ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen3 vs QNAP TS-464

Quick Summary (TL;DR):
The ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen3 (AS6804T) and QNAP TS-464 sit in very different hardware tiers despite both being four-bay NAS systems. The Lockerstor 4 Gen3 uses an AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C14 with four cores/eight threads, ships with 16GB ECC DDR5 and supports up to 64GB, provides four M.2 NVMe slots with PCIe 4.0 support, dual 10GbE, dual 5GbE and two USB4 ports. The TS-464 uses an Intel Celeron N5095 with four cores/four threads, ships with 8GB DDR4 and supports up to 16GB, has two M.2 PCIe Gen3 x1 slots, dual 2.5GbE and one PCIe Gen3 x2 expansion slot. ASUSTOR is the obvious high-performance home-lab/workstation storage platform if you need 10GbE, ECC, lots of NVMe and more RAM. QNAP remains compelling when the workload is less extreme and you value QTS/QuTS hero, mature Container Station/Virtualization Station tooling, PCIe modularity and Intel hardware-accelerated media transcoding. For Plex/Jellyfin specifically, the TS-464 can be the better fit despite its weaker CPU because QNAP explicitly supports hardware-accelerated transcoding on the N5095 platform, while the Ryzen V3C14-based Lockerstor is primarily a CPU/network/storage-performance design rather than an iGPU media-transcoding NAS.

ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen3 vs QNAP TS-464 at a Glance

Feature	ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen3	QNAP TS-464
CPU	AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C14	Intel Celeron N5095
Cores / threads	4 / 8	4 / 4
CPU frequency	2.3GHz base / 3.8GHz boost	Up to 2.9GHz burst
RAM included	16GB ECC DDR5-4800	8GB DDR4
Maximum RAM	64GB	16GB
SATA bays	4	4
M.2 NVMe slots	4 × PCIe 4.0 capable	2 × PCIe Gen3 x1
Networking	2 × 10GbE + 2 × 5GbE	2 × 2.5GbE
PCIe add-in slot	No conventional add-in slot	1 × PCIe Gen3 x2
USB4	2 ports, up to 40Gbps	No
HDMI	No	HDMI 2.1, up to 4K60
Hardware media transcoding	No dedicated iGPU path listed	Yes, Intel UHD Graphics
Containers	Docker Engine / App Central	Container Station
Virtual machines	VirtualBox available	Virtualization Station
Best fit	High-end home lab / 10GbE workstation	Balanced NAS / media / expandable server

This Is Not a Like-for-Like Performance Tier

The Lockerstor 4 Gen3 is substantially more aggressive hardware than the TS-464.

ASUSTOR gives you:

Ryzen Embedded Zen 3 CPU.
Eight CPU threads.
ECC DDR5 memory.
64GB memory ceiling.
Four NVMe positions.
Dual 10GbE.
Dual 5GbE.
USB4.

The TS-464 is an older and lower-power Intel platform, but it is not trying to win a raw specification contest. QNAP’s strengths are software maturity, PCIe modularity, media acceleration and a very established NAS ecosystem.

For a general multi-brand shortlist rather than this performance-tier comparison, see Best 4-Bay NAS for Docker, Plex and Family Storage.

CPU: Ryzen Embedded V3C14 vs Intel N5095

AMD specifies the Ryzen Embedded V3C14 as:

4 Zen 3 CPU cores.
8 threads.
2.3GHz base clock.
Up to 3.8GHz boost.
2MB L2 cache.
8MB L3 cache.
15W nominal TDP.
Dual-channel DDR5 with ECC support.
20 PCIe Gen4 lanes.

The TS-464’s Intel N5095 provides:

4 cores.
4 threads.
Up to 2.9GHz burst.
Intel UHD Graphics.
AES-NI.
Hardware-accelerated transcoding support in QNAP.

For general compute, databases, Docker and VMs, the ASUSTOR platform has considerably more headroom on paper.

Do not turn those specifications into invented benchmark percentages. Application performance still depends on memory, storage, software and workload concurrency.

ECC DDR5 Is a Major ASUSTOR Advantage

The Lockerstor 4 Gen3 ships with 16GB ECC DDR5-4800 and has two memory slots.

ASUSTOR supports up to 64GB using two 32GB modules.

The TS-464-8G ships with 8GB DDR4 and QNAP officially supports up to 16GB.

This changes what you can realistically host:

Workload	Lockerstor 4 Gen3	TS-464
Basic file storage	Massive overkill	Comfortable
Several Docker containers	Excellent headroom	Comfortable
Large application stack	Better fit	16GB ceiling can limit growth
Multiple VMs	Much stronger hardware base	Possible but more constrained
ECC requirement	Yes	No ECC platform

Four M.2 Slots vs Two

ASUSTOR’s storage design is another major step up.

