Best NAS for Plex 2026

Why Your NAS Choice Matters for Plex

Plex can run on anything—a laptop, a mini PC, even a Raspberry Pi. But a NAS designed for media serving offers unique advantages:

• Always on: No more "is the server running?"
• Redundant storage: Drive failures don't kill your library
• Low power: Pennies per day to run
• Expandable: Grow your storage over time
• Multi-purpose: Run more than just Plex

But not all NAS devices are created equal. Plex has specific needs—particularly around transcoding—that rule out many options.

Let's find the right one for you.

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Quick Top Picks

Category	Recommendation	Price	Why
Best Overall	Synology DS224+	~$300	Easy setup, Intel transcoding, great software
Best Value	QNAP TS-464	~$450	4-bay, transcoding-capable, 2.5GbE
Best for Large Libraries	Synology DS1522+	~$800	5-bay, expandable, excellent reliability
Best Performance	Asustor LockerStor 4	~$500	N5105 CPU, transcoding, affordable

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Plex Server Requirements: What to Look For

Before we get to specific models, understand what Plex actually needs.

CPU: The Transcoding Factor

This is the most misunderstood aspect of Plex hardware.

Direct Play (ideal): Your server streams the file exactly as-is. The client device does all the work. Any CPU can handle this.

Transcoding (CPU-intensive): Your server converts the file in real-time because:

• The client can't play the format (e.g., iPhone won't play MKV)
• Bandwidth is limited (remote streaming on slow connection)
• Resolution needs adjustment (4K source, 1080p playback)

Hardware transcoding (Plex Pass required): Uses the GPU's video engine to transcode with minimal CPU load. This is the game-changer.

Intel QuickSync is king for hardware transcoding. Intel's integrated GPUs can handle multiple 4K transcodes simultaneously while using a fraction of the power.

Without Intel QuickSync (AMD processors, ARM chips):

• Software transcoding works but maxes out CPU
• Multiple streams bring the server to its knees
• 4K transcoding is essentially impossible

What This Means for NAS Selection

Your Use Case	Minimum CPU
All clients support direct play	Any processor works
Occasional 1080p transcoding	Intel Celeron N-series acceptable
Regular 1080p transcoding, some 4K	Intel Core i3 or better
Multiple simultaneous 4K transcodes	Intel Core i5/i7 or dedicated GPU

RAM: More Than You Think

Plex official specs say 2GB minimum. Reality check:

Library Size	Recommended RAM
< 1,000 items	4GB
1,000-10,000 items	8GB
10,000+ items	16GB+
Running additional services	Add 4-8GB

RAM is upgradable on most NAS devices. Start with what ships and add more if needed.

Storage Capacity: Plan for Growth

Media libraries grow. A lot.

Rough storage math:

• Average 1080p movie: 8-10GB
• Average 4K HDR movie: 40-60GB
• Average TV season: 20-40GB

My recommendation: Buy 50% more capacity than you think you need. You'll use it.

Network: Speed Matters

For streaming within your home network:

Network Speed	Supports
1 Gigabit (1GbE)	Multiple 1080p streams, single 4K stream
2.5 Gigabit	Multiple 4K streams, fast file transfers
10 Gigabit	Overkill for home streaming, great for large file transfers

Most budget NAS devices come with 1GbE. Mid-range often includes 2.5GbE. High-end offers 10GbE or expansion slots.

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NAS Reviews for Plex

Synology DS224+ (Best for Most People)

Specs:

• Intel Celeron J4125 (4-core, 2.0GHz burst)
• 2GB DDR4 (expandable to 6GB)
• 2 drive bays
• 1 Gigabit Ethernet
• ~$300 Synology DS224+

Plex Performance:

• Transcoding: Yes, via Intel QuickSync
• 1080p transcodes: 2-3 simultaneous
• 4K transcodes: 1 simultaneous (with Plex Pass)
• Direct play: Unlimited

Pros:

• Easy setup with Synology's DSM
• Excellent Plex package support
• Low power consumption (~15W idle)
• Compact, quiet

Cons:

• Only 2 drive bays (limited expansion)
• RAM upgrade requires disassembly
• No NVMe cache support

Who it's for: First-time NAS users, small to medium libraries (under 16TB), 1-3 simultaneous streams.

Synology DS923+ (Four Bays, But No Transcoding)

Specs:

• AMD Ryzen R1600 (2-core, 3.1GHz)
• 4GB DDR4 (expandable to 32GB)
• 4 drive bays
• 1 Gigabit Ethernet + 10GbE expansion
• ~$599 Synology DS923+

Plex Performance:

• Transcoding: No hardware acceleration (AMD lacks QuickSync)
• 1080p software transcodes: 1-2 simultaneous (taxing the CPU)
• 4K transcodes: Not recommended
• Direct play: Excellent

The Catch: This NAS is better on paper (more bays, more RAM capacity, faster network options), but WORSE for transcoding than the cheaper DS224+ because Synology chose an AMD processor without video encoding hardware.

