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The Best NAS for $500 / £500 / €500 to Buy in 2024 (so far)
Best NAS for Around 500 to Buy in 2024 (So Far)
So you’ve decided to look into purchasing your very own network-attached storage device, or perhaps you’re looking to upgrade some equipment that is starting to feel ever so slightly more legacy than you would like. For whatever the reason, there’s no avoiding that choosing the right hardware to host your own private server doesn’t come cheap, and in most cases is seriously going to cost you. That said, the majority of NAS units still manage to keep some things relatively affordable. In this article, I want to talk you through the best solutions right now that you can buy for around 500 GBP/EUR/USD halfway through 2024. Although this doesn’t include tax or your storage media, many of these solutions actually weigh in significantly less than this target price point, and even the ones that slightly cross the line are some real heavy hitters. So, here are the best network-attached storage solutions that you can buy right now without breaking the bank, but still getting a phenomenal amount of bang for your buck.
Best NAS of the Year 2023/2024
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Asustor Flashstor 6 – An NVMe Flash Turnkey NAS that’s Cheaper than DiY
0-48TB, 6x M.2 NVMe 3×1 Bays, Supports 2x USB Expansions, N5105/N5095 4-Core CPU, 4-16GB DDR4 (non-ECC) Memory, 2x 2.5Gbe Port, 3yr Warranty (10GbE version = FS6712X Flashstor 12 Pro for $799 HERE)
Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $499
Hardware Review – LINK
YouTube Video Review – Watch (Flashstor 12 Pro Review HERE)
This one caught everyone by surprise last year when it was first released, and when Asustor unveiled their new six-bay M.2 NVMe SSD system, many users were blown away by two things. The first was this remarkably compact six-SSD system that was available in a hardware configuration largely unavailable elsewhere in the market in desktop form. The other thing was the price! Arriving at just $450, it is nearly impossible to build this level of hardware in the DIY server sphere and still hit this price point. The Flashstor, while also arriving as a turnkey solution with its own complete operating system included, comes with a myriad of applications for your client devices in mobile or desktop form. As well as being 2.5 GBE ready with 4K HDMI out too, this thing has really been making waves this last year. Although, to maintain this price tag, compromises need to be made (such as the system utilizing a fairly middling, if low power consuming, Intel Celeron, and each slot being just a simple Gen 3*1 speed), you really can’t fault this for the price point.
It’s also worth touching on that at Computex 2024, Asustor revealed the next generation of this product family in the Flashstor Gen. 2, which will feature dual 10G and Gen. 4 SSD architecture using a Ryzen CPU. This will almost certainly result in the Flashstor arriving at an even more affordable price tag during larger sales events and as the Gen 2 series is released at the end of the year.
Terramaster F4-464 and F4-424 Pro – Hardware Priorities
0-96TB, 4-Bays, 2x Gen 3 x2 M.2 NVMe 2280, Intel N100 4-Core / N305 8-Core CPU Integrated Gfx CPU, 4/8-32GB Memory, 2x 2.5Gbe Port, 3yr Warranty
Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $499-599
Hardware Review – LINK
YouTube Video Review – Watch
Another phenomenally surprising system that arrived last year, the Terramaster F4-464 series comes in a 4-core N100 configuration and an 8-core N305 configuration (priced at $499 and $599 respectively), both of which feature dual port 2.5GbE, 3.5-inch SATA bays that support up to 24TB each, and even a couple of Gen. 3*2 M.2 NVMe SSD slots for caching or storage pools. Although the Terramaster NAS software is perhaps one of the weaker in the market, it still manages to pull a great degree of features into it for the end user. Container deployment, virtual machine deployment, protected file shares, iSCSI storage, and even a very unique isolation mode that allows you to completely sever the system at the click of a single button from all remote access and third-party applications. Alongside these improvements, Terramaster has also improved the external casing of the F4-464 series, now arriving in a much more desirable curved black casing that features significantly more passive cooling and an adjustable rear fan to keep things cool during long-term operation.
Terramaster is still behind its competitors at Synology and QNAP in terms of overall features, applications for clients, and the general richness of the services included with their platform. However, at this price point, they provide a significantly larger degree of more modern hardware at the disposal of the end user compared with those brands in 2024. Additionally, they are one of the very few brands that happily allow end users to install the likes of TrueNAS or Unraid on their hardware without it invalidating their hardware warranty. That means that even if you are not won over by the comparatively middling software, you can still rely on hugely evolved open-source software like TrueNAS Core/Scale, or the more user-friendly, customizable, and low resource-consuming Unraid if you choose. Finally, it’s worth highlighting that of all of the solutions in today’s article, Terramaster frequently puts their systems on sale, and chances are you’re going to be able to pick up even the more powerful i3 system at sub-500 GBP in numerous retailers.
Synology DS423+ – The Last Media Focused Synology?
