Best 4-Bay NAS in 2026: 5 Picks Compared

Four bays is the sweet spot for a home lab NAS. RAID 5 across four drives gives you 75% usable capacity with single-disk fault tolerance — the right balance of redundancy and storage efficiency for most setups. And unlike a 2-bay NAS, a 4-bay unit has enough headroom to handle Docker containers, Plex transcoding, and backup workloads simultaneously.

The 4-bay market in 2026 has genuine variety. QNAP and ASUSTOR ship Intel CPUs with Quick Sync for hardware transcoding. Synology runs AMD for ECC RAM support and the best software ecosystem. TerraMaster packs an 8-core i3 into a NAS chassis that can double as a Proxmox hypervisor. Prices range from ~$583 to ~$960, and the right choice depends entirely on what you plan to run.

This guide compares five 4-bay NAS devices across every dimension that matters for home lab use: CPU performance, Plex transcoding, Docker capability, networking, expansion options, and power consumption.

Our Pick: QNAP TS-464

The QNAP TS-464 is the 4-bay NAS I’d recommend to most home lab builders. It’s the only unit under $700 that combines Intel Quick Sync transcoding, dual 2.5GbE, and a PCIe expansion slot — three features that no single competitor matches at this price point.

Specs: Intel Celeron N5095 (4C/4T, 2.9 GHz) · 8 GB DDR4 · 4x 3.5”/2.5” SATA + 2x M.2 NVMe (PCIe Gen 3 x1) · 2x 2.5GbE · PCIe Gen 3 x2 slot · HDMI 2.0 · 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2

Idle Power: ~19W (11W in HDD hibernation) Loaded: ~26W typical Price: ~$649 (8 GB model)

The N5095’s Intel Quick Sync handles hardware-accelerated Plex transcoding — two simultaneous 1080p streams or a single 4K H.264 transcode. Both Synology models in this guide use AMD CPUs without hardware transcoding, which means software-only decoding that maxes out the CPU at 4K. If you stream media to devices that need transcoding, this distinction alone justifies the QNAP.

The PCIe Gen 3 x2 slot is the other differentiator. Drop in a 10GbE NIC when your lab grows, add a QM2 card for additional M.2 slots, or install a USB 3.2 expansion card. The DS925+ and ASUSTOR AS5404T lack PCIe slots entirely — when 2.5GbE isn’t enough, your only option is buying a new NAS. The TS-464 lets you upgrade in place.

Dual 2.5GbE with link aggregation delivers up to 5 Gbps theoretical throughput for multi-client environments. The two M.2 NVMe slots support SSD caching via Qtier, which dramatically improves random I/O for database-backed containers and Docker volumes. The HDMI 2.0 port outputs 4K for direct media playback or emergency console access.

QTS 5 has matured into a capable platform. Container Station handles Docker and LXC containers through a web UI or SSH. Virtualization Station supports lightweight VMs (upgrade to 16 GB RAM first). The app ecosystem covers most home lab needs.

The honest trade-off: QNAP’s security track record requires more vigilance than Synology. Keep QTS patched, enable auto-update, and never expose this to the internet without a VPN. Also note that the 8 GB model’s RAM is soldered — if you want to upgrade RAM yourself, buy the 4 GB model (ASIN: B0BCG2ZCL4) and add your own SO-DIMM.

Best Value: ASUSTOR AS5404T

The ASUSTOR AS5404T delivers essentially the same core hardware as the QNAP TS-464 at ~$583 — ~$66 less — and adds a standout feature: four M.2 NVMe slots instead of two.

Specs: Intel Celeron N5105 (4C/4T, 2.9 GHz) · 4 GB DDR4 (expandable to 16 GB) · 4x 3.5”/2.5” SATA + 4x M.2 NVMe (PCIe Gen 3) · 2x 2.5GbE · HDMI 2.0b · 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2

Idle Power: ~20W Loaded: ~27W average, 31W peak Noise: 19.7 dB(A) — quietest in this roundup Price: ~$583

The N5105 is functionally identical to the QNAP’s N5095 — same quad-core Jasper Lake architecture, same 2.9 GHz burst clock, same Intel Quick Sync capability for Plex transcoding. You’re getting equivalent compute performance for ~$66 less.

