Best NAS device of 2024

Looking for the best NAS device? Understanding your storage needs is crucial. 

Unlike the best external hard drive or the best portable SSD, NAS devices offer a unique advantage: internet connectivity. This allows you to access your stored files remotely, ensuring you have the convenience to retrieve data from anywhere in the world.

This remote accessibility feature of NAS devices trumps traditional storage methods. Rather than carrying around an external hard drive or the best flash drive, you can securely retrieve files from any internet-connected device. Additionally, NAS devices can serve as a centralized storage hub within your network. Whether for work or personal use, every computer on the network can utilize the NAS as if it were an internal drive. This centralized approach ensures that even if one PC fails, the stored data remains intact and secure in the NAS.

If security, accessibility, and centralized storage are priorities for you, a NAS device might be the best solution. It seamlessly integrates with the best cloud storage and best cloud backup services. Moreover, if you're into photography, it might be worth looking into the best photo storage options. And to maximize your device's connectivity, consider pairing it with the best mesh WiFi system or the best WiFi router.

The world of NAS devices can be a bit daunting, though, so we're here to help you navigate it with our guide to finding the best NAS device for your needs and budget. We've extensively tested all the best network-attached storage solutions, and pulled the best of the best together in one place to help you find the device you're looking for.


The best NAS device of 2024 in full:

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Below you'll find full write-ups for each pick for the best NAS device on our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

The best NAS device for personal use

WD My Cloud Personal NAS drive

WD My Cloud Personal NAS drive is one of the best NAS drives and starts at 2TB of storage. (Image credit: WD)

1. WD My Cloud Personal NAS drive

Simple, yet fast

Specifications

Capacity: 2TB, 3TB or 4TB
Interface: USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet
Features: Remote file access, DLNA, iTunes Server

Reasons to buy

+
Easy to set up
+
Good price

Reasons to avoid

-
Setup can be fiddly
-
Apps not great

WD has attained significant success with its unashamedly consumer-friendly My Cloud products, which can stream to any DLNA-compliant device and be accessed via mobile apps for iOS and Android.

Advertised as a 'personal cloud,' this WD is one of the best NAS drives by any other name and starts at 2TB of storage (you can also get it in 3 or 4TB). Because it's a one-bay unit, it can't back itself up since there's only one drive. However, it can back up to an external hard drive thanks to a USB port on the back.

Read the full review: WD My Cloud Personal.

The best low-profile NAS device

Seagate Personal Cloud 2-Bay NAS drive

Seagate Personal Cloud 2-Bay NAS drive mirrors the files from one hard drive to a second one. (Image credit: Seagate)

2. Seagate Personal Cloud 2-Bay NAS drive

Convenient network storage

Specifications

Capacity: 4TB, 6TB or 8TB
Interface: Gigabit Ethernet
Features: Remote file access, media server software, RAID support

Reasons to buy

+
Easy to use
+
Good looking

Reasons to avoid

-
Not that fast
-
Not that flexible

Continuing with the 'personal cloud' theme, this unit from Seagate takes its lead from My Cloud while offering far larger capacities, along with dual bays for two hard drives. This allows the Seagate Personal Cloud 2-Bay NAS device to mirror the files from one hard drive to a second one, securing your files in case one of those drives fails.

We also appreciate the no-fuss appearance of this unit, meaning it fits easily under a router or on a shelf. Plus, it can work with cloud accounts – like Dropbox and Google Drive – and you can also use an app to share content with streamers, such as Chromecast and Roku.

Read the full review: Seagate Personal Cloud 2-Bay.

The best NAS device for media files

QNAP TS-251A NAS drive

The QNAP TS-251A NAS drive has more features than you can shake a stick. (Image credit: QNAP)

3. QNAP TS-251A NAS drive

Feature-packed media NAS

Specifications

Capacity: N/A
Interface: 2 x Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0
Features: Remote file access, HDMI out, 4K media transcoding, DLNA

Reasons to buy

+
Powerful hardware
+
Loads of features

Reasons to avoid

-
Does not come with hard drives installed

The QNAP TS-251A is an extraordinary NAS device that has more features than you can shake a stick – or the included remote control – at. It includes dual Ethernet ports, an HDMI out for connecting it to a TV, and respectable hardware like the dual-core 1.6GHz Intel Celeron CPU and 4GB of RAM for hardware transcoding media files.

