Best QNAP NAS 2023

Set on purchasing a QNAP NAS? You’re going to want to read through our in-depth guide on the very best enclosures from the Taiwanese company. We’ve rounded up the best QNAP NAS that will let you store files, stream media, and much more. From the very best to the most affordable, there’s something for everyone here!

1. Best overall: QNAP TS-253E — Intel CPU, 2 bays, 8GB RAM, 2.5Gb LAN.
2. Runner-up: QNAP TS-364 — Intel CPU, 3 bays, 8GB RAM, 2.5Gb LAN.
3. Best for streaming: QNAP TS-464 — Intel CPU, 4 bays, 8GB RAM, 2.5Gb LAN.
4. Best for Plex: QNAP TVS-672XT — Intel CPU, 6 bays, 8GB RAM, 10Gb LAN.
5. Best capacity: QNAP TVS-H1688X — Intel CPU, 16 bays, 8GB RAM, 10Gb LAN.
6. Best budget: QNAP TS-133 — ARM CPU, 1 bay, 2GB RAM, 1Gb LAN.
7. Best value: QNAP TS-431P3 — ARM CPU, 1 bay, 4GB RAM, 1Gb LAN.
8. Best performance: QNAP TVS-872XT-i5 — Intel CPU, 8 bays, 16GB RAM, 10Gb LAN.

What is the best QNAP NAS?

There’s no one best NAS that is suitable for everyone, even if we’re limiting the choice to just QNAP NAS alone. The company makes some exceptional enclosures, ranging from budget-friendly to enthusiast towers.

A large portion of the QNAP NAS catalog is powered by Intel processors, which makes them the ideal choice for running Plex Media Server and doing some 4K transcoding. They also come in a variety of sizes, ranging from just one drive bay to a whopping 16.

Powering everything is QNAP’s own QTS NAS operating system. As well as this, you’re free to use available M.2 PCIe SSD slots for caching or to expand the storage pool, unlocking access to rapid drives and improving overall performance.

Consider how much data you will need to save. Each drive bay is capable of holding a 20TB hard drive, though even larger NAS drives are becoming readily available. The amount of RAM available plays a large part in what you’ll be able to do on the NAS. 2GB is usually enough for home use.

Ports aren’t important since USB connectivity isn’t a priority for most NAS owners. The same goes for networking. Sure, it would be nice to buy a NAS with 10Gb LAN support, but does your LAN support 10Gb? Does it even support 2.5Gb? If not, then a slightly lesser capable QNAP NAS would suffice.

Regardless of which QNAP NAS you end up choosing, we’d recommend buying it from Amazon, if possible. You’ll often find the lowest prices among all retailers and its Prime membership (currently $45 for three months if you use this link!) opens up the ability to enjoy Prime-only sales and next-day delivery.

1. QNAP TS-253E

Best QNAP NAS

Our thoughts: QNAP’s TS-253E is our favorite NAS for a few reasons. It’s rocking two bays that make it great for newcomers to storage. It’s not terribly expensive, yet has some killer specifications and runs an excellent OS.

Specification	QNAP TS-253E
CPU	Intel Celeron J6412 (4-core, 2.6 GHz)
GPU	Intel UHD Graphics
RAM	8 GB DDR4 (max 8 GB)
Storage	2x SSD/HDD 2x M.2
Expansion	Storage
Cooling	1x 70 mm
Ports	2x 2.5Gb LAN 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 2x USB-A 2.0 2x HDMI 1.4b
Power	18.09 W
Dimensions	68.5 x 102 x 225 mm
Weight	1.28 kg

The QNAP TS-253E is an interesting NAS as it truly does it all. You’ve got two drive bays, an Intel Celeron processor, speedy networking, M.2 slots, and a scope for adding external expansion units to increase the size of the storage pool. This is our favorite QNAP NAS.

The Intel Celeron J6412 processor is crazy good for a NAS. It has four physical cores that are capable of hitting speeds of up to 2.6GHz. There are integrated graphics too, making this an excellent chip for running a media server.

