Select the best hardware and many large disks and you can click together a NAS worth a few thousand euros in every webshop. However, a good NAS does not have to be that expensive. Do you want to buy a cheap NAS? We consider what you should pay attention to when purchasing and introduce some interesting budget NAS to you.
Although NAS devices all look similar from the outside, they are obviously not. The number of network ports, number and type of USB ports, HDMI and other multimedia ports differs greatly and affects what you can do with the NAS. With the budget models, these options are usually minimal, but sufficient for normal use. And with a USB extension cable of a few euros, you can still create a USB port if the one on the front is missing.
Processor and memory
The beating heart of any NAS consists of the processor and memory. You should not have too little of the latter, 1 GB is about the lower limit. The amount of memory is more important than the speed, so it's better to have 1 GB DDR3 memory than 512 MB DDR4 memory.
It's not that easy with the processor. For a long time, the rule was that cheap NAS devices had a poor processor and the better ones an Intel. However, this difference quickly diminishes. For example, the RealTek RTD1296 is one of the first arm processors to hardware transcode (convert) 4K video images to a format that is better suited to a smartphone or tablet. So for this, too, a more expensive Intel Celeron is no longer needed.
Tip: The support department of the popular media server Plex maintains an overview of all NAS models and their transcoding qualities in Google Docs.
Exactly how important processor and memory are, again strongly depends on the use of the NAS. If the device is mainly used for backup and file storage, then any processor will suffice and 512 MB of memory space is also sufficient. But if you also want to virtualize on the NAS or connect surveillance cameras (surveillance function), then more computing power and memory is required.
You can add many functions to the NAS as an app or package. The list of available apps or packages provides a good insight into the possibilities of each brand and model.
What exactly is raid?
Raid is a method of protecting files by spreading them across multiple hard drives along with recovery information. This can be done in several ways. With raid1, there are two disks and all data is written to both disks. This halves the storage capacity, which makes this method inefficient and expensive.
A better choice is than raid5, where a relatively smaller part of the storage capacity is lost to the recovery information, but for which at least three and preferably five disks are required. And good to know: raid0 is called raid, but it offers no protection, it only makes the storage faster.
Do you want to know more about all your backup options? Then be sure to check out our Tech Academy's online backup and recovery course.
How many drives?
With the exception of Western Digital, all NAS devices are sold without memory. You still have to buy the hard drives yourself. Because one hard drive quickly costs more than the empty NAS, there is every reason to be critical of this. Is all that storage space really necessary? A good digital clean-up prevents a lot of costs.
If the desired storage capacity is known, the details depend on the number of disks that fit in the NAS and the desired configuration. With jbod and raid0 there is no loss of storage capacity, but also no additional protection of the data on the NAS if one of the drives fails. If protection is required, then raid1 or raid5 is the most common choice, but they cost a part of the storage capacity. Raid1 is always the most unfavorable.
With two disks it costs half the storage capacity, with more disks even more. With three disks, raid5 is therefore the best choice, as this leaves more net storage capacity. More small disks with a more expensive NAS with space for more disks can therefore be relatively cheaper than a cheaper NAS with fewer, but large disks.
Software and Apps
The software with a NAS is almost always free. This applies in any case to the operating system of the NAS, any backup software for Windows and Mac, as well as extensions and mobile apps. Software does not seem to be a factor in the choice of a good, but cheap NAS – but it certainly is.
The first thing to look at are the extensions. With an extension you add functionality to the NAS, such as home automation, linking surveillance cameras (surveillance function) or organizing photos. You install an extension from the app store on the NAS.
Winner in number and quality is Synology followed by QNAP, Asustor, TeraMaster and finally Netgear and WD. Keep in mind, expansions put a strain on the processor and memory of the NAS and certainly with a budget model, the limit of the system has been reached once again.
For use with a smartphone or tablet, most NAS vendors offer mobile apps for iOS and Android. Here again there is a difference in number and quality with basically the same leaders and laggards. It's just a little more nuanced here. If a NAS offers less functionality, it makes sense that there are also fewer apps. Moreover, the number of apps among the frontrunners is no longer really useful.
Finally, let's compare some models.
Asustor AS1002T v2
Asustor has long stuck to only Intel processors, but in the end could not resist the temptation of the latest arm processors. Compared to the previous AS1002T, this AS1002T v2 is equipped with a slightly faster processor and a USB3.1 port, otherwise the specifications have remained unchanged.
The NAS offers ample functionality, but with a less extensive operating system than a Synology and QNAP and also fewer and less beautiful extensions. The 512MB ram is on the thin side, but as long as not too many tasks are started at once, it is no problem. Hardware transcoding and virtualization are missing.
