Written 21 Aug 2026. Specs from the maker pages linked below. Prices from those stores. I haven't used these.
A first file box (NAS) for one person
You can share files from the old laptop for a while. A NAS is the later box: a quiet machine with hard drives that keeps photos and backups in one place. Two drive bays and simple software if you just want backups that restore. More bays and a faster port if you already know you will run extra apps on it.
Start at what you already have if you don't have a file box yet. A USB drive on the old laptop is enough to learn. The empty NAS is the teaser price. The drives are the real bill. Budget NAS-rated 4–8 TB disks on top, then a spare. Anyone quoting a NAS without drive math is selling a chassis.
What to buy
| Box | Why | Street, 2026 | Skip if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synology DS223 (Value 2-bay) | DSM and sleep without Plus packages. 2 GB soldered, one 1GbE. Skip the j. | Diskless often $250–285. Confirm B0BRNBVTJK, not a drive kit. | You need Container Manager, a RAM lid, or dual LAN. That is DS224+. |
| Synology DS224+ (Plus 2-bay) | DSM with Plus packages, dual gigabit, and a 6 GB RAM lid. Photos transcode and Container Manager live here. | Diskless often around $300. | You only want Hyper Backup. Pay less for DS223. |
| UGREEN DXP4800 Plus | Intel, DDR5, 10GbE plus 2.5GbE in the box, Docker. Hardware beats the Synology at the same money. | Diskless often $500–700 depending on shop. UGOS is the question, not the NIC. | You want “set it and forget it” more than ports. |
| DIY plus TrueNAS / Unraid on a mini PC | Cheapest path if you already like pain. | N100 plus a USB DAS or a real HBA. | This is your first backup box. Don't. |
What this is for
The first NAS is a backup target, not a Plex flex. If the copies are not automatic and off the laptop, you bought a toy. Put 10G on the shopping list only after 2.5G is actually full.
Sources
Synology DS224+ (diskless Plus 2-bay). UGREEN DXP4800 Plus ($619.99 on fetch; 10GbE + 2.5GbE). TrueNAS is the DIY OS, not a first backup box. Street moves.