8GB of DDR4 RAM is present, though you won’t be able to expand it. Two M.2 SSD slots are also at hand after you remove two screws to unlock the outer shell. These can be used for increasing the size of the storage pool (like the expansion unit) or SSD caching to improve overall performance.

But wait, it doesn’t stop there! QNAP even went as far as to kit the TS-253E with all the ports you’ll require, including two 2.5Gb LAN ports, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, two USB-A 2.0 ports, and two HDMI 1.4b ports.

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2. QNAP TS-364

Best QNAP NAS runner-up

Our thoughts: There aren’t too many three-bay NAS out there. The QNAP TS-364 has some seriously powerful internals, including an Intel processor, 8GB of RAM, and speedy networking. It’s a good choice for those who need to store a lot of data.

Specification	QNAP TS-364
CPU	Intel Celeron N5095 (4-core, 2.9 GHz)
GPU	Intel UHD Graphics
RAM	8 GB DDR4 (max 8 GB)
Storage	3x SSD/HDD 2x M.2
Expansion	Storage
Cooling	1x 92 mm
Ports	1x 2.5Gb LAN 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 1x HDMI 1.4b
Power	32.8 W
Dimensions	142 x 150 x 260 mm
Weight	1.64 kg

If you’re wanting something that can store a little more data, the QNAP TS-364 is a good place to start. It features a rather unusual three-bay configuration, which allows for the installation of three HDDs for a maximum capacity of around 60TB.

For the processor, we’re looking at the Intel Celeron N5095, which also happens to be pretty good at transcoding and as such could be comfortably used with Plex Media Server. 8GB of DDR4 RAM is present and is not expandable, though you likely won’t find an issue here.

As well as the three drive bays, QNAP added two M.2 PCIe SSD slots for storage or caching. Ports-wise, we’re looking at a single 2.5Gb LAN connection, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and one HDMI 1.4b port.

Should you just be starting out with your first NAS but have a lot of data to store (and fancy playing around with Plex), the QNAP TS-3534 is part of an impressively powerful family of servers and is a great little unit.

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3. QNAP TS-464

Best QNAP NAS for streaming

Our thoughts: This NAS is the more powerful and larger sibling to the TS-364 NAS we recommended above. It has everything you need for expansive storage with four bays, an Intel CPU, and some killer ports.

Specification	QNAP TS-464
CPU	Intel Celeron N5095 (4-core, 2.9 GHz)
GPU	Intel UHD Graphics
RAM	8 GB DDR4 (max 16 GB)
Storage	4x SSD/HDD 2x M.2
Expansion	Storage 1x PCI
Cooling	1x 120 mm
Ports	2x 2.5Gb LAN 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 2x USB-A 2.0 1x HDMI 2.0
Power	40.5 W
Dimensions	168 x 170 x 226 mm
Weight	2.26 kg

Speaking of the TS-364, we’ve got its sibling here in the form of the QNAP TS-464. This is one very capable NAS enclosure for running a media server. It has an Intel processor, four drive bays, expansion support, a PCI slot, two M.2 slots, and plenty of connectivity on the rear panel.

The Intel Celeron N5095 CPU has integrated graphics processing and is capable of boosting its four cores to 2.9GHz. If you have some 4K movies that aren’t supported by your recipient device, this server would be able to transcode them without a problem.

This is helped by the 8GB of preinstalled DDR4 RAM. This can be expanded up to 16GB, which is officially supported by QNAP. Two M.2 slots are present for caching or storage, and the single PCI slot can be used for installing a card such as an SFF networking hub.

To get you online, QNAP added two 2.5Gb LAN ports. Then there are two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, two USB-A 2.0 ports, and one HDMI 2.0 port. The last port is vital for Plex and streaming if you will be positioning this NAS near the big screen as it can then stream content without transcoding.

The QNAP TS-464 is an impressive piece of kit and one that makes for a killer Plex Media Server.

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4. QNAP TVS-672XT

Best QNAP NAS for Plex

Our thoughts: All you need is an Intel processor to really handle Plex Media Server, but if you truly want something special, go with the QNAP TVS-672XT. It has an actual Intel Core processor and some seriously good specifications … for a price.

