Build Your First Homelab: Best Prime Day NAS and Server Deals

Start Here: Why a NAS Beats Yet Another Cloud Subscription

A homelab is a small, personal data center built from networked storage, mini PCs, and networking gear that lets you run your own services, backups, and media streaming at home instead of renting them from the cloud. With Prime Day discounts on NAS servers, mini PCs, and faster networking gear, building your first homelab is now far more accessible to beginners than it used to be. If you have been waiting for the right moment, this is it: you can get started without spending a crazy amount of money, using Prime Day as the perfect jumping-off point for your homelab journey.

The single best buy for most people this Prime Day is the UGREEN NASync DH2300, a 2‑bay desktop NAS that has dropped to its lowest price ever at USD 176 (approx. RM825), down from USD 220 (approx. RM1032). This NAS is a straightforward NAS storage alternative to monthly cloud plans, letting you back up devices, stream media, and share files across almost any device while you keep full control over your data. According to one source, “the savings compared to paying each month for cloud service will be worth it,” once you make the one‑time investment in a NAS.

Top Pick: UGREEN NASync DH2300 – The Cloud-Killer Starter NAS

If you want an affordable cloud storage replacement you can set up in an afternoon, buy the UGREEN NASync DH2300 first. This entry-level NAS offers two drive bays that can hold up to 64TB of storage, which is more than enough for family backups, Plex-style media libraries, and photo archives. It comes with 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM, USB-C and USB-A ports, HDMI, and Ethernet connectivity, so you can tuck it beside your router or TV and still plug in external drives or displays.

The headline here is value: at USD 176 (approx. RM825), this is the lowest price seen on the DH2300 since launch, making it one of the most compelling homelab Prime Day deals for anyone who wants affordable cloud storage on their own terms. UGREEN’s UGOS software focuses on easy backups and media streaming, and you can connect from almost any device to handle music, photos, and files without a subscription. In practical terms, this single box can replace multiple paid cloud services and give you room to grow into a wider homelab later.

Power Users’ Choice: UGREEN NASync DXP2800 GT and Synology DS225+

If you want more performance for a bigger homelab, the UGREEN NASync DXP2800 GT and Synology DS225+ are the Prime Day upgrades to focus on. The UGREEN DXP2800 GT is on sale for USD 400 (approx. RM1876), down from USD 510 (approx. RM2392), and pairs 8GB of RAM (upgradeable to 64GB) with two 3.5‑inch drive bays, two M.2 NVMe slots, and 10GbE networking. That 10‑gigabit port and NVMe storage make it ideal if you plan to run virtual machines, containers, or high-speed media editing from your NAS.

If you care more about a polished, beginner-friendly interface than bleeding-edge speed, the Synology DS225+ is the safer bet. Priced at USD 275 (approx. RM1290), down from USD 340 (approx. RM1595), it offers two 3.5‑inch bays, an Intel Celeron J4125 CPU, 2GB of RAM, and both 2.5Gb Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet ports. It runs the Disk Station Manager operating system, designed to feel at home for anyone who has never managed a server before. Between these two, pick the UGREEN DXP2800 GT if you care about raw speed and expansion, and the DS225+ if you want a clean software experience and simpler setup.

Beyond Storage: Mini PCs and Faster Networking for a Grown-Up Homelab

Once your NAS is handling backups and media, the next step is a mini PC so your homelab can run more advanced services. Prime Day homelab deals include compact systems like the GEEKOM A5 mini PC, which comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 7430U CPU, AMD Vega 7 graphics, 16GB of DDR4 SO‑DIMM RAM, and a 512GB NVMe SSD with room for more storage. Mini PCs give you server‑class flexibility in a tiny box, while using far less power than a full desktop, and you can install Proxmox, Windows 11 Pro, or almost any Linux distribution you like.

Do not stop at stock networking either. Traditional gigabit Ethernet will work, but upgrading to 2.5GbE or 10GbE hardware can dramatically cut big file transfer times and help you use your homelab to the fullest. One source notes that moving from gigabit to multi‑gig Ethernet was another major homelab milestone for dealing with large files. Combined with your NAS and mini PC, these homelab Prime Day deals mean you can plan a full stack—storage, compute, and networking—without heavy upfront costs. You do not have to spend a huge amount to build something useful; careful planning and the current discounts lower the barrier to entry more than ever.

Buy if / Skip if

• Buy the UGREEN NASync DH2300 if you want an affordable cloud storage replacement with two bays and up to 64TB of local storage at its lowest-ever price.
• Skip the UGREEN NASync DH2300 if you know you will need more than two bays or plan to run demanding virtual machines in the near future.
• Buy the UGREEN NASync DXP2800 GT if you want a Prime Day NAS with 10GbE, NVMe slots, and RAM upgradable to 64GB for high-speed homelab workloads.
• Skip the UGREEN NASync DXP2800 GT if you prefer a simpler, more guided software experience over high-end hardware expansion.
• Buy the Synology DS225+ if you value an easy-to-use NAS interface, dual 3.5-inch bays, and 2.5Gb Ethernet for a beginner-friendly homelab storage server.
• Skip the Synology DS225+ if you need RAM or expansion options beyond two bays and want more headroom for future upgrades.
• Buy the GEEKOM A5 mini PC if you are ready to add a low-power, flexible server to your homelab that can run Proxmox, Windows 11, or Linux.
• Skip the GEEKOM A5 mini PC if you only need basic network storage and do not plan to run extra services beyond what your NAS can provide.