Choosing the best NAS for Home Media Server can be a difficult task for somebody who is not familiar with the technology. However, NAS servers provide numerous advantages, such as affordability, private cloud storage, large storage capacity, and data security.
Another factor to bear in mind is the storage capacity of the best NAS for a home server, as it is paramount when believing in its data protection and storage capacity. Naturally, its price should be considered, too, as NAS servers are usually lower in cost than other equipment. Lastly, a private cloud server can give users access to data from any location.
When looking to purchase the best NAS for a home server and fill up your bay rock storage, several key aspects should be taken into account:
- The type and model of the processor should be considered, as this will provide the necessary computing power.
- Its storage capacity should be checked to ensure it can provide adequate data protection and storage space. The cost is also very important, as NAS servers are relatively inexpensive compared to other storage systems.
- The presence of a private cloud server should be confirmed, granting access to data from any location.
7 Best NAS for Home Media Servers:
Here are our recommendations for the NAS for Home Media Server:
- BUFFALO LinkStation 210 4TB 1-Bay
- WD 8TB My Cloud NAS
- WD 56TB My Cloud PR4100 NAS
- Synology DS220 2 bay NAS (Diskless)
- TERRAMASTER F4-223 4 Bay NAS
- QNAP 4 Bay Thunderbolt NAS
1- BUFFALO LinkStation 210 4TB 1-Bay
BUFFALO LinkStation 210 4TB 1 Bay is one best option for NAS Home Media Server. Also, it offers an effortless setup with a network hard drive already included. No computer is necessary! To use, connect the Network-Attached Storage to your router and be able to access it from all of your devices simultaneously. It can work with PCs, macOS, Android, and iOS.
Have a personal cloud without having to pay for a subscription! Access your videos, music, and photos from wherever you are without recurring fees for storage. Storage created with an emphasis on keeping your data secure is offered.
The NAS has a locked system to lessen the possibility of third-party applications creating vulnerabilities, and SSL encryption is included to protect file transfers. In addition, you are provided with the software to facilitate the backing up of multiple computers and devices. You can even arrange data storage from your computers and all your mobile devices on an automated basis.
Store and protect your data easily with a NAS device made in Japan and backed by 24/7 US-based support with a 2-year warranty. Create separate access to folders so you can securely share storage space or files with family and friends while keeping your information private. All of this and more organized in one easy-to-access central storage location.
Specifications:
- Storage Capacity: 4TB
- Processor: Marvell ARMADA 370
- Number Bays: 1
- Connectivity: Ethernet 1GbE
- Hard Drive Interface: Serial ATA-300
- Ram: 256 MB
- Cloud Backup Support: No
- Warranty: 2-years
2- WD 8TB MY Cloud NAS:
The WD 8TB My Cloud EX2 Ultra NAS is the best nas server for your home or small business data storage needs. With the ability to securely store and share up to 8TB of data, this storage device is perfect for those who need a secure storage solution for their files. This NAS is equipped with two bays, allowing for easy storage expansion and the option to configure RAID 0, 1, and JBOD. Additionally, the EX2 Ultra is compatible with the My Cloud mobile and web app, allowing you to access your data anywhere, anytime. Plus, it’s equipped with 256-bit AES volume encryption to keep your data secure. The WD 8TB NAS is a powerful, secure storage solution.
It can store all your digital media in one easy-access spot using My Cloud EX2 Ultra. This NAS solution can offer impressive high-speed transfers, allowing you to stream your HD content with no lags. In addition, this personalized system allows you to sync content from multiple computers, share data with friends, and back up multiple devices.
A 1.3 GHz dual-core processor is provided for exceptional streaming, accompanied by 1GB DDR3 memory to enable multitasking without difficulty. Network storage is centralized, meaning access from any location is possible. You can automatically sync files from all your computers with simplified file and folder sharing, personalized backup, and multiple RAID options.