Specification	QNAP TVS-672XT
CPU	Intel Core i5-8400T (6-core, 3.30 GHz)
GPU	Intel UHD Graphics 630
RAM	8 GB DDR4 (max 64 GB)
Storage	6x SSD/HDD 2x M.2
Expansion	Storage 2x PCI
Cooling	2x 92 mm 2x 60 mm
Ports	1x 10Gb LAN 2x 1Gb LAN 2x Thunderbolt 3 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1
Power	45.6 W
Dimensions	188.2 x 264.3 x 279.6 mm
Weight	6.5 kg

We’ve spoken about Plex already and how the Intel Celeron processors are able to handle some transcoding, but what if you wanted the best QNAP NAS for running Plex Media Server? We’d recommend the mighty QNAP TVS-672XT and its whopping six drive bays.

Inside, you won’t find an Intel Celeron processor, but an 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8400T. First, you may wonder why an older processor would be good for running Plex, but even though this chip is a few generations behind, it’s still incredibly powerful without drawing too much power.

The included Intel UHD Graphics 630 will make easy work of anything you can throw at it, including running surveillance systems and even dabbing with virtualization. 8GB of RAM is preinstalled, but this can be expanded up to 64GB, making it one powerful machine, not just for NAS standards.

The six drive bays are complimented by two M.2 slots and the ability to connect external expansion units to the TVS-672XT. Two PCI slots are available for expansion cards too! Then there are the ports. You’ve got a single 10Gb LAN, two 1Gb LAN, two Thunderbolt 3, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, and a single USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port.

Did we mention the IR receiver? You can even use a remote control with the QNAP TVS-672XT. This is the quintessential NAS for running Plex Media Server.

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5. QNAP TVS-H1688X

Best capacity QNAP NAS

Our thoughts: The Intel Xeon W-1250 processor is brilliant and it’s really good for NAS enclosures. Should you want to do much more on your server instead of running an app or two, this is the NAS foundation for you.

Specification	QNAP TVS-H1688X
CPU	Intel Xeon W-1250 (6-core, 4.7 GHz)
GPU	Intel UHD Graphics P630
RAM	32 GB DDR4 (max 128 GB)
Storage	12x SSD/HDD 4x SSD 2x M.2
Expansion	3x PCI
Cooling	2x 97 mm 3x 80 mm
Ports	2x 10Gb LAN 4x 2.5Gb LAN 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 4x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 1x HDMI 1.4b
Power	108.7 W
Dimensions	303.84 x 369.89 x 319.8 mm
Weight	16.3 kg

But what if one, two, four, and even eight bays just aren’t enough? Should you have more data than you know what to do with, it may be time to invest in a colossal NAS with countless bays. The QNAP TVS-H1688X fits the bill with 12 drive bays and 4 SSD bays. It’s an absolute monster.

QNAP installed 32GB of DDR4 RAM, which is more than enough for most people. Should you plan to push the NAS hard, this can be upgraded to a whopping 128GB. This is possible thanks to the Intel Xeon W-1250 processor with its six cores and 4.7GHz boost speed.

As well as the 16 bays for SSDs and HDDs, QNAP also added two M.2 slots for good measure. These can be used to complement the already ridiculous configuration of drive bays or to improve overall system performance through caching. A total of three PCI slots are good to go for expansion cards.

That’s all good, but what about ports, you ask? Well, let me tell you all about the QNAP TVS-H1688X connectivity. We’re looking at two 10Gb LAN, four 2.5Gb LAN, two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, four USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and one HDMI 1.4b port. It’s big, bold, and ready for some serious data storage.

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6. QNAP TS-133

Best budget QNAP NAS

Our thoughts: QNAP’s TS-133 may only have an ARM processor, 2GB of RAM, and one drive bay, but it’s more affordable than other servers. If you’re looking for the best entry point into the world of NAS, you’ve just found it.

