11 Best 2 Bay NAS in 2024

By Robin Owens 16 days ago, Hardware

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Affordable and high-quality 2 Bay NAS.

top 3 2 bay nas

The best 2 bay NAS is a good option if you need to backup multiple computers. This is a more convenient variant than using an external backup drive for each device. It is a worthy alternative to Google Drive and Dropbox if you need to accommodate more files than these storage options can hold.

Top 11 2 Bay NAS

  1. Synology 4 bay DS920+ - Small
  2. QNAP TS-253D-4G 2 Bay - Great for Plex
  3. WDBVBZ0040JCH-NESN - Personal
  4. QNAP TS-451D2-4G 4 Bay - Super easy to setup
  5. WDS500G1R0A - 10 year warranty
  6. Asustor AS5304T - Excellent movie NAS
  7. Asustor AS6602T - Power efficient
  8. Synology 4 bay DS918+ - Great entry-level NAS
  9. WDBCTL0040HWT-NESN - Great for home network storage
  10. Synology 2 bay DS218+ - Powerful package
  11. ioSafe 218-DISKLESS - Solidly built

Check out this post to learn about the best 2 bay NAS drives with reasonable price tags. We will help you figure out which options are more suitable for home or office use. You will also find drives perfect for hardware or software, as well as those that work great in both cases.

1. Synology 4 bay DS920+

Small
synology 4 bay ds920+ 2 bay nas

Max capacity: 64TB | Hardware Interface: SATA 6.0 Gb/s, Ethernet, USB 3.0 | RAM: 4GB

  • ✚ Pricing
  • ✚ Ease of use
  • ✚ Stability
  • Surveillance app is limited to 2 cameras free
Rating

If you are looking for an ideal business solution then what you need to check is the Synology 4 bay DS920 NAS. One of the best things about this NAS is the high level of durability that it is capable of with the materials used on its construction. You should know that the DS920 comes with two hard drives and these come in capacities of four gigabytes and eight gigabytes. Another great thing about the DS920 NAS is its ability to function as a portable appliance.

This means that you can use it in the office or at home without the risk of damaging the hard drive or causing data loss due to power failure or other problems. Another great feature of the Synology 4 bay DS920 is that it has two USB ports which allows you to connect the unit to different devices such as printers and scanners to provide you with greater connectivity.

2. QNAP TS-253D-4G 2 Bay

Great for Plex
qnap ts-253d-4g 2 bay 2 bay nas

Max capacity: 8GB | Hardware Interface: USB, USB 2.0 | RAM: 4GB

  • ✚ Fast
  • ✚ Easy to use web interface
  • ✚ 2.5 GbE network
  • No inbuilt M.2 slots
  • 2.5 GbE switches are still pretty expensive
Rating

The latest from QNAP, the TS-253D-4G is enterprise class hard disk. It has four platters of seventy-two RPM each and can write six hundred pages per second. This system is used by big corporations and universities all over the world in their information technology departments and other high volume data storage applications. It was designed for heavy workload applications with extreme performance and endurance. The other major difference between this hard disk compared to other competing brands is the number of platters. At the same time, it comes with four hybrid hard disks. These allow it to perform well regardless of what application it is in.

Aside, from its powerful specification, the other great thing about it is the capacity. It can store two billion files, which is much more than the other two drives. This should give you an idea how well it can protect your files, even if they are stored in a network. It is also equipped with a JEDEC certification, which means it can function efficiently even under extreme environment conditions.

3. WDBVBZ0040JCH-NESN

Personal
wdbvbz0040jch-nesn 2 bay nas

Max capacity: 4TB | Hardware Interface: USB 3.0 ports | RAM: 1GB

  • ✚ Decent performance for file storage
  • ✚ Internal drives can be encrypted
  • ✚ Afforable
  • Anti-virus software hung the device
  • External USB backups can’t be encrypted
Rating

WD 4TB My Cloud EX2 Ultra Network Attached Storage NAS WDBVBZ0040JCH-NEsn is ideal for a wide variety of professional media professionals who need a powerful and reliable way to store and back up their projects. Compatible with both Mac and PCs, you can protect your work regardless of operating system. And with unlimited photos, videos and documents stored in one location, your group has everything it needs to streamlined its creative workflow. This WD 4TB My Cloud storage system comes equipped with three hard drives, a 1 TB internal flash drive, and a password-protected USB drive.