The AS1002T v2 is a good entry-level NAS for anyone who wants a NAS with two drives for backup and a few extra tasks. You can also build your own cloud in no time with Asustor's apps.
QNAP TS-228A
QNAP gave the TS-228A the least "technical" appearance of all the devices in the test. The sleek white housing is also a style break with all other NAS devices from QNAP, but it is a godsend for anyone who does not have to put the device in the meter cupboard. In addition, the TS-228A is pleasantly quiet. The heart of the NAS is formed by a Realtek RTD1295 processor and no less than 2 GB of RAM. It is striking, however, that the 4K transcoding that this processor offers on paper, does not work on the TS-228A.
The cause lies with QNAP. The company has not implemented this feature because it has prioritized supporting snapshots: backups of all storage on the NAS that you can always return to after a disaster. It is probably a marketing choice not to let this budget NAS compete too much with the more expensive models, and that is a shame, because otherwise the TS-228A is fine.
QNAP's QTS operating system has been expanded, but still has some rough edges, such as untranslated parts and clunky windows that hide important options and system information and sometimes difficult to understand options. It could especially be more user-friendly. Extensions and mobile apps work well together.
Synology DS220j
The DS220j is a recent budget NAS from market leader Synology. With a faster processor and faster memory, the DS220j is a nice upgrade compared to its predecessor, the DS218j. Unfortunately, the amount of memory has remained the same and with 512 MB it is actually below the desired minimum. Even under heavier loads, you will notice that the NAS remains upright thanks to excellent memory management from Synology.
It is a pity that, for example, the hardware transcoding, which is supported by the Realtek RTD1296, is missing in the NAS. Synology offers multiple 2-bay models, some with the same processor. Apparently they were looking for ways to widen the distinction.
In use, the DS220j benefits from the excellent DSM operating system and the range and quality of both extensions and mobile apps. This can hardly be called an entry-level NAS, except for the limited amount of memory and a slightly flawed processor. Except for the number of disks, the new DS420j is largely the same as this DS220j.
TerraMaster F2-210
TerraMaster is a relatively new NAS brand that already makes a very decent impression. Better well copied than badly conceived, they seem to have thought. You notice that the makers look very closely at Synology and QNAP in everything they develop. That produces a nice NAS, but sometimes also a somewhat 'copy-cat feeling'.
Also here the RTD1296 processor, but no hardware transcoding. 1GB of ram is sufficient for the limited number of expansions, including the only virtualization via Docker. The TOS operating system is user-friendly and in English, but it still lacks many things that are standard with other NAS, such as Jumbo frames, IPv6 and its own surveillance package to monitor and store images from IP cameras.
At the same time, when you consider that the first products of the brand are from 2013, the leap forward TerraMaster has made is enormous and promising. Now we just have to wait for our own additions and innovations that surprise the established brands.
The lightweight aluminum housing accommodates two drives, which go in plastic carriages. Screws and even a screwdriver are included. For its price you get an unprecedented amount of NAS, although it is not immediately the perfect budget NAS.
Netgear ReadyNAS 212
With its ReadyNAS, Netgear mainly focuses on small businesses and the self-employed and emphasizes local collaboration and backups in the functionality. The latter is not only on the NAS, but also in the cloud, because with a few clicks you can connect the ReadyNAS to Amazon, Google Drive, Microsoft Azure or OneDrive. Something that most other NAS brands also offer.
Furthermore, Netgear does not seem to be pulling very hard on its NAS products; the extensions have been the same for many years and the Milestone Arcus surveillance solution has even quietly disappeared and has not yet been replaced. The Cortex processor is not the most powerful, but can continue to work thanks to the 2GB memory.
WD My Cloud EX2 Ultra
Hard disk supplier Western Digital is, in contrast to competitor Seagate, also active in the NAS market. Although they are also available without drives, WD prefers to sell its products with. This EX2 Ultra also comes with, in this case, two 4TB WD Red drives, optimized for use in NAS devices.
In order not to get too caught up in the waters of the major players in this market, who, after all, also ensure a lot of sales for its drives, WD mainly focuses on ease of use. If you don't want that, you never have to log in to the web interface of the NAS: everything can be done via the MyCloud app. The functionality is also mainly focused on backups and the synchronization and sharing of documents and photos.
There are a handful of extensions, but don't switch on too many of them, as the My Cloud EX2 Ultra will quickly become much slower. In addition, the functionality of the extensions is an automatic brake on the desire to use a lot of them. But if you are mainly looking for ease of use and simplicity, it is almost impossible to ignore a My Cloud.
