depends on what you are looking for

many routers can work as a nas, using a usb flash drive, or usb hdd/ssd
usb is enough for streaming movies/media

or an old laptop or pc can host smb shares, will be slightly faster if using its internal storage

beyond that the sky is the limit
from nas box with 1-4drives in raid to rack server pc with many more drives and multiple raid arrays

many newer ones with m.2 nvme drives and 10g lan for super fast (as fast as internal storage) good enough for media editing and uncompressed video scrubbing on the remote drive

Originally posted by Retro gamer:

Checked out ones on Amazon (Ugreen - Synology - Terramaster - Asustor)

First time buyer, would love your input

What is your technical level?

Synology is usually more expensive for what you get but their UI and software support is top notch.

Also tons of online material, kb's, so you'll usually find what you're looking for if you get stuck. I didn't know Ugreen made NAS as well these days but Asustor and QNAP are the value kings, you get more bang for your buck but the UI, software and support is ofcourse less then Synology's.

You can also setup your own NAS server at home with somthing like TrueNAS (previously FreeNAS) but the advantage of getting a dedicated NAS like synology is that you'll have way lower elecriticity bills then running your own NAS software on an old PC 24/7.

What specific media are you looking to store?
What are the other types of things you may have on your network that you are looking for a NAS for?
What network gear do you use and do you want some of your NAS functions to be available/accessible outside of your network?

Synology is hard to beat in terms of features and ease of use for a wide variety of features. They have a very good selection of first-party features/applications available as well as most of the commonly desired 3rd party applications.

TrueNAS on whatever hardware you want to use that would benefit your use case. TrueNAS is relatively simple to install and setup, has good documentation and a lot of active community for getting help, and has a large amount of commonly desired applications available. If you decide to go this way make sure you read through the system requirements and hardware guides before putting money into hardware and plan out what hardware you want to use.

Since we are on Steam I'm going to assume you might also be considering using this to store some/all of your game library? If so just as an FYI on windows the typical method of making some of your NAS storage available is through CIFS/SMB (Samba). You do not want to use this if you are trying to have your game library there and actively play from it. Instead you will want to make whatever portion of your NAS storage that you want to use for your Steam library available as block storage using iSCSI.

In regards to storing and/or serving media such as TV shows and movies; the most common/popular application for this will be Plex Media Server which is available on both of the above. Synology also has their own Media Server application that can work pretty well too; but I'd still probably skip it and use Plex even if you go with a Synology NAS.

Backups and automatic backup for your computers / application. This is where Synology is going to edge out rolling your own with TrueNAS in terms of simplicity. They have a very good suite of backup solutions for local backups of your computer and popular "cloud" productivity applications like Microsoft 365 instead of using OneDrive. That isn't to say you can't setup things on your own to do the same/similar on TrueNAS but it takes a bit more work to do so. Also for backups if you have any Mac computers both can be setup to function as target drives for macOS Time Machine backups/snapshots.

Consider Orico 5-bay docks from Amazon.

Many ways to do it. I'll give my 2 cents with the example of my own "system".
I have a cloud service with encryption and scalable disk size (so I can just upgrade whenever I run out). It has android, windows, linux and mac apps. I use it on the phone to backup photos and videos (automatic if you want it). At home I use a PC as a media centre and do pretty much all though it. I could install plex and use it but I just haven't found the time or will. On the PC I just use whatever I want since the app creates a drive that links to the cloud server.
Like I said, many ways to do it.
As with any data you have, be it on a NAS, CD/DVD or the cloud, there is always the risk of losing data, so be aware that you should have backups. In theory, cloud services are more expensive than a NAS and obviously if you don't have internet, you have nothing. Most have monthly or yearly plans so that is nice.
But ultimately it depends on the needs of each person.

