QNAP TS-464
QNAP's own positioning is a "compact 4-bay NAS with superior performance," supporting up to 72 TB storage and 4 TB M.2 SSD caching, and the hardware genuinely is the most expandable in this class with PCIe and multi-gigabit networking. It ranks mid-board because QNAP's software and security history is the weak link: community consensus is that "QNAP has better hardware, but their software is horrible to the point that a synology with half the specs runs faster." Buy it for the hardware, and stay on top of firmware.
Consolidated from 3 cited sources across 2 outlets
Where the cited sources landed, as we read them
- 2 enthusiastic sources
- 1 mixed source
5 of 10 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick.
Its awards are from 2023 and its marketing still leads with them, but Wirecutter's current guide no longer picks it, crowning the Synology DiskStation DS225+ instead, and current guides route 4-bay buyers to the TerraMaster F4-424 Pro.
Flagged 23 September 2026
Pros & cons
- ✓ Compact 4-bay design with up to 72 TB capacity
- ✓ PCIe slots enable SSD caching for performance boost
- ✓ Multi-gigabit networking provides fast connectivity
- ✓ Highly expandable hardware
- ✓ Strong hardware with PCIe expansion and 2.5 GbE
- ✗ Software and security reputation considered weak
- ✗ Requires active firmware management
- ✗ Aging design, newer rivals have narrowed the value gap
- ✗ Marketing still leans on awards from 2023
- ✗ No longer picked by Wirecutter's current guide
The sources behind this ranking
We searched the web and YouTube for what has been published about this product, then read the articles, video transcripts and comments we found.
2 enthusiastic sources
Vivid Repairs Vivid Repairs · reviewer · Feb 2026 The TS-464 itself has 4GB of DDR4 system RAM, which the processor uses for QTS operations, caching, and running applications. This is not DRAM-less in the SSD sense. The concern for NAS buyers is whether 4GB is enough RAM for their intended workload. For basic file serving it is adequate, but for running multiple Docker containers, Plex, a VPN server, and a download manager simultaneously, upgrading to 8GB or 16GB is strongly recommended. The unit accepts standard SO-DIMM DDR4, making the upgrade straightforward.Read V
Vivid Repairs Vivid Repairs · reviewer · Dec 2025 The question with the QNAP TS-464-8G is whether it's actually worth the premium price tag, or if you're just paying for features you'll never use. Spoiler: it's complicated.Read
Frequently asked questions
It ranks #19 of 22 on our NAS devices tier list, in F tier. That placement draws on 3 cited sources across 2 outlets.
None of the 3 sources with a clear view is critical of it. Software and security reputation considered weak. Requires active firmware management. Aging design, newer rivals have narrowed the value gap. Marketing still leans on awards from 2023. No longer picked by Wirecutter's current guide.
Ranked nearby in NAS Devices
S tier #1 Synology DiskStation DS225+
S tier #2 TerraMaster F4-424 Pro
D tier #14 3 of 4 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick. Synology DiskStation DS423+
D tier #15 1 of 2 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick. TerraMaster F2-223
D tier #16 4 of 12 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick. Synology BeeStation
D tier #17 5 of 9 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick. Synology DiskStation DS224+
D tier #18 1 of 3 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick. UnifyDrive UT2
F tier #20 2 of 5 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick. Synology DiskStation DS223
F tier #21 2 of 7 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick. Synology DS223j
F tier #22 3 of 5 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick.