The 10 Best Nas Devices for Backup

Losing irreplaceable files, whether years of family photos, critical business documents, or a creative project you’ve poured hours into, is one of the most frustrating experiences in modern computing.

A network-attached storage device gives you a dedicated, always-on home for your backups that hard drives and cloud subscriptions alone can’t fully replicate.

NAS devices sit quietly on your network, automatically pulling copies from every computer, phone, and tablet in your household or small office, so your data is protected even when you forget to think about it.

If you’re also looking at complementary external drives or want to understand how NAS fits into a broader networking and storage setup, those resources can help round out your data protection plan.

This guide covers ten models spanning two-bay home units to four-bay business-grade rackmounts, including picks from Synology, BUFFALO, and UGREEN, as well as a pair of UPS battery backups that protect your NAS from power surges and outages.

Every pick was selected through REMOVU’s research-driven evaluation process, drawing on published specifications, expert review consensus, and verified buyer feedback. Read on for our top-ranked picks, then use the buying guide below to find the right fit for your situation.

NAS Devices for Backup Buying Guide

Shopping for a NAS backup device is more nuanced than picking the largest capacity or lowest price.

The right unit depends on how many devices you need to protect, how fast your network runs, whether you want to expand storage later, and how hands-on you’re willing to be with setup and maintenance.

The sections below break down the decisions that matter most.

Number of Bays and Scalability

Bay count is the single biggest structural decision you’ll make. A two-bay NAS is the right starting point for most home users and small home offices.

It lets you run one drive as a live backup and a second as a RAID mirror, so a single drive failure won’t cost you your data.

Units like the Synology DS223 and DS223j fit comfortably in this category, offering simplicity without sacrificing reliability.

If you’re protecting several computers, managing media libraries alongside backups, or running a small team, a four-bay chassis gives you room to grow.

You can start with two or three drives and add more as your storage needs increase without buying a new enclosure. The BUFFALO TeraStation lineup and the Synology DS425+ are good illustrations of how four-bay designs serve growing workloads.

For mixed environments where storage sits alongside other network switches and infrastructure gear, a rackmount four-bay like the BUFFALO TeraStation 3420RN can integrate cleanly into an equipment rack.

Keep in mind that more bays also mean higher upfront drive costs if you’re buying hard drives separately. Diskless models give you flexibility to choose your own drives; units sold with drives pre-installed remove that decision but may bundle drives you wouldn’t have chosen yourself.

Processor and RAM

The CPU and RAM inside a NAS determine how many tasks it can handle at once.

Entry-level NAS devices use ARM-based or budget x86 processors that are perfectly capable of running scheduled backups, serving files over the network, and basic media streaming.

The Synology DS223j falls into this category and handles household backup duties without complaint.

Step up to an Intel processor and the picture changes considerably.

The UGREEN DXP2800 ships with an Intel N100 quad-core chip and 8 GB of DDR5 RAM, enabling it to run multiple services simultaneously, handle 4K HDMI output, and still keep backups running in the background.

The UGREEN DXP4800 Plus goes further with an Intel Pentium Gold 8505 five-core processor and a built-in 128 GB SSD cache, which can noticeably accelerate frequently accessed files.

The Synology DS225+ pairs an Intel CPU with hardware transcoding support, making it particularly capable when backup duties overlap with media server use.

As a general rule, if you plan to run only backup software and occasional file access, a modest processor is fine.

If you want the NAS to simultaneously serve as a media server, run Docker containers, or host virtual machines, prioritize a unit with a capable x86 chip and at least 8 GB of RAM.

Network Connectivity and Transfer Speed

Network speed is the bottleneck that most buyers overlook. Standard 1 GbE ports, found on many entry-level units, cap throughput at around 125 MB/s in ideal conditions, which is adequate for routine backups over home networks.

If your router supports faster speeds, or if you’re transferring large video files or performing initial backups of terabytes of data, a 2.5 GbE port makes a meaningful real-world difference.

The UGREEN DXP2800 includes a 2.5 GbE port, and the DXP4800 Plus raises the stakes with both a 10 GbE port and a 2.5 GbE port, enabling very fast local transfers when paired with a compatible Wi-Fi router or switch infrastructure.

BUFFALO’s TeraStation 3430DN is similarly equipped for business-grade local throughput.

For homes running only wireless devices, check that your mesh Wi-Fi system can actually deliver the sustained bandwidth a faster NAS port promises before paying a premium for 2.5 GbE or 10 GbE connectivity.

Also look for multiple LAN ports if link aggregation is on your radar. Bonding two 1 GbE connections can approximate 2.5 GbE throughput using hardware you may already own, and it adds redundancy if one cable or port fails.

