The best NAS for Immich in Canada
By Devin Chua · Data checked by Owen Nakamura · Updated The best NAS for Immich in Canada is the DXP4800 Plus — 8 GB+ handles ML search, on its Intel Pentium Gold 8505 (5 cores, 6 threads) with 8–64 GB of RAM. The full ranking below shows which other models keep up and which fall short.
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Top picks for Immich
What Immich actually needs
A self-hosted Google Photos clone with machine-learning search (faces, objects). The ML models are memory-hungry — 8 GB of system RAM is the realistic floor — and it runs as a Docker stack, so an x86 box with RAM headroom is the natural home; ARM handles it poorly.
The lever that decides the experience is RAM. Immich's face and object recognition loads machine-learning models into memory, and on a box with only 2–4 GB it thrashes; 8 GB of system RAM is the realistic floor and more helps. That points squarely at an x86 model with SO-DIMM slots you can fill — an ARM box technically installs it but indexes a large library painfully slowly.
Every NAS ranked for Immich
Click a model for its full breakdown; “· add RAM” flags one that needs a memory upgrade first.
| NAS model | Runs? | Performance | What it needs on this model |
|---|---|---|---|
| DXP4800 Plus | Yes | good | 8 GB+ handles ML search |
| DXP6800 Pro | Yes | good | 8 GB+ handles ML search |
| DS1525+ | Yes | good | 8 GB+ handles ML search |
| DXP2800 | Yes | good | 8 GB+ handles ML search |
| DXP4800 | Yes | good | 8 GB+ handles ML search |
| TS-464 | Yes | good | 8 GB+ handles ML search |
| TS-264 | Yes | good | 8 GB+ handles ML search |
| DS925+ | Yes | fair | Recommend a RAM upgrade to 8 GB+ · add RAM › |
| DS923+ | Yes | fair | Recommend a RAM upgrade to 8 GB+ · add RAM › |
| F4-425 | Yes | fair | Recommend a RAM upgrade to 8 GB+ · add RAM › |
| F2-425 | Yes | fair | Recommend a RAM upgrade to 8 GB+ · add RAM › |
| DS423+ | Limited | fair | RAM caps at 6 GB (ML wants 8 GB+) |
| DS224+ | Limited | fair | RAM caps at 6 GB (ML wants 8 GB+) |
| DH4300 Plus | Limited | poor | ARM: ML search is slow |
| DH2300 | Limited | poor | ARM: ML search is slow |
| TS-233 | No | — | No container platform |
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best NAS for Immich in Canada?
An Intel x86 model with room for 8 GB+ of RAM — a UGREEN DXP2800/DXP4800 Plus or a Synology DS925+ with a RAM upgrade. Immich's ML search is memory-hungry, so the RAM ceiling matters more than anything; ARM boxes run it but index slowly.
How much RAM does Immich need on a NAS?
8 GB of system RAM is the realistic floor once you enable machine-learning search, and more helps a large library. Many entry NAS boxes ship with 2–4 GB, so budget for a RAM upgrade — and avoid soldered-RAM models that cannot be upgraded past their stock amount.
Can I run Immich on an ARM NAS?
Technically yes, but not well. Immich's ML models lean on CPU that ARM chips do not have to spare, so indexing faces and objects across a real library is slow. For a smooth Immich, choose an Intel model with a RAM upgrade path.
Does Immich replace Google Photos on a NAS?
Closely. Immich is built specifically to clone the Google Photos experience — automatic phone backup, timeline, and ML face/place search — and it is the best self-hosted match if you want that. It needs Docker and 8 GB of RAM; if you would rather not tinker, the vendor apps (Synology Photos) are the turnkey alternative.
Read more
Devin Chua works out which drives, RAM and NVMe cache fit which NAS model at nasdrives.ca, and what the RAID choice means for usable capacity, checked against what is in stock on Amazon.ca.
Data checked by Owen Nakamura, Technical editor (data checking)