Four M.2 NVMe slots is genuinely unusual at this price. With four NVMe drives, you can create a high-speed all-flash storage pool for VMs and containers while keeping spinning drives for bulk storage — a tiered storage setup that usually requires a more expensive unit. This is also the most USB-rich NAS here with three USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) ports.

The AS5404T is the quietest NAS in this comparison at 19.7 dB(A). If this lives on your desk or in a bedroom, the noise difference versus the QNAP or TerraMaster is noticeable.

ADM (ASUSTOR Data Master) is a competent NAS operating system with Docker support via Portainer. It’s less polished than QTS and significantly less mature than DSM, but it covers the core NAS functions and runs containers reliably. The community is smaller — when you hit an issue, there are fewer forum posts and guides to draw from.

The trade-off versus the QNAP: no PCIe expansion slot. If 10GbE is in your roadmap, the TS-464 is the better buy. If 2.5GbE is sufficient and you value the extra NVMe slots, the AS5404T saves you money while matching the QNAP’s processing power.

Best Software: Synology DS925+

The Synology DS925+ is the newest 4-bay Synology, replacing the DS923+ with upgraded networking and a more powerful CPU. If DSM’s software ecosystem is your priority, this is the one to buy.

Specs: AMD Ryzen V1500B (4C/8T, 2.2 GHz) · 4 GB DDR4 ECC (expandable to 32 GB) · 4x 3.5”/2.5” SATA + 2x M.2 NVMe (PCIe Gen 3) · 2x 2.5GbE · 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1

Idle Power: ~12W Loaded: ~38W typical Noise: 20.5 dB(A) Price: ~$625

The V1500B is a quad-core, 8-thread AMD Ryzen — a meaningful upgrade over the DS923+‘s dual-core R1600. Multi-threaded workloads (Docker, multiple file transfers, indexing) benefit noticeably from the extra cores. The 2.2 GHz clock is lower than the R1600’s 3.1 GHz boost, so single-threaded tasks are comparable rather than faster.

The headline upgrade is 2.5GbE networking. The DS923+ shipped with 1GbE, which was embarrassing at its original ~$600 price — every competitor had 2.5GbE. The DS925+ fixes this with dual 2.5GbE ports. It’s the feature that makes this a genuine recommendation rather than a “buy despite the networking” qualifier.

DSM 7.3 remains the best NAS operating system available. Active Backup for Business backs up unlimited Windows and Linux machines for free. Synology Drive syncs files across devices. Container Manager runs Docker reliably. Surveillance Station, Synology Photos, and the mobile apps are all production-grade. DSM 7.3 also reversed the controversial third-party drive lockout — you can now use any SATA drive without warnings.

ECC RAM is a genuine advantage for data integrity. With two SO-DIMM slots supporting up to 32 GB of ECC DDR4, this is the most memory-expandable Synology 4-bay and the only NAS here with error-correcting memory.

Critical trade-off: no PCIe slot. Synology removed the PCIe expansion slot that the DS923+ had. This means zero 10GbE upgrade path. If you need 10GbE in the future, you need a different NAS. This decision makes the DS925+ a worse choice for labs that plan to scale network performance.

The other trade-off: no hardware transcoding. The AMD V1500B lacks Intel Quick Sync, so Plex transcoding is software-only. The CPU can handle 1080p software transcoding but struggles with 4K. If you stream media that requires transcoding, buy the QNAP or ASUSTOR instead.

Still Available: Synology DS923+

The Synology DS923+ is the previous generation, and the only reason to buy it over the DS925+ is the PCIe expansion slot.

