Ubiquiti UNAS 2From real comments

Verdict distilled from 32 mentions across 13 aspects in comments under product review videos.

Positive sentiment50%
PROS 50%
CONS 50%

Rank based on 32 mentions across 13 aspects

View the verdict as

Buy this if...

  • You want an affordable, simple NAS mainly for Time Machine backups
  • You're already in the UniFi ecosystem and want easy auto-mounting on Mac and Windows
  • You want flexible drive setup, starting with one drive and expanding later

What users love

Skip this if...

  • You need built-in encryption or plan to use the 4-bay model for sensitive data
  • You want to run Plex, Jellyfin, or other apps/virtualization on the NAS
  • You need 10GbE speeds or rock-solid 2.5G link stability

What users complain about

Compare in seconds

Based on user comments

Best choice
1Mid
Synology DS220
Easy setup and intuitive DSM software
Synology DS220
Easy setup and intuitive DSM software
2Mid
Ugreen DH4300
Easy setup for beginners
Ugreen DH4300
Easy setup for beginners
3Mid
Synology DS920
Long-term reliabilityNetworking speed beyond 1GbpsPlex and media handling improved by SSD cacheFan noiseCPU thermal and virtualization limitsMixed value of RAM/SSD upgrades for basic use
Synology DS920
Long-term reliability
Networking speed beyond 1Gbps
Plex and media handling improved by SSD cache
Fan noise
CPU thermal and virtualization limits
Mixed value of RAM/SSD upgrades for basic use
4Premium
Synology DS1821
Expandable storage capacityReliability and data recoveryEase of use / DSM interfaceDrive compatibility alerts and vendor lock-inWeak Plex transcodingExpensive proprietary RAM
Synology DS1821
Expandable storage capacity
Reliability and data recovery
Ease of use / DSM interface
Drive compatibility alerts and vendor lock-in
Weak Plex transcoding
Expensive proprietary RAM
5
OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual
Bus-Powered FlexibilityCompact, Portable DesignDrives Readable If Enclosure FailsNoisy Drive ActivityAbrupt Unmount SoundRAID 1 Doesn't Boost Read Speed
OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual
Bus-Powered Flexibility
Compact, Portable Design
Drives Readable If Enclosure Fails
Noisy Drive Activity
Abrupt Unmount Sound
RAID 1 Doesn't Boost Read Speed
Best value
6Budget
Synology DS118
Sufficient for backups, streaming, and surveillanceEasy setup for beginnersGood value versus higher-tier modelsNo drive redundancyConfusing entry-level lineup overlapMissing vibration dampers
Synology DS118
Sufficient for backups, streaming, and surveillance
Easy setup for beginners
Good value versus higher-tier models
No drive redundancy
Confusing entry-level lineup overlap
Missing vibration dampers
7Mid
Synology DS923
Great for Time Machine and photo backupLong-term reliabilitySolid upgrade from older/competing NASRAID is not a backupDrive/component lock-in and costNoise and power draw
Synology DS923
Great for Time Machine and photo backup
Long-term reliability
Solid upgrade from older/competing NAS
RAID is not a backup
Drive/component lock-in and cost
Noise and power draw
8Mid
Ugreen DXP6800 Pro
Dual 10GbE and Thunderbolt connectivityStrong hardware for the priceExpandable and third-party OS friendlySoftware stability issuesFan noise at idleNVMe/PCIe lane limitations
Ugreen DXP6800 Pro
Dual 10GbE and Thunderbolt connectivity
Strong hardware for the price
Expandable and third-party OS friendly
Software stability issues
Fan noise at idle
NVMe/PCIe lane limitations
9Premium
Ugreen DXP6800
Flexible RAID and third-party OS supportStrong hardware specs vs competitorsCapable for video editing workflowsInconsistent idle fan noiseUGOS software immaturityReal-world transfer speed issues
Ugreen DXP6800
Flexible RAID and third-party OS support
Strong hardware specs vs competitors
Capable for video editing workflows
Inconsistent idle fan noise
UGOS software immaturity
Real-world transfer speed issues
10Premium
Synology DS1621+
Highly expandable hardwareHigh throughput with 10GbE and cacheStrong VM and app supportNo hardware transcoding for 4KConfusing cache setup guidanceConsumer NVMe cache reliability risk
Synology DS1621+
Highly expandable hardware
High throughput with 10GbE and cache
Strong VM and app support
No hardware transcoding for 4K
Confusing cache setup guidance
Consumer NVMe cache reliability risk
You are here
24Budget
Ubiquiti UNAS 2
Reliable Time Machine backupsSimple UniFi ecosystem setupFlexible drive configurationLimited networking speedBuild quality concernsNo app or virtualization support
Ubiquiti UNAS 2
Reliable Time Machine backups
Simple UniFi ecosystem setup
Flexible drive configuration
Limited networking speed
Build quality concerns
No app or virtualization support

Who wins on what

Ranked by what users actually praise

Overall Impression

Commenters see strong value at the $199 price point. Several users correct misconceptions about pricing, noting the official price is $199, not $299, and that it supports RAID 1, snapshots, and Time Machine backups. One commenter called it a game changer versus committing to a DIY TrueNAS/ZFS build, saying the pricing and feature set make it hard to justify building your own small storage NAS for SOHO use.

Time Machine and cross-platform mounting work well for home users. Multiple owners report running Time Machine backups from Macs successfully, with one backing up two Macs and noting drives also auto-mount on Windows via Identity, not just macOS. One user has been happily running it since September, replacing an aging Synology unit specifically for Time Machine duties.

Missing encryption and networking limits frustrate more advanced users. Several commenters call it a shame that the UNAS 2 and 4 lack drive encryption, with one saying the 4-bay should have gotten better hardware and full encryption support. Others complain the single 2.5GbE port is limiting compared to 10G alternatives, and one reports repeated RMAs due to unreliable 2.5G connections that kept flapping until locked to 1G.

Outdated / Not-accurate data?