0-80TB, Intel J4125 4-Core CPU with 350-750Mhz Int.GFX, 2-6GB DDR4 Memory, 2x 2Gbe Port, 3yr Warranty
Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $449
Hardware Review – LINK
YouTube Video Review – Watch
On the face of it, at least in terms of hardware, the Synology DS423+ is a notable step down compared with the previous two entries on this list. The DS423+ was released partway through last year and arrived with one of the oldest Intel Celeron processors still in active server use, the J4125. Alongside that, the system only features 2GB of DDR4 memory and can only be upgraded to a maximum of 6GB (bit odd). So why on earth is it on this list?! Well, first and foremost, it is one of a small number of Synology solutions that allow you to use the M.2 NVMe slots for SSD storage pools, not just cache. Additionally, this is the lowest price point to take advantage of the full spectrum of Synology services that include the entirety of the collaboration suite, virtual machine deployment, container deployment, Surveillance Station, Synology Hybrid RAID, Active Backup Suite, Hyper Backup, Virtual Machine Manager… The list goes on and on. And that really is the point. The Synology DS423+ is a bargain at a little over $400 because of the software, not the hardware. Arguably, the hardware is looking quite dated in 2024 (I’m looking at you, Gigabit Ethernet!), but Synology still absolutely nails it in terms of NAS software, providing arguably the very best NAS available anywhere in the market.
This, combined with a huge number of client tools that are regularly updated, as well as probably one of the broadest Mac user libraries available right now (not to mention applications for Amazon Alexa, Fire TV, Google Home, and more), you really cannot fault this brand and its software in terms of NAS. If you’re looking for a system that is easy to use and requires much less work from the end user, the DS423+ is an absolute bargain at this price point. Just keep in mind that you are going to get much lower levels of hardware compared to other units on this list.
QNAP TS-464 – 2 Years Later, Still a BANGER!
0-88TB, 4-Bays, 2x PCIe Gen 3×1 M.2 NVMe 2280, Intel Celeron N5105 CPU, 4-16GB Memory, 2x 2.5Gbe Port, 1x PCIe Gen 3×2 Slot, 1 HDMI 2.0 4K 6-FPS, 3-5yr Warranty
Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $550
Hardware Review – LINK
YouTube Video Review – Watch
Despite the QNAP TS-464 being over two years old at this point, it nevertheless still continues to be one of the most desirable and recommended NAS solutions for around 500 quid that you can buy in the market. Despite the fact that this system was first released back in 2022, it arrived with a higher standard of hardware compared with the majority of other devices around at that time for the same price. Fast forward to 2024, and although it is no longer the market leader in terms of hardware, that future-proofing two years ago has led to a system that can still hold its own remarkably well today. Arriving with the same Intel Celeron featured in both the Lincstation and Flashstor (the N5105 quad-core), this petite little four-bay device supports up to the latest 24TB hard drives and even has a couple of PCIe Gen 3×1 M.2 SSD slots for storage pools, caching, and even an intelligent proprietary tiering system, QTier. This hardware also boasts 10-gigabit USB 3.2 ports, HDMI out, and even manages to include a PCIe upgrade slot as well. This means that this base-level system has a decent amount of hardware on day one, but overall is one of the most scalable systems on this list over time. QNAP provides numerous USB expansion devices that support from as little as two bays, all the way up to 16-bay expansion enclosures. The PCIe upgrade slot supports 10GbE NICs, M.2 storage upgrade cards, Wi-Fi 6 upgrade cards, and even QM2 combo cards that provide both network improvements and internal storage improvements.
Much like other entries on this list, it should be stated that the hardware does take up a little bit more of the brand’s priority on the TS-464 than the software. However, to be fair, QNAP is still the closest in the market to Synology in terms of software, with QTS 5.2 featuring numerous client applications, collaboration tools, virtual deployment options, numerous backup software platforms, and multimedia tools, all included. The user experience is a little less cohesive than that of the Synology DSM platform, but overall the QNAP serves as probably the best hardware and software balanced solution for around 500 quid in the market right now. Just be aware that the software and configuration of the system has a slightly higher learning curve than other devices on this list.
Lincplus Lincstation N1 – Hybrid NVMe/SSD Flash with UnRAID
0-32TB M.2 NVMe + 10TB SATA HDD / 16TB SATA SSD, 4+2-Bays, 4xM.2 NVMe 2280, Intel N5105/N5095 CPU, 16GB Memory, 2.5Gbe Port, HDMI+DP 1.4 60FPS 4K, UnRAID License Inc, 2yr Warranty
Current Price/Availability on Amazon –$399
Hardware Review – LINK
YouTube Video Review – Watch
This tiny little NAS SSD system really caught a lot of users by surprise. First arriving on the Indiegogo platform, Lincplus is a brand that has generally been largely associated with laptops and mini PCs, and now they have started turning their arm towards network-attached storage. It hit all of its crowdfunding goals and was released in good time, followed by availability at traditional retail. The Lincstation N1 is arguably not enormously impressive in terms of its base level specifications. Sure, it is a six-bay SSD flash system (two 2.5” for affordable SSDs, and four Gen 3*1 NVMe M.2 for performance SSDs). It has the same Intel Celeron N5105 we’ve discussed already, a decent enough 16GB of memory, and even arrives with 2.5GbE (only a single port though). Overall, one might argue it’s a reasonable enough system, but what makes it stand out against other devices that you could buy right now for around 500 quid?
