Cheap and simple or fast and future-proof: Buffalo LinkStation 220 vs QNAP TS-464

Display

Neither product has a display in the usual sense, so this category is really about the quality of the management interface and how easy the NAS is to use day to day. The QNAP wins here because its TS-464 platform is built for a richer admin experience, with a more capable web UI, better app ecosystem, and stronger support for modern NAS tasks like media serving and container management. The Buffalo LinkStation 220 is much more basic and geared toward simple file sharing and backup. If you want a polished, feature-rich control panel, QNAP is the clear winner.

Performance

This is the biggest gap in the comparison. The QNAP TS-464 uses an Intel Celeron quad-core processor and comes with 8GB of RAM, plus dual 2.5GbE networking and M.2 PCIe slots for SSD caching or storage. That combination makes it dramatically faster for file transfers, Plex transcoding, Docker containers, and running multiple services at once. The Buffalo LinkStation 220 is a budget 2-bay NAS with included HDDs, but it is not in the same performance class; it is designed for basic home cloud storage rather than serious multitasking. For raw speed, expandability, and workload handling, QNAP wins comfortably.

Build quality and design

The Buffalo is simpler and smaller, and because it includes drives, it is an easier out-of-the-box appliance for non-technical users. However, the QNAP’s chassis is the better long-term design: 4 drive bays instead of 2, support for more storage capacity, and the flexibility to build a more resilient array such as RAID 5 or RAID 10 depending on your setup. The TS-464 also has the kind of hardware layout enthusiasts expect, with M.2 slots and dual 2.5GbE ports built in. Buffalo wins on simplicity, but QNAP wins on design quality and scalability.

Battery life

Neither device has a battery, so this category does not meaningfully apply. If you are thinking about reliability during power cuts, the more relevant factor is pairing either NAS with a UPS. In that practical sense, the QNAP is the better platform to protect with a UPS because it is more likely to be used for important services and larger arrays.

Price and value for money

The Buffalo LinkStation 220 wins on upfront price. At £308, it is £417 cheaper than the QNAP, and it includes 4TB of storage out of the box. If all you need is straightforward network storage for documents, photos, and light backup duties, that lower entry cost is compelling. But the QNAP’s £725 price has to be judged as a platform cost, not just a box cost: you are getting a much stronger CPU, 8GB RAM, four bays, dual 2.5GbE, and M.2 PCIe support. For basic buyers, Buffalo is better value; for power users, QNAP delivers better value over the life of the system.

Game library/features

NAS devices do not have a game library, so the closest equivalent is the software ecosystem and feature set. The QNAP wins decisively here. It is far better suited to Plex, containerised apps, backup automation, surveillance, virtualisation-lite tasks, and general self-hosting. The Buffalo is more limited and best treated as a simple network storage appliance. If you want a NAS that can also become a media server, app host, or home lab node, the QNAP is in a different league.

Overall user experience

For the average home user who wants something that works immediately and costs as little as possible, the Buffalo is straightforward and less intimidating. It is a plug-in, set-up-and-forget solution for basic file storage. But the QNAP offers a far better overall experience for anyone likely to outgrow simple storage: more bays, more performance, faster networking, SSD cache potential, and a much richer feature set. The TS-464 is the kind of NAS that can serve a growing household, a Plex library, and a small self-hosted stack without immediately becoming the bottleneck. The Buffalo is easier to justify on price, but the QNAP is easier to live with as your needs expand.

Overall summary: if your priority is the cheapest complete NAS with drives included, the Buffalo LinkStation 220 is the sensible budget pick. If you want the better NAS by a wide margin in speed, expandability, and long-term usefulness, the QNAP TS-464 is the one to buy. For most buyers comparing these two specifically, the QNAP is the definitive winner unless the lower price is the deciding factor.