Imagine your most important digital files – your family photos, school projects, or maybe even the next big video game save. Where do they actually live? If you’re still relying solely on one computer’s hard drive, you might be one spilled drink or hard drive crash away from disaster. That’s a scary thought!
Choosing the perfect Network Attached Storage, or NAS, feels like navigating a maze. Should you get a small box for home or a massive system for the office? Terms like RAID, terabytes, and protocols fly around, making the decision confusing and often leading to buying something that doesn’t quite fit your needs. You want security, speed, and easy access, but figuring out how to get all three can be a headache.
Don’t worry! This guide breaks down the world of Network Storage into simple, easy-to-understand steps. We will show you exactly what features matter most for your situation, whether you are backing up your home or running a small business. Keep reading to finally choose the storage solution that keeps your data safe, accessible, and ready when you need it most.
Top Network Storage Recommendations
- Entry-level NAS Personal Storage：UGREEN NAS DH2300 is your first and best NAS made easy. It is designed for beginners who want a simple, private way to store videos, photos and personal files, which is intuitive for users moving from cloud storage or external drives and move away from scattered date across devices. This entry-level NAS 2-bay perfect for personal entertainment, photo storage, and easy data backup (doesn't support Docker or virtual machines).
- Set Your Devices Free, Expand Your Digital World: This unified storage hub supports massive capacity up to 60TB.*Storage drives not included. Stop Deleting, Start Storing. You can store 20 million 3MB images, or 2 million 30MB songs, or 40K 1.5GB movies or 62 million 1MB documents! UGREEN NAS is a better way to free up storage across all your devices such as phones, computers, tablets and also does automatic backups across devices regardless of the operating system—Window, iOS, Android or macOS.
- The Smarter Long-term Way to Store: Unlike cloud storage with recurring monthly fees, a UGREEN NAS enclosure requires only a one-time purchase for long-term use. For example, you only need to pay $459.98 for a NAS, while for cloud storage, you need to pay $719.88 per year, $2,159.64 for 3 years, $3,599.40 for 5 years. You will save $6,738.82 over 10 years with UGREEN NAS! *NAS cost based on DH2300 + 12TB HDD; cloud cost based on 12TB plan (e.g. $59.99/month).
- Blazing Speed, Minimal Power: Equipped with a high-performance processor, 1GbE port, and 4GB LPDDR4X RAM, this NAS handles multiple tasks with ease. File transfers reach up to 125MB/s—a 1GB file takes only 8 seconds. Don't let slow clouds hold you back; they often need over 100 seconds for the same task. The difference is clear.
- Let AI Better Organize Your Memories: UGREEN NAS uses AI to tag faces, locations, texts, and objects—so you can effortlessly find any photo by searching for who or what's in it in seconds. It also automatically finds and deletes similar or duplicate photo, backs up live photos and allows you to share them with your friends or family with just one tap. Everything stays effortlessly organized, powered by intelligent tagging and recognition.
- Entry-level NAS Home Storage: The UGREEN NAS DH4300 Plus is an entry-level 4-bay NAS that's ideal for home media and vast private storage you can access from anywhere and also supports Docker but not virtual machines. You can record, store, share happy moment with your families and friends, which is intuitive for users moving from cloud storage, or external drives to create your own private cloud, access files from any device.
- 120TB Massive Capacity Embraces Your Overwhelming Data: The NAS offers enough room for your digital life, no more deleting, just preserving. You can store 41.2 million pictures, or 4 million songs, or 80.6K movies or 125.6 million files! It also does automatic backups and connects to multiple devices regardless of the OS, IOS, Android and OSX. *Storage disks not included.
- User-Friendly App & Easy to Use: Connect quickly via NFC, set up simply and share files fast on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, web browsers, and smart TVs. You can access data remotely from any of your mixed devices. What's more, UGREEN NAS enclosure comes with beginner-friendly user manual and video instructions to ensure you can easily take full advantage of its features.
- AI Album Recognition & Classification: The 4 bay nas supports real-time photo backups and intelligent album management including semantic search, custom learning, recognition of people, object, pet, similar photo. Thus, you can classify and find your photos easily. What's more, it can also remove duplicate photos as desired.
- More Cost-effective Storage Solution: Unlike cloud storage with recurring monthly fees, A UGREEN NAS enclosure requires only a one-time purchase for long-term use. For example, you only need to pay $629.99 for a NAS, while for cloud storage, you need to pay $719.88 per year, $1,439.76 for 2 years, $2,159.64 for 3 years, $7,198.80 for 10 years. You will save $6,568.81 over 10 years with UGREEN NAS! *NAS cost based on DH4300 Plus + 12TB HDD; cloud cost based on 12TB plan (e.g. $59.99/month).
