QNAP TS-464

Which should I buy: TS-464, TS-473A or a Synology DS925+?

Buy the TS-464 if you want Plex hardware transcoding and a 10GbE upgrade path at the lowest price. Step up to the TS-473A for ECC-class workloads, 64 GB RAM and two PCIe slots. Pick the Synology DS925+ instead if you value DSM's polish and Synology's camera/backup apps over raw hardware.

The TS-464 is the 4-bay QNAP most people cross-shop against the Synology DS925+. On paper it wins: Intel Celeron N5095 with Quick Sync (hardware transcoding), two 2.5GbE ports and a PCIe Gen 3 x2 slot for a 10GbE card, two M.2 slots, and a certified-drive list of 490 models from every major brand. What you give up is ECC memory (max 16 GB, non-ECC), DSM, and Synology's quieter security record.

Who each model suits

• TS-464 - Plex/Jellyfin users who need transcoding, homes that may add 10GbE later, buyers who want to use whatever NAS drives are on sale.
• TS-473A - small businesses: AMD Ryzen V1500B (same CPU as the DS925+), 8 GB base, up to 64 GB, two PCIe Gen 3 x4 slots (10GbE plus a second card or more NVMe). No Quick Sync, so no hardware transcoding.
• DS925+ - if you prefer DSM, Synology Photos/Drive/Hyper Backup, or Surveillance Station's camera support. The DS925+ has ECC memory, which neither QNAP here does.

What it costs to populate the bays

• Four certified 8 TB drives: about $1,080 new (Seagate ST8000NM017B). Four 16 TB: about $2,000 new.
• Because the QNAP HCL covers WD, Seagate and Toshiba broadly, this is usually the cheapest 4-bay to fill with certified drives; the DS925+'s own list is Synology-branded.
• Unit price on eBay: TS-464 new from $652 (17 listings). Note the 4 GB and 8 GB SKUs (TS-464-4G / -8G); the 8 GB version is worth the small premium since the memory is not ECC and 16 GB is the ceiling.

Constraints that could change the decision

• Memory: non-ECC SODIMM, 16 GB max. If you run ZFS-style integrity workloads or many VMs, the TS-473A (64 GB) or an ECC Synology is the safer pick.
• 10GbE: the single PCIe slot is Gen 3 x2 - enough for one 10GbE port at full speed, not for a dual-port card at full speed.
• Expansion: QNAP TR-004 / TL-D800 USB or SATA JBOD enclosures; the TS-464 has no proprietary expansion bus.
• Software: QTS is capable but busier than DSM, and QNAP has had more internet-facing security incidents; keep it off direct port-forwarding.

See the DS925+ vs TS-473A comparison and the TS-473A reference page.

Buying assessment (not hands-on tested) by Joshua Haug · updated 2026-11-07 · evidence: QNAP and Synology spec pages, QNAP HCL, eBay prices checked 2026-11-09 · Specs and compatibility evidence below