Network-attached storage (NAS) allows large quantities of data to be stored and accessed over the internet. You should also make sure that you have the right motherboard for your NAS if you are building one at home. Therefore, we are here with the best motherboards for NAS selected based on the following factors:
It is essential to check the form factor of the motherboard when buying one for NAS. In addition to letting you know whether it will fit into your cabinet, you can also get an idea of how many connectivity options it offers. This category includes form factors such as ATX, micro ATX, Mini ITX, Extended ATX, with ATX being the largest and mini ITX the smallest.
Ensure that the CPU socket on your NAS motherboard is compatible with the CPU you want to install. AMD AM4 and Intel LGA 1151 are the sockets you should look for when buying a motherboard.
Additionally, the chipset used by your motherboard can affect its compatibility. Your motherboard tells you about its compatibility as well as the features it supports. In this category are chipsets such as A320, B450, X570, and others for which a higher chipset model provides better performance. Also, you should make sure that the chipset you are considering is fully compatible with the CPU you are planning to use.
In addition to these factors, there are still many other factors to consider when choosing a motherboard for your NAS. In this article, we provide detailed information about the best motherboards for NAS.
Top 8 Best Motherboard For NAS in 2022
1 GIGABYTE B365M DS3H Motherboard For NAS
For those who wish to build a NAS using Intel or AMD motherboards, Gigabyte also offers some models that you can consider if you are looking for Intel platforms.
Gigabyte’s B365M DS3H NAS motherboard is intended for users looking for motherboards that are compatible with Intel, but which do not charge a premium.
The motherboard uses the Intel B365 chipset to keep the price low, but overclocking isn’t supported. Thanks to the Intel LGA 1151 socket, you’re able to install up to 64 GB of RAM along with its four memory slots.
It comes with only three expansion slots, which is to be expected for a micro ATX motherboard. Fortunately, this motherboard still comes with six SATA ports and one M.2 SSD slot, so it’s a good option for a NAS motherboard, thanks to its diverse connectivity options. Additionally, like most motherboards, this one has 4 x USB 3.0 ports, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x HDMI, and several other ports on its back for connection options.
What We Liked
The ideal motherboard for Intel processors that is both compact and versatile
There are a fair number of ways to connect storage devices
Memory slots that allow the installation of multiple memory sticks
The motherboard stands out from the rest when it comes to the NAS setup.
This motherboard, although it comes from a lesser-known brand name, has everything a DIY NAS builder would want.
There are eight SATA III ports on this mini ITX card. Among mini ITX boards, this is the largest number of SATA 3 ports.
Compact NAS builds rely heavily on mini ITX because it is the smallest form factor for consumer-grade PCW.
The 8 SATA ports on this allow you to add up to 8 hard drives.
It supports Intel Xeon E3-1200 V5/v6 processors and has an LGA 1151 socket.
Despite the fact that this is an older motherboard, this configuration cannot be found anywhere else.
Additionally, it supports DDR 4 RAM with a maximum speed of 2133 MHz, as well as ECC and non-ECC types of RAM.
Known as non-ECC RAMs, the common RAMs are not error-correcting. As opposed to this, ECC RAM is more expensive, more stable, and server-grade. ECC memory is not a necessity here, but it is a great option nonetheless.
Overall, this is the best mini-ITX motherboard if you want the most SATA ports.
Asus offers high-quality components that have not only great reliability but also great performance numbers if you are looking for high-quality computer components.
With its lower price tag and high performance, the Asus Prime B450M-A-II motherboard for NAS has a lot to offer. In addition to supporting overclocking for both CPU and RAM, the micro ATX motherboard also features the AMD B450 chipset. The AMD AM4 socket and 4 memory slots on this motherboard can accommodate up to 128 GB of RAM and a CPU with up to 3.4 GHz.
This motherboard has six SATA ports and one M.2 SSD slot, making it the perfect NAS motherboard due to its performance. With this motherboard, there are also three expansion slots in total. In terms of ports, you get 4 USB 3.0 ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Ethernet port, 1 HDMI port, and audio ports, to which you can connect any device of your choice.
What We Liked
With overclocking support, the performance is quite good
The memory capacity of a NAS is high enough for heavy usage
With micro ATX form factor, this machine is decently compact forgiven the performance
Starting off with a Ryzen-based NAS setup, we’ll use a cheap board. NAS builds have been using Ryzen CPUs ever since they were introduced, making them an excellent choice. A used second-gen Ryzen processor with the B450 chipset looks like the best choice if you happen to have an old Ryzen lying around. This board is perfect for pairing with a Ryzen CPU older than two years old. A single M.2 slot is included, it is very inexpensive, it runs CPUs from the 3rd and 4th generations of Ryzen and it includes ECC support.
