When exploring NAS solutions for business in 2024, 8-Bay NAS drives stand out as a significant upgrade in both capability and professionalism. While NAS devices are commonly used in homes and small businesses for basic storage, the 8-Bay models represent a major advancement. These systems, supporting both hard drives and SSDs, highlight the cutting-edge features offered by NAS brands today. Historically, 8-Bay NAS units have played a crucial role in bridging the gap between desktop and rackmount servers, providing superior storage, performance, and redundancy. With features like 10-gigabit ethernet, Xeon processors, and expanded memory, they cater to a more demanding range of users and applications. NAS manufacturers have long recognized the need for powerful desktop alternatives to traditional rackmount systems, and 8-Bay NAS servers have filled that gap. With a variety of models offering similar price points but diverse hardware and software capabilities, the selection process can be overwhelming. In this updated guide, I’ll highlight the top three 8-Bay NAS systems to consider at the tail end of 2024 and into 2025, focusing on value, scalability, and performance. Let’s get started.

Best NAS of the Year (Honourable Mention) The Lockerstor 8 Gen 3 NAS $1799 (Nov/Dec) – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H Terramaster F8 SSD PLUS NAS $799 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H (Best Software) Synology DS1821+ $1099 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H UGREEN DXP8800 PLUS NAS $1499 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H

What Have the Best 8-Bay NAS Drives Have in Common?

While there are plenty of 8-Bay NAS drives available, not all offer the same level of quality and features. Many budget brands may seem appealing but often compromise on durability and reliability. Whether you’re considering my top recommendations or looking at other options, the best 8-Bay NAS systems should always include the following key features:

• Combined Hardware & Software: The NAS should come with a full software suite, including a web GUI, mobile apps, and desktop clients for backup, media, streaming, surveillance, and file management.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Works seamlessly with Windows, Mac, Android, and Linux.
• Warranty: A 2-3 year warranty, with the option to extend up to 5 years.
• Local and Remote Access: Provides secure local and remote access at no extra cost.
• Support for Large Drives: Compatible with the latest 22TB NAS hard drives (e.g., Seagate Ironwolf or WD Red).
• RAID Configurations: Supports multiple RAID options for data protection and performance.
• Regular Updates: Ensures ongoing security and feature enhancements.
• Cloud Sync: Integrates with services like Google Drive, Dropbox, AWS, and Azure.
• Shared Drive Hosting: Syncs with your PC’s native file manager for easy access.
• Direct Ethernet Access: Allows fast direct connection via Ethernet for 100MB/s or higher speeds.
• Backup and Sync Tools: Includes software for regular backups and synchronization with your devices.

Make sure any 8-Bay NAS you consider includes these features to avoid ending up with an inferior product.

The UGREEN DXP8800 PLUS NAS

0-192TB, Intel i5-1235u 10 Core, 12 Thread CPU, 8-64GB DDR5, 8x SATA, 2x PCIe Gen 4 m.2, PCIe x4 Slot, 2x 10GbE, 2x USB4/TB4, SD Card Slot, 3x 10GbE

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $1499 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H

Hardware Review – HERE

YouTube Video Review – HERE

Much like the rest of the NASync series, the UGREEN DXP8800 PLUS 8-Bay NAS is incredibly good value in terms of hardware and, if you are looking for the very best desktop NAS hardware for the price point available in the market – the DXP8800 PLUS is truly unbeatable in its specifications, build quality and overall physical presentation. Even going full ‘DiY’ and trying to build a system of this calibre yourself (case, cables, i5 embedded mobo, 2 port 10GbE card, 2 NVMe, 8 SATA, case, cooling, etc), you would struggle to beat the sub $999 of this system by a meaningful margin. Add to this the fact that UGREEN have now softened their stance on 3rd party NAS OS’ on their NAS devices having no aggressive impact on your 3-year hardware warranty has won a lot more users over, as the DXP8800 PLUS becomes the perfect TrueNAS or UnRAID NAS for users who don’t want the hassle of building from scratch, chasing multiple warranty’s and silicon paste under the fingernails! Genuinely, it is impossible to fault the DXP8800 PLUS on a hardware level (it’s not even that noisy, compared to other 8-Bay NAS in the market at least).

