the opportunity to apply these firmware updates automatically. Plex updates on the other hand will almost always need to be installed manually, as the available default Plex application on the Synology app centre is updated considerably less frequently and as soon as you setup Plex for the first time, it will ALWAYS inform you that there is a new update available straight away. The Plex Media Server application itself will tell you when an update is available regularly at the top right and in the settings menu, but requires you to download the latest Plex server update to a connected computer and then you need to upload this update directly to the Synology NAS app centre manually. It is only a small inconvenience really, but does mean that regular updates on your media server of choice are handled more easily and with likely more frequency on Synology Video Station rather than Plex.

Plex VS Synology Video Station – GUI, Media Support and Browsing

The user interface of Synology Video Station and Plex Media Server are quite similar when viewed on a client device, such as a console, TV and Amazon Fire TV stick. With all of your available Movies and Boxsets clearly shown and the metadata collected by each media server application creating a great user interface for your connected users. 

However the back end/server view of each media server application is considerably different and where the Synology Video Station application is designed exclusively around video media options and configuration (as Synology have a wide range of applications for different Media types and general NAS server maintenance already available), Plex, on the other hand, is a far better equipped tool for a complete server, with the bulk of server maintenance and customisation options built into the single Plex GUI. If you are something of an IT novice, the wide range of options that Plex Media Server throws at you for system maintenance can be a touch intimidating and because Plex is designed around many different kinds of media support (something we will touch on later) it’s configuration needs to be noticeably broader than the video-centric options in the Synology official video application. These additional options, if you take the time to go through them, will definitely lead to a better media server user experience and a far better multimedia streaming system overall, it’s just a question of how bespoke and how elaborate you want your media server to be.

As mentioned, there is a clear difference in the multimedia types supported in Plex Media Server or Synology Video Station. In terms of handling of video Media, they are near enough identical with some exceptions with regard to specialist audio handling for certain dense Media. However, much like the back-end server control mentioned earlier, Synology Video Station only handles video media and relies on alternative applications such as Synology moments, photo station, Synology photos, audio station and download station to play and obtain other kinds of multimedia. Plex Media Server is a much more diverse multimedia tool with support of your photo collections (AI-assisted too), album collections, podcast streaming and several online video streaming services included. In both cases, it makes a lot of sense why they are designed this way, but some users may prefer their media server to be more of a Swiss army knife and others may want their video streaming, music streaming and photo streaming to be different services for different devices and clients. Neither Plex or Synology Video Station really gain any advantage here but simply show how they are different in their architecture. If you want simplicity in the user interface, go with Synology Video Station. If you want simplicity in your media server as a whole, go with Plex Media Server.

Plex VS Synology Video Station – Meta Data Scraping

The scraping of metadata in a media server is precisely what separates a bog-standard selection of files and folders on your screen from a slick graphical user interface that is engaging, informative and a joy to use. When we talk about metadata, we are talking about thumbnails, box art, media descriptions, cast listings, review scores, trailers and more. When we say scraping, that is the process of the software accessing numerous online databases to retrieve and store this information locally to the NAS. The result is your years of TV and movie collection being transformed into something near identical to Netflix and Amazon Prime video in presentation. Metadata ultimately benefits connected users and their client hardware devices, with both Plex and Video Station being very similar in how they look to a client device, albeit with a few branded differences in colour and config.

However, on the server-side, both Synology Video Station and Plex have gone a different way with metadata scraping at a setup level. Of the two, Synology Video Station is definitely the less option-heavy and although this is thanks in many ways to a lot of key options being found in the general server GUI outside of the app, it is still pretty thin on the ground for configuration of your video media server. This is not an enormous surprise given how Synology have generally erred towards keeping things as user-friendly as possible and this is often done by simplifying configurations and sitting numerous settings to system default. The options for scraping metadata on the Synology are surprisingly thin on the ground and some more advanced options require you to sign up to some resource database websites to obtain a two-way key. Despite this, Synology still manages to scrape a tremendous amount of metadata without this key and resource linking. Indeed, although the number of supported databases for metadata listed on the Synology Video Station app is few and far between, it was still able to find the same level of metadata found on the Plex Media Server application and displayed all of the test media perfectly. 

Plex Media Server has access to significantly more online databases and although the system will generally ask you to select which one individually you wish to scrape for metadata in each library, it does do it with a high degree of accuracy. It also manages to scrape this metadata for more than just your Movies and applies this also to your music collection and podcast collection too within the app. Metadata scraping via Plex Media Server also does not require any kind of log-in to these individual databases and is largely automated off the bat, with users being able to switch designated databases for each Media type and folder on the fly. Of course, this all doesn’t guarantee accuracy and will still always be based on the format and layout of your Media in many cases (tv shows listed as S01E01 for season 1, episode 1, etc), but nevertheless, it has to be said that with more available resources and less configuration required for each of them, that Plex Media Server has the broader and more likely to succeed position on metadata scraping.

