The best NAS for Virtual machines in Canada
By Devin Chua · Data checked by Owen Nakamura · Updated · Prices checked The best NAS for Virtual machines in Canada is the DXP4800 Plus: add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM, on its Intel Pentium Gold 8505 (5 cores, 6 threads) with 8 to 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 Virtual machines
What Virtual machines actually needs
Running a full guest OS (a Windows box, a Linux server, Home Assistant OS). This needs hardware virtualization (x86 only, never ARM) and real RAM: 16 GB of system memory to give a VM a useful slice without starving the NAS.
Two hard requirements, and both exclude a lot of boxes. First, the CPU must be x86 with virtualization, every ARM NAS is out, full stop. Second, RAM: a virtual machine needs a real slice of memory, so once the NAS takes its own share you want 16 GB of system RAM to give a Windows or Linux guest room to breathe. That means an Intel or AMD model with SO-DIMM slots you can fill high: the entry boxes with a 6 GB ceiling manage only the lightest VM duty.
The same RAM and bandwidth that host a VM decide whether a NAS can run a local LLM: try the AI NAS calculator or see the best AI NAS in Canada.
Every NAS ranked for Virtual machines
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 | fair | Add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM · add RAM › |
| DXP6800 Pro | Yes | fair | Add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM · add RAM › |
| DS925+ | Yes | fair | Add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM · add RAM › |
| DS923+ | Yes | fair | Add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM · add RAM › |
| DS1525+ | Yes | fair | Add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM · add RAM › |
| DXP2800 | Yes | fair | Add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM · add RAM › |
| DXP4800 | Yes | fair | Add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM · add RAM › |
| TS-464 | Yes | fair | Add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM · add RAM › |
| TS-264 | Yes | fair | Add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM · add RAM › |
| F4-425 | Yes | fair | Add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM · add RAM › |
| F2-425 | Yes | fair | Add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM · add RAM › |
| DS423+ | Limited | fair | RAM ceiling 6 GB is tight for a VM |
| DS224+ | Limited | fair | RAM ceiling 6 GB is tight for a VM |
| DH4300 Plus | No | n/a | ARM: no hardware virtualization |
| DH2300 | No | n/a | ARM: no hardware virtualization |
| TS-233 | No | n/a | ARM: no hardware virtualization |
Picked a box? See which models virtualize ›
Frequently asked questions
What is the best NAS for virtual machines in Canada?
An x86 model with a high RAM ceiling: a UGREEN DXP4800 Plus (to 64 GB) or a Synology DS925+/DS1525+ (to 32 GB, ECC). VMs need hardware virtualization (x86 only) and real memory, so RAM headroom is the deciding spec.
Can an ARM NAS run virtual machines?
No. Virtual machines require x86 hardware virtualization, which ARM CPUs do not provide. Every ARM NAS (UGREEN's DH line, QNAP's TS-233) cannot run a VM at all. You need an Intel or AMD model.
How much RAM does a NAS need for a VM?
Plan for 16 GB of system RAM to run a useful Windows or Linux guest while the NAS keeps serving files: a VM needs its own real slice of memory. Entry x86 boxes that cap at 6 GB can only manage the lightest VM duty; choose a model you can fill to 16 GB or more.
Should I run a VM on a NAS or a dedicated machine?
A NAS suits always-on, low-to-moderate VMs (a small Linux server, Home Assistant OS) when it is x86 with RAM headroom. Heavy or performance-critical VMs are better on a dedicated machine or a mini-PC, where you are not sharing CPU and RAM with storage duties.
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)