Well, quite simply, it is the software. Lincplus clearly decided that the Lincstation N1 software might be a little outside their wheelhouse to try and develop a complete NAS operating system. So instead, they approached Lime Technology and UnRAID, and every Lincstation N1 includes an UnRAID license. UnRAID is one of the most resource-friendly, yet incredibly customizable NAS operating systems in the market. Recently, the brand increased the price of their tiers after more than a decade of fixed pricing, and this has further improved the value of the Lincstation N1 arriving with six SSD bays and that lifetime UnRAID license included. That isn’t to say that the N1 is not a good NAS, far from it. It is a remarkably compact system, with a very unique design and two-tier flash build included in its architecture. But the fact that this is being provided with the incredibly capable UnRAID NAS software included is what really makes this device stand out for me and makes it a great NAS purchase for around 500 quid.
UGREEN DXP4800 Plus – New on the Scene, One to Watch
0-96TB, 4-Bays, 2x Gen 4 M.2 NVMe 2280, Intel Pentium Gold G8505 5-core/6-thread 1.2-4.4 GHz CPU, Intel Embedded UHD Graphics, 8-64GB DDR4 Memory, 1x 10GbE, 1x 2.5Gbe Port, USB 10G, HDMI 2.0, 3yr Warranty
Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $499 – Launching Soon
Hardware Review – LINK
YouTube Video Review – Watch
If you have been following the news in network-attached storage, then chances are at the start of 2024, you heard that UGREEN had started making moves into this industry. Long established as a brand that provided computer accessories and cables, it was a pretty big leap for them to suddenly enter the NAS market, and many would have assumed that they were just going to rebadge a bunch of mini PCs. However, they have seemingly taken NAS hardware tremendously seriously, and although their product first entered the market via crowdfunding, traditional retail is imminent. The NASync series arrived in six different configurations spanning 2, 4, 6, 8, and even a small M.2 SSD flash system. Powered by some great Intel Alder Lake CPUs spanning N100, Pentium, and i5, there is some great base-level hardware on offer here. Users were understandably wary when, despite this brand’s size and history, they opted for Kickstarter and crowdfunding for this solution. Nevertheless, now it is heading towards traditional retail, users are perhaps going to be a little bit more open to the whole range of solutions. Right now, the Pentium-powered DXP4800 Plus model is available for around $500, with a 2×8 and 4×8 N100 model arriving even cheaper. The DXP4800 Plus, however, is the best bang for the buck in this lineup as, notwithstanding the remarkably capable Intel 12th gen Pentium processor inside, it supports up to 64GB of DDR5 memory, features a high-speed SD card slot, Gen 4 M.2 SSD slots on the base, and even has 10GbE network connectivity – something unavailable at this price point pretty much anywhere else in the market!
Now, there’s no denying that compromises as usual have to be made to hit this price point on a 24/7 robust server, and for UGREEN, this is in their software. Unlike Lincplus, who opted to use the UnRAID third-party operating system option, UGREEN opted to develop an entire operating system for their systems. Unlike utilizing third-party hardware from the likes of Intel, developing your own network-attached storage software takes years, and the UGREEN NAS family in its current iteration has been around for only about six months! The UGreen OS software, although nailing down the fundamentals reasonably enough and being pretty responsive, still pales in comparison to the capabilities, client tools, and security of the likes of Synology and QNAP right now. Therefore, it is important to understand that purchasing the UGREEN NAS means you are heavily investing in the hardware more than the software. UGREEN has indicated on numerous occasions, and has applied via numerous updates, that they have a long-term road map for their software and that the series is not a one-and-done thing. They want to push into this industry as much as possible and are aware that this means years of development and product security updates are required to keep their software current and competitive in the market.
That said, to their credit, they are another one of the few brands that allow users to install third-party operating systems on their hardware without invalidating the warranty. In practice, that means that the UGREEN NAS systems can run UnRAID or TrueNAS if you choose, and as long as that software does not do detrimental damage to the hardware (such as burning out the CPU or interfering with the active cooling systems), your three-year hardware warranty is safe. UGREEN is one of the youngest names on this list in terms of NAS matters, but they have done a great job so far with their solution in its early stages.
And there you go, those are the NAS systems for around 500 quid that I recommend you buy in 2024 so far. If you found this article helpful and plan to purchase from the shops listed throughout this article, please use those links in order to buy your chosen solution. It results in a small commission and allows NAScompares to keep doing what it does.
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