The Best NAS Case in 2021 | Top Picks + Buyers Guide
In the world of PC gaming, efficiency is the one thing that almost everybody desires. Whether that’s in the form of making your PC run smoother when running high-performance games. Making your computer less jittery when editing together your newest video. Or even just making your PC run better in general. Efficiency comes in many forms, but the most important thing you have to consider is your storage space. The best NAS case could help with that!
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Best NAS Case Guide
For many PC owners, especially gamers, storage can be a little bit of an issue. You can never really have enough storage and even when you do think you have enough, that somehow gets filled up too. This is why it’s really important to keep on top of your storage problems and stay one step ahead. In fact, it isn’t a bad idea to invest in a NAS case for all of your storage needs. But it can be pretty tricky to find out which is the right one for you. This is why we’ve put together this list for some of the best you can get right now! So let’s jump right into our list for The Best NAS Cases.
TerraMaster F2-210 2-Bay NAS
We’re starting this list off with an affordable option for those that need a storage hub on the lower end. We’ve gone for this NAS from TerraMaster for its low cost and easy to use design. So as far as NAS’s go, there isn’t really anything special here, to be honest. But that’s also to be expected at this point. Aesthetically speaking we’ve got a small NAS here that’s made out of a silver-painted aluminum alloy. So it has a nice, clean look that’ll fit in wherever you dice to put it.
In terms of what you’ll be able to do with this NAS, it’s pretty straightforward. It has two bays that each fit a maximum of 16TB. This means that in total this NAS can support up to 32TB worth of space. Which makes it great for anyone who isn’t dealing with a vast amount of data. But for those that are in need of a huge amount of storage space, it’s likely this won’t satisfy you. That being said though, this is a NAS that is geared more towards those that would just like a convenient way of sharing data between multiple devices.
In terms of bonus features, we’ve got two USB 3.0 ports and a Gigabit LAN port. And really, that’s about it for the extra features here. Again this isn’t a NAS that’s going to be offering you a ton of bells and whistles. This is purely for those that want convenient access to a moderate amount of storage. And in that regard, this option does really well. But if you want something that can offer you just a little bit more, check out our other options on this list.
Pros:
- Simple Design
- Affordable
Cons:
- Moderate Storage Space
- Only 2 Bays
Synology 2 bay NAS
Our next option on this list is still geared towards those who want something affordable. We’ve gone for this NAS from Synology for its low price and great build quality. So we’ve got something that’s pretty similar to our previous option in a couple of ways. But it also sets itself apart in some pretty neat ways too. Visually speaking, this is a lot nicer to look at. It has that aluminum alloy material combined with a silver coat of paint that looks neat and clean. This NAS should look good wherever you place it and if you’re into your aesthetic that’s good news to hear.
But let’s talk about functionality now and that’s going to be where it may disappoint some of you. Again we’ve got a NAS that only has 2 bays and a max storage capacity of 32TB in total. So if you’re someone that just wants easy network access to all of their data, then this is a great option for you. But if you’re someone who needs to handle a large amount of data you might not get what you need here. This isn’t the pick for people who perhaps handle large video files or just vast amounts of data.
In terms of other features, there are a couple of nice additions here. First up there are LEDs on the front of the NAS that let you know the status of your drives in a clear way. There are also two USB 3.0 ports which is handy if you need some extra ports. Again this is geared towards those who may use this NAS in a more casual way in comparison to industry professionals. So if you want something that offers you a little more, check out our other options.
Pros:
- Simple Design
- Affordable
Cons:
- Moderate Storage Space
- Only 2 Bays
Yottamaster Aluminum Alloy 5 Bay
This next option is going to appeal to those who want to get as much storage space as they possibly can. We’ve gone for this option from Yottamaster for it’s large amount of storage space and great design. Straight away you’ll notice that this NAS has a much cleaner look and feel in comparison to pour previous options. There’s something about this NAS that looks particularly simple. And if you’re looking for something that’ll fit into the background well, this is a great option. But apart from that it also offers a ton of functionality to people who deal with a lot of data.
In terms of functionality, you’ll be able to get quite a lot out of this NAS if you’re looking for a ton of space. This NNAS has 5 bays for you to fit a hard drive into. With each bay allowing you to fit a maximum of 16TB. Meaning that you can get a total of 80TB worth of space. Which is a really good amount of storage, especially if you regularly handle large amounts of data.
Of course, if you’re looking for something that’s going to be used more casually you might want to go with something a little cheaper. Since if you only want something to contain your photos or your music, this might be a little overkill. Extra features include a USB 3.0 port and a 5Gbps transfer speed for quick file transfers. Overall this is a fantastic NAS to go for if lots of space is exactly what you need. If you’re looking for something a little more casual though, you might want to look elsewhere.
Pros:
- Clean Design
- Affordable
Cons:
- Overkill for Non-Professionals
- Only One USB Port
Synology 4 bay NAS
Next up, we’ve got a NAS that still offers a ton a storage for those that are in need of such a thing. We’ve gone for another NAS from Synology and Synology 4 Bay NAS has some interesting stuff going on. So straight away you’ll notice that this NAS looks a little different in comparison to our previous options. We’ve got an all black machine here which actually looks really good. It has a more stealthy aesthetic and if you want your drives to kind of just blend into the background, this is the choice for you.