WD's network attached service, which supports various operating systems such as Windows 2021, XP, Window Vista, and Mac OS X, also features a browser-based interface, which makes it easy for customers to access their data from virtually anywhere. Now get even more storage for your dollars with the WD 4TB My Cloud Exaltation Ultra. WD offers this great storage device at an extremely affordable price, and for a lot less money than you would pay for other top-performing storage devices.

4. QNAP TS-451D2-4G 4 Bay

Super easy to setup
qnap ts-451d2-4g 4 bay 2 bay nas

Max capacity: 4TB | Hardware Interface: Ethernet | RAM: 2GB

  • ✚ Memory is expandable
  • ✚ The setup is easy
  • ✚ Qnap tech support is very helpful
  • Pricey
Rating

QNAP has developed a new generation of high performance home network appliance called the TS 451D2-4G. This high performance NAS consists of four hard drive bays and each bay is capable of supporting either raid type hard drive arrays or file servers. File servers are intended for common desktop computers that will not be dedicated to one particular storage device, such as a desktop computer.

Raid type hard drives can hostraid 10 disks in each 16 bay enabled with two SATA hard disk controllers. Raid over Ethernet (ROE) is a technique that involves an Ethernet bus adapter that interconnects multiple hard drives and is able to saturate one Ethernet port on each hard drive that is able to act as both a Raid Attached Storage (RAID) and a storage area network (SAN) appliance. The benefits of QNAP's new generation of network attached storage (NAS) are clear when considering the cost savings associated with the elimination of purchasing multiple devices for desktop use.

5. WDS500G1R0A

10 year warranty
wds500g1r0a 2 bay nas

Max capacity: 500GB | Hardware Interface: SATA 6.0 Gb/s | RAM: No

  • ✚ Overall performance is great
  • ✚ Great price
  • ✚ Works on Windows, Mac, and Linux
  • Less than advertised memory
Rating

One of the best and most efficient hard drives available today is the WDS500G1R0A NAS unit. This drive offers many benefits that would set it apart from other brands such as the SanDisk diocese card.

The design of the unit is such that one drive can be removed without damaging any of the other disks. When looking at hard drives of this size, you will notice that the size of the casing is quite small. This is a great benefit as it means there is little room for air to get to inside and therefore there is no risk of overheating. Being able to install applications quickly and smoothly using NAS software is one of the main selling points of the WDS500G1R0A NAS drive. With the drive securely locked away in its own hard casing you do not have to worry about loss of data or damage of the drive due to being left in an open environment.    

6. Asustor AS5304T

Excellent movie NAS
asustor as5304t 2 bay nas

Max capacity: 4GB | Hardware Interface: SATA 6.0 Gb/s, SATA 3.0 Gb/s, USB, Ethernet | RAM: 4GB

  • ✚ Feature rich with lots of apps
  • ✚ Can handle both SSD and HDDs
  • ✚ Expandable RAM to 8gb
  • Lack of sound proofing on the box
Rating

Asustor AS5304T gaming inspired NAS has a wide range of benefits and features, which can make it stand out among other leading network attached storage (NAS) products. This article will briefly go through some of these features to help you make the right choice when it comes to purchasing one for your home or business computer. To begin with, Asustor AS5304T is based on flash memory technology, making it very fast for data retrieval.

Another major benefit of using Asustor NAS as a storage solution is that it offers great performance. It boasts a huge transfer rate of 4.9GB/s read and write, making it one of the best network attached storage (NAS) devices available today. You can store any number of files on your NAS device and quickly access them, whether it be to check your emails or play your games. So no matter whether you are running a small home office or a large corporation, Asustor AS5304T is a great choice for your network storage needs.

