Need advice NAS acquisition advice for NasNewb: enthusiast, 500 USD

[NasNewb]

Usage type: enthusiast

Preferred form factor /

Number of bays: 4-bays

Do you have any existing drives that you plan on using? Yes

Prefered RAID array setup for this NAS: SHR

This NAS will be used for: backup, multimedia, surveillance, other: Plex or video station, managing both work related software demonstration videos and youtube content 1080 and 4K, movies

Max budget for this setup: 500 USD

Number of users that will utilize this NAS: 4

Any preferred network connectivity? 1G

Where will this NAS be used: LAN and over the Internet

Any special network requirements: LAG

Special cloud provider connectivity: /

Additional information:
I just started out with a used DS2013J. Quickly finding it to be too slow and not able to support apps I'd like to use like photos on DSM 7.0 for photo archives both personal and professional photos., Drive, DS File via mobile devices. I want to be able to send links to people to view or download specific video files mostly 1080P 10 minutes to 1hr long. My research has narrowed me down to DS418, DS420+ and DS920+. I have 4 WD CMR 2TB drives 5 years old, DS2013J DSM shows good health on 2 of them, other two I don't know yet. Assuming they are ok 4TB-6TB is plenty for me to start. I don't need the higher performance of 420+ or the expandability of the 920+(yet). I was thinking which would be better just get the 418 then I could afford 2 new 4TB drives and leave two bays open for expansion? Or, get the 920+ for all it offers in future proofing and run those older 2TB drives till they start showing some signs of wear? Either scenario would put me around the $500 budget. I may sell the old DS2013J and/or the older 2TB drives or may keep them to put at another location for some offsite backup of a subset of what would be on the newer NAS. I'd like to get your thoughts. The idea is the keep the spend at, near or below $500 ish. Thanks.

 

[Rusty]

Or, get the 920+ for all it offers in future proofing

If you can get 920 for your budget, do it. No question about it. Even if you won't use its potential it will pay off in the end one way to the other.

 

[NasNewb]

Do the 920 and 420 require the M.2 SSD cache drives to work? Or is that just an option to boost performance?

-- post merged: 27. Sep 2022 --

If you can get 920 for your budget, do it. No question about it. Even if you won't use its potential it will pay off in the end one way to the other.

So you'd be comfortable using the older 2TB drives to free up those funds? I don't know why I'm stuck on that, when one starts failing I'll just by a 4TB to replace it.

 

[Rusty]

Do the 920 and 420 require the M.2 SSD cache drives to work? Or is that just an option to boost performance?

It's optional, and probably not useful at all for your tasks, so save your money.

So you'd be comfortable using the older 2TB drives to free up those funds? I don't know why I'm stuck on that, when one starts failing I'll just by a 4TB to replace it.

Sure why not. The point is atm, you are going for the NAS. Out of those 3, 920 is the best. Drives will come and go anyway.

If it's not something that you have to buy now, I would recommend waiting for the new 923+ details. Those will come out soon . Then you will see if it will be a better fit for you then 920.