This NAS solved my storage crisis — but is it ready to take on Synology and Qnap?

The Ugreen NASync DXP4800 Plus is a newly available network-attached storage (NAS) device that I spent a few weeks testing in May. Ugreen isn't a household name in the NAS world, this is its debut launch in this market, and this thing has some serious potential – at least under the hood.

Though new to the NAS space, Ugreen is an established brand in the peripheral realm (chargers, docks, etc.) which gives me confidence in this new offering. Ugreen is also known for its aggressive pricing, which is part of what I found intriguing about the DXP4800 Plus, although it isn’t quite as cheap as I had hoped. I’ve wanted to set up a NAS for my endless terabytes of footage and photos for years now, so here are my impressions of the Ugreen DXP4800 Plus after a few weeks with it.

Pricing and Availability

The Ugreen NASync DXP4800 Plus is finally shipping now after a massively successful Kickstarter that earned almost $6.7 million in pledges. The NASync DXP4800 Plus is $629 and comes with an Intel 12th Gen Pentium Cold CPU (5 cores, 6 threads), 8GB DDR5 RAM (expandable to 64GB) and a 128GB internal SSD. For your storage needs, you have four SATA drive bays and two M.2 SSD drive slots. It’s important to note that you’ll need to bring your own storage drives, this is just for the NAS itself. 

If you want something more affordable you can drop down to the NASync DXP2800, which for $359 includes an Intel 12th Gen N Series CPU (4 cores, 4 threads), 8GB of DDR5 RAM (expandable up to 16GB), and 32GB of internal eMMC storage. This model offers two SATA drive bays and two M2. SSD drive slots. Once again you’ll need to supply your own hard drives or SSDs.

The Design

This NAS features a sleek design, with some rounded edges to give the sturdy metal box a clean design, while featuring enough heft to make it feel like a quality NAS kit. Plus, it runs surprisingly quiet, which is always a win in my book. On the front, you've got the usual suspects – access to your drive bays, a power button, USB ports, and some indicator lights.

The back is loaded with even more connections, including three additional USB Type-A USB ports, an HDMI port (although it's not for the NAS interface itself), and two Ethernet ports – one with 10GbE speeds and another with the slower standard 2.5GbE. Overall, the design is functional and well-built, it’s not likely to be the centerpiece of your desk setup, but no complaints there.

The Software

Here's where things get a bit interesting, because as we have seen with many makers of late, the UGOS UI, isn’t a completed product. Ugreen’s UGOS software is a work in progress, but I will say it is easy to use and learn. More experienced NAS users may feel there are features missing left and right, but NAS newbies like myself will find it handles our every need.

However, there's a great deal of hope as Ugreen has been consistently updating it since I first set it up and it has improved with each update. Also, UGOS is compatible with Docker, which for developers is a dream come true as it makes installing and managing apps on your NAS far easier.

However,  casual users don’t need to worry about any of that, if a large file storage receptable is your goal, it’s quick and easy to just set it up and forget about it.

For users that want more, the app selection is pretty limited right now. Forget about all your favorite NAS apps – UGOS relies heavily on Docker to get things done. This can be powerful, but in the future, after more updates, we expect there to be expanded capabilities added.

Performance

Despite some initial software woes, the hardware inside is solid. The Intel Pentium Gold processor does an excellent job, and there's enough memory (expandable to a whopping 64GB!) to handle even the most demanding tasks. Plus, the multiple connection options, including that speedy 10GbE LAN port, make data transfer a breeze. On the performance front, this NAS is a clear winner.

My Verdict

The Ugreen DXP4800 Plus is a promising NAS with some seriously impressive hardware. But the software situation makes it a bit of a gamble, especially for more experienced NAS users who just want something that comes pre-loaded with all their favorite software. If you're a newbie techie who loves to tinker and doesn't mind getting your hands dirty with Docker, this NAS could be a great option. 

However, for everyone else, while the price is decent, and the hardware is top-notch, maybe hold off for now Established NAS brands like Synology and QNAP have much more mature software ecosystems and a wider app selection. I wouldn’t count the Ugreen DXP4800 Plus NAS out, it may just be a few software updates away from greatness, but let Ugreeen make those software updates before you jump in and make your purchase.