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What is the best alternative to Western Digital 4TB My Cloud?
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Synology DS216+II
All
13
Experiences
Pros
7
Cons
5
Specs
Top
Pro
Single-button press backup functionality (ports and button on the front)
This function is called USBCopy. You just need to attach your media to the front, press the Copy button (labeled C on this version) and wait untill it's done (no need to have it attached to any PC and no need to login to the NAS as well). By default, the backups get compressed to a single archive per backup and are named after their device name and timestamp attached (changeable within the settings). Older/other versions also had an SD-Card reader, this one doesn't (but it seems to have an eSATA port) so you might search for an alternative if you need the SD-Card reader.
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Con
Too many variants, pricing is not always logical
With, without an SD-Card reader; with, without a copy button and front ports. Model numbers also don't seem to follow any logic so you have to be careful when buying here. Also with some, you can switch the RAM model yourself while on many others it's soldered to the mainboard. You don't need the latest model. Be careful selecting one to fit your needs and pocket when buying (they're pretty good even when they're used - just use new HDDs and you're fine).
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Pro
DiskStation Manager OS is rock solid
DiskStation Manager OS is by far the best commercial NAS-OS out there when it comes to expandability, usability, and stability. No other system comes close, unless you build one yourself and use an Open-Source NAS-OS that you fine-tune to your needs.
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Con
Not made for 4K streaming addicts (PLEX)
Yet so are typical other NAS from other manufacturers unless they are tailored for the purpose. Synology calls these NAS boxes "play" e. g. DS216play. They often have other drawbacks. You have to spend more to get hardware level support for proper media-streaming. This is, however, not the usual task for a NAS and is only interesting if you need to stream 4K files (most often other bottlenecks are in-place like a slow network connection anyway). For streaming 1080p this NAS should be fine. If you need serious streaming look elsewhere.
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Pro
Synology has by far the best LTS of any comparable manufacturer
Even 10-year-old NAS storages still get updates for their OS (called DSM). The only thing that limits you is the hardware.
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Con
Requires a bit of work if you want to get the most out of it
It's clearly not made for people that want to buy a device and just use it but those that take some time to set it up. Once you're done, it runs, and runs, and runs (till you want to do more, which you can since it has Package-Management built in that enables you to download new packages and extend the functionality of your simple NAS).
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Top
Pro
Full flegged x86 CPU
See this for tech-spec.
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Top
Con
Expensive
While the cost is not as high as some, there are similar storage size options for cheaper prices. This price tag, like most, is for branding and the high quality product you get from Synology.
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Top
Pro
AES-NI hardware encryption engine
Encryption performance at over 113.01 MB/s reading, 111.66 MB/s writing.
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Con
Slow support
Technical support is not the go to option for a solution, with long wait times, and open cases taking up to weeks to resolve (that is with persistent follow up).
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Top
Pro
Company-level advanced BTRFS file system with built-in data integrity check
See further details on Synology's page
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Top
Pro
Usability (WebOS)
Product and software work seamlessly with any operating system (since it's a WebOS running in the browser). Product software has easy to follow icons and GUI that allow users to use it as a VPN, time machine, media server, etc.
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Specs
Weight:
2.8 lbs.
Dimensions:
6.5 x 4.25 x 9.18 in.
RAM:
1 or 2GiB DDR3
CPU:
Intel Celeron N3060 2.48 GHz (2M Cache) with AES-NI hardware encryption engine
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Experiences
$289.00
26
0
Western Digital My Cloud EX2 Ultra
All
9
Experiences
Pros
5
Cons
3
Specs
Top
Pro
Very affordable for a two-bay device
At $159, this two-bay NAS device offers great value. It's virtually impossible to find another solution close to this price with such a good performance.
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Top
Con
No offline storage or data migration via USB
Most NAS units typically come with USB ports for connecting storage. However, this unit does not offer USB connectivity, which would have been useful for offline storage or data migration.
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Top
Pro
More than capable of managing typical home use
This two-bay unit has a 1.3GHz dual-core Marvell CPU and 1GB of DDR3 RAM. This is more than enough for typical home use, such as web browsing or movie watching. Media transcoding also works great with this device - Full HD videos have a nice and smooth playback.
