The My Cloud EX2 Ultra -bay NAS is the latest addition to WD's My Cloud Expert series aimed at SOHO use and is an update of the previous My Cloud EX2. The biggest of these updates is the change of SoC, from a 1.2GHz Marvell Armada 370 to a Marvell Armada 385 1.3GHz.

Quick setup; My Cloud OS; Good performance; Easy access drives

No front USB ports / quick copy button; Third party app support not as deep as some of its competitors; Memory can't be upgraded; No HDMI port

Because I favor a 2-bay design, I consider the WD My Cloud EX2 Ultra the standard for an entry-level NAS for both regular consumers and more hands-on types. The CPU and RAM upgrades make the Ultra an obvious upgrade over the older EX2.

This drive is really good, it is easy to set up and access from multiple computers

If you want total control over your files and to access them from anywhere and you don't mind a fairly steep up-front cost, the My Cloud EX2 Ultra is the way to go.

WD or Western Digital has been making hard drives for quite a long time. A few years ago they introduced their WD Red drives that were made specifically for network-attached storage (NAS) devices. WD currently offers three different levels of NAS devices.

– Easy setup; – Nice admin interface; – Fast transfer speeds; – Free and useful apps / programs; – Preloaded with WD Red drives (driveless version available too; – 3year warranty

– No dedicated power button; – No real instructions for setting up without an internet connection

WD's My Cloud EX2 Ultra is the upgrade version of the My Cloud EX2 with some enhancements in Interface and sharing content. The device has LAN and USB both connection ports, so you can connect it to the network as well as directly connect with the PC using the USB port.

Very easy setup Good price Built to support media among other content

Fewer third-party plugins/apps

I got it set up but could not get Time Machine to connect. I loaded other files without any issues. But when I tried to connect to the web interface the next day it would not let me connect. I ended up resetting the NAS twice and after the second time I could not access the web interface at all.

It's much faster than the standard (white) variant, boot and load times are significantly better. I own both versions and use this NAS with 8TB (2x 4TB WD Reds) in raid 1, it's absolutely great for streaming and media.

Fast; simple to set-up; full of features

None

Pretty much plug and play. Easy and stress free installation. Usability is 10/10. Works flawlessly with two WD 4TB 5400RPM HDDs

Consolidated several smaller drives into one and harsly scratched the surface.