Plan around 6TB mirrored space
Choose the 12TB package for a mirrored library that fits comfortably below 6TB, allowing room for growth and backup versions. Deletion, malware and a lost enclosure still require a separate backup.[1]
Buffalo · NAS buying guide
Buffalo LinkStation SoHo 220 12TB buying guide
Product facts and dated cost
Buffalo LinkStation SoHo 220 12TB · Exact identity: LS220D1202B
2 primary bays · Buffalo embedded processor · See official family specification · 1 × 1GbE · Storage included; additional drives require separate planning
Catalog amount: $565.61 · historical · Price record: 2026-09-27T13:47:34.793548+00:00. Tax and shipping excluded.
Historical price observation. Recheck the price and availability before buying; this is not a current offer.
LinkStation SoHo 220 12TB: specifications and dated store comparison →Buffalo LinkStation SoHo 220 12TB is a populated 2-bay 1GbE appliance for straightforward file sharing. Choose the 12TB package for a mirrored library that fits comfortably below 6TB, allowing room for growth and backup versions. Buyers setting up macOS 26 Time Machine should choose a documented compatible model.
LS220D1202B · 2 bays · 12TB HDDs included · US configuration
This guide covers LS220D1202B, the US 12TB package with HDDs included. We compare manufacturer documents, exact merchant listings; ChooseCompute has not tested this NAS. Choose the 12TB package for a mirrored library that fits comfortably below 6TB, allowing room for growth and backup versions. See evidence and test gaps ↓
Is it a good fit?
12TB populated shared storage
Drives included and 1GbE file access for a small household or office; capacity planning depends on RAID.[1]
A backup destination
Keep a separate copy and verify restore behavior; RAID alone is insufficient.[1]
macOS 26 Time Machine
Buffalo KB6060 lists LS200 as not compatible.[2]
Containers, VMs and transcoding
The cited documents do not establish these workloads for this exact appliance.[1]
Key specifications
Full specifications ↗Follow any specification for its full conditions and sources.
Living with it
What matters in everyday use
What the 1GbE port changes
One Gigabit Ethernet port and USB 2.0 favor routine sharing and scheduled copies. Large restores and frequent transfers deserve more time; link rate is not measured file speed.[1]
Check your Mac backup version first
Buffalo lists the LS200 family as not compatible with macOS 26 Time Machine. An existing AFP backup continuing to work is not evidence that a new setup is supported.[2]
A storage appliance with a defined scope
The reviewed documents describe file sharing, USB backup and WebAccess. They do not establish Docker/VM hosting, NVMe expansion or hardware-transcoding performance for this unit. Choose a documented app-capable NAS if those are core requirements.[1]
What still needs a real-world test
We have verified the specifications, but have not found an original test that we can reliably apply to this exact model. The advice above follows the documented features; performance, noise and long-term reliability are not independently established here.
Common HDD combinations
Examples ordered by recorded drive unit price, which may be historical or an editorial reference. Check capacity, vendor compatibility, included storage and price evidence before choosing. These are component checks, not compatibility certifications.
- LinkStation SoHo 220 12TB + 2 × WD Red Plus 2TB (WD20EFPX, 2TB each) →
Component total: $875.59 · historical · Oldest price record: 2026-09-27T13:47:34.793548+00:00 · 4TB raw, before redundancy.
Historical price estimate. Calculated from separately purchased components, not a complete-system offer. NAS price record: 2026-09-27T13:47:34.793548+00:00; drive price record: 2026-10-09T01:23:41.974420+00:00. Historical price observation. Recheck the price and availability before buying; this is not a current offer. Historical price observation. Recheck the price and availability before buying; this is not a current offer. Recheck component prices, stock, shipping and tax at the stores before purchase; even recent checks do not guarantee live prices.
- LinkStation SoHo 220 12TB + 2 × IronWolf 4TB (ST4000VN006, 4TB each) →
Component total: $945.59 · historical · Oldest price record: 2026-09-27T13:47:34.793548+00:00 · 8TB raw, before redundancy.
Historical price estimate. Calculated from separately purchased components, not a complete-system offer. NAS price record: 2026-09-27T13:47:34.793548+00:00; drive price record: 2026-10-09T03:58:24.994342+00:00. Historical price observation. Recheck the price and availability before buying; this is not a current offer. Price observed at the store on the shown date. Confirm the current price and availability at the store. Recheck component prices, stock, shipping and tax at the stores before purchase; even recent checks do not guarantee live prices.
- LinkStation SoHo 220 12TB + 2 × WD Red Plus 4TB (WD40EFZZ, 4TB each) →
Component total: $955.59 · historical · Oldest price record: 2026-09-27T13:47:34.793548+00:00 · 8TB raw, before redundancy.