Specification	QNAP TS-133
CPU	Cortex-A55 (4-core, 1.8 GHz)
GPU	–
RAM	2 GB (max 2 GB)
Storage	1x SSD/HDD
Expansion	Storage
Cooling	1x 50 mm
Ports	1x 1Gb LAN 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 1x USB-A 2.0
Power	7.3 W
Dimensions	187.5 x 66.1 x 157.6 mm
Weight	1.27 kg

We’re now in the affordable territory. You may only need something to throw some files on for university or just want to tread the waters before spending serious cash on a NAS. That’s where the QNAP TS-133 comes into play. It has a low price and low power draw but manages to include everything you need for smart storage.

The Cortex-A55 processor is decent enough for managing multiple connected users with its four cores and 1.8GHz boost speed. It won’t win any awards for performance, but you won’t need it to do anything else if you’re after a basic enclosure. The same goes for the 2GB of RAM.

If you wanted, you could attach an external expansion unit further down the line to add more drive bays to the QNAP TS-133, allowing you to save now and expand when the need arises. If not, you’ll have just one drive bay without RAID protection.

For connectivity, the TS-133 offers a single 1Gb LAN port, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, and one USB-A 2.0 port. It’s perfect for a beginner NAS.

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7. QNAP TS-431P3

Best value QNAP NAS

Our thoughts: The QNAP TS-431P3 is an interesting NAS as it’s a solid mix of affordable hardware with a few premium touches. The CPU is a little sluggish compared to Intel processors, but the RAM is upgradable, there’s also 2.5Gb networking and expandability.

Specification	QNAP TS-431P3
CPU	Alpine AL314 (4-core, 1.7 GHz)
GPU	–
RAM	4 GB DDR3 (max 8 GB)
Storage	4x SSD/HDD
Expansion	Storage
Cooling	1x 120 mm
Ports	1x 2.5Gb LAN 1x 1Gb LAN 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1
Power	26.7 W
Dimensions	169 x 160 x 219 mm
Weight	2.07 kg

QNAP launched the TS-431P3 as a capable NAS in terms of capacity without holding powerful (and expensive) components, allowing those on tighter budgets to enjoy using a four-bay enclosure. The Alpine AL314 processor may not be anything to write home about, but it’s great for general file storage.

There’s 4GB of DDR3 RAM, which can be bumped up to 8GB for a great NAS for a busy home or office. Four drive bays and the ability to connect an external expansion unit can create a high-capacity server without spending big bucks on enterprise-grade equipment.

Port selection is a little lackluster, but that is to be expected at this price point. There’s just one 2.5Gb LAN port, one 1Gb LAN port, and three USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports. If the QNAP TS-133 is a little too basic for your needs, this may be the better value choice.

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8. QNAP TVS-872XT-i5

Best performance QNAP NAS

Our thoughts: This is the big one. The daddy of all QNAP NAS. We’re talking impressive Intel Core processors, up to 64GB RAM, eight drive bays, 10Gb networking, and numerous USB ports. It’s expensive, but one amazing storage application.

Specification	QNAP TVS-872XT-i5
CPU	Intel Core i5-8400T (6-core, 1.7 GHz)
GPU	Intel UHD Graphics 630
RAM	8 GB DDR4 (max 64 GB)
Storage	8x SSD/HDD 2x M.2
Expansion	Storage 2x PCI
Cooling	2x 120 mm 2x 60 mm
Ports	1x 10Gb LAN 2x 1Gb LAN 2x Thunderbolt 3 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 1x HDMI 2.0
Power	65 W
Dimensions	188.2 x 329.3 x 279.6 mm
Weight	9.19 kg

This NAS is actually a slightly larger version of the QNAP TVS-672XT-i5 we recommended for Plex Media Server, but it’s an excellent choice for those who plan on doing a lot on their server. The Intel Core i5-8400T processor is joined by eight drive bays and all the connectivity you could ever ask for.

Two M.2 slots can be used for caching or expanding the storage pool with rapid drives. Two PCI slots can be used for adding super-fast networking cards. And you could even attach an external expansion unit or two from QNAP to really ramp up the drive bay counter.

The rear of the QNAP TVS-872XT-i5 has a 10Gb LAN port, two 1Gb LAN ports, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, and one HDMI 2.0 port. That’s plenty to hook up with just about anything. It’s just a little expensive for most people.

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