Backup Software and Ecosystem

A NAS is only as useful as the software running on it. Synology’s DiskStation Manager (DSM) operating system is widely regarded as one of the most polished NAS platforms available.

It includes Hyper Backup for multi-destination backup strategies, Active Backup for Business to protect PCs and servers without per-device licenses, and Moments or Photos for organizing images.

This software maturity is a key reason Synology devices consistently earn strong scores from expert reviewers and rank highly with verified buyers.

BUFFALO’s TeraStation series runs its own firmware optimized for straightforward small business use, with Active Directory integration and failover options that IT administrators appreciate.

UGREEN’s NAS OS is newer and evolving, but its powerful hardware means it can also run third-party platforms and Docker containers for users who prefer more control over their software stack.

Before buying, confirm that the NAS supports backup clients for every operating system in your home or office. Most Synology units support Windows, macOS (Time Machine compatible), Linux, iOS, and Android.

Also verify cloud-sync compatibility if you want the NAS to push copies to services like Backblaze B2 or Amazon S3 as part of a 3-2-1 backup strategy.

Drive Configuration and RAID Options

RAID is not a backup, but it is an important layer of protection against hardware failure.

RAID 1 (mirroring) is the standard starting point for two-bay NAS users: if one drive fails, the second retains all your data and you have time to replace the faulty drive without data loss.

Four-bay units open up RAID 5 and RAID 6 configurations that balance usable capacity with redundancy, tolerating one or two drive failures respectively.

Synology’s Hybrid RAID (SHR) is worth mentioning for users who might mix drives of different sizes over time. SHR optimizes usable capacity across mismatched drives and makes future upgrades less complicated than traditional RAID levels.

BUFFALO’s pre-configured TeraStation units ship with drives already installed and RAID configured, which removes setup complexity but also removes flexibility.

Also consider M.2 NVMe slots, which the UGREEN DXP2800 and DXP4800 Plus both include. These slots accept SSDs that can serve as read/write caches to accelerate performance, or in some configurations as tiered storage.

This is particularly useful if your NAS doubles as a working storage device alongside its backup role.

For a deeper look at storage fundamentals, our overview of internal hard drives for storage covers drive selection criteria that translate directly to NAS drive buying as well.

Power Protection with a UPS

A NAS writing data to spinning hard drives is vulnerable to power cuts and surges. An unexpected power loss mid-write can corrupt a drive’s file system or, in a worst case, damage the drive itself.

A UPS (uninterruptible power supply) sits between the wall outlet and your NAS, providing battery power long enough for the NAS to finish writes and shut down safely.

This is why two UPS units appear in this guide alongside the NAS devices themselves.

The APC BE600M1 offers a compact and affordable entry point, with enough runtime to gracefully shut down a small NAS and connected router during a brief outage.

The CyberPower EC850LCD steps up with a larger battery and an LCD display for monitoring load and estimated runtime at a glance.

Both units also provide surge protection as a baseline, which is worth having regardless of how often your power actually flickers.

Synology DSM can communicate directly with APC and CyberPower UPS units via USB, triggering an automatic safe shutdown when battery reaches a low threshold.

If you’re pairing a NAS with other always-on gear like a cable modem, sizing your UPS to cover the combined load is important for keeping your whole backup pipeline running during a brief outage.

Why You Should Trust Us

REMOVU is an independent review publication with no manufacturer relationships that influence our rankings.

Every product in this guide was evaluated using our structured research process: we analyze published specifications, synthesize consensus from expert reviewers across multiple authoritative sources, and weigh patterns from verified buyer feedback to understand real-world reliability and usability.

Each device then receives a REMOVU Score on a 0 to 10 scale, assigned according to consistent criteria applied across the entire category.

We do not conduct our own product trials; our evaluations are grounded in research, published data, expert review consensus, and verified buyer feedback.

This approach lets us cover a wider range of products more thoroughly than any single reviewer could assess through direct use alone, and it keeps our assessments grounded in broad evidence rather than individual experience.

REMOVU may earn a commission if you purchase through links in this article. That affiliate relationship has no bearing on which products appear in our rankings, what scores they receive, or how we describe their strengths and limitations.

Our editorial process is independent of commercial considerations, and products are ranked solely on the merit of our research findings.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right NAS for backup comes down to matching hardware capability to your actual data protection needs. A two-bay diskless enclosure is the right call for most home users who want reliable, automatic backups without overcomplicating their setup.

A four-bay unit with faster networking and a stronger processor makes sense once you’re managing multiple heavy users, large media libraries, or a small business environment.