The Lockerstor 4 Gen3 provides four M.2 slots and ASUSTOR states that the Gen3 platform supports PCIe 4.0 NVMe.

ADM can use NVMe for caching or storage pools, giving the system enough slots for layouts such as:

Mirrored application pool plus separate cache.
Multi-drive all-NVMe application storage.
VM/container storage separated from HDD data.
Fast scratch storage for creator workflows.

The TS-464 provides two M.2 2280 PCIe Gen3 x1 slots.

That is adequate for cache or a small SSD pool, but it is a much more constrained internal flash platform.

QNAP Can Add More M.2 Later Through PCIe

The TS-464 has one PCIe Gen3 x2 expansion slot.

QNAP supports various QM2 cards that can add M.2 storage and, on some cards, faster networking.

That gives the TS-464 a modular upgrade path that the ASUSTOR does not mirror with a conventional internal PCIe card slot.

However, if you already know you want four NVMe SSDs, ASUSTOR’s native design is much cleaner than spending the QNAP PCIe slot just to approach the same slot count.

Networking: ASUSTOR Is in a Completely Different Class

The Lockerstor 4 Gen3 includes:

2 × 10GbE RJ45.
2 × 5GbE RJ45.

The TS-464 includes:

2 × 2.5GbE RJ45.

QNAP can add 5GbE or 10GbE through its PCIe slot, but ASUSTOR gives you four multi-gigabit ports without sacrificing another expansion resource.

For several fast workstations, virtualisation networks, iSCSI or high-speed backup traffic, the Lockerstor’s networking hardware is a major differentiator.

One 10GbE Workstation Does Not Need Four Fast Ports

ASUSTOR’s network specification is impressive, but most homes will not use it.

If one desktop is the only 10GbE client, the practical architecture may simply be:

10GbE workstation
      │
10GbE switch
      │
one NAS 10GbE port

In that case, the second 10GbE port and two 5GbE ports are mostly future headroom.

Before paying for a high-end NAS specifically for networking, calculate the complete switch/NIC/cabling cost. Our dedicated shortlist is Best 10GbE Switches for NAS and Home Servers.

USB4 Is Useful—but It Is Not Thunderbolt NAS Networking

The Lockerstor 4 Gen3 includes two USB4 Type-C ports rated up to 40Gbps.

ASUSTOR states that these can connect high-speed USB4, Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 storage devices.

There is an important limitation: ASUSTOR explicitly states that direct USB4 host-to-host networking to a PC or Mac is not supported on this Ryzen Embedded V3000 platform.

So do not buy it expecting to connect a MacBook directly by Thunderbolt and use the NAS like a giant DAS.

Media Server: QNAP Has the More Relevant Hardware Feature

This is the category where the lower-spec TS-464 can make more sense.

QNAP explicitly lists hardware-accelerated transcoding on the TS-464’s Intel N5095 platform.

The ASUSTOR AS6804T specification does not list an integrated GPU or hardware video-transcoding engine, and the V3C14 is positioned as a CPU/I/O-focused embedded processor.

That means a buyer who mainly wants Plex/Jellyfin hardware transcoding should not assume the Ryzen system wins just because its CPU is much stronger.

Direct Play Makes the Media Difference Less Important

If all clients Direct Play the source files, hardware transcoding is barely involved.

In that situation, ASUSTOR’s faster network and SSD architecture can become more useful than QNAP’s Intel video engine.

If transcoding is the primary requirement, use our dedicated media guide rather than buying by CPU model alone.

Docker: ASUSTOR Has Much More Hardware Headroom

ASUSTOR’s current Docker Engine supports the AS68 series and ADM 5.1.

Docker Engine packages include modern Docker components and ASUSTOR also exposes a large App Central catalogue.

For a stack such as:

Immich
+ PostgreSQL
+ Redis
+ Nextcloud
+ Home Assistant
+ MQTT
+ Vaultwarden
+ monitoring
+ CI/development tools

the Ryzen CPU, 16GB ECC starting memory and 64GB ceiling give the Lockerstor far more growth room.

QNAP Container Station is the more established integrated management environment, but the TS-464’s 16GB memory ceiling is the bigger practical limit for large self-hosted stacks.

Virtual Machines: ASUSTOR Has the Stronger Hardware Base

ASUSTOR provides VirtualBox for supported x86/AMD64 NAS models, including the AS6804T download ecosystem.

QNAP provides Virtualization Station with deep QTS integration.

For actual VM capacity, hardware matters:

ASUSTOR: 8 CPU threads and up to 64GB ECC DDR5.
QNAP: 4 CPU threads and up to 16GB DDR4.

For several VMs, the ASUSTOR is the more credible four-bay platform.

If virtualisation is the primary purpose rather than a secondary NAS feature, still compare a separate Proxmox server. Dedicated compute can be easier to upgrade over time.

