When it comes to putting together a Network-Attached Storage system, the DIY method has as many perks and quirks as the pre-built option. But if you opt for the latter, you’ll probably come across Synology rigs during your hunt for NAS chassis. Although Synology used to reign over other NAS manufacturers once upon a time, the company has pivoted to extremely anti-consumer tactics since 2024 – moves that received so much criticism that the company eventually had to roll back certain decisions.

Unfortunately, the damage has already been done, with many tinkerers (including yours truly) moving on to greener NAS avenues. Heck, I’ve entirely stopped recommending Synology chassis to my friends and family, especially since there are plenty of other routes you can take when embarking on your NAS journey.

Synology’s recent decisions have made me lose all faith in the company

It’s been one trainwreck after another

If you’re wondering why I’ve taken such a stance against Synology, let me enlighten you with the drive restrictions that the company began to apply to certain models. You see, Synology sells HDDs alongside NAS chassis, but considering the superior price-to-performance ratio of Seagate, WD, and Toshiba drives, it’s no wonder that most folks went for the latter. Synology, however, decided to pull an Adobe move by applying firmware restrictions that forced users to connect Synology-branded drives.

Such an anti-consumer decision was especially ironic for NAS rigs, which are essentially designed to help typical users take back control over personal data from large corporations and their privacy-intrusive cloud platforms. The result? Synology received so much backlash from its blatant cash grab attempt that it had to walk back on these restrictions in some of the recent updates. But for folks like myself, the trust was already broken. After all, if a company has tried to enshittify their products once, there’s no telling when they may attempt to do so again.

Then you’ve got the other problem plaguing modern Synology devices: the lack of transcoding drivers for HEVC. I tend to use my primary NAS as a Jellyfin hub for all the TV shows and movies I’ve collected over the years. Not being able to use hardware transcoding is a major problem for a Jellyfin media server – especially considering that it’s a full-fledged NAS with the proper hardware for the job.

Rival NAS brands have come a long way

And they’re actually better than Synology systems

There was a time when Synology’s DSM was the best proprietary NAS distribution on the block, as it combined a simple UI with all the containerization, storage, media management, and backup features you could ask for. To some extent, DSM is still a decent option for beginners, even with the atrocious Synology Photos replacing Photo Station and Moments. However, NAS chassis from rival brands have become a lot more useful these days – and that includes the operating systems powering these rigs. I’ve reviewed multiple TerraMaster NAS units over the years, and TOS is a lot better than the unintuitive mess it was a few years ago. The same holds true for the latest versions of QNAP’s QTS and Asustor’s ADM. Sure, these distros have some rough edges, but you don’t have to pick up a Synology NAS just to get a usable UI for your storage server. Then you've got companies like LincStation that often include Unraid licenses with their storage servers, and it's easily the most accessible NAS distribution out there.

Then you’ve got the hardware side of things, which is where pretty much every rival NAS (and even weird portable systems/SBCs) I’ve encountered over the last couple of years blows its Synology counterparts out of the water. Synology’s specs just haven’t caught up to the faster interfaces, extra RAM, and powerful CPUs that ship with similarly-priced NAS from rival brands. You’ve got 4-bay NAS units with full-fledged x86 processors with 2.5G ports and HEVC transcoding support that retail for under $500, as opposed to the Arm-based, RAM-starved offerings from Synology. Heck, I’ve got a ZimaBoard 2 hybrid SBC/NAS that’s not only cheaper than typical 2-bay Synology units, but also surpasses them on the hardware front!

You can even arm your NAS with a custom distro

If you’re still dissatisfied with the OS powering your pre-built NAS, you can opt for a custom distribution to get the most utility out of your budget-friendly storage server. Don’t get me wrong: many NAS manufacturers can void your chassis’ warranty if you remove their proprietary OS. But if you’re pretty experienced with home labs, you can take the risk – especially if you’re planning to grab a chassis that’s nearing its EOL date for OS updates.

In fact, I’ve installed Proxmox, TrueNAS, Ubuntu Server, Debian, and other distros on multiple pre-built rigs without any issues. My primary and remote storage servers, for example, run TrueNAS, and although it’s a lot more complex than TOS, its extensive features make up for the slightly steep learning curve. If you’ve got an Arm-based NAS, you can go for the ultralight king, OpenMediaVault, and equip it with plugins as your tinkering needs evolve over time. Or, you can even look into the lesser-known distributions like XigmaNAS, Rockstor, and EasyNAS, which have their own unique features and drawbacks.

A DIY NAS is the ideal solution to your storage woes

Having started my descent into the NAS rabbit hole with nothing besides an old PC and a dream, I have to admit that a DIY storage server is the best option for most tinkerers. Sure, it’s a tad more expensive than your average pre-built chassis, but you get the freedom to pick the right hardware that matches your storage needs. For example, most proprietary NAS rigs in my home lab don’t include spare PCIe ports, with some even featuring soldered RAM sticks that restrict future upgrades.

Building a NAS from scratch may require some extra elbow grease, but you don’t have to deal with these restrictions anymore. While the exact specifics will vary depending on the form-factor of your motherboard and case, you can get a solid collection of IO ports and PCIe slots on your DIY storage server. Plus, you have the option to upgrade your storage server down the line, and can tinker with a bunch of cool NAS distributions without worrying about voiding the warranty of your workstation.