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Top
Con
Official documentation is incomplete and unclear
Key aspects such as power consumption or read/write speeds are not available on the official documentation. On top of that, the list of features is unclear and not explained well.
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Top
Pro
Simple set-up process
Setting up this NAS is as straightforward as it can get. You can get it running within a couple of minutes, even if you have no previous experience. Inserting the hard disks, plugging it in and filling out a form on mycloud.com is all that it takes.
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Top
Con
Not as many third-party apps as those found for more well established NAS brands
Western Digital is quite new to the NAS market, so it doesn’t have as many third party applications as other brands. Key applications like Plex Media Server, ARCUS and Dropbox are supported, but you may want to check app availability first before buying this unit.
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Top
Pro
Save money by choosing one of the pre-populated versions
You can buy this device pre populated with Western Digital hard drives. You can choose between 4TB, 8TB, 12TB or 16TB storage space. This options is more convenient and cheaper than purchasing the hard drives separately.
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Pro
Users can choose between safety and storage maximization
This unit has two hard disk bays which can support RAID0 and RAID1 configurations. This gives you the choice of maximizing available storage, or halving your storage space in exchange for single-drive failure security.
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Specs
RAM:
1GiB DDR3
CPU:
Marvell ARMADA 385 1.3GHz Dual Core
Maximum total storage volume:
16TiB (8TiBx2)
SSD support:
No
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Experiences
$144.39
18
0
QNAP TS-128
All
10
Experiences
Pros
8
Cons
1
Specs
Top
Pro
Good value for money
This is one of the cheapest dual core, 1GB (RAM) single-bay NAS units you can get.
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Top
Con
Lost data can’t be recovered
When buying a single bay NAS unit, keep in mind that a drive failure will result in total and permanent data loss. To avoid this, consider investing in a DAS (direct-attached storage) as well. The DAS can be attached to the QNAP TS-128 via USB. It has built-in software to allow you to actually set up automatic NAS backups to DAS (such as once a week). This ensures your data remains safe, though it also entails extra costs.
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Top
Pro
Intuitive, easy set-up process
This unit doesn't come with hard disks preinstalled. To get it set up, you just have to insert the hard disks, plug in the unit, connect it to your router and switch it on. After that, just log on to myQNAPcloud and you’ll have full access to the NAS through the web interface. The interface is extremely intuitive and user friendly. Even a beginner will enjoy it.
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Pro
Performance is enough for casual home use
This unit comes with a 1.1GHz dual core ARM processor and 1GB of DDR3 RAM. Its specs are enough for casual home use, like web browsing or movie watching. On the other hand, more demanding tasks, like media transcoding, would require something beefier in terms of performance.
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Top
Pro
Integrates with cloud services
This NAS can integrate with popular cloud services, like Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Yandex Disk, and others, making data transfers very quick and hassle-free.
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Top
Pro
Can be turned into a media server
Plex media server software is available for this NAS and can effectively turn it into a media server. Though note that the NAS won't be performant enough to transcode media on the fly.
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Top
Pro
Can be used for surveillance
The TS-128 comes with two free surveillance camera licenses and can store data from up to eight surveillance cameras.
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Top
Pro
Impressive third-party application support
The amount of available third-party applications is quite impressive. There's a varied selection, including media applications, cloud storage apps, as well as mobile and desktop companion apps.
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Pro
Low power consumption
Running this unit 24/7 doesn't cost much: it idles at 5.03 Watts and operates at approximately 8.96 Watts. Even in operational mode, this unit would consume approximately 78.5 KWh total in one year.
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Specs
RAM:
1GiB DDR3
CPU:
ARM V7 1.1GHz Dual Core
Data redundancy possibilities:
No
Maximum total storage volume:
16TiB
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Experiences
$139
13
0
Netgear ReadyNAS RN212
All
5
Experiences
Pros
3
Cons
1
Specs
Top
Pro
Good connectivity for fast data transfer
The Netgear ReadyNAS 212 has three USB 3.0 ports and an eSATA port, useful for attaching extra peripheral storage to the device. While USB 3.0 ports are common on NAS units, eSATA ports are somewhat less common. This is an advantage because eSATA based storage devices are both very popular and powerful (eSATA provides faster data transfer speeds than USB 3.0).
