How We Work

ubnas helps you make NAS, self-hosting and homelab decisions with numbers you can check. This page explains exactly how the guides and calculators are put together.

What we do not claim

We do not operate a test lab, and we do not describe research as hands-on testing. When a guide compares hardware, it is based on published specifications, official documentation and public data — not on units we have benchmarked. If that ever changes for a specific product, the article will say so explicitly.

Where the numbers come from

• Hardware specifications — manufacturer datasheets and product pages (capacities, TBW and DWPD ratings, power figures, warranty terms).
• Reliability — large public datasets such as Backblaze Drive Stats, rather than anecdotes or forum threads.
• Software setup — official project documentation for tools like TrueNAS, Jellyfin, Immich, Nextcloud, Tailscale and Docker.

Guides link to their sources so you can verify them yourself.

How the calculators work

• Every calculator prints the formula it uses next to the result.
• Assumptions (drive wattage, write amplification, ZFS slop space, TB vs TiB) are stated and, where it makes sense, editable.
• Results are estimates for planning. Real systems vary — measure your own power draw and drive wear once the hardware is running.

How we form recommendations

• Criteria that matter day to day — usable capacity, redundancy, power cost, noise, software support, ease of setup and value — weighed from published data.
• Trade-offs stated plainly. Every option has a downside; we say what it is.
• Independent. ubnas is not owned or sponsored by any NAS vendor. Some links are affiliate links (see our affiliate disclosure), and commissions never decide a recommendation.

Accuracy & corrections

Hardware, software and prices change quickly. Articles show published and updated dates, and we revise them when sources change. Found an error? Tell us and we will correct it.

Last updated: October 2026.