7. Asustor AS6602T

Power efficient
asustor as6602t 2 bay nas

Max capacity: 4GB | Hardware Interface: USB | RAM: 4GB

  • ✚ Easy enough to use
  • ✚ Very intuitive setup
  • ✚ Very quiet
  • There may be problems with remote access
Rating

The Asustor AS6602T 2 bay NAS offers many of the same capabilities as its predecessors, with the addition of a dual-band Ethernet port for remote servers. The Asustor brand is recognized throughout the home and office LAN market for reliability, performance and ease of use. Connections are made using standard Cat 6 cable and a front panel power supply. This design provides an easy to install base unit that will accommodate the growing needs of your business.

Connections and Connectivity - Like most NAS devices, the Asustor AS6602T can connect to other network attached storage devices via a high speed USB port or through an Ethernet port. Dual band technology allows you to connect to the Internet or to your office's network. The Asustor AS6602T comes equipped with industry-standard features such as VGA output, audio output, power management, sleep mode, over temperature reporting, copy protection and failover. Also, with a dual redundant cooling fan and two fans, the Asustor AS6602T ensures that your system is kept at optimal performance all the time.

8. Synology 4 bay DS918+

Great entry-level NAS
synology 4 bay ds918+ 2 bay nas

Max capacity: 56TB | Hardware Interface: 2 USB 3.0 ports, eSATA | RAM: 4GB

  • ✚ Super customizable
  • ✚ Expandable unit and RAM
  • ✚ A lot of apps and cloud options
  • Lock and key feel cheap
  • No drive app for Apple TV
Rating

The Synology DS918+ is one of the newest generation data servers. With great ease and compact size, it has been able to compete with high end dedicated servers for the best places on the network. These are very useful for small businesses that need some degree of a control panel for managing their network without having to have a dedicated server at their disposal.

This is one of the largest selling products by Synology and it comes with two redundant power modules. This is a major boost for anyone who is using a server but needs a little bit more power and reliability. This comes with two redundant power modules that can be switched easily when one fails. It also comes with a single one-year warranty that covers all defects that may occur in this server. It also comes with a total capacity of eighteen core processors, one hundred twenty fourGB of memory, and three hundred eighty MB of disk space. The disk space is one gigabyte greater than what most servers come with.

9. WDBCTL0040HWT-NESN

Great for home network storage
wdbctl0040hwt-nesn 2 bay nas

Max capacity: 8TB | Hardware Interface: Ethernet | RAM: 4TB

  • ✚ Good price for an entry level NAS
  • ✚ Easy to use/set up
  • ✚ Upgradeable
  • Only comes in white
  • Only one expansion USB 3.0
Rating

WDBCTL0040HWT-NESN 2-Bay NAS is a cost efficient, low profile, all in one server that can provide redundant power sources, a redundant power supply and all the extras you need for running your home business. It will also enable you to run the same operating system as you use on your desktop or laptop computer. The WDBC TL0040HWT NESN2 Bay connects to your network via wireless security. It has a high performance 1GigE processor and eight hard drive cages for data storage.

The WDBC TL0040HWT NESN 2 Bay can be used for many different applications in your home office. You can run your day to day network operations from your desktop or laptop. You can use it to run an email server to send your employees scheduled emails, or you can run a small scale file server to help with data storage. The WDBC TL0040HWT NESN2 Bay is perfect for any size enterprise as it serves the purpose of an inexpensive secondary storage device and an easy to use NAS device in one.

10. Synology 2 bay DS218+

Powerful package
synology 2 bay ds218+ 2 bay nas

Max capacity: 24TB | Hardware Interface: USB 3.0, eSATA | RAM: 6TB

  • ✚ Excellent performance for the price
  • ✚ Best NAS software out there
  • ✚ Very customizable software and huge library of add-on apps
  • Ridiculously short power cord
Rating

Synology 2 bay DS218+ NAS serves as the storage for all your files, emails, and other important information that need to be stored on a NAS hard drive. You can easily connect your Synology 2 bay to your home network using a high-speed wireless network or dial up modem. Once connected, your NAS will present an interface of your desktop computer where you can access your files, folders, emails and more.