Several SATA ports are included as well as a 10Gb LAN port (SATA x16, x1). It is possible to use an APU if you do not need ECC and upgrade the board with more SATA ports or a 10Gb LAN if necessary. NAS setups should be satisfied with the four SATA ports combined with the single M.2 slot, and the board comes with one gigabit LAN port on the back, as well. All things considered, this is a very basic NAS that will serve you well on a tight budget. However, Raven Ridge AMD processors do not support ECC.
The ASRock A520M-HDV is an excellent option for cheap solutions for 3rd generation Ryzen CPUs. Despite the absence of the ASRock A520M-HDV chipset, it has similar specs to that of the ASRock A520M-HDV. ASRock’s B550 Pro4 is a significant improvement over its predecessor. As it has two PCIe x16 slots and two PCIe x1 slots, there is a much wider range of expansion options.
You might want to consider buying an Asus Pro WS X570-Ace or Gigabyte B550 Vision D if you want a compact single-tower system with a NAS and gaming/work VM. Both are expensive but offer ECC memory, lots of expansion, and are packed with features. The ASRock B450 Gaming-ITX would be a good board for a Ryzen CPU if you’re looking for one.
NAS motherboards are offered by MSI, which is known for its laptops, however, they offer high-performance options that are ideal for professional use.
You can choose the MSI Z390-A Pro motherboard for NAS if you want to build an Intel-based NAS without compromising performance. With this ATX motherboard, you get the Z390 chipset since this is an Intel-based board designed for high-performance CPUs. This motherboard supports Intel’s LGA 1151 socket as far as CPU support is concerned. It also has four slots for memory, which can accommodate up to 64 GB.
Apart from the fact that this motherboard supports overclocking for excellent performance, it also has one of the most PCIe expansion slots of any motherboard. Similarly, it has six SATA ports as well as two M.2 SSD slots, which is significantly more than the average. As the motherboard is a premium version, it also has standard features like four USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, one Ethernet port, one HDMI port, audio ports and more.
What We Liked
Features high-performance capabilities for Intel CPUs
Provides a wide range of storage connectivity options
Expandability and easy upgradeability with multiple PCIe slots
High-end and premium motherboards from Gigabyte are ideal for NAS applications.
Gigabyte’s X570 UD NAS motherboard is the best-performing board on the list, especially if you want an AMD-based system. As its form factor is ATX, and it is equipped with the high-end AMD X570 chipset, this is possible. AMD motherboards have the AMD AM4 CPU socket, so you still receive the AMD CPU. The motherboard provides 4 memory slots as well as a CPU socket, which is great because the motherboard supports up to 128 GB of RAM.
Due to its ATX form factor, this motherboard offers an impressive number of PCIe expansion slots, as well as PCIe 4.0 for excellent performance. There are six SATA ports and one M.2 SSD slot on the motherboard. You also get all the standard connectivity options with a full-size motherboard, such as 4 USB 3.0 ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Ethernet port, 1 HDMI port, audio ports, etc.
What We Liked
NAS motherboard with excellent performance
PCIe 4.0 high-speed expansion is supported superbly
High capacity memory kits are compatible with this device
7 GIGABYTE B450M DS3H V2 Motherboard for Home Server
For NAS systems that are compact and require high-performance motherboards without a large form factor, Gigabyte also offers slightly more premium yet compact options.
Gigabyte B450M DS3H V2 motherboard for NAS is an excellent fit because of its form factor and performance. Considering its price and form factor, it is perfectly reasonable for a micro ATX motherboard. In contrast to other options, it features the AMD B450 chipset and the AMD AM4 socket, allowing both the CPU and RAM to be overclocked. NAS motherboards come with a total of 4 memory slots capable of holding up to 128GB of RAM.
This motherboard has another great feature: despite having only three PCIe slots, two of them are x16-sized. With this performance, you only get four SATA ports and one M.2 SSD slot. Storage options are not included with this performance. The motherboard for NAS has many ports on its back, including 4 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x HDMI, as well as audio ports.
What We Liked
Overclocking support contributes to pretty good performance
Expandability and versatility with large PCIe slots
On the back of the device are the usual connectivity options
What We Didn’t Like
For the price, there could have been more storage options
Our top recommendation for those seeking a NAS is an AMD motherboard that is budget-friendly.