Pros:

• 4 drive bays for growth
• Excellent for direct play setups
• 10GbE expandability
• Runs additional services well

Cons:

• No hardware transcoding
• More expensive than transcoding-capable alternatives

Who it's for: Users with transcoding-capable clients (Shield, Apple TV), large libraries, running multiple services beyond Plex.

QNAP TS-464 (Best Value for Transcoding)

Specs:

• Intel Celeron N5095 (4-core, 2.9GHz burst)
• 8GB DDR4 (expandable to 16GB)
• 4 drive bays
• 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet
• ~$450 QNAP TS-464

Plex Performance:

• Transcoding: Yes, via Intel QuickSync
• 1080p transcodes: 4+ simultaneous
• 4K transcodes: 2-3 simultaneous (with Plex Pass)
• Direct play: Unlimited

Pros:

• Intel processor with QuickSync
• 4 drive bays
• 8GB RAM included
• 2.5GbE built-in
• NVMe cache slots

Cons:

• QNAP software less polished than Synology
• Slightly higher power consumption
• More complex setup

Who it's for: Users who need transcoding AND multiple drive bays. The best balance of price, performance, and capacity.

QNAP TVS-674 (Performance Powerhouse)

Specs:

• Intel Core i3-8145U (2-core, 2.1GHz, 3.9GHz boost)
• 8GB DDR4 (expandable to 64GB)
• 6 drive bays
• Dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet
• ~$1,200 QNAP TVS-674

Plex Performance:

• Transcoding: Excellent via Intel QuickSync
• 1080p transcodes: 8+ simultaneous
• 4K transcodes: 4-5 simultaneous
• Direct play: Unlimited

Pros:

• Desktop Intel processor (significantly faster)
• 6 drive bays
• 10GbE built-in
• Massive RAM potential
• PCIe expansion slot

Cons:

• Expensive
• Overkill for most home users
• Higher power consumption

Who it's for: Power users with large libraries (50TB+), many simultaneous streams, or running heavy services alongside Plex.

Synology DS1522+ (Large Library Peace of Mind)

Specs:

• AMD Ryzen R1600 (2-core, 3.1GHz)
• 8GB DDR4 (expandable to 32GB)
• 5 drive bays
• 1 Gigabit Ethernet + 10GbE expansion
• ~$800 Synology DS1522+

Plex Performance:

• Transcoding: No hardware acceleration
• Direct plays: Excellent

Pros:

• 5 drive bays for flexible RAID options
• Synology's polished software
• Great for multiple services
• Excellent reliability reputation

Cons:

• No transcoding (AMD again)
• Expensive for transcoding use case

Who it's for: Large direct-play-only setups, users running Home Assistant and multiple services, Synology enthusiasts.

Asustor LockerStor 4 (Underrated Value)

Specs:

• Intel Celeron N5105 (4-core, 2.9GHz)
• 4GB DDR4 (expandable to 8GB)
• 4 drive bays
• 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet
• ~$500 Asustor LockerStor 4

Plex Performance:

• Transcoding: Yes, Intel QuickSync
• 1080p transcodes: 3-4 simultaneous
• 4K transcodes: 1-2 simultaneous

Pros:

• newer Intel N5105 (efficient, fast)
• 2.5GbE standard
• Good value
• quieter than QNAP alternatives

Cons:

• Smaller brand, less community support
• Software less mature than Synology/QNAP

Who it's for: Value-conscious users who want transcoding and 4 bays.

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Comparison Table

NAS	CPU	RAM	Bays	Plex Transcode	Price
Synology DS224+	Intel J4125	2GB	2	Yes	~$300
Synology DS923+	AMD R1600	4GB	4	No	~$600
QNAP TS-464	Intel N5095	8GB	4	Yes	~$450
QNAP TVS-674	Intel i3	8GB	6	Excellent	~$1,200
Synology DS1522+	AMD R1600	8GB	5	No	~$800
Asustor LockerStor 4	Intel N5105	4GB	4	Yes	~$500

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Hard Drive Recommendations

A NAS is only as good as its drives. Don't cheap out here.

Best Options for Media Storage

Drive	Capacity	NAS-Optimized?	Price	[AFFILIATE]
WD Red Plus	8TB	Yes, CMR	~$180	WD Red Plus 8TB
WD Red Pro	8TB	Yes, CMR	~$250	WD Red Pro 8TB
Seagate IronWolf	8TB	Yes, CMR	~$200	Seagate IronWolf 8TB
Seagate Exos	16TB	Yes, Enterprise	~$220	Seagate Exos 16TB

My pick: Seagate Exos offers incredible value—enterprise reliability at consumer prices.