- Secure private cloud - Enjoy 100% data ownership and multi-platform access from anywhere
- Easy sharing and syncing - Safely access and share files and media from anywhere, and keep clients, colleagues and collaborators on the same page
- Comprehensive data protection - Back up your media library or document repository to a variety of destinations
- 2-year warranty
- Check Synology knowledge center or YouTube channel for help on product setup and additional information
- Centralized Data Storage - Consolidate your data with 100% data ownership and multi-platform access
- Easy Sharing & Syncing - Share files and media in a breeze, and keep clients and collaborators on the same page
- Simple Data Protection - Back up your media library or business document repository to a variety of destinations
- Intelligent Surveillance - Protect what matters by keeping an eye on your home with flexible monitoring tools
- 2-year warranty
- Value NAS with RAID for centralized storage and backup for all your devices. Check out the LS 700 for enhanced features, cloud capabilities, macOS 26, and up to 7x faster performance than the LS 200.
- Connect the LinkStation to your router and enjoy shared network storage for your devices. The NAS is compatible with Windows and macOS*, and Buffalo's US-based support is on-hand 24/7 for installation walkthroughs. *Only for macOS 15 (Sequoia) and earlier. For macOS 26, check out our LS 700 series.
- Subscription-Free Personal Cloud – Store, back up, and manage all your videos, music, and photos and access them anytime without paying any monthly fees.
- Storage Purpose-Built for Data Security – A NAS designed to keep your data safe, the LS200 features a closed system to reduce vulnerabilities from 3rd party apps and SSL encryption for secure file transfers.
- Back Up Multiple Computers & Devices – NAS Navigator management utility and PC backup software included. NAS Navigator 2 for macOS 15 and earlier. You can set up automated backups of data on your computers.
- Value NAS with RAID for centralized storage and backup for all your devices. Check out the LS 700 for enhanced features, cloud capabilities, macOS 26, and up to 7x faster performance than the LS 200.
- Connect the LinkStation to your router and enjoy shared network storage for your devices. The NAS is compatible with Windows and macOS*, and Buffalo's US-based support is on-hand 24/7 for installation walkthroughs. *Only for macOS 15 (Sequoia) and earlier. For macOS 26, check out our LS 700 series.
- Subscription-Free Personal Cloud – Store, back up, and manage all your videos, music, and photos and access them anytime without paying any monthly fees.
- Storage Purpose-Built for Data Security – A NAS designed to keep your data safe, the LS200 features a closed system to reduce vulnerabilities from 3rd party apps and SSL encryption for secure file transfers.
- Back Up Multiple Computers & Devices – NAS Navigator management utility and PC backup software included. NAS Navigator 2 for macOS 15 and earlier. You can set up automated backups of data on your computers.
- High-Performance NAS with Powerful Procesor: DXP4800 Plus is ideal for small offices, & More. You can enjoy smooth performance and seamless collaboration, while making use of advanced features like Docker and virtual machines. It works semalessly across every device inluding Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android or Google services and so on.
- Better Way to Store Than External Drives: NAS offers centralized storage, automatic backups, remote access, and a wide range of RAID options for easy data recovery even if a drive fails. Massive Storage Capacity: Never worry about storage limits again. With up 136TB capacity, you can store 47 million photos or 92,000 movies! *Hard Drives not included.
- Super-Fast Transfers: Back up 1GB in less than a second using either the 10GbE network port or the 10Gbps USB ports.
- Secure Private Cloud: Retain 100% data ownership with advanced encryption to protect your files. Flexible permission management makes it easy to protect your privacy when collaborating with others.
- AI-Powered Photo Album: Automatically organizes your photos by recognizing faces, scenes, objects, and locations. It can also instantly remove duplicates, freeing up storage space and saving you time.
- Value NAS with RAID for centralized storage and backup for all your devices. Check out the LS 700 for enhanced features, cloud capabilities, macOS 26, and up to 7x faster performance than the LS 200.
- Connect the LinkStation to your router and enjoy shared network storage for your devices. The NAS is compatible with Windows and macOS*, and Buffalo's US-based support is on-hand 24/7 for installation walkthroughs. *Only for macOS 15 (Sequoia) and earlier. For macOS 26, check out our LS 700 series.
- Subscription-Free Personal Cloud – Store, back up, and manage all your videos, music, and photos and access them anytime without paying any monthly fees.
- Storage Purpose-Built for Data Security – A NAS designed to keep your data safe, the LS200 features a closed system to reduce vulnerabilities from 3rd party apps and SSL encryption for secure file transfers.
- Back Up Multiple Computers & Devices – NAS Navigator management utility and PC backup software included. NAS Navigator 2 for macOS 15 and earlier. You can set up automated backups of data on your computers.
