The best 4 bay NAS for most homes and small businesses is the Synology DS923+ for its mature software and easy expansion, while the QNAP TS-464 is the stronger value choice and the UGREEN DXP4800 Plus is the better pick for fast 10GbE file transfers.
Our top picks
UGREEN DXP4800 Plus 4-Bay NAS for Families- High-Performance NAS with Powerful Procesor: DXP4800 Plus is…
- Better Way to Store Than External Drives: NAS…
- Super-Fast Transfers: Back up 1GB in less than…
UGREEN NAS DH4300 Plus 4-Bay for Beginners- Entry-level NAS Home Storage: The UGREEN NAS DH4300…
- Smart Photo Backup & AI Album: Automatically back…
- User-Friendly App & Easy Setup: Connect quickly via…
Synology DS425+ Private Cloud Media Server- Team Productivity & Media Hub - Share large…
- Centralized Repository - Store company documents, client files…
- Multi-Layered Data Protection - Combine RAID redundancy, automated…
| Product | Key specs | |
|---|---|---|
| UGREEN DXP4800 Plus 4-Bay NAS for Families | High-Performance NAS with Powerful Procesor: DXP4800 Plus is… Better Way to Store Than External Drives: NAS… Super-Fast Transfers: Back up 1GB in less than… | Check price |
| UGREEN NAS DH4300 Plus 4-Bay for Beginners | Entry-level NAS Home Storage: The UGREEN NAS DH4300… Smart Photo Backup & AI Album: Automatically back… User-Friendly App & Easy Setup: Connect quickly via… | Check price |
| Synology DS425+ Private Cloud Media Server | Team Productivity & Media Hub - Share large… Centralized Repository - Store company documents, client files… Multi-Layered Data Protection - Combine RAID redundancy, automated… | Check price |
 Yxk Zero1 Pro 4-Bay NAS | Beginner-Friendly Home NAS and Private Cloud: Install compatible… Intel N100 Performance for Home and Office: Powered… Up to 144TB 4-Bay NAS Storage with RAID:… | Check price |
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Best 4-Bay NAS Picks at a Glance
| Model | Best for | CPU and memory | Network ports | Expansion | Typical market range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synology DS923+ | Simple, dependable home or small-office management | AMD Ryzen R1600, 4GB ECC DDR4 | 2 x 1GbE | Optional 10GbE; DX517 expansion for up to 9 drives | $550–$700 before drives |
| QNAP TS-464 | Value, multimedia, and faster-than-gigabit networking | Intel Celeron N5105, commonly 8GB RAM | 2 x 2.5GbE | 2 x M.2 NVMe; PCIe expansion slot | $450–$600 before drives |
| TerraMaster F4-424 | Budget-conscious users wanting modern hardware | Intel N95, 8GB DDR5 | 2 x 2.5GbE | 2 x M.2 NVMe | $450–$600 before drives |
| UGREEN DXP4800 Plus | Large transfers and 10GbE networks | Intel Pentium Gold 8505, typically 8GB RAM | 1 x 10GbE, 1 x 2.5GbE | 2 x M.2 NVMe; PCIe expansion | $600–$800 before drives |
Prices vary with memory configuration, promotions, and whether the enclosure is sold with storage. The figures above are useful planning ranges rather than fixed prices.
How Much Usable Storage Does a Four-Bay NAS Provide?
A four-bay enclosure does not provide the sum of the installed drive capacities when redundancy is enabled. In a conventional RAID 5 or Synology Hybrid RAID configuration, one drive’s worth of capacity is used for parity. Filesystem overhead and decimal-versus-binary capacity measurement reduce the visible amount further.
| Four identical drives | Raw capacity | Approximate RAID 5 usable capacity | Practical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 x 4TB | 16TB | About 10.5–11TB | Documents, photos, and computer backups |
| 4 x 8TB | 32TB | About 21–22TB | Large photo libraries and media collections |
| 4 x 12TB | 48TB | About 31–33TB | Small-business files, surveillance, and archives |
| 4 x 16TB | 64TB | About 42–44TB | Video projects and multi-user storage |
These are planning estimates, not backup capacity. RAID protects availability when a drive fails; it does not protect against accidental deletion, ransomware, theft, or fire. Keep a separate backup, ideally including an off-site or cloud copy.
Head-to-Head: Which 4-Bay NAS Fits Your Situation?
Choose the Synology DS923+ for the easiest long-term ownership
The DS923+ is the safest recommendation for people who value a polished interface, clear setup workflows, reliable mobile applications, and a broad selection of backup and synchronization tools. Synology Drive can provide a private-cloud experience, while Hyper Backup supports local, remote, and cloud backup jobs.
Its main weakness is networking out of the box: two 1GbE ports are adequate for ordinary documents and backups but can bottleneck several users or a large media workstation. A separate 10GbE adapter is available, adding cost. Synology’s SHR mode is useful when drives are not all the same size, because it can make upgrades more flexible than traditional RAID.
The DS923+ uses four front-loading SATA drive bays and also has two M.2 NVMe slots for cache or supported storage configurations. Its optional DX517 expansion unit can raise the drive count to nine, although expansion hardware is expensive and should not be treated as a substitute for a second backup.
Choose the QNAP TS-464 for the best balance of price and connectivity
The TS-464 is a strong all-rounder when two 2.5GbE ports matter. With compatible switches, cabling, and client devices, it can deliver substantially more network throughput than 1GbE without requiring a 10GbE infrastructure. It also includes two M.2 slots and a PCIe slot, giving it useful upgrade flexibility.