RAID Configuration Recommendations

Bay Count	Recommended RAID	Usable Space	Redundancy
2 bay	RAID 1 (mirror)	50%	1 drive failure
4 bay	RAID 5	75%	1 drive failure
4 bay	RAID 6	50%	2 drive failures
5+ bay	RAID 6	~67%	2 drive failures

For media that can be re-ripped or re-downloaded, RAID 5 is fine. For irreplaceable content, RAID 6.

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Remote Access: VPN or Not?

Accessing your Plex server remotely? Consider your options:

Plex Relay (Built-in, Limited)

Free for all Plex users, but:

• 1 Mbps bandwidth limit (free accounts)
• 2 Mbps limit (Plex Pass)
• Routes through Plex's servers
• Not ideal for high-quality streaming

Direct Connection

Port forward Plex on your router:

• Exposes your IP to the internet
• No bandwidth limits
• Requires your ISP to allow port forwarding

VPN (Recommended)

Connect to your home network via VPN:

• End-to-end encryption
• Access all home resources, not just Plex
• No exposed services to the internet

NordVPN or ExpressVPN for remote devices, or run VPN server on the NAS itself.

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Alternative: Mini PC + DAS Instead of NAS

For some users, a separate server plus storage makes more sense.

The setup:

• Mini PC (Intel NUC, GEEKOM) as Plex server
• DAS (Direct Attached Storage) or external drives for media
• Less integrated, but potentially cheaper

When this makes sense:

• You already have a powerful mini PC
• You don't need always-on network storage for other purposes
• You want more CPU power than NAS allows

Recommended hardware:

• Intel NUC 13 Pro Intel NUC 13 - Excellent for Plex
• GEEKOM IT13 GEEKOM IT13 - Great value
• Orico 4-Bay DAS Orico DAS - External enclosure

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The Bottom Line

For most Plex users, here's my recommendation:

Budget setup:

• Synology DS224+ (~$300) [AFFILIATE]
• 2x WD Red Plus 8TB (~$360) [AFFILIATE]
• Total: ~$660

Sweet spot:

• QNAP TS-464 (~$450) [AFFILIATE]
• 4x Seagate IronWolf 8TB (~$800) [AFFILIATE]
• Total: ~$1,250 with room to grow

Power user:

• QNAP TVS-674 (~$1,200) [AFFILIATE]
• 6x Seagate Exos 16TB (~$1,300) [AFFILIATE]
• Total: ~$2,500 for ~80TB usable storage

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FAQ

Do I need Plex Pass for hardware transcoding? Yes. Hardware transcoding requires Plex Pass ($95 lifetime or $5/month). Software transcoding works without it.

Can I run other services on my Plex NAS? Absolutely. Synology and QNAP support Sonarr, Radarr, Jackett, Home Assistant, and dozens of other services. Consider extra RAM.

What if my server is only for local streaming? If all your clients support direct play (Shield, Apple TV, smart TV), you don't need transcoding capability. Focus on storage capacity and network speed instead.

Should I use SSDs in my NAS? For media storage, HDDs are more cost-effective. Consider an NVMe cache SSD if your NAS supports it—improves metadata and database performance.

How do I move my existing Plex library to a NAS?

1. Set up Plex on NAS
2. Point it to your media (copied or moved to NAS)
3. Use Plex's "import watch history" to preserve your progress
4. Alternatively, backup and restore the Plex database

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Your media deserves a real home. Choose wisely, set it up right, and enjoy.

NAS Tier List for Plex Servers

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Quick NAS Comparison

NAS Model	Bays	CPU	Transcodes	Price
Synology DS220+	2	Intel Celeron J3355	1-2 streams	$299
Synology DS920+	4	Intel Celeron J4125	3-5 streams	$549
Synology DS923+	4	AMD Ryzen R1600	6-10 streams	$699
QNAP TS-464	4	Intel Celeron N5095	4-6 streams	$499
QNAP TVS-872XT	8	Intel Core i5	10+ streams	$1,299
TerraMaster F2-223	2	Intel Celeron N4505	1-2 streams	$219

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Our NAS Recommendations for Plex

Use Case	NAS	Why	Price
Budget	TerraMaster F2-223	Cheapest Intel, transcoding	$219
Entry Level	Synology DS220+	Reliable, easy setup	$299
Best Value	Synology DS920+	4 bays, great transcoding	$549
Power User	Synology DS923+	AMD Ryzen, 10 streams	$699
Enthusiast	QNAP TVS-872XT	8 bays, massive capacity	$1,299

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