Four SATA ports are available on this motherboard. That’s not an overwhelming number. There are three expansion slots, namely two x1 slots as well as one x16 slot, which allows you to expand the number of SATA ports.
This particular motherboard also features AMD’s new A520 chipset, which is something worth noting. Compared to the older A320 chipset, this offers the following advantages
Your attention will first be drawn to the fact that it supports AMD CPUs in the 5000 series. You don’t need to update the BIOS because it supports the 5000 series AMD CPUs.
Second, the two x1 slots are powered by chipset-based PCIe lanes that conform to PCIe v3.0. Prior to this, the slots were powered by chipset-based PCIe lanes conforming to PCIe v2.0.
In addition, the newer chipsets come with faster USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports.
While it may only have four ports, you can add expansion cards for SATA through the PCIe slots if they are needed.
Both NAS and servers offer large amounts of storage while having similar functionality, but a NAS has a very limited range of features. For this reason, NAS is best suited to smaller networks, while servers are best suited to large-scale applications requiring internet access.
NAS storage can be expanded?
Modern NASes usually allow you to expand storage capacity in two ways: By performing a backup, shutting it down, placing larger drives in place, and copying back the original files. Each drive should be replaced with a larger one, and the RAID volume should be rebuilt between swaps.
Which one is better UnRAID or FreeNAS?
FreeNAS is a better option for those who want a traditional RAID with a tested and trusted file system and volume manager, while UnRAID makes more sense if you need maximum capacity for non-critical data sets
How can NAS be so expensive?
They can be expensive since they are quite basic computers that need to be powerful enough to manage drive arrays, networks, and file servers.
After a NAS is built, can the storage be upgraded?
Your NAS’s drives are all user-replaceable since they were manually installed. As a result, the storage can also be upgraded if needed. If your hard drives have run out of SATA connectors or M.2 SSD slots, you need to replace them or get an expansion card.
How do NAS computers configure RAID?
If you want improved performance or reliability, you can also configure your NAS hard drives in RAID. With these RAID configurations, you can use your NAS’ hard drives together in order to share the data across multiple drives so that you can either increase speed or reliability depending on your needs.
Buying Guide for the Best Motherboards for NAS
The majority of computer users and builders make sure to choose processors, graphics cards, memory modules, storage drives, and other hardware components that are powerful. To take advantage of these high-quality computer components, you will also need a robust motherboard since all of the computer’s internal components are connected through the motherboard.
Chipset
No matter the type of CPU you choose, the first thing you should look at is the motherboard chipset. All computer motherboards offer the user many features and connectivity options, but the motherboard chipset is the most important one. The chipset of the motherboard determines all the features you are able to use with it. Therefore, it is very important to check this out. Depending on the circumstances, you may also be able to overclock the CPU or the RAM, or even both in some cases.
Form Factor
You can find motherboards of all sizes when you buy a motherboard for your computer. A motherboard’s form factor is also critical to ensuring that it can be installed in your computer case. However, even though there are smaller micro ATX and mini ITX boards out there, most high-end NASmotherboards will come in ATX form, or even EATX, for even more connectivity options.
Number of Ports
HEDT boards have eight RAM slots, while smaller MINI-ITX units are designed with just two. Motherboards are usually equipped with four RAM slots, but HEDT boards often have eight. You should select a unit that is suited to your needs based on the number of slots available.
Temperature
Motherboards have integrated fans, heatsinks, capacitors, fans headers, and thermal paste for controlling the temperature. In high-quality motherboards, you do not even need a cooler since these components keep the temperature low.
Connectivity/Networking
These days, motherboards have next-generation networking and connectivity capabilities. On the motherboard are a number of ports and slots that allow you to connect different devices such as HDMI, LAN ports, PCI slots, SATA, and USB ports. The best motherboard for NAS should also have network options such as Ethernet, WiFi 6, and Bluetooth
Conclusion
Guys, let’s get started! The motherboards on the list are the best options for NAS users since they will enable a more convenient user experience. Among the motherboards we’ve listed above, all have high quality and are priced reasonably. You should evaluate your connectivity and memory requirements before making your final decision.
Felix knows a lot about computers. As a student of BSCS, Felix is passionate about technology. Since childhood, Felix has been a hardcore gamer who enjoys reviewing new gaming hardware. If you have any questions about computers, Felix will be happy to answer them.
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