10 Best Nas Devices 2026 in the United States

The Synology DS1522+ is a solid choice for anyone needing a mid-sized NAS device with good flexibility. It comes with 5 bays, allowing you to install multiple hard drives, and the included bundle offers 20TB total storage using five 4TB Seagate IronWolf drives, which are designed for reliable NAS use. Powered by an AMD Ryzen R1600 processor and 8GB of RAM, this NAS can handle more demanding tasks and support several users accessing files at the same time without slowing down. It supports RAID configurations, which means you can protect your data by spreading it across drives in ways that keep it safe if one drive fails.

Connectivity is strong with four Gigabit Ethernet ports (RJ-45 1GbE), providing fast and stable network access, which is important if multiple devices are connected or if you’re moving large files. Synology’s software enhances the experience by offering private cloud features, letting you sync and access your data remotely with ease, while also including built-in security measures to keep your files safe. The device’s metal build gives it a sturdy feel, though it weighs around 15.7 pounds, which is normal for this type of equipment.

One minor point is the 5400 RPM hard drives, which are quieter and cooler but not as fast as 7200 RPM models, so transfer speeds might be slightly slower for very heavy workloads. This NAS is best suited for small to medium businesses or tech-savvy home users who want a dependable, expandable storage solution with strong data protection and remote access features.

The TERRAMASTER T12-500 Pro NAS is a powerful storage device designed for small to medium businesses that need fast, flexible, and reliable data management. It offers 12 bays, supporting up to nine 3.5-inch SATA hard drives, allowing a massive storage capacity up to around 288TB if you use large drives. The Core i7-1255U processor with 10 cores, paired with 16GB of DDR5 RAM, provides excellent speed and multitasking capability, which is not common in many NAS devices. This makes it suitable for demanding tasks like video editing, virtual environments, and large-scale backups.

Dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports enable very fast data transfer speeds up to 20Gbps, helping reduce waiting time when moving or accessing large files. The device supports a variety of RAID setups (including 0, 1, 5, 6, 10), giving users options for balancing speed, capacity, and data protection. TerraMaster’s software adds value through features like centralized backup, cloud sync, ransomware protection, and easy storage expansion, making managing and protecting data less complicated. The unit comes diskless, requiring users to purchase hard drives separately.

The metal build ensures durability, and the relatively compact size fits well in office environments. The T12-500 Pro is a strong choice for businesses looking for a high-performance, scalable NAS solution with robust security and backup options, although it may exceed the needs of casual or home users.

The QNAP TVS-h874-i5-32G-US is an impressive NAS device designed for high-speed desktop use. It offers excellent storage capacity with 8 bays, allowing users to store significant amounts of data. The device is powered by a robust 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor and comes with 32GB of DDR4 RAM, which can be expanded up to 64GB, ensuring smooth and efficient performance for demanding tasks. Its dual M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD slots provide cache acceleration or SSD storage pools, further enhancing performance.

The dual 2.5GbE ports facilitate fast file sharing and large file transfers, making it suitable for both team and individual use. Additionally, the multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports enable quick data transfer and compatibility with newer USB drives and expansion enclosures. For multimedia enthusiasts, the device supports 4K media playback and real-time transcoding, with HDMI output for displaying content.

Business users will appreciate the comprehensive backup and restore functionalities for cloud data and virtual machines. However, the device is quite heavy at 20 pounds, which might be a drawback for users with limited space or who need to move it frequently. Also, as a diskless unit, it requires purchasing hard drives separately, adding to the total cost. This NAS device is a solid choice for users seeking high performance, extensive storage, and advanced features, particularly in business and multimedia environments.