11 hours ago
Great to see you doing your homework before diving into your first NAS — that’s the best way to avoid surprises!
Given your needs and preference for a ready-to-go device, here are some thoughts on the models you mentioned:
Synology DS224+
Very user-friendly with polished apps, great Android support, and strong ecosystem (including autosync apps and remote access).
NVMe slot for caching is a nice plus.
You can add some RAM, but it’s limited.
Downsides: Synology’s recent push for their own drives can be restrictive, but it’s mostly a warning for future-proofing. For now, many users still run third-party drives fine.
Synology’s software is rock solid for beginners, with good support for Home Assistant integrations.
Synology DS723+
More powerful, expandable RAM, and better for future needs.
But yeah, budget can be tight unless you find a good discount.
UGREEN DXP2800
Nice hardware with NVMe and RAM upgrades.
Software and ecosystem are less mature and can feel less polished compared to Synology or QNAP.
Security and app ecosystem not as proven yet.
AS3302T v2 / DRIVESTOR 2 Pro Gen2
Good value but some reports of connectivity issues and less reliable support make it less ideal for beginners.
QNAP TS-264
Powerful with many features, but the interface and setup can be intimidating for beginners.
Great for those who want to tinker a bit.
Terramaster F2-424
Decent and affordable, but software is simpler, and updates/support are less frequent.
My recommendation:
For a beginner focused on ease of use, stable apps for photo sync, and streaming, Synology DS224+ is still one of the best picks. It’s very beginner-friendly and has the ecosystem you want. The concerns about Synology drives are something to keep an eye on but won’t affect your experience immediately.
If you want more power and future-proofing and can wait for a deal, the DS723+ is a nice step up.
If you want raw hardware value and don’t mind a less polished experience, QNAP TS-264 is solid.
Given your needs and preference for a ready-to-go device, here are some thoughts on the models you mentioned:
Synology DS224+
Very user-friendly with polished apps, great Android support, and strong ecosystem (including autosync apps and remote access).
NVMe slot for caching is a nice plus.
You can add some RAM, but it’s limited.
Downsides: Synology’s recent push for their own drives can be restrictive, but it’s mostly a warning for future-proofing. For now, many users still run third-party drives fine.
Synology’s software is rock solid for beginners, with good support for Home Assistant integrations.
Synology DS723+
More powerful, expandable RAM, and better for future needs.
But yeah, budget can be tight unless you find a good discount.
UGREEN DXP2800
Nice hardware with NVMe and RAM upgrades.
Software and ecosystem are less mature and can feel less polished compared to Synology or QNAP.
Security and app ecosystem not as proven yet.
AS3302T v2 / DRIVESTOR 2 Pro Gen2
Good value but some reports of connectivity issues and less reliable support make it less ideal for beginners.
QNAP TS-264
Powerful with many features, but the interface and setup can be intimidating for beginners.
Great for those who want to tinker a bit.
Terramaster F2-424
Decent and affordable, but software is simpler, and updates/support are less frequent.
My recommendation:
For a beginner focused on ease of use, stable apps for photo sync, and streaming, Synology DS224+ is still one of the best picks. It’s very beginner-friendly and has the ecosystem you want. The concerns about Synology drives are something to keep an eye on but won’t affect your experience immediately.
If you want more power and future-proofing and can wait for a deal, the DS723+ is a nice step up.
If you want raw hardware value and don’t mind a less polished experience, QNAP TS-264 is solid.