4 Bay NAS Enclosure Tier List
4-bay NAS enclosures ranked by software ecosystem, hardware capability, and real-world usability.
S
Synology DS923+ 4-Bay NAS
DSM is the gold standard NAS operating system — stable, feature-rich, and actively maintained — and the DS923+ pairs it with a capable dual-core AMD CPU, expandable RAM, and dual 1GbE with 10GbE upgrade potential. The only real knock is that it ships with 1GbE by default, requiring an add-in card to reach 10GbE, which adds cost and a slot. A
TERRAMASTER F4-424 Pro 4-Bay NAS
The i3-N305 with 32GB DDR5 is genuinely powerful hardware for a 4-bay NAS, and dual 2.5GbE is solid out of the box. TerraMaster's TOS software has improved meaningfully but still lags behind Synology DSM and QNAP QTS in app ecosystem depth and long-term firmware reliability. 
TERRAMASTER F4-425 Plus 4-Bay NAS
Dual 5GbE ports and three M.2 slots on an Intel N150 platform is an unusually strong hardware package at this price point, making it one of the best-equipped mid-range 4-bay units available. TOS software remains the limiting factor — it works well for media and backup but can't match Synology or QNAP for enterprise-adjacent features. 
QNAP TS-464-8G 4-Bay NAS
The TS-464 hits a strong balance of capable Intel Celeron hardware, dual 2.5GbE, M.2 PCIe slots, and QNAP's mature QTS ecosystem with broad app support. It falls just short of S-tier because QTS has a steeper learning curve than DSM and QNAP's security track record has had notable incidents that require attentive firmware management. 
Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen2 AS6704T 4-Bay NAS
Four M.2 NVMe slots, dual 2.5GbE with 10GbE expansion capability, and a quad-core processor make the Lockerstor 4 Gen2 one of the most hardware-capable units in this price range. ADM (Asustor's OS) is functional and improving but has a smaller app ecosystem and less community support than Synology or QNAP, which matters for long-term usability. 
QNAP TS-435XeU-4G 4-Bay Rackmount NAS
The TS-435XeU combines a Marvell Octeon quad-core with built-in 10GbE and dual 2.5GbE in a short-depth rackmount — a genuinely rare combination that makes it compelling for rack-based deployments needing high network throughput. QTS is mature and capable, though QNAP's security history means you need to stay on top of firmware updates. 
Asustor AS5404T 4-Bay NAS
The AS5404T packs four M.2 NVMe slots, dual 2.5GbE, and an Intel quad-core into a well-built chassis, making it one of the most hardware-capable units in the mid-range 4-bay segment. ADM is functional and improving, but Asustor's smaller community and app ecosystem compared to Synology and QNAP remains the persistent trade-off. B
Synology RS422+ 4-Bay Rackmount NAS
The RS422+ brings Synology's excellent DSM to a 1U rackmount form factor, which is genuinely useful for homelab or small office rack setups. However, it uses a slower Realtek ARM-based CPU and only 1GbE networking, making it a compromise compared to desktop Synology units at similar or lower prices. 
UGREEN NASync DXP4800 Plus 4-Bay NAS
The DXP4800 Plus offers compelling hardware — 10GbE built-in, dual M.2 slots, and a 128GB SSD cache included — but UGREEN's NAS OS (UGOS) is new and unproven over the long term, which is a real risk for a device meant to store important data for years. The 10GbE out of the box is genuinely rare at this price and makes it worth considering for network-heavy workloads if you're comfortable with a younger software platform. 
TERRAMASTER F4-425 4-Bay NAS
The F4-425 base model offers a reasonable entry point with an Intel quad-core and 2.5GbE, but 4GB RAM is tight for anything beyond basic file sharing and the single 2.5GbE port limits throughput compared to dual-port competitors at similar prices. It's a functional home NAS but the F4-425 Plus is a meaningfully better product for only a modest premium. 
Asustor Drivestor 4 Pro Gen2 AS3304T 4-Bay NAS
The AS3304T v2 delivers 2.5GbE and a quad-core processor at one of the lowest price points in the category, making it a strong value pick for home media serving and basic backup. ADM is functional but the 2GB RAM ceiling and lack of M.2 slots mean it can't grow with more demanding workloads. 
QNAP TS-433-4G 4-Bay NAS
The TS-433 is a budget-friendly QNAP with a quad-core processor and 2.5GbE, but the Cortex-A55 ARM CPU limits it to lighter workloads — containers and transcoding are marginal at best. It's a reasonable entry point into the QTS ecosystem but the ARM architecture is a ceiling you'll hit faster than with x86 alternatives. 