But let’s talk about what you’re functionally getting and in this case this is a really good NAS. We’ve 4 bays here and they each hold a maximum of 12TB, giving you a potential 48TB worth of space in total. And even though that isn’t the most you can get out of a NAS, this is still a really good option to go with. It hits that middle ground where if you’re a casual storer of data or someone who requires a good amount of space, you should be covered either way. Extra features include two USB 3.0 ports and a processor that helps the processing of 4K video.
A feature that is fantastic for any video editors out there. Generally, the build quality here is fantastic too, the NAS itself feel sticky and strong. Something that is important if you’re worried about breaking your hard drives in some way. The biggest downside here is that this is a pretty pricey NAS. Though Ultimately this is another great NAS to go for if you’re looking for something that is secure. It’s perfect for those that are looking for plenty of space for their data but don’t want to go overkill on their purchase.
Pros:
- Great Design
- Plenty of Space
Cons:
[/su_list]- Expensive
- Potentially Boring Aesthetic
Asustor Lockerstor 8
Our final option on this list is going to appeal to industry professionals that need to handle a high amount of data constantly. We’ve gone for this NAS from Asustor for it’s huge capacity for data and the security it provides for your data. It almost goes without saying that this is the largest NAS on the list. This thing is a beast so you might not be able to just put it on your desk since it’ll take up to much room. But visually speaking this is a much higher end device. Specifically designed for industry professionals and users who require a ton of storage.
Let’s get into the performance of this device now and this is a really impressive NAS. It has 8 bays in total and You can place a 16TB hard drive into each slot. Meaning you can get a total of 128TB worth of space. Which is perfect for those that need a vast amount of space. But if you’re someone who is more of a casual user of storage, you really don’t need something of this size. This NAS also lets you use an SSD to speed up the performance of transferring large files.
You can also increase the RAM, which this NAS has 8GB of when you first buy it. You can upgrade to 16GB of RAM in order to boost the performance of file transfers even further. Overall this is an absolute beast of a NAS. If you do need something that offers you a ton of storage space and speedy file transfers then this is a fantastic option to get. If you’re just looking for something to store a handful of files, it’s best to go for something a little cheaper.
Pros:
- Great Design
- Huge Amount of Space
Cons:
- Expensive
- Potentially Boring Aesthetic
See Also: The Best Laptop for Baldur’s Gate 3
Buying Guide
If you’ve come this far down the list and you still aren’t sure which NAS you should be getting, don’t worry! In this section we’ll be giving you some extra information to help you out with your purchase.
Why you should consider getting a NAS
Getting an NAS can probably be a tricky question to answer for yourself. It’s pretty easy to wonder if there’s any point in getting one and we’re to say that there absolutely is a point. With file sizes getting bigger and more photos, songs and videos being made you really need to get a place to store them all. While we all have pretty hefty hard drives and SSDs to store a lot of our files, eventually that just isn’t enough. So you’re going to need a hub where you can access your files at any time and keep them all safe. Which is where a NAS comes in.
Since you can access a NAS at any time through a network it means that it’s fantastic for numerous reasons. If you’re a video editor that uses a ton of different high resolution files, you’re going to want a place to store all of that information. Or let’s say you’re a photographer that has hundreds if not thousands of different shots that you’re proud of. With a NAS you won’t have to sacrifice any of them for the sake of space. It’s also a great investment for home security, since you can place all of the footage from your security cameras into a NAS. So there are tons of reasons for why you should consider getting a NAS.
The things to remember about a NAS
Now let’s say that you’re fully into the idea of buying a NAS and you’ve found the exact one you want to buy. Well just hold off on that for just a second because there are a few things you should know before you buy your NAS. Firstly, a NAS does not come with hard drives for you to use. You need to buy those separately and some hard drives won’t be compatible with some NAS devices. So you’ll need to double check that your drives will work with the NAS that you own. Secondly owning a NAS can become pretty expensive for that exact treason. Once you’ve bought the device and the hard drives needed to get it running properly. So you should really only get a NAS if you are in need of a ton of storage.
But beyond that, owning a NAS is really cool! You have access to a potentially huge store of different files and if you do work in media and need that access then it’s almost a required purchase. Comparably it is like using something like Dropbox or some other cloud storage facility except you own the files and the hardware associated with it. So if you work as part of a larger team or you have multiple devices that you use at once. A NAS is really a great investment to boost your workflow.
Tips:
- Don’t spend more on something you won’t use. Only get a NAS that you think you’ll make full use out of. Since they can be pretty expensive you don’t want to potentially waste money.
- Make sure you know if the hard drives you’re getting can be used with the NAS you’re using.
- If you handle seriously large files like 4K video clips, make sure that the NAS has really good processing speed and of course, storage. That way you should have a smooth experience when transferring and using those files.
- If you have home security, like multiple cameras for example, be sure to take full advantage of a NAS and upload the files to it so you have constant easy access to security footage.
- Pay extra attention to any reviews that you see so that you can be sure the NAS you’re purchasing is of high quality.
Verdict – Best NAS Case
That’s been our list for the Best NAS Case. If it helped you out at all be sure to let us know in the comments below! Thanks for reading.