And regardless of which NAS you choose, pairing it with a UPS is one of the most underrated steps you can take to protect the investment.

Below are our top picks by category, each linked directly to its product listing for easy reference.

• Best Overall: Synology DS225+ earns the top spot with the highest REMOVU Score in this guide, combining an Intel CPU with hardware transcoding, full DSM software support, and a versatile two-bay design that handles both backup and media duties with equal confidence.
• Best for Small Business: BUFFALO TeraStation 3430DN delivers enterprise-friendly features including Active Directory integration, drives pre-installed, and business-grade reliability at a competitive price for SMB environments.
• Best Budget Two-Bay: Synology DS223 is the ideal entry point for home users who want the full Synology DSM ecosystem, Hyper Backup support, and rock-solid backup reliability without paying for hardware power they won’t use.
• Best for Power Users and Creators: UGREEN NAS DXP2800 stands out with its Intel N100 quad-core processor, DDR5 RAM, dual M.2 NVMe slots, and 4K HDMI output, making it the most capable two-bay option for users who want a NAS that doubles as a capable workstation companion.
• Best Four-Bay for Media and Backup: Synology DS425+ brings Synology’s mature software ecosystem to a four-bay chassis, supporting simultaneous backup, media serving, and cloud sync for households and small teams with growing storage demands.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference Between a NAS and an External Hard Drive for Backup?

An external hard drive is a single storage device you connect to one computer at a time. A NAS connects to your entire network, so every device in your home or office can back up to it automatically and simultaneously.

NAS devices also typically support RAID configurations that protect against drive failure, run backup software independently of any connected computer, and can be accessed remotely over the internet.

For households with multiple computers, a NAS is a more robust and scalable solution than a standalone external drive.

Do I Need to Buy Hard Drives Separately for a NAS?

It depends on the model. Diskless NAS units like the Synology DS223, DS223j, DS225+, DS425+, UGREEN DXP2800, and UGREEN DXP4800 Plus ship without drives, giving you full control over which drives you install and at what capacity.

BUFFALO’s TeraStation models come with drives pre-installed, which simplifies setup but removes flexibility.

When buying drives for a NAS, look for models rated for NAS use, such as drives from the WD Red, Seagate IronWolf, or Toshiba N300 lines, which are designed for the 24/7 operating conditions a NAS demands.

Is RAID the Same as a Backup?

No, and this is one of the most important distinctions to understand before buying a NAS. RAID protects you from hardware failure: if one drive dies, your data survives on the other drives in the array.

But RAID does not protect against accidental deletion, ransomware, file corruption, or theft of the device itself.

A proper backup strategy follows the 3-2-1 rule: three copies of your data, on two different media types, with one copy stored off-site or in the cloud.

Your NAS should be one layer of that strategy, not the entire strategy. The NVMe SSDs guide and our look at internal hard drives for storage can help you think through additional local storage layers.

Why Should I Add a UPS to My NAS Setup?

A NAS writes data continuously in the background. A sudden power cut while drives are actively writing can corrupt the file system or, in serious cases, damage the drive’s internal structures, putting your backups at risk.

A UPS provides battery power during an outage, giving the NAS time to complete pending writes and shut down safely. Many NAS platforms, including Synology DSM, can communicate with compatible UPS units over USB to automate this shutdown process.

Given that a UPS also protects against power surges that can silently degrade drive electronics over time, it’s one of the highest-value additions to any NAS backup setup.

Can I Access My NAS Backup Remotely?

Yes, most modern NAS platforms support remote access. Synology’s QuickConnect service lets you reach your NAS from anywhere without configuring port forwarding, and it’s available on both desktop and mobile.

BUFFALO’s TeraStation units support remote access via VPN, which is generally preferred in business environments for security reasons.

Remote access is useful for retrieving files while traveling, but it also means your NAS software and firmware should be kept updated to minimize exposure to security vulnerabilities.

If your home network uses a mesh Wi-Fi system, verify that it supports the port forwarding or VPN passthrough your NAS platform requires for remote connectivity.

How Do I Choose Between a Two-Bay and a Four-Bay NAS?

A two-bay NAS is the right choice for most home users and solo professionals who need reliable backup for a handful of devices and don’t anticipate rapid storage growth. It’s compact, energy-efficient, and less expensive to populate with drives.

A four-bay unit makes more sense when you’re protecting many devices, running a small team, hosting large media libraries alongside backups, or want the option to scale to tens of terabytes without replacing the enclosure.

If you’re on the fence, consider how your storage needs have grown over the past three years and project that trend forward: a four-bay chassis is worth the additional upfront cost if you expect to outgrow two bays within two or three years.

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