In this article, we review the UGREEN NASync DH2300 device, which provides a home cloud storage solution for normal users like you and me. This device can hold up to 60TB of data through its 2-bay design that can hold up to 2 NAS drives.
What exactly is a NAS device?
A NAS or Network Attached Storage lets you set up a cloud storage solution at home, so you can back up and store your personal photos, videos, files, documents, movies, and everything else privately and securely. Your NAS storage is accessible through all of your devices at home by multiple users, and you can even get to your data remotely through the UGREEN NAS app for iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows.
With a NAS device running at your home or office, you can stop paying for expensive cloud storage subscriptions. These devices even let you get rid of your expensive iCloud Subscription as you can seamlessly sync all of your iPhone photos and videos to your personal cloud.
What makes the UGREEN NASync DH2300 so cool is the fact that it is super easy to set up and use. You don’t need to be a network engineer to get this device up and running, and the whole setup takes about 10 minutes or less.
Inside the box, you get the NASync device itself as well as all the necessary tools you would need to have this device up and running.
Inside the box, you’ll find:
- The NASync DH2300 unit
- Power adapter
- Ethernet cable
- Screws and a screwdriver for the drives
- User manual and a 2-year warranty card
Choosing NAS Hard Disks
A NAS device does not come with a hard disk. So you will have to purchase your NAS Hard Disks separately.
There are plenty of NAS drives available in the market that you can buy for yourself. UGREEN recommends NAS-specific drives like WD Red and Seagate IronWolf for their reliability and performance. However, you can choose any other brands that you trust.
Setting Up the UGREEN NASync DH2300
I set up my UGREEN NASync DH2300 in my living room so I could place it inside one of the compartments under the TV. This not only allows me to keep the NAS device secure and out of sight, but also lets me plug in directly into my router.
As soon as you plug it into the power and Ethernet, the device turns on. You even hear a beep sound and the three lights turn on, with two of them indicating each of your hard drives’ status.
After the device turns on, you can open the UGREEN NAS app and set up the device from there. It’s a simple process that takes around 5 minutes. The app nicely guides you through the whole process.
After the setup is complete, you will see the app’s home screen that gives you access to system information and temperature, settings, and apps. At this point, you can start transferring your data to your NAS.
Exploring the UGREEN NAS App and Features
The Files folder is like the Finder of the UGREEN OS. It gives you access to all the folders and files that are stored on your NAS. Here you can add new folders, move and delete files, preview different files, and more. There’s also a recycle bin folder where you can find recently deleted files, which is useful.
In Control Panel, you get access to all the useful controls for your NAS, including User management, connection, network, and more.
The Storage section lets you see how much storage is in use. As you can see here, I have combined both of my 4TB hard drives into a single volume. You can do this or use the Raid configuration, where both hard drives are mirrored. So if one of them fails, your data stays intact on the second one.
Apps and Advanced Features
The UGREEN NAS app also lets you install different apps onto your NAS. While some of these apps are preinstalled, you can add new ones and activate new features on your device.
Some of the apps you can install include Vault, which creates a sensitive data vault through encryption, accessible only through a password.
Then there’s the Snapshot app, which provides a way to back up data at specific points in time. You can then later restore data from the time of your choosing. This is great for restoring data after accidental deletion, software failures, etc.
The Sync & Backup section lets you turn on iPhone backups. You can back up your whole photo library to your NAS by enabling this feature. Once Mobile Data backup is enabled and you have synced your library, any new photo or video you shoot with your iPhone will automatically be backed up to your NAS, and accessible on other devices.
You can not only back up your photos to your NAS but also access them on any device. The app offers powerful AI features that make it possible for you to find photos and videos you are looking for by simply searching for them. This is great for those who have thousands of photos and videos in the library.
The UGREEN NAS is not limited to data storage only. It can also be used for media consumption. You can store your movies on this device and plug it to your TV using its HDMI port. You can then access those movies and play them directly on your TV, which is both cool and convenient.
Despite being an entry-level NAS, the UGREEN NASync DH2300 is extremely powerful. It is capable of storing up to 60 terabytes of hard drives. That much storage capacity makes it capable of storing 21 million photos of 3MB each, 40k movies of 1.5GB each, 62 million documents, and 2 million songs.
UGREEN NASync comes with a 1Gb1 LAN port that can transfer up to 125MB/s. This offers fast transfer speeds for transferring data to and from the NAS. Remotely accessing multimedia files, such as videos, also works great.
Why I cancelled my iCloud Subscription
I primarily subscribed to iCloud+ to back up my iPhone photos and videos. For that, I have been paying £26.99 per month for only 6TB of storage, whereas with this NAS, I have access to 8TB of personal cloud storage and don’t have to spend another pound going forward.
I can even expand this storage up to 60TB, something iCloud doesn’t even offer, as it tops out at 12TB, an option that costs a whopping £55 per month.
So, should you get one?
If you need a secure, private, and affordable data storage solution, this NAS is an excellent choice. It’s ideal for:
- Backing up personal photos and documents
- Managing files across multiple devices
- Streaming media content
- Avoiding monthly cloud subscription fees
Once you experience the convenience of having your own personal cloud, you won’t want to go back.
Final thoughts
UGREEN NASync DH2300
UGREEN NASync DH2300After setting up a NAS for my home office and storing my personal photos and documents on the NAS, and a backup of all the content posted on our YouTube channel, I can safely say that I cannot go back to my old ways of data storage and backup, and I can no longer live without a NAS running at my home.
For anyone serious about data privacy, ownership, and flexibility, the UGREEN NASync DH2300 is absolutely worth it, especially considering its price point.
You can buy the UGREEN NASync DH2300 for just under $188.99. You have to get the NAS hard drives separately, with the 4TB WD Red featured in this review available at $100.
