Video editing is taxing work. I can’t count how many times I spent hours cutting, copying, pasting, and finally rendering the video I was editing only to realize that I made a mistake halfway in.
It’s even worse when I run out of storage space in my external drives as I’m transferring the newly edited file. I’ll then have to choose between leaving in the weird half-second delay in the video or rendering it in low-quality—the horror!
I must admit, I only found out about NAS systems two years ago. At the time, I was complaining about how expensive it was to keep buying SSDs and HDDs to a fellow editor. How I wished I knew about them sooner!
This guide will provide you with the information you need to buy the right NAS system, including some of the best NAS systems for video editing you can find today. Let’s get right into it!
What is NAS?
A Network Attached Storage (NAS) system is a device used to store and share particularly large files across a network and a variety of cloud storage and application services. This is especially useful for business owners and video editors who require a more demanding and secure storage unit for their files.
Top 3 NAS Systems to Store and Backup Your Video Files
There are multiple NAS systems out there, but only a few make it to the top. Here are three of what I believe are the best NAS systems that are ideal for video editing!
1. BUFFALO TeraStation 3410DN Desktop – Best Overall
- Pre-tested NAS-grade hard drives included – with RAID pre-configured saving you time and money
- 3-year wty with 24/7 North American-based support
- Compatible with Amazon S3, Dropbox, Dropbox Business, Microsoft Azure and OneDrive
- 16 TB – 4 drives included - ships in RAID 5 = 12 TB usable capacity
- Free personal cloud for access to from any PC & MAC computer tablet and smartphone
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The BUFFALO TeraStation 3410DN is a beauty both inside and out. The company offers several capacity options, including 4, 8, 12, and 16TB models, with the option of adding two more hard drives.
One of the advantages of the 3410DN is that it all comes pre-tested out of the box. Building a RAID array typically requires hours of downloading and programming, so this feature is a pleasant surprise that’ll save you both time and money.
When it comes to internal functions, this unit has an inbuilt dual-core processor that takes care of all the setup and automation tasks. On top of that, it comes with a LAN interface that allows you to connect the machine to a local network.
If you’d rather transfer your video files directly instead, you can simply connect your laptop or phone to one of the two USB 3.0 ports to the flash drives and external hard drives.
Pros
- Compatible with a number of storage applications, including Dropbox, Dropbox Business, OneDrive, Amazon S3, and Microsoft Azure
- Comes with a NovaBACKUP business-level PC backup software
- Performance remains strong even if multiple users are using it at the same time
- Quiet operation
Cons
- May overheat when used for hours at a time
2. Synology NAS DiskStation DS1520+ – Best Value
- Capacity-scalable NAS with SSD Cache Acceleration Capability
- Flexibly scale up to fifteen drives to increase storage capacity as demand grows
- Built-in M.2 2280 NVMe SSD slots permit cache acceleration without occupying storage drive bays
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
If you’re a video editor in search of a powerful NAS but not quite ready to spend thousands of dollars, the Synology NAS DS1520+ might be your best choice. Its performance, storage space, and high-power OS makes it suitable for especially large-scale businesses.
This machine can be scaled up to fifteen extra drives to increase storage if need be. Performance-wise, thanks to the Synology SSD Cache technology, it’s extremely responsive even when connected to multiple systems and administered simultaneously.
With its reasonably powerful CPU, 8GB of RAM, and NVMe cache, the DS1520+ is clearly top of its class, especially for the price it comes with.
Pros
- Expandable to 15 drives
- Low power requirements, with a maximum power consumption of 85 watts
- Brilliant performance with a 112 MBps encrypted reading and writing speed
- 4K video transcoding
Cons
- Memory can’t be upgraded
3. NETGEAR ReadyNAS RN422 2 Bay Diskless High-Performance NAS – Most Secure
- STORAGE FROM THE NETWORK EXPERT- Professional grade NAS, designed in-house by the market leader in SMB networking
- YOUR BEST BACKUP PLAN - Protect your data against ransomware with the most effective on-premises data backup solution
- CLOUD BACKUP - to Amazon AWS, Google Drive, Dropbox or fast block-level replication to another ReadyNAS
- IDEAL FOR LARGE STORAGE & BACKUP - Ideal for: Creative professionals, architects, K-12, and businesses with large file storage requirements
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The ReadyNAS RN628X is ideal for those who are looking for an extremely secure NAS system.
Unlike standard NAS machines, the RN628X has a five-point data protection plan. With its Btrfs copy-on-write protection, unlimited snapshots, cloud backup, and on-appliance virus scanning, you get solid protection that’ll make even the JPMorgan Chase Bank proud.
This machine is powered by a quad-core 2.4GHz Intel Xeon D-1521 CPU, which supports up to 128 GiB of dual-channel. On top of that, it has a pair of embedded 10GBase-T ports.
If data protection and cloud management are your priorities, I guarantee you’ll love the RN628X.
Pros
- Easy to install and use
- 10Gbps Ethernet port
- The latest 64-bit technology increases its read/write speed
- Up to 20TB storage options
- Generous 5-year warranty
Cons
- Limited app library
- No SSD cache support
Factors to Consider When Buying a NAS Device
When purchasing a NAS device, it’s imperative to pick a unit that best suits your needs. Here are some important factors to consider before getting one.
NAS Capacity
The primary purpose of a NAS device is to externally save your video files in centralized, shared storage. Estimate how large your files generally are and purchase a device that’s close to your data’s size.
A NAS’s storage capacity is determined by two things: the machine’s built-in storage unit, and the number of additional hard drives you’re going to add on top of it. So, if you load up your 6-bay NAS with 8TB hard drives, you’ll end up with 48TB of storage capacity.
The typical rule of thumb for RAM is 1 GB for every TB of storage. Keep in mind, however, that the larger the storage capacity, the higher the cost. Devices with about 8TB of disk space typically cost around $400, but it isn’t uncommon to find NAS systems costing over $5,000.
Operating System
NAS systems are like CPUs in a way that they come with their own operating systems. Most of these devices come with a Windows Server or an Ubuntu Server for Linux-based NASes.
Power Consumption
The power consumption isn’t as important as the rest of the factors. However, it’s certainly something to consider. It’s likely that your NAS device will remain plugged in for months, if not years, at a time.
If you want to keep your energy costs down, you’ll want a device that doesn’t run for more than 130 watts when maxed out.
Final Thoughts
My personal pick for the NAS system is the BUFFALO TeraStation 3410DN Desktop, primarily because of its brilliant performance, drive efficiency, and respectable storage. Plus, it has an extremely durable design and impressive security measures. What more do you need?