When it comes to software and performance, however, things are a little more complicated. The UGREEN NAS software (UGOS) is still very much in beta, and it feels likes it. The system (at time of writing) has still yet to complete initial crowdfunding and development of the software is still on-going (so we are still judging a software OS that hasn’t finished). But nevertheless, the absence of services such as 2 factor authentication, WORM, a comprehensive security monitor, volume encryption, a virtual machine hypervisor, broader 3rd party cloud sync and backup tools, etc – the absence of these (as well as inconsistencies in the software and performance, that arguably are possibly related to it’s beta status) lead to it being hard to recommend the DXP8800 PLUS on a software level. However, this system will not see physical fulfilment to backers till at least June/July at the very earliest, which is still a decent amount of time to polish the software and roll out beta’s of individual services that are promised on the UGREEN roadmap.

Perhaps you are looking at the DXP8800 PLUS series for TrueNAS/UnRAID/OMV etc, or simply to set it up for local SMB storage for your backups and then use the docker app to run Plex. For those users, the DXP8800 is an absolute bargain. Overall, I am hugely impressed and look forward to seeing where this system, UGOS and UGREEN go in the exciting world of NAS in the next year or two. The DXP8800 PLUS is a BEAST of a NAS in terms of hardware, but the software is still WiP.

SOFTWARE - 6/10

HARDWARE - 10/10

PERFORMANCE - 7/10

PRICE - 10/10

VALUE - 9/10

8.4

PROS

PCIe Expandability
8 HDDs + 2x Gen 4 M.2 in 1 box under $999
Good Balanced CPU choice
10GbE Dual Ports!
An SD Card Slot (wierdly rare!)
10/10 Build Quality
Great Scalability
Fantastic Mobile Application (even vs Synology and QNAP etc)
Desktop/Browser GUI shows promise
Established Brand entering the NAS Market
Not too noisy (comparatively)
Very Appealing retail package+accessories

CONS

10GbE Performance was less than expected
Crowdfunding choice is confusing
Software (still in Beta) is still far from ready 18/4/24

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now? UGREEN DXP4800 PLUS £629.99 B&H USA £629.99 ($70 off) [LINK] UGREEN DXP4800 PLUS 4-Bay (BF) Amazon USA $20% off – $559.99 (was $699) [LINK] UGREEN DXP2800 2-Bay NAS (BF) Amazon USA $20% off – $319.99 (was $399) [LINK] These Offers are Checked Daily

Best All Round 8-Bay NAS Drive – Synology DS1821+ NAS

0-176TB, 8-Bays, 2x NVMe Cache Bays, Quad-Core Ryzen V1500B 2.2Ghz CPU, 4-32GB DDR4 ECC Memory, 4x 1Gbe Port, 1x PCIe 3×8 Upgrade Slot, 5yr Warranty

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $1099

Hardware Review – LINK

YouTube Video Review – Watch

What I said in my review Dec ’20:

What you have here is a solid piece of hardware that very much lives up to everything Synology promises, even if some of those promises aren’t to everyone’s taste. With a hardware architecture that we have already tested to notable success in the DS1621+ previously, we already knew that this NAS would be able to do everything it promised. Many users looking to spend their annual business budgets on an improved or extended data storage solution will find the balanced position of hardware vs software found by the Synology DS1821+ to be quite desirable, as well as the scaled potential to upgrade external performance via PCIe and storage via eSATA. However, there is no ignoring that despite the fact this 2020 release excels in many things, it also arrives with a little bottlenecking in a number of others. The continued default utilisation of 1Gbe on the newest generation by Synology is somewhat perplexing and although I have continued admiration for Synology’s engagement with intelligent M2 NVMe cache utilisation and providing a solution that allows more flexible upgrade paths, I know that there are still users who just wish they could use that super fast NAND for raw storage pools and have better than gigabit connections out by default.

It has never been a secret that buying a Synology NAS solution was always a largely ‘software over hardware’ purchase, and the DS1821+ is still a fine example of that balance. However, with other brands closing the gap in what they can offer the SMB (Small/Medium Business) user, while still providing superior hardware and similar warranty coverage, there is the tiniest feeling that the DS1821+ is a NAS that sits on its laurels a bit. Hugely upgradable and still with that award-winning and fantastically intuative DSM software, the DS1821+ is about buying a solution you can adapt within its lifespan and not one that will knock your socks off on day one. A solid and dependable data storage solution, if a little safe, at the end of 2020.

