Is a NAS worth buying?

Power equals voltage times current. If the wattage is already listed, use that number. A typical NAS uses about 1–3 kWh per day, which translates to roughly ¥15–45 in monthly electricity costs. If you can get the service you need for less than ¥15 elsewhere, it’s not worth the hassle of setting up a NAS. But if no alternative works, buying a NAS ends up being more cost-effective over time.

Of course, once you go above 2 TB drives, power consumption and electricity costs will rise.

Zspace (already supports Apple TV beta app), good value for money, more tailored to Chinese users?

UGREEN reportedly will also support third-party apps, more tailored to Chinese users?

Synology, reportedly with the best user experience, more tailored to everyone.

QNAP, high-spec hardware, reportedly weak on software side.

These are the current mainstream NAS brands. A reasonable mid-range setup runs about ¥2,000+, plus around ¥600 for a 2 TB drive. Durability is typically around 10 years, though extreme custom setups might only last about 5 years. From a usage-cost perspective:

Fixed hardware cost + monthly electricity cost × months ≤ cost of purchasing equivalent services

—that’s when it makes sense to buy a NAS.

Of course, there are additional costs down the line, like running PT downloads. In the future, hardware may get cheaper, but manufacturers could start charging subscription fees for their management software.