Historical price estimate. Calculated from separately purchased components, not a complete-system offer. NAS price record: 2026-09-27T13:47:34.793548+00:00; drive price record: 2026-09-27T13:58:17.239646+00:00. Historical price observation. Recheck the price and availability before buying; this is not a current offer. Historical price observation. Recheck the price and availability before buying; this is not a current offer. Recheck component prices, stock, shipping and tax at the stores before purchase; even recent checks do not guarantee live prices.
Before you buy
Prices & costs to plan for
The drives are already in the package
The listed unit includes 12TB raw HDD capacity. For LS220D1202B, compare the complete populated package price, plus an independent backup target and any required network upgrade.[1]
Budget for recovery and regional support
The current US warranty table lists three years for this family. Keep the receipt; warranty replacement does not protect or guarantee recovery of your files.[3]
Compare stores for this exact model
LS220D1202B · 2 bays · 12TB HDDs included · US configuration Check the total delivered price at the store.
Current price needs checking
Check stores below
3 stores · 0 recent price observations
Best Buy
Sold by antonline
$565.61
Historical price
Currency not confirmed
Stock not confirmed · Condition not recorded
Observed Sep 27, 2026, 1:47:34 PM UTC[9]
View exact product at Best BuyNewegg
Sold by antonline
$641.20
Historical price
Stock not confirmed · New
2 bays, 12TB total HDD capacity included
Observed shipping: $0.00
Observed Oct 9, 2026, 1:11:39 AM UTC[8]
View exact product at NeweggB&H
Seller not recorded
Check price
Stock not confirmed · Condition not recorded
Observed Date not confirmed
View exact product at B&HPrices are dated observations. Confirm the model, seller, condition, stock and delivered total at the store. Older prices remain visible as history. Links may earn a commission.
Questions before buying
How much of the 12TB can I use?
With two equal disks in RAID 1, plan for about 6TB before formatting and system overhead. RAID 0 exposes more capacity but has no disk-failure tolerance.[1]
Does LS220D1202B support new macOS 26 Time Machine backups?
Buffalo KB6060 lists LS200 as not compatible. Do not rely on the generic legacy Mac/Time Machine wording in the product brochure.[2]
Is the HDD model supplied in the box guaranteed?
The exact current-stock HDD revision is not guaranteed in the reviewed documents. Historical review samples do not establish what a new order contains.[1]
Can I add memory, SSD cache or containers later?
No supported upgrade path or container-host workload was established in the cited US documents. Buy this configuration for its documented file and backup functions.[1]
What does the B suffix mean for warranty?
The current Buffalo Americas warranty table lists 3 years for SoHo. Check US seller eligibility and retain proof of purchase.[3]
Does remote access replace a backup?
No. WebAccess provides another way to reach the same stored files. It does not create a separate copy that survives device loss or data deletion.[1]
Sources
Research updated Sep 11, 2026. Individual source check dates are listed below. Measurements belong to the named reviewers; tested configurations and software versions may differ from the product you buy.
- [1] Buffalo LinkStation SoHo 220 12TB official specifications ↗
Checked Sep 11, 2026 · Specifications tables → LS220D1202B / LinkStation SoHo 220 column; Overview; Downloads
- [2] Buffalo macOS 26 Time Machine compatibility ↗
Checked Sep 11, 2026 · KB6060 → Model Series Compatibility; article updated 2025-10-13
- [3] Buffalo Americas warranty terms ↗
Checked Sep 11, 2026 · NAS warranty table → LS200/LS700 or SoHo; proof of purchase and region restrictions
- [4] Newegg — LS220D1202B ↗
Checked Sep 11, 2026 · Model and current .product-buy-box: Sold by Newegg, displayed USD price and Add to cart. ItemDetail seller agrees where provided; other-seller popovers are excluded.
- [5] Best Buy — LS220D1202B ↗
Checked Sep 10, 2026 · Product heading / Model; Sold & shipped by; New marketplace offers. Cached delivery dates are not a current offer observation.
- [8] Newegg product price observation ↗
Checked Oct 9, 2026 · newegg-main-item; sha256:77aadd096810c9e359e636a40e34d3137fd6f2d3500c6c32e96f023a697bb634
- [9] Best Buy product price observation ↗
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · Captured observation; sha256:37be58e4a4af70fdfac1adca854918b0e0e7199dc27e730ca40c4d4677e70641
Research and review record
- Research: Grok 4.6 · Source research and data update
- Self-check: Grok 4.6 · Researcher self-check
- Independent review: GPT-6 (Codex) · Exact SKU and capacity specifications; consumer versus SoHo warranty and documentation boundaries; original test conditions and available figures; primary US new-item offers and honest residual coverage.
- Editorial integration: GPT-6 (Codex) · Editorial integration and validation
Independent review completed for the scope recorded in the audit.
Source evidence and review history (JSON)