SOFTWARE - 8/10

HARDWARE - 8/10

PERFORMANCE - 8/10

PRICE - 8/10

VALUE - 8/10

8.0

PROS

Desktop Ryzen Powered Solution
Dual NVMe M.2 cache
PCIe Gen 3 x8 PCIe Equipped
Great RAID Options (inc SHR)
Excellent choice of Apps
DDR4 ECC Memory up to 32GB
Numerous Backup Software Options
Huge Virtualization Support
3yr Warranty and Extendable to 5yrs

CONS

1Gbe Ports seem a bit limited now
Shame it does not support 1/2 x DX1215
NVMe SSDs cannot be used for RAW storage

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now? Synology DS1821+8bay NAS V1500B Quad-Core 2.2 GHz,Black Amazon UK 43.78 OFF (WAS 1091) [LINK] Synology DS1821+/128TB HAT5300 8 Bay Amazon UK 15.47 OFF (WAS 6657) [LINK] These Offers are Checked Daily

The Terramaster F8 SSD PLUS Flash NAS

0-64TB, 8x M.2 NVMe Gen 3×1 SSD Bays, 16-32GB DDR5, 10GbE x1, USB 3.2 10G x3, HDMI 4k 60fps, 2 Year Warranty

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $799 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H

Hardware Review – HERE

YouTube Video Review – HERE

You really have to give Terramaster credit here for this system. With so many brands trying to enter the world of dedicated flash SSD storage in the last year or so, the F8 SSD Plus is hands down one of the most impressively designed options out there. Somehow arriving with more storage than most options out there, whilst also being the smallest. Long-time storage veterans are definitely going to ponder temperatures and operational heat when the system has been up and running for long periods of time, but Terramaster has clearly factored this in too with a vast amount of tactical heatsink placement, angled airflow, and painfully necessary SSD performance reductions in order to stop the cart before the horse bolts in terms of heat! The Terramaster F8 SSD Plus is by no means a perfect SSD NAS! Not by a long shot in fact! As long as you keep it realistic in terms of what you expect an eight-bay SSD system of this scale and price point to be able to do, I do not think you will be disappointed! Just make sure to remember that this is not an enterprise piece of kit, and is geared far more towards the prosumer, the enthusiast, and perhaps the small/medium business user.

Content creators, photographers, videographers, and those that want to manage a fast-moving database in a small group of users are definitely going to feel the benefits of the F8 SSD Plus. But the absence of higher-tier business features in terms of hardware, such as ECC memory and no network failover out of the box, are going to be a pain for those bigger users that have bigger demands. The TOS 6 software is, on the whole, better than it’s ever been in terms of feature set, functionality, and responsiveness. I am still not really in love with the “Windows 11” aesthetic, and definitely miss the TOS 5 desktop style that has become something of a staple of the NAS software industry, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it. At this point, there really are very few things available in the NAS market in terms of software that are not available here. A flexible RAID system in T-Raid, support of BTRFS, a multi-tiered backup software, multiple client tools, support of Write Once Read Many, volume encryption, two-factor authentication, isolation mode, the list goes on and on. It would be easy to critique the system in saying that it lacks ZFS (with numerous inline features that really benefit SSD use), but then you also remember that Terramaster allows users to use third-party operating systems like UnRAID and TrueNAS, which means that these are not completely off the table anyway!

Overall, I’ve got to say that the Terramaster F8 SSD Plus is a fantastically capable, affordable, and impressive desktop flash NAS system, and in a growing competitive marketplace for these kinds of devices, Terramaster has done a phenomenal job in their introduction of a new SSD-targeted solution in their portfolio. It may lack some of the software pizzazz of a Synology or aggressive hardware of a QNAP, but it manages to do its own thing very well, and as long as you keep your expectations realistic, this is a phenomenal NAS for 2024/2025.

SOFTWARE - 8/10

HARDWARE - 8/10

PERFORMANCE - 7/10

PRICE - 9/10

VALUE - 10/10

8.4

PROS

Compact Size with High Storage Capacity: Despite its small footprint, the F8 SSD Plus can accommodate up to 8 M.2 SSDs, providing significant storage in a compact form factor.
Effective Heat Management: The system features strategic heatsink placement, angled airflow, and SSD performance adjustments to manage heat efficiently.
Affordable Price Point: Offers a cost-effective solution for a flash NAS system, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
Versatile Use: Suitable for prosumers, enthusiasts, small to medium businesses, content creators, photographers, videographers, and those managing fast-moving databases.
Improved TOS 6 Software: The latest TOS 6 software version includes a broad range of features such as RAID support, BTRFS, multi-tiered backup, and more.
Support for Third-Party Operating Systems: Users can install third-party NAS software like UnRAID and TrueNAS, offering flexibility and customization options.
Low Power Consumption: Utilizes an efficient Intel N305 i3 processor, which keeps power usage low while still delivering adequate performance.
Quiet Operation: Despite being a pure SSD system, the fan noise is minimal, making it suitable for quieter environments.
Good Connectivity Options: Includes a 10 GbE port and multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, allowing for a range of external connections and expansions.
Environmentally Conscious Design: The packaging is mostly recyclable, and the use of external PSUs can help reduce heat and potential e-waste.