The Essential Guide to Buying Network Storage (NAS)
Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices are like your own private cloud at home or in the office. They let you store files, photos, and videos in one central spot and access them easily over your network. Choosing the right one can feel tricky, but this guide breaks down what you need to know.
Key Features to Look For
When you shop for NAS, focus on these important parts.
Capacity and Drive Bays
- Storage Space: How much space do you need now? Think about what you plan to store.
- Drive Bays: This is how many hard drives (or SSDs) the box can hold. More bays mean you can add more storage later. Two-bay systems are good for small homes; four-bay or more suit growing families or small businesses.
Speed and Connectivity
- Gigabit Ethernet: Almost all modern NAS units use Gigabit Ethernet (1GbE) for fast connections to your router. Look for models with 2.5GbE or 10GbE if you move very large files often, like video editing projects.
- CPU and RAM: A faster processor (CPU) and more memory (RAM) help the NAS handle many users or tasks at once, like streaming movies while backing up computers.
Data Protection (RAID)
RAID is a system that spreads your data across multiple drives. If one drive fails, your data is usually safe on the others. Common levels are:
- RAID 1 (Mirroring): Copies data exactly onto two drives. Good safety, but you only get the space of one drive.
- RAID 5: Needs at least three drives. It offers a good balance of speed, space, and protection.
Important Materials and Build Quality
The physical makeup of the NAS matters for how long it lasts and how quiet it is.
Enclosure and Cooling
Most NAS boxes use sturdy plastic or metal casings. Metal often helps dissipate heat better than plastic. Good cooling is very important. Look for NAS units with quiet, effective fans. Loud fans become annoying if the device sits in your living room or office.
Drive Compatibility
Check which hard drives the manufacturer recommends. While most NAS supports standard SATA drives, using drives specifically rated for NAS use (like WD Red or Seagate IronWolf) often improves reliability because these drives handle constant running better.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
What makes a NAS great or just okay?
Software Experience (The Operating System)
The software the NAS runs is crucial. Top brands offer user-friendly operating systems (OS) that are easy to set up, even for beginners. A good OS lets you install extra apps for things like media servers (Plex) or private VPNs. Poor software makes the device hard to use.
Expandability
A quality NAS allows you to easily swap out smaller drives for larger ones later (drive migration). Some higher-end models offer extra slots for faster SSD caching, which speeds up access to frequently used files.
User Experience and Use Cases
How will you actually use your new network storage?
Home User Scenarios
For most families, the NAS acts as a central backup spot for laptops and smartphones. It also works well as a media server, allowing you to stream movies or music to smart TVs or tablets anywhere in the house. Simplicity is key here.
Small Business Needs
Small offices need faster access and better security. They often use the NAS for shared project folders and advanced backup routines for multiple computers. Look for NAS units that support features like user permissions and active directory integration.
Network Storage (NAS) Buying FAQ
Q: How is a NAS different from an external hard drive?
A: An external drive connects only to one computer using USB. A NAS connects to your router, so many devices (phones, computers, TVs) can access the files over the network at the same time.
Q: Do I need to buy the hard drives separately?
A: Yes, most NAS units are sold as “enclosures” without drives. You must buy the drives that fit inside and install them yourself. Some vendors offer pre-configured models, but they cost more.
Q: Is setting up RAID difficult?
A: Modern NAS software makes RAID setup very simple, often just a few clicks during the initial setup wizard. You select the protection level you want.
Q: How fast is network storage compared to cloud storage (like Google Drive)?
A: Network storage is usually much faster for uploading and downloading large files because the speed is limited only by your home network speed (Gigabit Ethernet), not your internet connection speed.
Q: Can I access my NAS when I am away from home?
A: Yes. Most major brands offer mobile apps or cloud relay services that let you securely connect to your files over the internet when you travel.
Q: What is the main advantage of buying a NAS with more than two drive bays?
A: More bays allow you to use more advanced RAID levels (like RAID 5) or simply let you add more storage capacity later without having to replace all your current drives.
Q: Should I choose SSDs or traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) for my NAS?
A: HDDs offer the best value for large amounts of storage space. SSDs are much faster but cost significantly more per gigabyte. Most users benefit from using HDDs for bulk storage.
Q: How do I keep my files safe if my house has a power outage?
A: You should connect your NAS to an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). The UPS gives the NAS enough time to safely shut down if the power goes out, protecting your data.
Q: Does the NAS run all the time?
A: Yes, NAS devices are designed to run 24/7 so your files are always available. They use very little power when idle.
Q: What is the typical lifespan of a NAS device?
A: The enclosure itself can last many years. The hard drives inside are the parts that wear out; NAS-rated drives are expected to last 3 to 5 years under normal use before replacement is recommended.