Specs: AMD Ryzen R1600 (2C/4T, 3.1 GHz) · 4 GB DDR4 ECC (expandable to 32 GB) · 4x 3.5”/2.5” SATA + 2x M.2 NVMe · 2x 1GbE · PCIe Gen 3 x2 slot · 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1

Idle Power: ~11W Noise: 22.9 dB(A) Price: ~$960 (discontinued — pricing is inflated above original ~$600 MSRP)

The DS923+ still runs DSM 7.3 and gets the same software experience as the DS925+. Active Backup, Synology Drive, Container Manager — all identical. The PCIe slot accepts Synology’s E10G22-T1-Mini 10GbE module (~$130), which is the most straightforward way to get 10GbE on a Synology NAS.

Where it falls behind: the R1600 is only dual-core (the DS925+‘s V1500B has four cores), and the networking is 1GbE instead of 2.5GbE. At its current ~$960 street price, the DS923+ is hard to recommend on value alone. It now costs significantly more than the DS925+ while having a slower CPU and worse networking. The only justification is if 10GbE via PCIe is a hard requirement and you cannot find it at a lower price.

Buy the DS923+ if you have or plan to deploy a 10GbE switch and need a Synology NAS that can keep up. The PCIe slot is the only feature it has that the DS925+ doesn’t.

Buy the DS925+ instead if 2.5GbE meets your networking needs and you want the faster 4-core CPU.

Most Powerful: TerraMaster F4-424 Pro

The TerraMaster F4-424 Pro is in a different performance class. If you need maximum compute in a 4-bay NAS — or plan to wipe the stock OS and install Proxmox — this is the one.

Specs: Intel Core i3-N305 (8C/8T, 3.8 GHz) · 32 GB DDR5-4800 · 4x 3.5”/2.5” SATA + 2x M.2 NVMe (PCIe Gen 3) · 2x 2.5GbE · HDMI · 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2

Idle Power: ~24W Noise: 21 dB(A) standby Price: ~$860

The i3-N305 has eight Efficient cores running up to 3.8 GHz. In Plex terms, that means multiple simultaneous 4K HEVC transcodes — a workload that would saturate every other CPU in this guide. For Docker, eight cores with 32 GB DDR5 means running Immich, Jellyfin, Home Assistant, Gitea, Vaultwarden, Nextcloud, and a database server simultaneously without breaking a sweat.

Shipping with 32 GB DDR5 at ~$860 is notable when every competitor ships 4–8 GB and charges you extra for upgrades. The QNAP needs a $30 RAM stick to reach 16 GB. The Synology needs an $80 module to reach 32 GB. The TerraMaster starts where others top out.

The real selling point: Proxmox and TrueNAS compatibility. TerraMaster exposes a standard UEFI/BIOS (disable Secure Boot and TOS Boot First in settings), and the SATA controllers and Intel NICs have solid mainline Linux driver support. TerraMaster explicitly acknowledges this use case and doesn’t void your warranty. If you want a converged home lab — hypervisor, NAS, and Docker on one box — see our home lab starter guide for the Proxmox path.

TOS 6 is the weakness. It handles file sharing and basic NAS tasks, but the app ecosystem is thin, and there’s nothing comparable to Active Backup or Synology Drive. Most F4-424 Pro buyers will either tolerate TOS for core NAS functions or replace it with Proxmox/TrueNAS within a month.

No PCIe slot means no 10GbE upgrade path. At ~$860, this competes on compute and RAM rather than networking flexibility.

How to Choose: Buying Criteria

Plex Transcoding: Intel vs. AMD

This is the single biggest decision point. Three of these five NAS devices have Intel CPUs with Quick Sync hardware transcoding. Two have AMD CPUs without it.

Intel Quick Sync (QNAP TS-464, ASUSTOR AS5404T, TerraMaster F4-424 Pro): Hardware-accelerated video encoding and decoding. Handles 1080p transcoding easily. The N5095/N5105 manage a single 4K H.264 stream. The i3-N305 handles multiple 4K HEVC streams.

AMD without Quick Sync (Synology DS925+, DS923+): Software-only transcoding using the CPU. The V1500B handles 1080p adequately. 4K transcoding maxes out the CPU and produces poor results. Direct play works fine — the bottleneck only appears when clients request a different codec or resolution.

