Am I asking for too much? (Advice for NAS purchase)

[ed]

Thanks for the kind words! Based on your needs—backing up multiple MacBooks, iPhones, and iPads, consolidating external drives, and running a Plex server—I’d recommend looking at the QNAP TS-464 or TS-664. Both are solid options with 4 or 6 bays, and they offer good performance for backups, file storage, and Plex streaming. Plus, they’re within your $600 budget range.

If you prefer Synology, the DS423+ is another good choice. It has 4 bays, works great for backups, and is straightforward to set up with fewer technical headaches.

Hope this helps!