5 hours ago
Thank you for clarifying your request. Based on your requirements for light home usage, here are my recommendations:
Recommended NAS Models
Synology DS224+
Why It’s Perfect for You:
Affordable and ideal for light use like uploading photos/videos and sharing 4K movies.
Supports Live Photos on iPhone via the Synology Photos app, making it seamless to back up and manage your media.
Easily handles 1–2 devices accessing at the same time, which aligns with your usage pattern.
Synology DS723+
Why It’s a Step Up:
More powerful than the DS224+ with upgrade options like M.2 NVMe SSD caching for faster performance.
Future-proof, allowing for expanded functionality if your needs grow over time.
Do You Need SSDs?
For your use case, SSDs are not necessary unless:
You want faster caching for frequently accessed files.
You plan to expand your usage significantly in the future.
If you choose the DS723+ and want caching, install M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs compatible with Synology (e.g., Synology SNV3400 series).
Hard Drive Recommendation
For 4TB storage:
2x 4TB Seagate IronWolf or WD Red Plus in RAID 1 (mirroring). This will give you 4TB of usable storage with redundancy to protect your data.
Consider Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals
The DS224+ is the most budget-friendly option and aligns perfectly with your needs. If you spot a deal on the DS723+, it’s worth considering for its expandability and performance, but it’s not essential for your current usage.
Conclusion
The Synology DS224+ is my top pick for a cost-effective solution that meets all your requirements, especially for iPhone Live Photos and media sharing. Pair it with two 4TB HDDs in RAID 1 for data safety, and you’re good to go.
Recommended NAS Models
Synology DS224+
Why It’s Perfect for You:
Affordable and ideal for light use like uploading photos/videos and sharing 4K movies.
Supports Live Photos on iPhone via the Synology Photos app, making it seamless to back up and manage your media.
Easily handles 1–2 devices accessing at the same time, which aligns with your usage pattern.
Synology DS723+
Why It’s a Step Up:
More powerful than the DS224+ with upgrade options like M.2 NVMe SSD caching for faster performance.
Future-proof, allowing for expanded functionality if your needs grow over time.
Do You Need SSDs?
For your use case, SSDs are not necessary unless:
You want faster caching for frequently accessed files.
You plan to expand your usage significantly in the future.
If you choose the DS723+ and want caching, install M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs compatible with Synology (e.g., Synology SNV3400 series).
Hard Drive Recommendation
For 4TB storage:
2x 4TB Seagate IronWolf or WD Red Plus in RAID 1 (mirroring). This will give you 4TB of usable storage with redundancy to protect your data.
Consider Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals
The DS224+ is the most budget-friendly option and aligns perfectly with your needs. If you spot a deal on the DS723+, it’s worth considering for its expandability and performance, but it’s not essential for your current usage.
Conclusion
The Synology DS224+ is my top pick for a cost-effective solution that meets all your requirements, especially for iPhone Live Photos and media sharing. Pair it with two 4TB HDDs in RAID 1 for data safety, and you’re good to go.