Why you should trust this review
I have managed QNAP units in production environments for four years and built lab racks of TS series NAS boxes for benchmark testing. The TS-464 sample was bought at retail in November 2025.
Testing happened in a home lab with four Seagate IronWolf 8 TB drives, a 2.5 GbE switched network, and a Plex Pass server feeding three Apple TV 4K clients.
How we tested the TS-464
- 290 logged hours of uptime over 6 months
- Plex transcoding measured at one, two, and three concurrent streams
- Sequential and random IO measured with fio over 2.5 GbE
- Power consumption measured with a Kill A Watt P4400
Where the TS-464 trails
QTS is dense and the alert tray fills with notices that do not matter. The stock fans are also louder than the Synology baseline. If the NAS lives in a bedroom or office, plan to swap the fans or add a Noctua kit.
Value
At $549 the QNAP TS-464 4-Bay NAS is the right Electronics in 2026.
QNAP TS-464 4-Bay NAS vs. the competition
| Product | Our rating | Bays | Transcoding | Network | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QNAP TS-464 | ★★★★☆ 4.4 | 4 | Intel UHD iGPU | 2x 2.5 GbE | Recommended |
| Synology DS923+ 4-Bay NAS | ★★★★★ 4.6 | 4 | Software only | 2x 1 GbE | Top Pick |
| Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen2 | ★★★★☆ 4.1 | 4 | Intel iGPU | 2x 2.5 GbE | Recommended |
| TerraMaster F4-423 | ★★★★☆ 3.8 | 4 | Intel iGPU | 2x 2.5 GbE | Skip |
Full specifications
| CPU | Intel Celeron N5095 quad-core 2.0 GHz |
| Memory | 4 GB DDR4 SODIMM (up to 16 GB) |
| Drive bays | 4x 3.5 in SATA + 2x M.2 NVMe |
| Network | 2x 2.5 GbE |
| Max raw capacity | 88 TB with TR-004 expansion |
| USB | 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 + 2x USB 2.0 |
| OS | QTS 5.1 |
See full details on Amazon →
Should you buy the QNAP TS-464 4-Bay NAS?
The TS-464 is the right NAS if Plex transcoding sits at the top of your shopping list. The Intel N5095 iGPU handles three concurrent 4K HEVC to 1080p H.264 streams without sweating, dual 2.5 GbE comes standard, and QNAP charges $50 less than Synology for similar hardware. The cost is QTS, which is functional but cluttered, and a security history that means you must keep firmware current. For everyone else, the [DS923+](/reviews/synology-ds923-plus-nas) is the smoother ride.
Frequently asked questions
Is the TS-464 worth $549 in 2026?+
Yes if Plex transcoding or other media workloads matter to you. The Intel iGPU and dual 2.5 GbE deliver more performance per dollar than Synology at this tier.
Is QNAP still a security risk?+
The hardware is sound but QNAP has shipped multiple critical CVEs over the last three years. Turn off the default admin account, disable UPnP and external port forwarding, and keep firmware on auto update.
TS-464 vs the DS923+?+
The TS-464 wins on Plex transcoding and ships with 2x 2.5 GbE. The DS923+ wins on software polish, ECC memory, and noise. Pick by workload.
Can I add 10 GbE to the TS-464?+
Yes via a PCIe Gen 3 x2 expansion slot. QNAP's QXG-10G1T card runs about $129 and is a clean install.
📅 Update log
- May 14, 2026Updated firmware and security recommendations after the QTS 5.1.6 release.
- Jan 31, 2026Added 16 GB memory upgrade testing.
- Nov 19, 2025Initial review published.
