Best NAS under $400 for Jellyfin with hardware transcoding (2026)
Updated 2026-11-08
Short answer. Buy the UGREEN NASync DXP2800 ($389.99; buy: https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-nasync-dxp2800), the best NAS under $400 for a Jellyfin server with hardware transcoding, $389.99 diskless on 2026-11-03: an Intel N100 whose Quick Sync meets Jellyfin's rules for HEVC 10-bit decode and HDR tone mapping, 8 GB DDR5, two M.2 slots and 2.5GbE. Jellyfin is free, runs in Docker on UGOS with /dev/dri passed in (UGREEN publishes the guide), and an N100 is reported to hold about two 4K HDR tone-mapped streams, more in plain 1080p.
The cheaper boxes lose transcoding: TerraMaster's F2-425 ($239.99–254.99, Celeron N5095, 4 GB) is reviewed as a direct-play machine, UGREEN's own DH2300 ($239.99) and Asustor's Drivestor 2 Pro Gen2 are ARM with no Quick Sync, and the Beelink ME mini ($209) is an N150 with six M.2 slots but no drive bays and no NAS software. TerraMaster's F2-425 Plus (N150, 8 GB to 32 GB, two 5GbE ports) is the closest match at about $399–425, over the line on most listings. Synology's DS225+ reportedly ships without the graphics driver Jellyfin needs for hardware transcoding.
- UGREEN NASync DXP2800, $389.99. Buy: https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-nasync-dxp2800
Published 2026-11-03 · prices checked 2026-11-03.
| Model | CPU / iGPU | RAM (max) | M.2 | LAN | Jellyfin | Warranty | Price | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UGREEN NASync DXP2800 Buy: https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-nasync-dxp2800 | Intel N100 (Alder Lake-N), 4C, Quick Sync | 8 GB DDR5 (16 GB) | 2× NVMe | 1× 2.5GbE | Docker with /dev/dri; UGREEN setup guide | 2 years | $389.99 | No discount code applies. |
| TerraMaster F2-425 Plus | Intel N150, 4C, Quick Sync | 8 GB DDR5 (32 GB, one slot) | 3× NVMe Gen3 | 2× 5GbE | TOS 6 app / Docker | Not found | about $399 (launch) to $424.99 (Walmart listing) | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
| TerraMaster F2-425 | Intel Celeron N5095 (Jasper Lake), 4C | 4 GB DDR4 (16 GB) | None found | 1× 2.5GbE | Reviewed as direct-play; low-power mode needed on Jasper Lake | Not found | $239.99–254.99 (deal listings, 2026) | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
| Synology DS225+ | Intel Celeron J4125; graphics driver reportedly absent in DSM | 2 GB (6 GB) | None | 1× 2.5GbE + 1× 1GbE | Container Manager; hardware transcoding reported not working (80–100% CPU in software) | 3 years | Not found | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
| QNAP TS-262 | Intel Celeron N4505 (Jasper Lake), 2C | 4 GB (16 GB) | 2× NVMe Gen3 x1 | 1× 2.5GbE | Container Station | 2 years | No US price found | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
| UGREEN NASync DH2300 | Rockchip RK3576, ARM; no Quick Sync | 4 GB LPDDR4X | None | 2.5GbE | Manual Docker only; direct play | 2 years | $239.99 (UGREEN NAS store, 2026-11-03) | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
| Asustor Drivestor 2 Pro Gen2 | Realtek RTD1619B, ARM; no Quick Sync | 2 GB | None | 1× 2.5GbE | Docker/Portainer; software transcoding only | 3 years | $269 MSRP (listings disagree) | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
| Beelink ME mini | Intel N150, 4C, Quick Sync | 12 GB LPDDR5, soldered | 6× NVMe (five at x1, one at x2); no SATA bays | 2× 2.5GbE | Bring your own OS and Docker | Not found | $209 barebone; $329 with 2 TB | Not sold through Dealectric; listed for comparison. |
Rows marked with a code and buy link are products Dealectric lists: the price was verified on the brand's own US store on 2026-11-07 and the code is tested daily in that brand's cart; the date shown is its last pass (last check 2026-11-13). The other rows (Asustor, Beelink, QNAP, Synology, TerraMaster, UGREEN) are included so the comparison is complete; their figures and prices were read from the makers' own US pages on 2026-11-03 and are not re-checked daily. The buy links are affiliate links: they open the brand's official US store at no cost to the shopper, and the commission pays for the testing; see the disclosure.
Jellyfin's own rules
- Free: Jellyfin has no paid pass or tier; hardware acceleration costs nothing.
- Intel Quick Sync: HEVC 10-bit decode needs Kaby Lake, Apollo Lake, Gemini Lake or newer; AV1 decode needs 11th-gen (Tiger Lake) or newer, which Alder Lake-N chips like the N100 belong to; AV1 encode needs Arc or Meteor Lake, so no N100.
- Tone mapping: supported on every Intel GPU with HEVC 10-bit decode, through OpenCL (handles Dolby Vision profile 5, needs the OpenCL runtime; Jellyfin notes N95/N100 support from intel-opencl-icd 23.x) or QSV VPP (lower power, Linux only).
- Docker: the official image includes Intel's media drivers and OpenCL; map /dev/dri/renderD128, add the render group, and check with vainfo inside the container. UGREEN's guide uses a compose file with /dev/dri passed through and host port 9096.
- Memory: Jellyfin recommends dual-channel RAM for integrated GPUs; the DXP2800 ships with one 8 GB stick, so a second stick (to 16 GB) helps tone mapping as well as containers.
How many streams
No lab has published a concurrent Jellyfin count for the N100. The one measured single-stream test (Linux, March 2024) ran a 4K HDR tone-mapped transcode at about 50–57 fps and 4K-to-1080p with burned-in subtitles at 82 fps; Windows was far slower. Owner reports put the N100 at about two simultaneous 4K HDR tone-mapped streams, with one guide claiming three or four; plan on two 4K HDR streams or several 1080p ones, and use direct play for the TV in the living room.
Jellyfin on UGOS
UGREEN's blog guide installs Jellyfin either from the App Center or by Docker Compose; reviewers describe the App Center as thin and Docker as the route UGREEN support points to, so count on Docker. Put the config and transcode cache on an M.2 SSD and the library on the hard drives.
Sources
- UGREEN NASync DXP2800 — ai.ugreen.com
- UGREEN: install Jellyfin on a NASync (setup guide) — ai.ugreen.com
- Jellyfin docs: Intel QSV / VA-API hardware acceleration — jellyfin.org
- Jellyfin docs: hardware acceleration overview — jellyfin.org
- Jellyfin: free software, no paid tier — jellyfin.org
- randomnamer: Jellyfin transcode benchmark on an N100 — randomnamer.github.io
- jellywatch: N100 / N150 / N305 Jellyfin servers — jellywatch.app
- computingforgeeks: iGPU transcoding tests — computingforgeeks.com
- NASCompares: hardware transcoding on the 2025 Synology models — nascompares.com
- Jellyfin forum: transcoding on a DS225+ — forum.jellyfin.org
- ITPro: TerraMaster F2-425 Plus review — www.itpro.com
- Neowin: TerraMaster F2-425 review — www.neowin.net
- Windows Central: UGREEN DH2300 review — www.windowscentral.com
- GSMArena: Beelink ME mini review — m.gsmarena.com
- QNAP TS-262 — www.qnap.com
- Synology DS225+ — www.synology.com
Published 2026-11-03; figures for other brands read on 2026-11-03; our prices verified 2026-11-07. Corrections welcome at [email protected] or /feedback.