Plex VS Synology Video Station – Playback and Transcoding

This is one of the most important parts of any media server in the grand scheme of things – multimedia playback and transcoding. This is typically the action of changing a media file into a version that is more acceptable to the client device that you are enjoying it on (TV, Phone, Console, etc). This extends to but is not limited to, changing the resolution, changing the bitrate, changing the file format and ultimately compressing a file into a smaller version in most cases. Because Plex and Synology Video Station are available on the same NAS system, it means that media variations with regard to codecs, compressions and file types will be equally supported at the default level. If a file can be played back in its original version on Plex, it can be played back on Synology Video Station. However, it is when these files need to be adapted with transcoding that we see clear distinctions between each of them. Transcoding is something that remote accessing client users will likely use without even realising it, as they might well be on a limited data connection (speed or coverage at the time) or using a smaller device (such as a phone) to playback a monster 4K 60FPS movie that is overkill on that hardware. So, transcoding is at its best when you do not notice it is being done OR it is adaptable in as many ways as possible to cover all your likely scenarios.

When the NAS needs to perform a transcode on a file on the fly (eg, so you need to convert a video file into a better-suited version for the client watching device upon request and without delay) it will typically do it with software transcoding or hardware transcoding. Software transcoding is when the system uses the raw resources of the CPU and memory inside the NAS to convert the file. Hardware transcoding is when the NAS system features a graphical component (such as embedded graphics featured on a CPU) or an available graphics card that is installed – as these are designed for handling video files and/or graphical manipulation tasks, and will therefore utilise considerably fewer resources. Plex Media Server only provides hardware transcoding in the paid subscription service Plex Pass and then needs to be enabled in the encoding section by selecting the option ‘make my CPU hurt’. Software transcoding is available for the free version of Plex Media Server but is far less efficient and will result in much higher-end Media in 4K and 1080p playback consuming the majority of hardware resources to transcode or will simply not play at all. 

Synology Video Station on the other hand, because it is a native first-party app, has full access to the hardware transcoding element of the NAS and therefore allows users to take advantage of it easily and immediately, and at no additional cost. This has been one of the driving forces behind the popularity of Synology Video Station application, as although the majority of NAS brands have their own video player, Synology is the only one that manages to merge the slick meta-data supported graphical user interface found in Plex but still manages to provide the free and unlimited limited access to the hardware resources you would expect after spending several $100s on a NAS. That said, the way that Synology handles the subject of transcoding in its user interface is a little peculiar, especially for users who are trying to balance the best possible playback vs the most appropriate transcoding level on the fly/manually. 

When you wish for the NAS system to transcode a file in the Video Station user interface, you are presented with the options for adjusting the picture quality to high, medium, low, very low, etc. This is exactly what one might expect from a brand that wants to consistently keep things as simple as possible, however, for those who want to select a specific quality level to playback the file or want a better idea of the best quality level in future should be for other files, this will be extraordinarily limiting. Plex Media Server on the other hand allows you to switch between an automatic transcode option that changes the file to the recommended quality level for the client and connection, or you can specifically switch one of numerous video quality levels that break down into both resolution and bitrate in several places. Overall, the ability for Video Station to be able to take advantage of hardware transcoding at no additional cost and with little or no intervention from the end-user is still ultimately the best thing here. I just wish they gave uses a better degree of control and choice as found in Plex Media Server.

Plex VS Synology Video Station – Client Support

Having a slick and well-performing media server is always good, but if you cannot watch the media inside it on the devices you regularly use, then it’s all a bit pointless. Most people are already well aware that the multimedia collections they have on a NAS can easily be streamed over the local area network via popular methods such as DLNA and UPnP (digital living network alliance and universal plug and play). However, they are much more file and folder, breadcrumb level streaming and in order to enjoy the pretty GUI of Plex and Synology Video Station, an official client app needs to be available on the respective app centre or made unofficially and manually installed. This is an area where Plex Media Server almost completely wins over Synology Video Station, as it simply cannot compete with the variety and accessibility of the Plex client availability in popular app centres. 

Full credit to Plex, they have really taken the time to make sure their platform is available on pretty much any modern device, in what multiple client or media server application forms. They also take the time after an official update of services and then push these updates across each available downloadable client. This is largely impossible for Synology to compete with and they instead opt for a much more targeted client support regime, supporting all modern mobile phone OS’, desktop operating systems and some of the major sofa accessible app centres on TVs and streamers like Amazon fire TV. In  8 out of 10 cases, your device will support both Plex and Synology Video Station, but this is by no means total and sometimes a hardware client (such as an off-brand Android phone, tablet or media box) that you hope to support Video Station will sadly not. 

It is once again worth mentioning that Synology separates different multimedia types towards their own individual client apps, for example, DS Audio or Audio Station for music and DS Photo for photography. Indeed, some of these apps are quite advanced with practically unique connectivity to the likes of Amazon Alexa (something currently impossible on any other NAS platform without a 3rd party application like ‘my-media’ Alexa skill. But this, unfortunately, does not make up for being truly overshadowed by the wider degree of support available on Plex across numerous clients and smart Home devices – though the latter does require a Plex Pass. For sheer volume of connectivity on the clients, Plex wins by an absolute landslide.

