The NAS is available for less than any other pick on this list, and you can pick up a 4TB IronWolf hard drive and get started with a 4TB media server for not a whole lot of cash. If you're looking for a more affordable option that lets you get started with Synology's excellent DiskStation Manager software, the DiskStation DS120j is a great choice. You have the option to set up user accounts and have family members set up their own private space for photos and other data on the NAS. There's even a utility that automatically sorts the photos uploaded to the NAS into albums.

It comes with an exhaustive list of options that make it easy to back up the data on all devices across your home network, stream audio and video seamlessly. Synology's DiskStation Manager software is the gold standard in the industry. You can pick up the DS220j and a 4TB hard drive for a low price, and in doing so, you'll get a robust NAS enclosure with excellent software features.

The IronWolf drives are designed to run in NAS enclosures, and they come with vibration protection and 24/7 reliability. The NAS comes in at a reasonable price, but that's just for the diskless enclosure - you will have to buy NAS hard drives, like Seagate's 4TB IronWolf hard drive, separately.

The DS220j has two drive bays, and each bay can accommodate hard drives up to 16TB. If you're looking at a budget model to get started, the DiskStation DS220j is a great option. The brand makes the best home NAS enclosures and sells dozens of enclosures across all price points. If you're looking to build a NAS for backing up data from all the phones and Windows and macOS machines in your house or storing your audio and media library, Synology is the ideal place to start.

Best nas for home media server