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How we rank products

Every ranking on this site is calculated, not hand-picked. Here is the whole method.

1. Specs come from official manufacturer tables

We enter only figures published on an official Synology, QNAP or ASUSTOR specification table or official catalog record, and we link the page we used under every product. If a figure isn't published we show "Not listed" instead of guessing. Optional Ethernet that the official table lists only as a PCIe or add-in-card upgrade is not scored as onboard speed.

2. Each spec is scaled from 0 to 1

Each criterion has a fixed reference range, from a "weakest reasonable" value to a "best in class" value (for example 1 GB to 8 GB of official installed memory for compact NAS, or 5 to 16 official drive bays for multi-bay NAS). A product's figure is placed on that range and clamped between 0 and 1, so scores stay meaningful as products are added. Yes/no features count as 1 or 0. The ranges are listed below.

3. Weights decide what matters most

Each category lists its criteria and weights on the page. The score is the weighted average, multiplied by 10:

score = 10 × Σ(weight × scaled value) ÷ Σ(weight)

4. How missing data is scored

If a spec isn't published, the product scores at the lowest value any product in that category actually published, so an unpublished figure never outranks a published one. The page marks each such cell with an asterisk. Yes/no features that aren't stated count as no. Nothing is ever scored at the category average.

5. Prices and ratings switch on automatically

When our retailer feeds supply a current price or customer rating for at least 60% of products in a category, two more criteria join the formula: Price / value (20%) and Customer rating (15%, discounted when there are few reviews). Until then we show "Check price" and never estimate a price.

6. What the score can't tell you

Specs don't capture noise in a living room, whether a rack unit will fit your cabinet, or how a 4-core ARM SoC compares with a 4-core x86 CPU in real workloads. Official core count is a consistently published figure, not a benchmark. When we derive a figure from official numbers, such as aggregate onboard Ethernet from official port count × official port speed, we label it computed. Use the score to shortlist, then read the pros, cons, safety notes and sources. When we add hands-on testing notes, we label them clearly.

7. Money never changes the order

We earn affiliate commissions from some retailers. Commission rates are not an input to the formula, and no brand can pay for placement. See our affiliate disclosure.

Criteria by category

Compact NAS (1–3 bays)

4-Bay NAS

Multi-Bay NAS (5+ bays)