Plex VS Synology Video Station – Conclusion

Throughout this comparison of Plex Media Server and Synology Video Station, it has become abundantly clear that one tool is designed around being a Swiss army knife of features and functions, whilst the other performs a smaller but key range of services exceptionally well. Those who have been using Plex Media Server for a number of years are highly unlikely to make the jump to Synology Video Station, as it may feel less feature-rich and perhaps a tad bare-bones. However, those users who are new to the idea of private NAS based multimedia streaming would do very well to try out Synology Video Station first, as I genuinely believe when it comes to concentrating on video streaming services, it is genuinely one of the best platforms out there – albeit clearly restricted to just Synology NAS devices. Plex Media Server attempts to do many things in its pursuit of being the go-to media server of choice for those jumping ship from Netflix and succeeds in most cases, it is just worth remembering that in recent years the platform has perhaps tried to diversify a tad too much. 

PLEX MEDIA SERVER	Synology Video Station
Best for Mixed Media Best for Ease of Access on Client Hardware Best for Transcoding Control Best for Add On Services Best for Metadata Sources	Best for Price Best Performance for Transcoding Best for Ease of Use Best for Ease Setup Best for Updates & Firmware Revs

Thanks for reading and I hope this guide helps you choose the perfect multimedia server for streaming with your friends, family and colleagues. If you are still lost on the right NAS, multimedia software or ideal backup system for your needs, then take advantage of the free advice section below. This is a completely free and unbias service to help work out their ideal data storage solution for you. It is manned by my myself and EddieTheWebGuy, so although replies may take an extra day or so, we will answer your email and have your best interests in mind! Have a great week.

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This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below

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If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here  

Or support us by using our affiliate links on Amazon UK and Amazon US

    

 

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Today I want to compare the hardware on offer inside the Synology DS923+ NAS (released in Dec 2022) and compare it with the newer and more lower powered, but hugely popular Synology DS423+ NAS (released inin Summer 2023). However, unlike previous comparisons of these two NAS (such as the hardware and software comparison HERE that I published a few months ago) today I want to compare how the DS423+ and DS923+ perform as a Plex Media Server, with a series of 720p, 1080p and 4K tests. I have already tested these two NAS devices individually, but never directly compared their performance side by side. Now that a number of prominent Synology NAS releases have arrived with AMD Ryzeen embedded processors (such as the AMD Ryzen R1600 and V1500), many are wondering if they should choose to buy the older and more affordable Synology NAS drives that still feature Intel embedded/integrated graphics, such as the DS423+ with it’s J4125 Celeron CPU. So, let’s get this test up and running. First, we need to take a quick look at the individual hardware of these two NAS devices.

Synology DS423+ NAS	Synology DS923+ NAS

Synology DS423+ vs DS923+ Plex NAS Comparison – Internal Hardware

These 4-Bay Diskstation releases from Synology have always been one of the most interesting tiers of the brand’s desktop solutions. The reason for this is that all too often this scale of system serves as a bridging point between Prosumer & SOHO systems and the small/medium business hardware in their portfolio. This is demonstrated first in the scale of the available RAID 5/6 storage, but then more so in the scalability and upgradability of these two volumes system, allowing an expansion, greater network connectivity (arriving with 2x LAN ports) and better internal hardware than the more domestic targetted solutions – often with the internal hardware differing considerably between each periodic 2-3yr refresh by the brand. Let’s first look at the internal hardware of these two NAS’ to see how much they differ. The DS423+ NAS first arrived on the scene with some great hardware advantages over the rest of the plus series 2023/2024 systems (DS223, DS124, etc), arriving with a 4 Core Intel Celeron Processor that featured integrated graphics, 4GB of DDR4 2666Mhz memory and NVMe SSD upgrade slots. In the 3-4 years since this hardware configuration was firt released though (the DS920+/DS720+ released in summer 2020), Synology clearly decided to make some big changes in the base level architecture of the plus series and specifically in the DS923+ to make it considerably more scalable and general business/file-ops focused. The newer DS923+ features a dual-core AMD Ryzen embedded R1600 that, although arriving with half the cores of the Celeron in the DS423+, has a higher CPU frequency and total achievable frequency in turbo/burst when needed. That said, users will be surprised to learn that this CPU also does not feature embedded graphics, so therefore the DS923+ will be less CPU efficient at handling multimedia or VM deployment than the DS423+.

Though both systems feature DDR4 memory, the DS423’s maximum 8GB of memory is beaten by the DS923+ thanks to its use of much more impressive ECC (error code correction) memory to identify and repair any bit level write errors and can also be scaled to a considerably higher 32GB of memory (arriving with 8GB by default).