QNAP TS-464 vs Synology DS425+

For a four-bay NAS that mostly backs up computers, phones and a family photo library, buy the Synology DS425+: DSM's Active Backup, Hyper Backup and Photos cover the whole household in one workflow, and it has four SATA bays plus two M.2 NVMe slots and a 2.5GbE port. Buy the QNAP TS-464-8G when the NAS is also a media or application server: it ships with 8 GB of memory, two 2.5GbE ports, a PCIe expansion slot and an HDMI output, and Plex lists its hardware-transcoding support while the DS425+'s is currently marked No.

Official specifications, compatibility records and support documentation checked November 4, 2026. Recommendations are based on maker documentation and application records, not physical evaluation.

Quick picks

Compare specifications and all conditions

Backups, photos and file sharing in DSM

Our choice

DS425+

What decides it

Active Backup, Hyper Backup, Photos; four bays plus two M.2 slots; accept 2 GB memory and one 2.5GbE port

Media server, containers, VMs or 10GbE later

Our choice

TS-464-8G

What decides it

8 GB RAM (16 GB max), dual 2.5GbE, PCIe slot, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, HDMI; Plex lists hardware transcoding

DSM with more memory, ports and expansion

Our choice

Synology DS925+

What decides it

4 GB ECC, 32 GB ceiling, dual 2.5GbE and DX525 expansion, per Synology's specification

Two-bay budget or starter build

Our choice

Our two-bay guide covers the DS224+/DS225+ and TS-264

What decides it

The same Synology-versus-QNAP decision at half the bays

Full comparison table ↔

Swipe to compare. Row labels stay visible.

Your four-bay job	Our choice	What decides it
Backups, photos and file sharing in DSM	DS425+	Active Backup, Hyper Backup, Photos; four bays plus two M.2 slots; accept 2 GB memory and one 2.5GbE port
Media server, containers, VMs or 10GbE later	TS-464-8G	8 GB RAM (16 GB max), dual 2.5GbE, PCIe slot, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, HDMI; Plex lists hardware transcoding
DSM with more memory, ports and expansion	Synology DS925+	4 GB ECC, 32 GB ceiling, dual 2.5GbE and DX525 expansion, per Synology's specification
Two-bay budget or starter build	Our two-bay guide covers the DS224+/DS225+ and TS-264	The same Synology-versus-QNAP decision at half the bays

Your four-bay job	Our choice	What decides it
Backups, photos and file sharing in DSM	DS425+	Active Backup, Hyper Backup, Photos; four bays plus two M.2 slots; accept 2 GB memory and one 2.5GbE port
Media server, containers, VMs or 10GbE later	TS-464-8G	8 GB RAM (16 GB max), dual 2.5GbE, PCIe slot, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, HDMI; Plex lists hardware transcoding
DSM with more memory, ports and expansion	Synology DS925+	4 GB ECC, 32 GB ceiling, dual 2.5GbE and DX525 expansion, per Synology's specification
Two-bay budget or starter build	Our two-bay guide covers the DS224+/DS225+ and TS-264	The same Synology-versus-QNAP decision at half the bays

The decision in one look

The two enclosures have the same drive-bay count and similar heights and depths, though the Synology is wider: its spec table lists 166 mm × 199 mm × 223 mm, while QNAP lists the TS-464 at 6.5 × 6.69 × 8.92 inch. They are aimed at different buyers. Compare the diskless enclosures at equal drive purchases; every drive order below works in either.

Sources: Synology's DS425+ specification page and QNAP's TS-464 comparison table. "None listed" reflects what each maker publishes.

• Synology DS425+2GB
• Synology DS925+4GB
• QNAP TS-464-8G8GB

Source: Synology specifications and QNAP's US configuration table

• Synology DS425+2.5Gbps
• QNAP TS-464-8G2.5Gbps

Source: Synology specifications and QNAP's US configuration table

Two numbers explain the price of each choice. Synology ships 2 GB of memory, and Synology's own Photos application guidance in this family asks for more for object recognition: check the current DSM specification before assuming the stock DS425+ handles it. QNAP ships 8 GB, but its operating-system breadth (QuTS hero, Virtualization Station, Container Station) expects a more technically involved administrator. Neither enclosure's port link rates are measured transfer speeds.

Synology DS425+: our pick for a backup-and-photo household

Buy the DS425+ for its software. Synology documents a complete endpoint-and-NAS backup path: Active Backup for Business backs up PCs, file servers and VMs with centralized administration and file- or whole-device restores; Hyper Backup backs the NAS itself up to external drives, remote servers or cloud destinations including Synology C2 Storage; immutable snapshots protect shared folders and LUNs with automated retention. Synology Photos backs up phones and organizes the library. That is a whole-household plan from one vendor, which is why we recommend it for backup-first buyers rather than calling DSM universally easier.

The hardware is coherent with that job: four SATA bays, two M.2 2280 NVMe slots for caching or (with Synology-verified SSDs) storage pools, a 2.5GbE port, and Synology's own measured 278 MB/s read / 281 MB/s write for the enclosure — internal figures that depend on drives and configuration. Synology lists a maximum single volume size of 108 TB and a 6 GB memory ceiling (2 GB plus a 4 GB module, the D4NS01-4G). The standard warranty is three years, extendable by two with Extended Warranty Plus.