Specifications:
- Storage Capacity: 8TB
- CPU: Marvel ARMADA 385
- Number Bays: 2
- Connectivity: 2x 1GbE
- Hard Drive Interface: Serial ATA-300
- Ram: 1GB
- Cloud Backup Support: Yes
- Warranty: 2-years
3- WD 56TB My Cloud PR4100 NAS
The WD 56TB, My Cloud PR4100 NAS is an ideal storage solution for small businesses, creative professionals, and home users. With an easy-to-use interface, it offers fast and secure data storage with cloud access and backup, remote access, and versatile media library capabilities. This NAS has a quad-core processor and 4GB of RAM, providing rapid performance and reliable access. It also has multiple RAID configurations, allowing you to customize your storage to meet your needs. With an impressive 56TB capacity for storing data, you won’t have to be concerned about having enough space to store and access your information.
The My Cloud Pro Series provides a network storage system for your creative team to access, edit, save, and share production files from any area connected to the internet. You can even check the performance at the NAS testing center, and you will surely be impressed with the outcome.
With an Intel Pentium N3710 quad-core 1.6GHz processor, this storage solution allows you to organize your shots in a single location. In addition, it allows you to access, edit and save your media from any device. It is also compatible with Mac and PC and features hardware transcoding for streaming content.
Specifications:
- Storage Capacity: 56TB
- CPU: Intel Pentium N3710
- Number Bays: 4 Bay
- Connectivity: Ethernet 2 GbE
- Hard Drive Interface: Serial ATA-4
- Ram: 4GB DDR3L
- Cloud Backup Support: Yes
- Warranty: 2-years
4- Synology DS220 2 bay NAS (Diskless)
The Synology NAS DS220+ is a space-saving network-attached storage system that provides streamlined management of data, multimedia, and other resources. It simplifies data sharing, video streaming, and photo indexing and offers complete data protection and backup solutions.
A faster CPU means applications requiring large amounts of computing power can run faster. So, for example, you can quickly sort your photographs according to memory, manage files between different computers and mobile devices, and enjoy lightning-fast web applications.
This Synology drive contains a processor that runs at 2.0 GHz and can burst up to 2.9 GHz, 2 GB of DDR4 memory which can be expanded to 6GB, and two USB 3.0 ports. It also offers a sequential read throughput of 225 MB/s and a sequential write throughput of 192 MB/s, although this performance may alter based on the environment, usage, and setup.
Specifications:
- Storage Capacity: Up to 32TB
- CPU: 2.9 GHz Dual Core
- Number Bays: 2 Bay
- Connectivity: Ethernet 2x Ethernet GbE
- Hard Drive Interface: SATA 6.0 Gb/s
- Ram: 4GB DDR4
- Cloud Backup Support: Yes
- Warranty: 1-years
5- TERRAMASTER F4-223 4 Bay NAS
TERRAMASTER F4-223 4 Bay NAS storage boasts a powerful N4505 dual-core 2.0GHz CPU and a 4GB RAM DDR4 that can be expanded to 32GB. Furthermore, it has two 2.5-Gigabit Ethernet ports with a maximum speed of 5 Gbps when link aggregation is utilized. This impressive four-bay NAS is designed to meet the high-performance needs of small to medium businesses.
This network-attached storage or digital nas has a maximum internal raw capacity of 80TB, composed of four 20TB drives. It is compatible with 3.5″ and 2.5″ SATA HDDs and 2.5″ SATA SSDs and provides support for RAID 0/1/5/6/10/JBOD/Single. Furthermore, it can expand its capacity online and enable online migration. The M.2 2280 NVMe SSD slot that is built into this device has the potential to greatly enhance the storage capacity of its disk array utilizing SSD caching. By incorporating Centralized Backup, Duple Backup, Snapshot, and CloudSync into the NAS enclosure, the security of your data is maximized. In addition, you can easily create file storage servers, as well as various other business applications.
Over, This nas storage or cloud storage TERRAMASTER F4-223 4 Bay has a small and compact design, allowing it to be used vertically and horizontally. It is crafted with an aluminum-alloy shell and an in-built fan to provide efficient temperature control- and it runs very quietly. The device’s heat dissipation is also excellent.
