[Good News] I dumped all my daughter's photos into the $300-range NAS 'UGREEN NASync DH2300', and both my smartphone and cloud storage costs got lighter.

I don't know how many times I've seen the 'Storage almost full' notification on my smartphone.

I know the reason. It's my daughter. Ever since she was born, I've taken so many photos and videos that my phone's storage is constantly maxed out. Even when I try to back them up to the cloud, the free tier has long since overflowed, leaving me with the choice of paying a monthly fee or giving up on storage space.

That's when I introduced the 'UGREEN NASync DH2300' for home use. It's an entry-level NAS you can buy in the $300 range. To cut to the chase, this solved my smartphone storage issues and monthly cloud subscription fees all at once. Today is my honest review of it.

(Note: I also use the higher-end DXP2800 model at work, and I wrote about that in a separate article. This time, I'll focus on 'what you can do for home use in the $300 range')

Conclusion: If you just want a 'storage vault for family photos and videos', the DH2300 is more than enough.

There's an image that NAS devices are difficult or expensive, but the DH2300 is so simple that the setup starts just by holding your smartphone up to it. As a vault to dump my daughter's photos into, and as a receptacle to free up my smartphone's storage, I don't think there's anything better in the $300 range.

First of all, what kind of NAS is the DH2300? (Specs and Price)

Let's start with the basic information.

• Price: $300-range for the unit (diskless) — HDDs/SSDs sold separately

• CPU: ARM-based power-efficient processor (Rockchip)

• Memory: 4GB (*cannot be expanded or replaced)

• Drive: 3.5/2.5-inch x 2 bays (supports up to 60TB class)

• Network: 1GbE wired LAN x 1

• Video: 4K HDMI output included (media playback possible by plugging directly into a TV)

• AI: Equipped with an NPU for automatic album organization via facial recognition

The key point is the '$300-range unit + HDD sold separately' configuration. So the actual total cost depends on the 'unit price + the capacity of the HDD you put in'. This also relates to the disadvantages mentioned later.

Power consumption is around 10W in standby and about 13W during access, making it energy-efficient. It's at a level where you can leave it on 24 hours a day without worrying about electricity bills. The operating noise is also quite quiet, and it didn't bother me even when placed in the living room.

'NAS is cheaper than Google Drive' -- Is that logic still correct today?

When NAS started becoming a hot topic, the catchphrase that YouTubers were all saying was, "It's cheaper to buy a NAS than to pay for Google Drive every month!".

To be honest, this logic is a bit weaker now. Google One and iCloud have improved their plans, making it possible to use large capacities for less than before. If you 'just want to back up some photos,' for many people, the cloud is enough without forcing yourself to buy a NAS.

So, does that mean the DH2300 is unnecessary? That's not the case. The turning point is 'capacity'.

• People who are fine with tens to hundreds of GB -> Honestly, the cloud is fine

• People who want to save terabytes of data aggressively -> NAS is overwhelmingly cheaper

The cloud is a model where 'the more capacity you increase, the more your monthly billing accumulates.' In contrast, with a NAS, 'once you buy an HDD, that capacity is yours forever.' If you use TB-level storage for a long time, the cost-performance of a NAS easily reverses that of the cloud. For someone like me who hoards photos and videos without limit, a NAS was the only choice.

I have written in detail here about the process of canceling the cloud and switching to a UGREEN NAS.

My usage method 1: Dumping all my daughter's photos/videos + SLR RAW files

So, what am I actually putting in it? Photos and videos of my beloved daughter. I'm just dumping them all in.

Not only daily photos taken with my smartphone, but I'm also getting carried away and saving photos taken with my SLR in RAW format. RAW files are huge in size per shot, so on the cloud, your capacity would die in an instant. But with a NAS, you can throw in as much as you want as long as the HDD capacity allows. This feeling of 'being able to press the shutter without worrying about capacity' was more comfortable than I imagined.

Moreover, the DH2300 has AI that recognizes faces and automatically creates albums, so looking back at just 'my daughter's photos' is instantaneous. It has become incredibly easy to trace her growth records. As a dad, this might be the point that touched me the most.