ADM vs QTS / QuTS hero

Hardware is only half of the purchase.

ASUSTOR ADM provides:

Btrfs snapshots.
Rsync/SMB/cloud backup tools.
Docker Engine.
VirtualBox.
App Central.
iSCSI/IP-SAN.
EZ Sync.
Surveillance and media applications.

QNAP provides:

QTS and a supported path to QuTS hero.
Storage & Snapshots.
Hybrid Backup Sync.
Container Station.
Virtualization Station.
Virtual Switch.
QVPN.
QVR surveillance tools.
Large App Center ecosystem.

QNAP’s software platform is more mature and broader in several enterprise-like areas. ASUSTOR’s ADM is mature enough that the hardware no longer feels wasted, but QNAP still has the stronger software depth for buyers who use its advanced storage/network tooling.

Btrfs and Snapshots

ASUSTOR’s ADM supports Btrfs snapshots through Snapshot Center. The current AS6804T datasheet lists up to 256 snapshots and comprehensive iSCSI functionality.

QNAP’s QTS uses its own storage/snapshot stack, while QuTS hero is ZFS-based.

Do not choose solely on filesystem name. Compare snapshot retention, backup destinations, replication workflow and restore procedures for the data you actually need to protect.

Storage Expansion: ASUSTOR Can Grow Well Beyond Four Bays

ASUSTOR lists the Lockerstor 4 Gen3 with a maximum of 16 drive bays when supported expansion units are added.

That gives the AS6804T a serious capacity-growth path despite starting with only four internal SATA bays.

QNAP also offers external JBOD expansion options for the TS-464 ecosystem, including PCIe-connected and USB-connected products depending on the enclosure.

Expansion units are not equivalent to internal bays. Verify which pools, RAID levels and applications can span or use the chosen enclosure before planning around it.

Power Consumption Is Surprisingly Close in Vendor Figures

ASUSTOR lists the Lockerstor 4 Gen3 at around 34W operating, 18W disk hibernation and 2.3W sleep under its own test setup.

QNAP lists the TS-464 at 40.536W typical operating mode and 21.618W disk standby with drives fully populated.

These are not comparable lab tests because the drive sets and vendor methodologies differ.

The important lesson is that high-end networking and ECC do not automatically imply a huge always-on power penalty. Installed drives, SSDs and actual workload still dominate much of the total.

Physical Size

Lockerstor 4 Gen3: 185.5 × 170 × 230mm.
TS-464: 165 × 170 × 226.5mm.

The footprints are similar; ASUSTOR is mainly taller.

The bigger practical cabling issue is that the Lockerstor can have four Ethernet links plus USB4/external devices attached, so allow more rear clearance than the chassis dimensions suggest.

Which Is Better for a Home Assistant / Home-Lab Server?

If the NAS will run only Home Assistant backups and a few small containers, both are excessive.

The Lockerstor becomes justified when the system also hosts:

Large Docker stacks.
Databases.
Immich.
Several VMs.
Fast iSCSI storage.
Multiple 10GbE clients.
NVMe-heavy application storage.

The TS-464 remains a more balanced appliance if your home lab is modest and Plex/media acceleration is important.

Which Is Better for 10GbE?

ASUSTOR wins overwhelmingly if high-speed networking is a primary requirement.

Two native 10GbE ports.
Two additional 5GbE ports.
No PCIe card required.

QNAP can reach 10GbE through a supported PCIe adapter, but that consumes the only expansion slot.

If all of your switches and PCs are still Gigabit or 2.5GbE, however, ASUSTOR’s networking specification will not magically improve performance. The rest of the network must be upgraded too.

Which Is Better for Plex?

This is the counter-intuitive result.

The Lockerstor is much more powerful as a CPU/storage server, but the TS-464 has the more relevant integrated media hardware.

Media workload	Better fit	Reason
Direct Play	Either	CPU/iGPU demands are low
Hardware-accelerated transcoding	TS-464	Intel UHD Graphics and explicit QNAP transcoding support
Huge library + fast storage/network	Lockerstor 4 Gen3	More NVMe and vastly stronger networking
Mixed Docker/VM/media server	Depends	ASUSTOR compute vs QNAP iGPU

Which Is Better for Creator Workloads?

The Lockerstor 4 Gen3 is far better aligned to creator storage:

Dual 10GbE.
Four NVMe slots.
PCIe 4.0 storage support.
ECC DDR5.
USB4 for high-speed external storage.

Remember the USB4 caveat: external storage is supported, direct host-to-host NAS networking over USB4 is not.

Complete-System Cost Can Be Very Different

The ASUSTOR chassis costs more in many markets, but it can also eliminate upgrades that the QNAP may need.

Compare:

NAS enclosure.
Four HDDs.
RAM upgrade.
NVMe SSDs.
10GbE card for TS-464 if needed.
10GbE switch.
Client 10GbE adapters.
UPS.
External/off-site backup.

