Buying A NAS? Watch This First (2026 Guide)

Choosing the right NAS can feel overwhelming — especially when you start hearing terms like RAID, parity, transcoding, and “how many bays do I actually need?” In this video, I break it all down in a way that actually makes sense. We’ll walk through the real differences between 2-bay, 4-bay, and larger NAS setups, explain how RAID works (including RAID 1 and RAID 5), and talk about what really impacts performance — like multiple users, simultaneous streams, and transcoding. More importantly, I’ll help you understand why these things matter so you can choose a setup that fits your needs today — without outgrowing it tomorrow. If you’re building your first NAS or upgrading from something like a 2-bay system, this will give you the clarity you need to make the right decision. If you enjoy content that makes complex tech simple, consider subscribing — that’s exactly what this channel is all about. 🎉 Hey Tech Fans, here is the guide I discussed in the video for choosing a NAS in my free Patreon Tier! Please check it out and make sure to leave your comments and feedback! https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-... 👉🏻 Some links may be affiliate links, which help support the channel at no extra cost to you. Thanks for keeping this content alive! 🙌 🎯 Stay Connected with Me! 🌐 Bluesky – Catch my latest thoughts and updates: @mackeytech.bsky.social 🧢 Merch Store – Rep the channel and support the content: mackeytech.myspreadshop.com 🎥 Patreon – Get early content, exclusive posts, and support the channel directly: patreon.com/mackeytech 🖥️ My Gear - Recording, editing and tech equipment https://kit.co/Mackeytech/mackey-tech... 👉 🖥️ Mackey Tech Official Website: https://www.mackeytech.online 💻 The UGREEN DXP6800 Pro NAS I Use: https://amzn.to/4t7RO1N BTW 🛡️ I’ve partnered with AdGuard to get you 80% off; follow the adguard link and use code MACKEYTECH80 at checkout to protect your devices from ads, trackers, and sketchy popups! https://adguard.com?aid=137721 NAS Brands discussed: Asustor: https://www.asustor.com/en/ Ugreen: https://www.ugreen.com/ QNAP: https://www.qnap.com/en-us Synology: https://www.synology.com/en-global TerraMaster: https://www.terra-master.com/ Unifi NAS: https://store.ui.com/us/en/category/n... #NAS #synology #ugreen #terramaster #unifi #truenas