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Con
Transcoding capabilities are limited
Although it can flawlessly transcode a single Full HD video stream, it cannot do the same with Ultra HD/4K video files. It also cannot transcode to multiple client devices at once.
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Top
Pro
Affordably priced quad-core option
This is one of the most affordable quad-core NAS units available. Virtually all other quad-core options are slightly more expensive while only offering little advantage. When compared to Netgear’s corresponding dual-core model, the 212’s media transcoding performance is twice as fast.
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Top
Pro
Great as a media server
It can stream Full HD multimedia files to your computer, smartphone, tablet or smart TV with ease. It can handle video transcoding as well, unlike less powerful NAS units. The large storage volume (16TB) also ensures that you will have more than enough space for your movie and music collection.
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Specs
RAM:
2GiB DDR3
CPU:
ARM Cortex A15 1.4GHz Quad Core
Data redundancy possibilities:
RAID 0/1
SSD support:
2.5" SATA
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$199.99
19
1
WD 2TB My Cloud Personal NAS
All
7
Experiences
Pros
4
Cons
2
Specs
Top
Con
Software lacks depth
The WD software is simple, and rudimentary enough to get the job done. The software specifically lacks functionality in security settings, OSX compatibility, idle control and power/sleep settings. Keep an eye out for updates from WD, there is a decent bit of room for improvement here.
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Top
Pro
Supports syncing
Any updates that are done to files are automatically updated on the device, allowing for up to date access from all devices.
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Con
Entry level
This is really an entry level product for those looking to get started with large personal storage and security. There are many other options as far as security and storage. If you are looking to get started and see how this kind of hardware can work for you? Then by all means, make sure you have the two day free shipping!
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Top
Pro
Good bang for your buck
At roughly $120, the 2TB My Cloud is a great start to building an at home storage that is both reliable and easy to interact with.
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Top
Pro
Reliability
Easy to setup, user friendly, reliable tech support, and overall a simple experience. Great for people just getting started with large personal storage at home or in a small business.
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Top
Pro
Companion App
The MyCloud app allows you to wirelessly transfer your videos, pictures, and files onto your device while connected to any internet.
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Specs
Platforms:
PC; MAC
Weight:
2.1 lbs.
Size:
2 TB (upgradeable to 6 TB)
Dimensions:
5.5 x 1.9 x 6.7 in.
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Experiences
$119.00
3
1
Apple AirPort Time Capsule 2TB
All
6
Experiences
Pros
2
Cons
3
Specs
Top
Pro
An Apple a day...
This is the perfect solution if you are a heavy Mac, iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV user. Store movies, music, backups, and more using Time Machine. Access all of that information just as simply, using the built in software for Mac. It really is a calming feeling when all of your tech just talks to each other without you having to go through extra effort.
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Top
Con
Cross compatibility issues with PCs
Apple is notorious for not allowing easy cross compatibility with PC's. That doesn't stop you from connecting your PC to it, you just have to go through some extra steps.
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Top
Pro
Its a time capsule
The software is set up to integrate more transparently with Apple's Time Capsule features of MacOS and iOS, reducing some of the setup needed for a non-Apple brand NAS.
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Con
Combining multiple needs increases impact during a failure
With both router and backup / NAS in one device, if either part fails you risk losing both services. I had one and had the hard drive fail, which would have meant losing my wireless service while it was out to be repaired, so in the end I lost my backup / central network share capability.
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Top
Con
Lack of storage
Not much a way of upgrade options. Unless you are savvy and willing to forgo a manufacturers warranty, then the sky is the limit.
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Specs
Platforms:
Mac; iOS Devices; PCs
Weight:
3.26 lbs.
Size:
2TB/3TB
Dimensions:
3.85 x 3.85 x 6.6 inches
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$299.99
1
1
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4.7 star rating
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