The QTS OS also lets you effortlessly install various apps, from the Plex Media Server and file-sharing apps to, surprisingly, a karaoke app, as well as running Ubuntu Linux for added flexibility.

Long story short: this is an incredible NAS device, even if you do have to purchase the hard drives separately. Just factor that into the overall cost.

The best NAS device for file sharing

Buffalo LinkStation LS220D NAS drive

The Buffalo LinkStation LS220D NAS drive can integrate directly with BitTorrent. (Image credit: Buffalo)

4. Buffalo LinkStation LS220D NAS drive

A decent dual-bay NAS with built-in BitTorrent

Specifications

Capacity: 2TB, 4TB, 6TB, 8TB
Interface: Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0
Features: Dual bay, WebAccess apps, Apple Time Machine support

Reasons to buy

+
Good security features
+
Smartphone apps for easy configuration

Reasons to avoid

-
Lacks some advanced features

As one of the best NAS drives out there, this 2TB dual-bay unit (also available in 4, 6, and 8TB capacities) comes courtesy of Buffalo, the company that also produces the TeraStation line of advanced NAS units.

The key selling point of this model is that it can integrate directly with BitTorrent, which means that it can download files for you even when your PC is not on. You won’t need to worry as much about your downloads getting interrupted. Like many of the other devices listed, you can also stream to it via various devices, it's platform agnostic, and you can use it as an iTunes server.

  • This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Seagate Personal Cloud 2-Bay 

The best NAS device for beginners

Synology DiskStation DS1817 NAS drive

The Synology DiskStation DS1817 NAS drive lets users fill the included eight drive bays with whatever they desire. (Image credit: Synology)

5. Synology DiskStation DS1817 NAS drive

A beginner NAS with room for expansion

Specifications

Capacity: N/A
Interface: 2 x 1GbE LAN, 2 x 10GbE LAN, 2 x USB 3.0, 2 x eSATA
Features: Quad-Core CPU, Compatibility with up to 18 drives, 1,577 MB/s sequential read

Reasons to buy

+
Performance over 10GbE
+
Expandable

Reasons to avoid

-
Not enough USB 3.0 ports
-
External drives use eSATA

Every now and then, a product comes along that challenges the conventions of its product category. The DS1817 is one such product. Most NAS devices that occupy the ‘value’ space tend to be underpowered and have little to no room for expansion. The DS1817 breaks the norms by letting users fill the included eight drive bays with whatever they desire to get as much (or as little) storage as they want. On top of this massive expandability, which helps rank it as one of the best NAS drives available, the 10GbE LAN and Quad-Core CPU also mean that you’ll never be left wanting for performance.

Read the full review: Synology DiskStation DS181 .

The best NAS device for backups

WD My Cloud Mirror NAS drive

The WD My Cloud Mirror NAS drive can produce a mirrored backup of your data. (Image credit: WD)

6. WD My Cloud Mirror NAS drive

A unit that backs itself up

Specifications

Capacity: 4TB, 6TB, 8TB, 16TB
Interface: Gigabit Ethernet
Features: Automatic backup, two hard drives, My Cloud mobile app

Reasons to buy

+
Easy and secure backup
+
RAID 1 support to protect against data loss

Reasons to avoid

-
More expensive than others with similar features

This two-bay unit can produce a mirrored data backup, duplicating your files on both drives using RAID configuration. That's quite an advanced feature for a consumer unit. Remember that you end up paying quite a lot for that capability and WD's user-friendly presentation, including an easy-to-master, browser-based control screen.

This is a 4TB unit, though 6, 8, and 16TB units are also available. You can also back up the contents to Dropbox for extra peace of mind.

