Good NAS?
Good NAS?
Hey, I see you're looking to set up a NAS server for your media collection. You mentioned needing something affordable that can handle 2TB drives and supports smooth playback of movies, music, and documents. Since you don’t plan to back up data heavily and want minimal setup, a basic RAID configuration should suffice. Look for entry-level NAS models with solid-state drives and decent storage capacity—something in the $300–$500 range would be a good starting point. Let me know if you need help picking specific brands or models!
The simplest and most affordable option is to use files on your desktop PC so others can join in. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help...-a-network If you need a different device, it can become quite costly unless you have unused hardware available.
Have you considered alternatives that fit in limited space? A 24/7 operation is possible without overloading your system.
There are several options available, so we need to establish a budget to proceed effectively. Would you prefer your computer to be powered on for this? The energy consumption would be significantly lower than purchasing new equipment. For instance, my PC draws around 100W when idle, including the screen—about 80W without any extra load. If I scale that up over a month (80 hours × 24 hours × 30 days = 57,600Wh or roughly 58KW), then at an average rate of 12p per unit, it would cost approximately £6.96 per month or about £83 per year just to run it continuously. I understand usage can vary; if you’re actively using it for gaming or similar tasks, the consumption might increase. However, this still suggests a lower long-term cost compared to buying new hardware. In essence, what you’d spend on upgrading would cover running the PC for at least five years. If you opt for an alternative—such as the PCPartPicker list above—it would likely be more economical overall, especially if used as a secondary system. You could even consider swapping in a lower-tier CPU like a 3000G for around $40–£, which would still meet your requirements. It’s not necessary to match every detail exactly, but choosing significantly cheaper might compromise quality or versatility, making a NAS a more sensible choice instead. Don’t get the wrong idea—I appreciate having two NAS units, but for your situation, a single box probably isn’t essential. You’d pay a fair price for a solid unit, though you could also use WD MyCloud, which is reasonably priced and meets basic needs.