The trade-offs: 2 GB of installed memory is the real constraint, the second network port is 1GbE, there is no PCIe slot and no HDMI, and Plex's compatibility sheet currently marks the DS425+'s hardware-transcoding columns No. If DSM matters but the ceiling does not, the Synology DS925+ below keeps the workflow with 4 GB ECC memory, a 32 GB ceiling, two 2.5GbE ports and documented DX525 expansion. For a smaller build, our best two-bay NAS guide covers the DS225+.

See the DS425+ on Synology's US site. Confirm the exact enclosure model and diskless contents on the actual offer.

QNAP TS-464-8G: our pick for media and applications

The TS-464 gives you more hardware to grow into. QNAP's current US configuration table lists 8 GB of SODIMM DDR4 in two slots with a 16 GB maximum, an Intel Celeron N5095 with burst to 2.9 GHz, two 2.5GbE ports (2.5G/1G/100M/10M), two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports with a one-touch copy button, an HDMI 2.1 output, and one PCIe Gen 3 x2 slot that can take a dual-port 10GbE or 5GbE card or a QM2 card for more M.2 slots. QNAP says a dual-DIMM configuration requires a pair of identical DDR4 modules, and port trunking of the two built-in 2.5GbE ports reaches up to 589 MB/s in QNAP's own test environment.

Plex's NAS compatibility sheet lists the TS-464 (all variants, Celeron N5095) as hardware-transcoding-capable through H.264 2160p, with the HEVC SDR and HDR 2160p input columns specifying "H.264 Output"; hardware acceleration needs a Plex Pass. QNAP documents Container Station, Virtualization Station (run Windows or Linux VMs and use the HDMI output as a PC), and an optional switch to the ZFS-based QuTS hero operating system, which QNAP notes requires backing up your data and removing all disks first, and at least 8 GB of RAM.

The trade-offs: QTS is a broader and more technical system to administer than a backup appliance, the drive-compatibility onus is on you (QNAP ships the system without drives and points to its compatibility list), and 10GbE or 5GbE means buying and installing a PCIe card, which the DS425+ cannot do at all. Our best NAS for Plex guide covers the transcoding decision in depth, and the diy NAS hardware guide covers the from-scratch alternative.

See the TS-464 on QNAP's US site. Confirm the exact memory configuration (TS-464-8G versus the 4 GB variant) on the actual offer.

Media, cameras and applications: verify before ordering

Plex. The record difference is current and specific: Plex's sheet lists the TS-464 as hardware-accelerated through H.264 2160p, while the DS425+ row's hardware columns are No, with a dated note that it "should be HW transcoding compatible but are not. Investigating". Direct Play works on either. Hardware acceleration requires Plex Pass, and HEVC input support is not the same as HEVC output. For a dedicated media build, read Jellyfin vs Plex hardware first.

Cameras. Synology's Surveillance Station supports over 8,700 IP camera models, with the DS425+ page citing a recommended 40 IP cameras at 1080p; it includes two free camera licenses, and more require licenses. QNAP's surveillance stack (QVR Pro) is compatible with 6,000-plus IP cameras of 190+ brands, includes 8 free camera channels, supports up to 1,024 channels, and offers subscription or perpetual licensing and HDMI playback. Count your cameras and check each model against the maker's camera list before ordering either.

Containers and VMs. Both ecosystems run containers: Synology lists the DS425+ under Container Manager's applied models, and QNAP ships Container Station, plus Virtualization Station and Linux Station (RAM of 4 GB or more) for virtual machines. The TS-464's 8 GB (to 16 GB) gives those workloads room; the DS425+'s 6 GB ceiling does not.

Photos. QNAP's QuMagie provides AI-based smart albums and search. Synology's DS425+ specification documents that Photos object recognition requires upgrading memory to at least 4 GB; check current app requirements before treating either app as more polished.

• Yes: Plex hardware transcoding: listed for TS-464 (H.264 2160p; HEVC inputs output as H.264) — requires Plex Pass
• No: Plex hardware transcoding on DS425+: currently marked No in Plex's sheet, under investigation
• Yes: Surveillance: Synology lists 8,700+ camera models (2 free licenses); QNAP lists 6,000+ cameras of 190+ brands
• Yes: Containers: DS425+ is listed under Container Manager's applied models; QNAP ships Container Station
• Partly: Virtual machines: both list support, but plan memory — DS425+ tops out at 6 GB
• Partly: M.2 NVMe use: both have two slots; Synology M.2 pools and cache need drives on its compatibility list

Drive rules, RAID and a complete order

Neither enclosure includes drives; both makers tell you to check their compatibility lists. Synology states that 2025 model-year DiskStation Plus models running DSM 7.3 support installation and storage-pool creation with third-party drives, while M.2 storage pools and cache still require Synology-verified drives. QNAP lists 3.5-inch SATA hard drives and 2.5-inch SATA SSDs for the TS-464 and points to its own compatibility list. Also follow Synology's guidance on its Plus Series and Enterprise drives where you want the maker's integration; our best NAS hard drives and Synology drive compatibility checklist guides cover the details.

