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How Much RAM Does a NAS Need? — 2GB, 4GB, 8GB or More?

How Much RAM Does a NAS Need?

Internal hard disk drives for NAS storage
Internal hard disk drives for NAS storage

One of the most common questions from NAS users: “How much RAM should I buy?” The answer depends entirely on your workload. This guide breaks down RAM requirements by use case.


Quick Reference

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WorkloadMinimumRecommendedOptimal
Basic file storage / NAS2GB (default)4GB8GB
Time Machine backups2GB4GB4GB (8GB if other services)
Plex media server (500 items)2GB4GB8GB
Plex media server (2000+ items)4GB8GB16GB
Docker containers (5–10)4GB8GB16GB
Virtual machines (1–2)8GB16GB32GB
Surveillance system (50 cameras)4GB8GB16GB
Database workloads8GB16GB32GB–64GB
High-load mixed workloads:16GB32GB64GB+

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