Specifications:
- Storage Capacity: Up to 80TB
- CPU: N4505 Dual-Core
- Number Bays: 4 Bay
- Connectivity: Ethernet Ethernet 2.5GbE
- Hard Drive Interface: Serial ATA-600
- Ram: 4GB DDR4
- Cloud Backup Support: Yes
- Warranty: 30 days
6- QNAP 4 Bay Thunderbolt NAS
The Qnap vs Synology rivalry has been very common in the title of the Best NAS for Home Media Server. Both of these brands have their own perks and drawback. I personally prefer the Qnap. The Qnap TS-130 Home NAS offers a lightweight, quiet, and versatile starting point. It comes in a subtle shade of baby blue, blending in with your home decor while still providing a smart storage experience for your files and entertainment.
The TS-130 digital nas brings you a smart digital home experience featuring easy access, syncing, and sharing of files across your devices. It also protects from viruses and ransomware with Snapshots and offers an entertainment portal for streaming and sharing photos, music, and videos with loved ones. Get started now and create your own smart digital home!
Additionally, you can scale up the total storage capacity by attaching USB expansion cases such as the TR-004 or TL-D800C.
This NAS has an Intel Core i3-8100t processor running at 3.1 GHz, Intel UHD Graphics 630, 4GB SODIMM DDR4 RAM and 2 x Thunderbolt 3 ports. It also has 1 Gigabit Ethernet port, 1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, and 1 USB 2.0 port. The model also has a 3.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s, 3Gb/s (Diskless) port.
This featured rich home NAS offers snapshots to protect your files and data from accidental erasure and malicious software intrusions. With it, you can store, view, manage, and share your photos, music, and videos from one place.
Specifications:
- Storage Capacity: 8TB (RAID 5 Seagate IronWolf NAS Drives Bundle)
- CPU: Intel Core i3-8100t
- Number Bays: 4 Bay
- Connectivity: 0G/5G/2. 5G/1G/100M
- Hard Drive Interface: Solid State Drive and Thunderbolt 3
- Ram: 4GB SODIMM DDR4
- Cloud Backup Support: Yes
- Warranty: 3-year Data Recovery
Home Media Server vs NAS
Before starting, let me answer the most basic what does nas stand for? NAS (Network Attached Storage) and A home media server. Both of these solutions are great media storage solutions. The NAS is a complete system, offering an enclosure, a built-in server, and storage drives. Setting up and managing is a breeze, making it an ideal choice for media streaming. Synology has great NAS options for Plex, like the Synology DS220j or the Synology DS918+. Both have storage space, powerful processors, and gigabit Ethernet connections. You can also consider an SSD NAS, like the Synology FlashStation FS1018. It gives you fast read/write speeds while providing plenty of storage. For more storage options, you can look at a NAS drive or a NAS enclosure, which can be used with your hard drives.
The Best NAS for Home Media Server Requirements:
The Best NAS for Home Media Server should have the following:
- Minimum Intel Pentium CPU running at least 1.4 GHz
- 2 GB of RAM
- 8 TB of Storage
- Multiple Ports
FAQS:
How to build a NAS media server?
To build a media server, you need to buy a special box, connect it to your network, and do some setup. Then you can install the right software on your devices to access the media server.
Which is the best way to set up a nas media server?
You’ll need a NAS device, software, and router to set up a media server. You’ll also need a computer and a media streaming program like Plex or Emby Server.
Can a NAS be used as a media server?
Yes, a NAS can be used as a media server. Many NAS devices have various features designed to store and share media files across multiple devices, such as streaming services, media libraries, and more.
Is a NAS worth it for home use?
It can be a great way to store data you want to access from multiple devices or if you need a lot of storage space. On the other hand, if you don’t need either of those things, a NAS may not be worth home use.
Is a NAS the same as a media server?
No, a NAS is a physical storage device connected to a nas network, enabling multiple users to access the same storage system.A media server is a server that stores digital media such as audio, video, and images, which other devices can then access.
Conclusion
Your budget and needs depend on the best NAS for a home media server. It’s important to consider the type of media content you want to store, how much storage space you need, and how many users will access the server. Ultimately, the best NAS for you will be the one that best meets your requirements for performance, features, and price.