QNAP’s software is capable but presents more options and settings than Synology. That is an advantage for technically confident owners who want virtualization, containers, media services, or detailed network controls. It can feel less streamlined for a first-time NAS buyer, so plan time for security hardening and service configuration.
Choose the TerraMaster F4-424 when hardware value comes first
The F4-424 combines four SATA bays, two 2.5GbE ports, two M.2 NVMe slots, and 8GB of DDR5 memory at a competitive enclosure price. It is attractive for users who are comfortable learning a less established software ecosystem and want current low-power hardware.
TerraMaster’s TOS software has improved, but application breadth, documentation, and long-term ecosystem confidence may not match Synology or QNAP. This model makes sense when the priority is storage hardware per dollar rather than the smoothest management experience.
Choose the UGREEN DXP4800 Plus for 10GbE file work
The DXP4800 Plus stands out with built-in 10GbE networking, making it the most compelling choice here for large photo catalogs, video editing projects, and fast workstation-to-NAS transfers. It also provides a 2.5GbE port, two M.2 slots, and a PCIe expansion option.
Ten-gigabit networking only helps when the rest of the system supports it. A 10GbE switch or direct connection, suitable network adapters, Cat6A-quality cabling for longer runs, and fast drives are all necessary. A single hard drive will not sustain 10GbE speeds for every workload; SSDs or multiple disks working together are more likely to approach the link’s potential.
RAID Choices: Capacity Versus Fault Tolerance
- RAID 0: Uses all drive capacity and can be fast, but one failed drive destroys the array. It is unsuitable for important data.
- RAID 1: Mirrors data and tolerates one failed drive, but in a four-bay enclosure it wastes half or more of the raw capacity.
- RAID 5: Provides roughly three drives’ worth of capacity from four identical drives and tolerates one drive failure. It is the usual capacity-focused choice.
- RAID 6: Uses roughly two drives’ worth for protection and tolerates two failures. It is more conservative for large drives, but leaves less usable space.
- SHR or equivalent flexible RAID: Can simplify mixed-size drive upgrades, depending on the NAS operating system.
For four large drives holding irreplaceable business data, RAID 6 is worth considering if the budget allows. Rebuilding a failed high-capacity disk can take many hours or days, during which a RAID 5 array has no remaining parity protection.
Noise, Power, and Placement
Drive noise is usually more noticeable than the NAS fan. Four 7,200-rpm enterprise hard drives can produce vibration, clicking, and seeking noise even when the enclosure itself is quiet. NAS-rated drives with lower rotational noise may be more comfortable in a home office, but no four-drive hard-disk system is truly silent.
Expect roughly 25–40 watts during ordinary operation with four hard drives, with brief increases during intensive activity. SSDs reduce vibration and access noise but cost more per terabyte and may have different endurance and compatibility considerations.
Place the NAS on a hard, stable surface with several centimeters of clearance around its vents. Avoid bedrooms and enclosed cabinets. Dust buildup raises temperatures and fan speed, while soft furniture can amplify vibration.
Setup Difficulty and the Mistakes That Matter
A basic four-bay NAS setup usually takes 30–90 minutes, excluding data transfers:
- Install compatible drives. Check the manufacturer’s compatibility list, especially for enterprise disks, large capacities, and NVMe modules.
- Update the operating system and drive firmware. Do this before creating users and services.
- Create the storage pool. Select RAID 5, RAID 6, or a flexible equivalent based on the value and size of the data.
- Create separate shared folders. Do not give every account administrator privileges.
- Enable snapshots where supported. Snapshots can help recover from accidental changes, but they are not a separate backup.
- Configure at least two backup destinations. Test restoration rather than assuming a completed backup is usable.
- Secure remote access. Use multifactor authentication, automatic updates where appropriate, and a VPN or vendor-supported secure access method. Avoid exposing the NAS administration interface directly to the public internet.
Do not fill the storage pool to 100 percent. Keeping approximately 10–20 percent free helps snapshots, maintenance, and performance. Also avoid mixing drives solely because they are the cheapest available; similar models and capacities make troubleshooting and replacement simpler.
Upgrade Potential and Ownership Costs
Drive upgrades are the most important long-term consideration. With a four-drive RAID 5 array, replacing drives one at a time with larger models can eventually increase capacity, but every replacement requires a rebuild. Keep the NAS running on a UPS if possible, because a power interruption during a rebuild adds unnecessary risk.
Budget for more than the enclosure: four NAS or enterprise-class drives, a UPS, backup storage, network upgrades, and possibly extended warranty coverage. A realistic complete home setup commonly costs $1,000–$2,500 depending on drive capacity and networking.
The parts most likely to wear are hard drives, cooling fans, and sometimes the CMOS battery. Clean intake vents every few months, monitor drive temperatures and SMART alerts, and replace a noisy fan before it stops. Schedule test restores at least twice a year so a backup strategy is demonstrated rather than merely configured.
Final Recommendation
Buy the Synology DS923+ if uncomplicated software, flexible SHR storage, and a strong backup ecosystem are your priorities. Buy the QNAP TS-464 if you want better built-in networking and more technical flexibility for less money. Choose the TerraMaster F4-424 for hardware value, or the UGREEN DXP4800 Plus when 10GbE performance is central to your workflow.
Whichever model you choose, spend at least as much attention on RAID planning, backups, ventilation, and secure configuration as on processor speed. Those decisions have more influence on dependable ownership than a small difference in benchmark performance.