The best NAS device for professionals

Synology DiskStation DS1517 NAS drive

The Synology DiskStation DS1517 NAS drive can reach sequential speeds of 111.4 MB/s write and 110.3 MB/s read. (Image credit: Synology)

7. Synology DiskStation DS1517 NAS drive

Expensive, but packs a punch

Specifications

Capacity: Up to 60TB, 180TB with expansion unit
Interface: 4 x 1GbE LAN, 4 x USB 3.0, 2 x eSATA
Features: Quad-Core CPU, Up to 15 drives with expansion units

Reasons to buy

+
PCIe slot upgrades
+
High-end performance

Reasons to avoid

-
Add-on cards are expensive
-
Default 2GB RAM a bit under specced

Anyone looking at purely technical specs instantly falls in love with the Synology DiskStation DS1517. Thanks to its quad-core CPU and 8GB of RAM, this NAS can reach sequential speeds of 111.4 MB/s write and 110.3 MB/s read without trouble. Combining that raw performance with the DS1517’s expandability, you have a formula for a NAS device that has undeniably earned its spot among the best NAS drives on the market. Just know that the DS1517 isn’t cheap, and unless you’re a creative professional or looking for a NAS for a small business, it might be a bit too much.

Read the full review: Synology DiskStation DS1517.

The best NAS device for small business

WD My Cloud EX2 Ultra NAS drive

WD's My Cloud EX2 Ultra NAS drive is designed for small business use. (Image credit: WD)

8. WD My Cloud EX2 Ultra NAS drive

The small business version of the My Cloud Mirror is now even better

Specifications

Capacity: 4TB, 8TB, 12TB, 16TB
Interface: Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0
Features: Remote file access, RAID features, My Cloud OS 3 software

Reasons to buy

+
Dual core CPU
+
Dual bay for RAID setups

Reasons to avoid

-
Operating system is simplistic
-
Lack of app support

This box is designed for small business use, featuring RAID capabilities found in pricier and more intricate NAS devices, as well as Microsoft Active Directory support. That’s without mentioning that it can also act as a file server, FTP server, backup server, and P2P download server.

In addition, WD's EX series is available in diskless variants, though this price is for the 4TB version. 8TB, 12TB, and 16TB units are also available. If you don't need any extra stuff, go with the My Cloud Mirror.

The best NAS device for cloud storage integration

Western Digital DL4100 NAS drive

Western Digital DL4100 is one of the best NAS drives to help manage your backup needs. (Image credit: Western Digital)

9. Western Digital DL4100 NAS drive

Excellent backup for a wide variety of users.

Specifications

Capacity: 8TB, 16TB, 24TB
Interface: 2x Gigabit Ethernet, 2x USB 3.0, USB 2.0
Features: Dual LAN, 2GB RAM (expandable up to 6GB), NTP Client

Reasons to buy

+
Small and semi-portable
+
Ease of setup

Reasons to avoid

-
No computer-to-NAS connection via USB
-
Difficult web interface

If you're looking for one of the best NAS drives to help manage your backup needs, the DL4100 might be worth a look. One of the coolest features of this device is its web dashboard, which provides users options for backing up to cloud services such as Dropbox and Box. Additionally, it has the ability to set up SMS and email alerts in case the system fails for whatever reason.

Regarding storage options, the DL4100 is equipped with four drive bays and comes with your choice of four configurations. Despite some annoying issues with wireless transfers, the DL4100's 1.7GHz dual-core Atom processor and 2GB of RAM (configurable up to 6GB) perform admirably. Combine this with a simple setup and cloud-connected web apps, and you have an interesting backup device on your hands.

Read our full review: Western Digital DL4100 review.

  • This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the WD My Cloud EX2 Ultra 
Collin Probst

Former TechRadar Pro B2B Hardware Editor, Collin has been in journalism for years, with experience in small and large markets, including Gearadical, DailyBeast, FutureNet, and more.