The Synology 2 bay DS 218+ comes with various options including multiple hard drive data restoration and automatic data backup. If your files get corrupted due to viruses or any other reasons, you need not worry because the easy to access and user-friendly software can easily restore them back to their normal working place. Another benefit of a Synology NAS is that the appliance has a great functionality and capacity especially when it comes to storing large amounts of data. Besides, the drive units are durable and are made from solid state.

11. ioSafe 218-DISKLESS

Solidly built
iosafe 218-diskless 2 bay nas

Max capacity: 24TB | Hardware Interface: Ethernet | RAM: 2GB

  • ✚ The case seems to be designed very nicely
  • ✚ The fan isn’t loud
  • ✚ Rock solid performance
  • USB port is located on the back of the case
Rating

The ioSafe 218-DISKLESS 218 NAS is a two-Bay NAS designed to provide optimal storage and network bandwidth with maximum protection from fire and other threats. Built with advanced thermal insulation technology, this hard disk storage enclosure ensures superior performance while maintaining low power consumption. With the addition of four drive bays and a total capacity of five hundred and sixty-two gigabytes, the 219 NAS serves as the perfect NAS solution for data backup, file server, and fast network connectivity.

When compared to traditional disk-based file servers, the 219 can store up to five hundred thousand files at a blazing fast rate. It is equipped with built-in permission control features that allow users to limit access to files based on storage volume, schedule automatic data backup, and even provide logging to help determine why a file has been omitted from the directory. In addition, the ioSafe 218-DISKLESS 218 NAS is ideal for use in a virtual private network setting, offering guaranteed system uptime even in the most volatile business environments.

IMAGE NAME FEATURES
synology 4 bay ds920+ 2 bay nas
Synology 4 bay DS920+
Small
  • Pricing
  • Ease of use
CHECK PRICE
qnap ts-253d-4g 2 bay 2 bay nas
QNAP TS-253D-4G 2 Bay
Great for Plex
  • Fast
  • Easy to use web interface
CHECK PRICE
wdbvbz0040jch-nesn 2 bay nas
WDBVBZ0040JCH-NESN
Personal
  • Decent performance for file storage
  • Internal drives can be encrypted
CHECK PRICE

How to Choose the Best 2 Bay NAS?

how to choose the best 2 bay nas

Price

Typically, a good NAS server for home use costs between $250 and $350. For this money, you get excellent capabilities close to the options of a business class. Keep in mind that you still have to pay extra for hard drives. Sure, you can spend less money, but read and write speeds will be lower. Plus, the operating system leaves much to be desired.

Easy-to-use Software

The operating system of NAS devices differs depending on the manufacturer. Some models are based on slightly confusing software, so you should consider this factor. In general, QNAP and Synology offer easier-to-use operating systems than their competitors.

how to choose the best 2 bay nas

Performance

Looking for the best 2 bay NAS, you need to pay special attention to a processor. ARM processors are very popular among a variety of devices. They feature decent performance and can handle most tasks. However, they are not ideal for powerful NAS servers. If you plan to run surveillance, install Plex Media Server, or use a two-bay NAS for multiple tasks, you should consider other options.

Similar to the models for laptops or desktop computers, Intel processors are quite powerful. You can also look at the Celeron and Atom models. The latest versions of Celeron processors are even suitable for 4K transcoding of movies on Plex. However, an Intel Core series CPUs are leaders when you want to get the most out of your NAS.

Enclosures

Manufacturers offer many options and you can choose NAS enclosures according to your preference. For example, the DiskStation DS220 + from Synology is quite a popular option among some users. Alternatively, you can take a look at options from TerraMaster, ASUSTOR, or others.

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