Originally posted by x:

Many ways to do it. I'll give my 2 cents with the example of my own "system".
I have a cloud service with encryption and scalable disk size (so I can just upgrade whenever I run out). It has android, windows, linux and mac apps. I use it on the phone to backup photos and videos (automatic if you want it). At home I use a PC as a media centre and do pretty much all though it. I could install plex and use it but I just haven't found the time or will. On the PC I just use whatever I want since the app creates a drive that links to the cloud server.
Like I said, many ways to do it.
As with any data you have, be it on a NAS, CD/DVD or the cloud, there is always the risk of losing data, so be aware that you should have backups. In theory, cloud services are more expensive than a NAS and obviously if you don't have internet, you have nothing. Most have monthly or yearly plans so that is nice.
But ultimately it depends on the needs of each person.

not into cloud service, storing movies and photos. was looking at the qnap and Synology they look kind of expensive for the price

Originally posted by emoticorpse:

Consider Orico 5-bay docks from Amazon.

i will check that out, thanks

Originally posted by Retro gamer:

Originally posted by x:

Many ways to do it. I'll give my 2 cents with the example of my own "system".
I have a cloud service with encryption and scalable disk size (so I can just upgrade whenever I run out). It has android, windows, linux and mac apps. I use it on the phone to backup photos and videos (automatic if you want it). At home I use a PC as a media centre and do pretty much all though it. I could install plex and use it but I just haven't found the time or will. On the PC I just use whatever I want since the app creates a drive that links to the cloud server.
Like I said, many ways to do it.
As with any data you have, be it on a NAS, CD/DVD or the cloud, there is always the risk of losing data, so be aware that you should have backups. In theory, cloud services are more expensive than a NAS and obviously if you don't have internet, you have nothing. Most have monthly or yearly plans so that is nice.
But ultimately it depends on the needs of each person.

not into cloud service, storing movies and photos. was looking at the qnap and Synology they look kind of expensive for the price

They are $$$ for the "technical features" when compared to other options. Like Zef said, their premium is because of their support and usability features. They are like the "Apple of NAS" where it's very easy to one-click-setup of most things; very easy to manage.

You can get quite a lot more "bang for your buck" if you're willing to put a bit more effort into managing / learning things for setting up your own with TrueNAS.

Originally posted by Retro gamer:

Originally posted by x:

Many ways to do it. I'll give my 2 cents with the example of my own "system".
I have a cloud service with encryption and scalable disk size (so I can just upgrade whenever I run out). It has android, windows, linux and mac apps. I use it on the phone to backup photos and videos (automatic if you want it). At home I use a PC as a media centre and do pretty much all though it. I could install plex and use it but I just haven't found the time or will. On the PC I just use whatever I want since the app creates a drive that links to the cloud server.
Like I said, many ways to do it.
As with any data you have, be it on a NAS, CD/DVD or the cloud, there is always the risk of losing data, so be aware that you should have backups. In theory, cloud services are more expensive than a NAS and obviously if you don't have internet, you have nothing. Most have monthly or yearly plans so that is nice.
But ultimately it depends on the needs of each person.

not into cloud service, storing movies and photos. was looking at the qnap and Synology they look kind of expensive for the price

Then I would say get 2 of them, something nice with raid and have one backup to the other once a week, maybe. Depends on the usage. Honestly, had many HDDs die in my time. most of my "long term storage" is either in could or CD/DVD form. I know CDs and DVDs can die too and I am now slowly uploading everything to the cloud, but still keeping the physical media.
If you have important data, always have at the very least 2 copies. Preferably 3 and one of them in a separate location (if all is in the same place and there is a fire...).

Originally posted by x:

Originally posted by Retro gamer:

not into cloud service, storing movies and photos. was looking at the qnap and Synology they look kind of expensive for the price

Then I would say get 2 of them, something nice with raid and have one backup to the other once a week, maybe. Depends on the usage. Honestly, had many HDDs die in my time. most of my "long term storage" is either in could or CD/DVD form. I know CDs and DVDs can die too and I am now slowly uploading everything to the cloud, but still keeping the physical media.
If you have important data, always have at the very least 2 copies. Preferably 3 and one of them in a separate location (if all is in the same place and there is a fire...).

what do you think to this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Asustor-Lockerstor-AS6804T-Quad-Core-Attached/dp/B0DBYXXH9M/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1PXKNLF12W5IY&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.64JFLuNTi6i7220kSn9_UDtAd-f2oP1KPyT6IC_cS5H45YjwH8xjhqTzcOQB0sYuio-I9B-xRMJxlPcSKschBBOi8S77iUSlfKNqLmH3vHpNlxRhcch0vGrxnsOwO28UbSYE_ft8LCDtZMKb7Mkm5l5pBF1LDjr5BRWkemJaAgz90YiccZN_dYsJxG9Z8liNj-2qDNiA60mNk-xqhOAWf3JCvZNJZSgAgHE7agcy8eA.R4ZHwu4q6Tm4dFeLHYtI0Lcxm0mH7p_NaRUvdUCsVmc&dib_tag=se&keywords=Asustor+NAS&qid=1761760185&sprefix=asustor+nas%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-6

