Network-attached storage (NAS) enclosures are small servers that can serve as a means to store files and backups in a centralized location, a hub for all your favorite media, or to create your very own home surveillance system. These enclosures are versatile, but can cost $1,000 and beyond. It's possible to buy the wrong NAS for your needs.
There are multiple vendors that produce catalogs of NAS enclosures at various price points. While this does mean there are plenty of enclosures to choose from, it's easy to get lost in the sea of choice. We're here to help you make the right decision for Cyber Monday.
Picking out the best NAS involves a few factors, including price, the processor, and number of drive bays. The better the processor is, the more expensive the enclosure usually becomes. More advanced features like 10Gb networking can also quickly inflate prices. We've rounded up some of the best NAS enclosures on sale for Cyber Monday.
Today's Best NAS Deals
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- QNAP TS-453D-4G-US NAS — $400 (Was $500)
- WD My Cloud Home 4TB NAS — $170 (Was $200)
- WD 8TB My Cloud Pro Series PR2100 NAS — $500 (Was $700)
- QNAP TS-253D NAS — $289 (Was $369)
But if you do have an idea as to what you plan on using the NAS enclosure for, we've compiled lists of the best NAS for your home and what to look for if you're trying to set up a NAS for Plex. There's something here for everyone!
Best NAS deals for Cyber Monday
The best NAS for Home starts off as the most affordable NAS you can buy. The more budget-friendly enclosures aren't anything special but allow you to configure everything to your liking and have a NAS up and running. More pricey NAS options here come rocking faster processors, more RAM, and drive bays. Just remember to apply the coupon!
Getting the Best NAS Deal for you
It's one thing to nail a good deal that saves you money, but it's a whole other ball game to get the right deal for you. We want you to spend your money wisely, it's why we publish all these guides with quick-fire data on all our recommended products. Instead of going in blind, you can see what each NAS enclosure offers and how this can help you achieve your goals.
If a NAS has a steep price drop but we don't believe it to be worth your money even when on sale, we won't recommend it. It's important to decide what you want to use the NAS enclosure for. If you're not comfortable paying out for a more expensive NAS at full price, there's no reason why you should pay a similar amount for one that's discounted.
NAS enclosures are usually priced well, depending on the processor, drive bays, and other specifications. But when we're enjoying big events like Cyber Monday, retailers will use all kinds of tactics to make you think a deal is better than it is. Be wary of prices that are inflated to appear like deals. We use tools like CamelCamelCamel that help us spot great deals, and you should use it too.
What about Plex?
Choosing the best NAS for Plex is a little more tricky since the processor becomes vastly more important, if not the most important, deciding factor. If you plan on storing and streaming 4K content, you'll need to make sure your recipient devices (TV, consoles, PCs, etc.) support the same format your media is saved in. If not, the NAS will need to transcode it, which requires considerable performance. These NAS will be able to handle 4K transcoding.
Best Cyber Monday NAS Hard Drives Deals
You could install some old desktop-class hard drives inside a NAS enclosure and call it a day, but that wouldn't work well. Hard drives used in desktop PCs simply aren't designed to run continuously and be hammered by countless users. It could work, but you'll likely run into reliability issues.
Hard drives designed specifically for NAS come rocking some advanced features, which is reflected in the price. These drives come rocking advanced features like vibration protection and better components that can withstand lots of data being read and written. Since it's Cyber Monday, you can find some of these drives on sale right now, like the massive 6TB Seagate IronWolf for $156. There are yet more advanced NAS drives, like the Western Digital Red Pro series, which cost more but come with faster motors and additional features.
