Want to set up your first NAS? You don't have to wait long for Black Friday
Black Friday is a few weeks away, and it's always a great time to buy storage enclosures and hard drives. Unfortunately, there have been severe shortages around hard drives in recent months, but availability is thankfully getting back to regular levels as we head into the holiday season.
While network-attached storage (NAS) enclosures haven't had the same issues with availability, this category hasn't seen as many new launches as in previous years. That said, the best home NAS launches from last year - particularly the DiskStation DS1520+ - continue to be a stellar choice, handling everything from Plex media streaming in 4K to backing up your connected phones and so much more with ease.
There are a few things to consider when you're buying a NAS enclosure. First is the number of drive bays. Most budget models come with a single or two drive bays, and mid-range models have four or more drive bays. If this is the first time you're buying a NAS, my recommendation would be to go with a single or two-bay NAS enclosure.
There are already a few enticing deals for NAS enclosures, but we'll have to wait a few weeks for the truly standout discounts to go live. In the meantime, I'm rounding up a list of NAS enclosures that you should take a look at during Black Friday.
Jump to:Best Black Friday NAS dealsSynology DiskStation DS220j
The DiskStation DS220j is a budget behemoth, and while there isn't a deal on this NAS just yet, it was on sale for 30% off during last year's Black Friday. You can look forward to similar savings this year as well.
$190 at Amazon $190 at Newegg $190 at B&H Photo
Synology DiskStation DS220+ | Save $9 at Amazon
The DiskStation DS220+ is the ideal choice for a 2-bay home NAS that handles everything you throw at it. The NAS was available for 17% off last year, and that will be the case this time as well, so if you're looking to get started with a new NAS, this is a deal you cannot miss.
$291 at Amazon - $300 at Newegg $300 at B&H Photo
Synology DiskStation DS920+
The DiskStation DS920+ is my favorite 4-bay NAS enclosure. It has powerful hardware that makes it an excellent choice for Plex 4K streaming, has a laundry list of features, and holds up to 64TB of storage. This NAS was available at a 20% discount last year, and that's likely to be the case for 2021 as well, making it an easy recommendation.
$548 at Amazon $550 at Newegg$550 at B&H Photo
Synology DiskStation DS1520+
The DiskStation DS1520+ is my recommendation if you want a high-end NAS for Plex media streaming. The five drive bays can hold a total of 80TB of storage, you get all the connectivity you're looking for, and the hardware on offer makes this a fantastic choice for streaming your media collection. The DS1520+ will go on sale for the first time this year, which alone makes it worthy of consideration.
$698 at Amazon $700 at Newegg $700 at B&H Photo
TerraMaster F2-221 2-bay NAS
I used the F2-221 earlier this year and liked the design and hardware on offer. The NAS is well-suited for Plex and storage needs and usually goes on sale for up to 30% off its retail value, making it a particularly great choice.
QNAP TS-231K 2-bay NAS
The TS-231K is a solid option if you're just getting started with a storage enclosure. It has all the hardware you need and undercuts its immediate rivals by a decent margin. Best of all, it was available for 38% off last year, so look forward to this deal going live in a few weeks.
Buffalo LinkStation 4TB NAS | Save $48 at Amazon
The LinkStation is a reliable choice if you want an integrated NAS with a built-in hard drive. The NAS is already on sale right now, so if you need an enclosure right now, you will want to take a look at the LinkStation.
WD My Cloud EX2 Ultra 8TB NAS | Save $78 at Amazon
Like the LinkStation, the My Cloud EX2 has an integrated 8TB hard drive that makes it easy to get started. It is also on sale right now, but if you wait a few weeks, you're going to see even bigger savings.
Best Black Friday hard drive dealsMost NAS enclosures do not have hard drives, so you will have to buy these on your own. However, there's an entire category of hard drives designed for 24/7 use within a NAS, with these models featuring vibration resistance and firmware designed to deliver long-term reliability. Western Digital and Seagate offer a wide variety of NAS hard drives, so let's take a look at what's currently available.
WD Red Pro 6TB NAS HDD | Save $57 at Amazon
The WD Red Pro series is aimed at enthusiast users, with the drive coming with a 5-year warranty, 7200rpm as standard, and a 300 terabyte/year endurance rating. The drive is already on sale for 21% off its retail value, and it is a standout choice if you need a NAS-focused hard drive.
WD Easystore 14TB HDD | Save $150 at Best Buy
The WD Easystore isn't a traditional hard drive, but these enclosures contain high-quality 14TB drives of the same caliber as regular NAS drives. These are often the best deals for high-storage NAS drives, and I have used several of the 14TB drives in various enclosures over the years.
Seagate IronWolf 10TB NAS HDD
Seagate's IronWolf NAS drives are the gold standard, offering outstanding performance and reliability. The drive spins at 7200rpm has a 256MB cache, has vibration resistance baked in, and comes with a three-year warranty as standard. This particular drive was down by 29% last year, and while it isn't likely to go down nearly as much this time, you can look forward to decent savings.