QNAP TS-464eU-8G 4-Bay Rackmount NAS
The TS-464eU brings the capable Intel Celeron platform from the desktop TS-464 into a short-depth 1U rackmount, which is a useful form factor for small rack deployments. Dual 2.5GbE and 8GB DDR4 are solid, but it's essentially the same hardware as the desktop TS-464 in a rack chassis — choose based on form factor need, not performance difference. 
QNAP TS-462-4G 4-Bay NAS
The TS-462 uses an Intel Celeron dual-core (not quad-core like the TS-464) with M.2 PCIe slots and 2.5GbE, making it a capable but slightly underpowered entry into the QNAP x86 lineup. It's a reasonable choice if the TS-464 is unavailable, but the dual-core CPU is a meaningful step down for multi-user or container workloads. C
Synology DS423 4-Bay NAS
The DS423 runs DSM — which is a genuine advantage — but uses a Realtek ARM processor that can't hardware transcode and struggles with containers or VMs, limiting it to basic file serving and backup duties. For the price, you're paying a Synology premium for software on hardware that can't take full advantage of it. 
UGREEN NAS DH4300 Plus 4-Bay NAS
The DH4300 Plus is aimed squarely at beginners with a simplified OS and easy setup, and it delivers on that promise with 2.5GbE and a built-in SSD. However, UGOS Pro's maturity is unproven, the hardware is modest, and the simplified approach means you'll hit ceilings quickly if your needs grow beyond basic backup and photo storage. 
AOOSTAR WTR PRO 4-Bay NAS Mini PC
The AOOSTAR WTR PRO is a mini PC with NAS-style drive bays rather than a purpose-built NAS — it runs a general-purpose OS (typically Windows or Linux) rather than a dedicated NAS platform, which means you're responsible for your own software stack, RAID management, and security updates. The Ryzen 7 5825U is powerful hardware, but the lack of a managed NAS OS and the no-name brand's uncertain long-term support make this a project device, not a plug-and-play NAS. D
QNAP TL-R400S 4-Bay Rackmount JBOD
This is a JBOD expansion enclosure, not a NAS — it has no processor, no OS, and no network connectivity on its own. It requires a host system with a compatible PCIe SATA card to function, making it off-category for anyone shopping for a standalone NAS. 
QNAP TL-D400S 4-Bay JBOD Enclosure
Like the TL-R400S, this is a JBOD DAS expansion enclosure with no network stack or NAS functionality — it expands storage for an existing system rather than operating independently. Not a NAS enclosure in any meaningful sense for standalone use. 
QNAP TR-004 4-Bay USB-C DAS
The TR-004 is a USB-C DAS with hardware RAID — useful as external storage for a single computer, but it has no network connectivity and is not a NAS in any functional sense. Listing it here misleads buyers who need network-accessible storage. 
QNAP TR-004U 4-Bay Rackmount DAS
The TR-004U is a 1U rackmount DAS with USB 3.0 connectivity and hardware RAID — it's an expansion enclosure for an existing system, not a standalone NAS. It has no network stack and cannot serve files independently. F
QNAP TS-410 4-Bay NAS
The TS-410 is a 2009-era NAS that has been out of firmware support for well over a decade — running it on a network today is a security liability, not a storage solution. No modern NAS software features, no security patches, and no justification for purchase when current alternatives exist at every price point. 
Yottamaster 4-Bay USB-C Enclosure
This is a basic USB-C hard drive enclosure with no RAID, no NAS software, and no network connectivity — it is not a NAS enclosure by any definition. Buyers looking for a 4-bay NAS will find nothing here that meets their needs. The 4 Bay NAS Enclosure tier list was last updated . Some products may be missing or not added yet. We will try to include them in our next update.
4 Bay NAS Enclosure Criteria
S-tier 4-bay NAS enclosures combine a mature, actively maintained software ecosystem with hardware that won't bottleneck modern workloads. That means a processor capable of hardware transcoding, at least 2.5GbE networking, M.2 NVMe cache slots, and enough RAM to run containers or VMs without constant swapping. The best units also have a clear upgrade path — PCIe expansion, 10GbE capability, and a vendor that ships security patches reliably.
Mid-tier units (B and C) typically get the hardware right but stumble on software, or vice versa. A common pattern is a capable processor paired with a vendor's immature OS — functional for basic file sharing but frustrating for anything beyond that. Others use older or slower networking (1GbE), lack NVMe cache slots, or ship with RAM configurations that require immediate upgrades to be useful. These are fine for simple home backup or media streaming but hit walls quickly.
D and F tier products are either outdated hardware that can't run modern NAS software features, JBOD/DAS enclosures that aren't NAS devices at all, or units from vendors with poor firmware support histories. A NAS with no active OS development is a security liability. Products with USB-only connectivity, no network stack, or discontinued firmware belong at the bottom regardless of build quality.
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