My usage method 2: My smartphone capacity cleared up, and I can install as many games as I want

This is a subtle but best byproduct I realized after introducing it.

The DH2300 automatically backs up photos and videos via a smartphone app. It supports NFC, so just hold your smartphone over it to launch the app and complete the setup. After that, the photos you take are automatically sent to the NAS via Wi-Fi.

And once the backup to the NAS is done, you can safely delete the photos from your smartphone. As a result, the smartphone capacity that was always tight has been cleared out significantly. What did I do with the freed-up capacity? I installed as many games as I wanted (lol). The happiness of being able to download games without worrying about capacity during spare time between childcare.

'Instead of continuing to pay monthly cloud fees, move photos to a NAS and make your smartphone lighter' -- This operation improves QOL more than you can imagine.

Docker can be used 'if you install it separately' -- However, it is not officially supported

This is for gadget lovers and those focused on work efficiency.

Many review sites state that "DH2300 does not support Docker". This is half true; the official app center for UGOS Pro (the DH2300's OS) does not have Docker available. Given its ARM architecture and 4GB of memory, it is not a feature the manufacturer is heavily promoting.

However, I have installed Docker separately and am actually running it. I am having fun running business apps and tools created with AI on this home NAS. In terms of versatility, it is definitely "usable."

…but I will confess honestly here: I haven't thought of a "killer app I really want at home" yet (lol). While the DXP2800 at my workplace is great for internal portals and business apps, I haven't yet encountered a killer app for home use where I think, "Setting this up on a NAS with Docker would be amazing!"

If you have any ideas for "home apps that are useful to run on a NAS," please let me know in the comments. I am seriously looking for suggestions.

This article might be easy to understand for the feeling of "running self-made apps at 0 yen per month using Docker on a NAS."

Disadvantages and honest points of caution

I don't think you can trust me if I only talk about the good points, so I will properly write about the weaknesses as well.

• Wired LAN is limited to 1GbE. While higher-end models (like the DXP2800) have 2.5GbE, the DH2300 is 1GbE. There are times when it feels insufficient for those who want to transfer large amounts of files at high speed. Honestly, for home photo backup purposes, it is not that much of a problem.
  

• Memory is fixed at 4GB and cannot be expanded. Since it is soldered to the board, you cannot add more memory later. If you plan to run heavy apps extensively, you should choose a higher-end model from the start.
  

• Docker is not officially supported. As mentioned above, "it works if you install it separately," but it is outside the manufacturer's warranty. If you prioritize stability for business use, you will be happier choosing the Docker-supported DXP2800.
  

• The chassis is plastic with an aluminum-style finish, making fingerprints and skin oils easily visible. It has a decent sense of luxury. It is something you should treat as a practical item.
  

• And the biggest hurdle: the rising price of HDDs. This is about the HDDs, not the unit itself, but HDD prices have been rising recently, and the total cost of "unit + HDD" is gradually becoming heavier. Honestly, this is the number one reason why people hesitate to introduce a NAS.

So, should you buy the DH2300 or the DXP2800?

My conclusion, having used both, is simple.

• Mainly for storing personal/family photos and videos → The DH2300 (30,000 yen range) is sufficient

• Want to constantly run multiple apps with Docker like an internal server → DXP2800

The DH2300 is a "storage vault for family memories that replaces the cloud." The DXP2800 is a "small business server." Since their uses are clearly different, if you are unsure, you won't go wrong if you choose based on whether you want a "photo storage space" or a "server."

Click here for the story of how I thoroughly used the DXP2800 at work.

Summary: The moment you think 'I want a backup for my children's photos' is the time to buy.

With the rise in HDD prices, the hurdle for introducing a NAS is honestly a bit higher than it used to be. I understand the feeling of wanting to wait until it gets a little cheaper.

However, photos and videos of children are continuing to increase even at this very moment while you wait. If they were to disappear due to a smartphone or cloud trouble, money cannot bring them back.

Therefore, my conclusion is this: The moment you think 'I want a backup for my children's photos' is the time to buy. For 30,000 yen, you can keep all your family memories in your own hands. I truly recommend the DH2300 as that first unit.

Hashtags: #Gadget #NAS #UGREEN #DH2300 #PhotoOrganization #Parenting