Originally posted by x:

Originally posted by Retro gamer:

not into cloud service, storing movies and photos. was looking at the qnap and Synology they look kind of expensive for the price

Then I would say get 2 of them, something nice with raid and have one backup to the other once a week, maybe. Depends on the usage. Honestly, had many HDDs die in my time. most of my "long term storage" is either in could or CD/DVD form. I know CDs and DVDs can die too and I am now slowly uploading everything to the cloud, but still keeping the physical media.

^ that is one of the premium simple-to-setup features that Synology provides. If you (can afford to) get two of them it is extremely easy to set them up in an HA (High-Availability) configuration and have them always replicating the data across both devices so that should one completely fail you don't loose connectivity or any data.

Probably overkill for what the OP is after though.

Originally posted by Retro gamer:

Originally posted by x:

Then I would say get 2 of them, something nice with raid and have one backup to the other once a week, maybe. Depends on the usage. Honestly, had many HDDs die in my time. most of my "long term storage" is either in could or CD/DVD form. I know CDs and DVDs can die too and I am now slowly uploading everything to the cloud, but still keeping the physical media.
If you have important data, always have at the very least 2 copies. Preferably 3 and one of them in a separate location (if all is in the same place and there is a fire...).

what do you think to this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Asustor-Lockerstor-AS6804T-Quad-Core-Attached/dp/B0DBYXXH9M/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1PXKNLF12W5IY&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.64JFLuNTi6i7220kSn9_UDtAd-f2oP1KPyT6IC_cS5H45YjwH8xjhqTzcOQB0sYuio-I9B-xRMJxlPcSKschBBOi8S77iUSlfKNqLmH3vHpNlxRhcch0vGrxnsOwO28UbSYE_ft8LCDtZMKb7Mkm5l5pBF1LDjr5BRWkemJaAgz90YiccZN_dYsJxG9Z8liNj-2qDNiA60mNk-xqhOAWf3JCvZNJZSgAgHE7agcy8eA.R4ZHwu4q6Tm4dFeLHYtI0Lcxm0mH7p_NaRUvdUCsVmc&dib_tag=se&keywords=Asustor+NAS&qid=1761760185&sprefix=asustor+nas%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-6

looks decent

Originally posted by PopinFRESH:

Originally posted by x:

Then I would say get 2 of them, something nice with raid and have one backup to the other once a week, maybe. Depends on the usage. Honestly, had many HDDs die in my time. most of my "long term storage" is either in could or CD/DVD form. I know CDs and DVDs can die too and I am now slowly uploading everything to the cloud, but still keeping the physical media.

^ that is one of the premium simple-to-setup features that Synology provides. If you (can afford to) get two of them it is extremely easy to set them up in an HA (High-Availability) configuration and have them always replicating the data across both devices so that should one completely fail you don't loose connectivity or any data.

Probably overkill for what the OP is after though.

Probably, yes.

Originally posted by Zef:

Originally posted by Retro gamer:

what do you think to this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Asustor-Lockerstor-AS6804T-Quad-Core-Attached/dp/B0DBYXXH9M/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1PXKNLF12W5IY&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.64JFLuNTi6i7220kSn9_UDtAd-f2oP1KPyT6IC_cS5H45YjwH8xjhqTzcOQB0sYuio-I9B-xRMJxlPcSKschBBOi8S77iUSlfKNqLmH3vHpNlxRhcch0vGrxnsOwO28UbSYE_ft8LCDtZMKb7Mkm5l5pBF1LDjr5BRWkemJaAgz90YiccZN_dYsJxG9Z8liNj-2qDNiA60mNk-xqhOAWf3JCvZNJZSgAgHE7agcy8eA.R4ZHwu4q6Tm4dFeLHYtI0Lcxm0mH7p_NaRUvdUCsVmc&dib_tag=se&keywords=Asustor+NAS&qid=1761760185&sprefix=asustor+nas%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-6

looks decent

don't you think its overkill, would you go something different