Four equal drives in RAID 5 hold three drives' capacity: four 8 TB drives give a nominal 24 TB before filesystem and system overhead, and tolerate one failed drive. Both enclosures support RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10 and global hot spares; Synology lists migration and expansion, while QNAP's comparison page lists online RAID level migration and RAID 5+ Spare migration paths; Synology also offers Synology Hybrid RAID. For more on the trade-offs, see RAID 1 vs RAID 5.

1. 1

   Order the enclosure and confirm the exact model (DS425+; TS-464-8G, not the 4 GB variant)

2. 2

   Order four identical NAS drives from the maker's compatibility list (CMR, 8 TB or larger as needed)

3. 3

   Choose the RAID level before inserting drives; RAID 5 with four drives is the common starting point

4. 4

   Add a separate backup destination — a NAS is not a backup; see the recovery section

5. 5

   Power on, update the operating system, then create the pool and test a restore before loading data

Recovery: rehearse before you need it

A four-bay purchase is a five-year commitment, so decide the backup and recovery path before the drives arrive. On the Synology side, plan an off-box destination for Hyper Backup: a USB drive, a second NAS or Synology C2 Storage. QNAP documents Hybrid Backup Sync with QuDedup deduplication, cloud backup/sync and backup from a local NAS to a remote NAS, and QNAP documents Time Machine support for Macs on the TS-464. QNAP also documents that migrating between the QTS and QuTS hero operating systems requires backing up and removing all disks — an OS switch is not an in-place operation.

Whichever enclosure you buy, rehearse two events while the NAS is new: restore a deleted file from a snapshot or backup version, and simulate a failed drive by pulling one drive and confirming the pool rebuilds. Document the replacement-drive plan: buy the same model, or a compatible model from the maker's list, and note that both enclosures support hot spares. Our UPS for router and NAS guide covers the power side of the same reliability plan.

Expansion, memory and support over the ownership period

The DS425+ and TS-464 are both towers with no manufacturer drive-expansion unit of their own class: the DS425+ has no expansion connector listed, and the TS-464's PCIe slot is for cards, not drive trays. QNAP does document a TL-series expansion-unit path in its marketing for larger families; verify any specific expansion chassis against the TS-464's support list before planning on it. If you know you'll outgrow four bays, the Synology DS925+ with its documented DX525 path (five more bays, per Synology) is the safer purchase.

Memory and networking are where the enclosures genuinely diverge. The TS-464 can go from 8 GB to 16 GB, with a dual-DIMM configuration requiring a pair of identical DDR4 modules, and its PCIe slot accepts a 5GbE or 10GbE card; the DS425+ can go from 2 GB to 6 GB with Synology's D4NS01-4G module (Synology warns that non-Synology memory forfeits full warranty and support) and its networking is fixed. Both carry a standard three-year warranty; Synology offers Extended Warranty Plus for two more years within 90 days of purchase, and QNAP sells extended warranties through its store.

How we choose

We have not physically tested these enclosures. Every specification here comes from Synology's and QNAP's own product and specification pages (linked in each section and in the product records), the drive and memory policies from each maker's compatibility documentation, and application support from Plex's published NAS compatibility sheet and the makers' package documentation, all checked November 4, 2026. Picks are ranked by how completely each enclosure and its documented software cover a stated household job at equal drive purchases. Full method: How we choose.

Buying guide: the complete checklist

Match the purchase to the job, not the badge. The Synology-versus-QNAP question is really DSM-versus-hardware-headroom. Write down your top three jobs (backup, photos, media, cameras, containers) and check each against the application table above before comparing anything else.

Total the complete kit. Diskless enclosure plus four identical drives plus a backup destination plus, for the TS-464, any PCIe card you plan. Two multi-gig switch ports are needed to use 2.5GbE at both ends. A NAS purchase that skips the separate backup destination is the most expensive mistake in this category.

Verify before ordering: the exact memory configuration (TS-464-8G versus TS-464-4G; DS425+ 2 GB stock), the drive models on the maker's compatibility list, your cameras on the surveillance list, and Plex's current sheet if transcoding matters. Buying a four-bay enclosure is a platform decision; the best four-bay NAS roundup covers where these two sit against UGREEN and ASUSTOR alternatives.

Verdict

Buy the Synology DS425+ if the NAS's job is your household's backup, photo and file server: DSM's Active Backup, Hyper Backup, Photos and immutable snapshots form one coherent recovery plan, and four SATA bays plus two M.2 slots give it room. Live within its 6 GB memory ceiling, single 2.5GbE port and current lack of Plex hardware-transcoding support. Buy the QNAP TS-464-8G when the NAS is also the media and application server: 8 GB of memory (16 GB maximum), dual 2.5GbE, a PCIe slot for 10GbE, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports and an HDMI output, with Plex-listed hardware transcoding — paid for with a more technical system to administer. And if you want the DSM workflow without the DS425+'s ceilings, buy the Synology DS925+ for its ECC memory, 32 GB maximum, second 2.5GbE port and DX525 expansion path.