I tested Ugreen NASync DXP2800: a home server is better than paying for storage
This clever machine is a home NAS (Network Attached Storage) server that provides a centralised and reliable solution for storing, sharing, and protecting your files and data within your home network.
Unlike cloud services such as Google Drive or Dropbox, where your files live on someone else's servers, a NAS stores everything locally to give you full control without the fees.
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A NAS delivers benefits such as easy file sharing, data back-up and recovery along with enhanced data security. Additionally, the machine can be used for streaming media such as photos, videos and music, running personal servers and even building a home surveillance system.
Ugreen is completely new to the NAS (Network Attached Storage) market, and has already launched six different devices that cover different use cases, from the casual home user to the more professional sector. Ugreen NASync DXP2800 in everyday use
I already use a NAS made by the well established brand Synology and after a couple of months I have found that the Ugreen NASync DXP2800 is an excellent machine with similar capabilities and software features.
It's a metal and plastic unit that you connect directly to your router and it's got a built-in fan to keep your 3.5in SATA drives cool and a magnetic dust cover to protect the fan. The NAS works with both SSD and HDD drives. It is so quiet in operation that I never notice it running.
There are plenty of connectivity options including two Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, five USB-C and USB-A ports along with a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port. The brains of the device is a fast and capable Intel N100 12th generation N-series chip coupled with 8GB of superfast RAM.
You access and navigate your server's control panel and app library on your computer or laptop by using a slick web browser interface similar to the system employed by Synology. It all works intuitively and the UI is zippy and responsive.
I used two 4TB SATA hard drives and set them up with a RAID 1 configuration where both drives are mirrored so if one hard drive becomes corrupt or dies, then I have a full back-up on the other drive ready to go. Installing the drives and setting the software up was simple and took about a half an hour in total. The DXP2800 supports drives up to 24TB, incidentally. Ugreen NASync DXP2800 is an entry-level two-bay NAS system (Image: Ugreen)
Remember, to be ultra-safe, you should always back up the back-up and store that third copy of your data and files at a different location.
All the key basic functions you would expect from a NAS are supported out of the box. Apps available from the Ugreen app store include multimedia support for music, video and photos, a virtual machine manager, file manager and virus scanner. Regular firmware and software upgrades can be applied manually or automatically.
Setting up shared folders, managing permissions and configuring storage pools is simple. You can easily create folders for individual users, grant remote access or set up automatic sync with third party cloud services.
Data transfer speeds were consistently fast, even when I upload hi-res images from my Sony A7R5 camera. It is noticeably quicker than uploading to third party cloud servers. I've uploaded vast libraries while engaged in multitasking, browsing files and streaming music, and the system has been able to handle it all with ease. The photos app on the NAS automatically scans and tags your photos using AI just like the apps from Google and Apple.
I've been also using the Ugreen NASync DXP2800 to store my sizable audio collection, a mix of Hi-Res, FLAC, AIFF and WAV files with some MP3 files. The Ugreen music app automatically organised my entire library by album, genre and artist. Ugreen NASync DXP2800 verdict
Ugreen NASync DXP2800 enables you to access all of your data from anywhere in the world from any type of computer or mobile device. For someone like me, with huge photo and music libraries, I can save close to €40 per month in cloud storage and streaming fees, meaning that the NAS and hard drives will quickly pay for themselves.
With that in mind, Ugreen NASync DXP2800 is an easy to recommend fast and user-friendly entry-level solution that delivers a decent price-performance ratio. Pricing and availability
Ugreen NASync DXP2800 costs €296.99 (reduced from €349.99) from Ugreen. Storage drives not included. Free shipping. For comparison, Synology 2-Bay NAS DS225+ costs€374 on Amazon.
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