If your household streams to modern Apple TVs, NVIDIA Shields, or smart TVs that support direct play, transcoding doesn’t matter — buy the Synology for its software. If you stream to phones, tablets, older devices, or remote clients that need transcoding, buy Intel.

PCIe Expansion: Future-Proofing for 10GbE

Only the QNAP TS-464 and Synology DS923+ have PCIe expansion slots. Every other 4-bay NAS in this guide tops out at 2.5GbE permanently.

10GbE matters when you’re saturating 2.5GbE regularly — large VM disk images, bulk media transfers, all-NVMe storage pools. A 10GbE NIC costs $100–150, plus you need a 10GbE switch. If that’s in your roadmap, the PCIe slot now saves you from replacing the entire NAS later.

For most home labs in 2026, 2.5GbE is sufficient. A single 2.5GbE port delivers ~280 MB/s, which exceeds what a RAID 5 array of spinning drives can sustain sequentially. The PCIe slot is insurance, not a necessity.

RAM and Docker Capacity

Every NAS here ships with too little RAM for serious Docker workloads except the TerraMaster:

For 5–10 Docker containers plus the NAS OS overhead: 8 GB minimum, 16 GB comfortable. For 15+ containers, VMs, or ZFS with ARC caching: 32 GB. The Synology units offer ECC RAM, which provides error correction for long-term data integrity — a meaningful advantage for always-on storage servers.

NVMe: How Many Slots Do You Need?

All five NAS units have M.2 NVMe slots, but the ASUSTOR AS5404T stands out with four — double everyone else. NVMe drives serve two purposes in a NAS:

SSD caching: Accelerates random I/O on spinning drives. One or two NVMe drives in a cache pool significantly improve Docker volume performance and file access latency. Two slots is enough for this.

All-flash storage pool: Dedicated NVMe storage for VMs, databases, or latency-sensitive workloads. Four slots (ASUSTOR) lets you create a RAID 5 NVMe pool with fault tolerance — a capability the other units can’t match without external enclosures.

Software Ecosystem

Synology DSM (DS925+, DS923+): The gold standard. Active Backup for Business, Synology Drive, Container Manager, Synology Photos, and Surveillance Station are all production-grade. Justifies a premium over competitors.

QNAP QTS (TS-464): The power user’s OS. Container Station and Virtualization Station are both mature. Hardware is more generous per dollar. Security requires diligence — keep it patched and behind a VPN.

ASUSTOR ADM (AS5404T): Capable for core NAS functions with good Docker integration via Portainer. Smaller community and app ecosystem. Solid for users who manage containers independently.

TerraMaster TOS (F4-424 Pro): Functional but thin. Most buyers will either accept its limitations for basic NAS tasks or replace it with Proxmox or TrueNAS SCALE.

Bottom Line

The QNAP TS-464 at ~$649 is the best 4-bay NAS for most home lab builders. It’s the only unit in this price range with Intel Quick Sync transcoding, dual 2.5GbE networking, and a PCIe expansion slot for future 10GbE — three features no single competitor matches.

If software ecosystem and data integrity are your priorities, the Synology DS925+ at ~$625 has the best NAS OS available, ECC RAM, and the 4-core V1500B. Just know that you’re giving up hardware transcoding and PCIe expansion.

For the lowest entry price with Quick Sync and 2.5GbE, the ASUSTOR AS5404T at ~$583 matches the QNAP’s processing power and adds four NVMe slots.

If you need maximum compute for heavy Docker workloads, Proxmox bare-metal installs, or multi-stream 4K HEVC transcoding, the TerraMaster F4-424 Pro at ~$860 ships with 32 GB DDR5 and an 8-core i3 that nothing else here touches.

And if 10GbE on a Synology is non-negotiable, the Synology DS923+ is the only current 4-bay Synology with a PCIe slot — but at ~$960 (well above its original ~$600 MSRP), it’s a tough value proposition. Buy it only if you find it at a reasonable price.

Whichever you choose, pair it with quality drives. See our best hard drives for NAS guide, and check our full NAS comparison for models beyond the 4-bay segment.