If you need 64GB ECC, four NVMe SSDs and dual 10GbE, the Lockerstor’s higher enclosure price is part of a very different system. If you need four HDDs, Plex and 2.5GbE, most of that hardware would sit unused.

A Practical Buying Matrix

Your priority	Better fit	Reason
Basic family NAS	TS-464	ASUSTOR hardware is unnecessary for the workload
Docker-heavy home lab	Lockerstor 4 Gen3	4C/8T Ryzen, 64GB ECC ceiling
Multiple VMs	Lockerstor 4 Gen3	Far more RAM and CPU-thread headroom
Hardware Plex transcoding	TS-464	Intel UHD Graphics / QNAP acceleration support
10GbE workstation storage	Lockerstor 4 Gen3	Dual 10GbE built in
Four NVMe SSDs	Lockerstor 4 Gen3	Four native M.2 slots
PCIe add-in flexibility	TS-464	PCIe Gen3 x2 slot
ECC RAM	Lockerstor 4 Gen3	16GB ECC included
Mature integrated NAS apps	TS-464	QTS/QuTS hero ecosystem

ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen3 vs QNAP TS-464: The Bottom Line

The Lockerstor 4 Gen3 is the much stronger server and storage hardware platform. Ryzen Embedded V3C14, 16GB ECC DDR5, a 64GB ceiling, four PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, dual 10GbE, dual 5GbE and USB4 put it in a different class for creators and serious home labs.

The TS-464 is the more balanced conventional home NAS. Its N5095 and 16GB RAM ceiling are modest by comparison, but QTS/QuTS hero, PCIe expansion, Container Station, Virtualization Station and Intel hardware media acceleration can be more useful than unused server-grade specifications.

For Plex hardware transcoding, do not automatically choose the faster Ryzen NAS. For Docker, VMs, 10GbE storage and NVMe-heavy workloads, do not automatically choose the more established QNAP.

The useful distinction is: ASUSTOR is the performance-tier choice; QNAP is the balanced software/media choice.

ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen3 vs QNAP TS-464

ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen3 vs QNAP TS-464 at a Glance

This Is Not a Like-for-Like Performance Tier

CPU: Ryzen Embedded V3C14 vs Intel N5095

ECC DDR5 Is a Major ASUSTOR Advantage

Four M.2 Slots vs Two

QNAP Can Add More M.2 Later Through PCIe

Networking: ASUSTOR Is in a Completely Different Class

One 10GbE Workstation Does Not Need Four Fast Ports

USB4 Is Useful—but It Is Not Thunderbolt NAS Networking

Media Server: QNAP Has the More Relevant Hardware Feature

Direct Play Makes the Media Difference Less Important

Docker: ASUSTOR Has Much More Hardware Headroom

Virtual Machines: ASUSTOR Has the Stronger Hardware Base

ADM vs QTS / QuTS hero

Btrfs and Snapshots

Storage Expansion: ASUSTOR Can Grow Well Beyond Four Bays

Power Consumption Is Surprisingly Close in Vendor Figures

Physical Size

Which Is Better for a Home Assistant / Home-Lab Server?

Which Is Better for 10GbE?

Which Is Better for Plex?

Which Is Better for Creator Workloads?

Complete-System Cost Can Be Very Different

A Practical Buying Matrix

ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen3 vs QNAP TS-464: The Bottom Line

Continue the NAS Buying Series

Datasheets & External Resources

ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen3 vs QNAP TS-464 at a Glance

This Is Not a Like-for-Like Performance Tier

CPU: Ryzen Embedded V3C14 vs Intel N5095

ECC DDR5 Is a Major ASUSTOR Advantage

Four M.2 Slots vs Two

QNAP Can Add More M.2 Later Through PCIe

Networking: ASUSTOR Is in a Completely Different Class

One 10GbE Workstation Does Not Need Four Fast Ports

USB4 Is Useful—but It Is Not Thunderbolt NAS Networking

Media Server: QNAP Has the More Relevant Hardware Feature

Direct Play Makes the Media Difference Less Important

Docker: ASUSTOR Has Much More Hardware Headroom

Virtual Machines: ASUSTOR Has the Stronger Hardware Base

ADM vs QTS / QuTS hero

Btrfs and Snapshots

Storage Expansion: ASUSTOR Can Grow Well Beyond Four Bays

Power Consumption Is Surprisingly Close in Vendor Figures

Physical Size

Which Is Better for a Home Assistant / Home-Lab Server?

Which Is Better for 10GbE?

Which Is Better for Plex?

Which Is Better for Creator Workloads?

Complete-System Cost Can Be Very Different

A Practical Buying Matrix

ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen3 vs QNAP TS-464: The Bottom Line

Continue the NAS Buying Series

Datasheets & External Resources

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