CONS

Lacks High-End Business Features: Missing enterprise-level features such as ECC memory and network failover, which are important for more demanding business environments.
Single 10 GbE Port: Only one network port limits redundancy and failover options, potentially creating a bottleneck for data transfer.
Aesthetic and UI Concerns: The new “Windows 11” aesthetic of TOS 6 may not appeal to all users, and the lack of the familiar TOS 5 desktop style might be a drawback for some.
No Native ZFS Support: Although there are alternative file systems available, the absence of native ZFS support, which benefits SSD use with features like data integrity and snapshot capabilities, may be seen as a limitation.

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DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now? TERRAMASTER F8 SSD PLUS Amazon USA $499.99 ($100 off) [LINK]

Honourable Mention 1: The ZimaCube Pro NAS

0-144TB HDD, 0-32TB M.2, Intel 10 Core i5-1235u, 16-64GB DDR5, 6x SATA Slots, 4+6 NVMe, 1x 10GbE, 2x 2.5GbE, 2x TB4/USB4, 2x PCIe Slot, 2 Year Warranty

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $TBC

Hardware Review – HERE

YouTube Video Review – HERE

The ZimaCube Pro is a well-rounded NAS solution that combines robust hardware with extensive connectivity options, making it a viable choice for users with demanding storage and processing needs. The device’s solid construction and comprehensive storage capabilities make it a reliable option for professionals involved in content creation, data management, and media processing. The dual Thunderbolt 4 ports and multiple Ethernet interfaces enhance its versatility, allowing it to adapt to various use cases and environments. However, the ZimaCube Pro also presents some challenges that potential users should consider. The device’s high noise levels, particularly under load, could be a concern for those who prioritize a quiet operating environment. The aggressive cooling profile, while effective in managing heat, contributes to this noise issue and may detract from the overall user experience. Additionally, the device’s write performance is less consistent than its read performance, which could impact users who require reliable and fast data transfer for write-intensive tasks.

The software functionality, while adequate, may require further refinement to fully leverage the device’s hardware potential. Firmware updates and enhancements could address these limitations, improving the device’s performance and user experience over time. In summary, the ZimaCube Pro shows significant potential as a high-performance NAS solution, particularly for specific user groups like content creators and data professionals. However, users should weigh the pros and cons carefully, considering their specific needs and environments, before investing in this NAS solution. While the device offers a solid foundation, further optimization and refinement could enhance its appeal, making it a more competitive choice in the NAS market.

Honourable Mention 2: The Lockerstor 8 Gen 3 NAS (AS6808T)

0-192TB, AMD Emb.Ryzen V3000, 16-64GB DDR5 ECC, 8x SATA, 4x M.2 Gen4x1 Slots, 2x 10GbE, 2x 5GbE, 2x USB4/TB4, 3 Year Warranty

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $1799 (Nov/Dec) – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H

Hardware Review – HERE

YouTube Video Review – HERE

The Asustor Lockerstor Gen 3 is a significant leap forward, showcasing enhanced hardware and connectivity tailored to high-performance storage needs. Built with an AMD Ryzen V3000 Embedded processor, this NAS balances power and efficiency for various data-intensive tasks. Its ECC DDR5 memory ensures data integrity, making it reliable for professional users handling large data volumes. Equipped with dual 10GbE and dual 5GbE ports alongside USB4, the Lockerstor Gen 3 achieves up to 30 Gbps in total network connectivity and offers PCIe Gen 4 M.2 NVMe support, maximizing throughput across multiple high-speed connections. Real-world testing confirmed its capability to reach transfer speeds over 3 GB/s with combined network and USB4 connections. Performance tests on standard HDDs in RAID 5 mode over 10GbE averaged 500–600 MB/s, while NVMe drives in RAID 0 fully utilized dual 10GbE with around 2.5 GB/s speeds.

When directly connected over USB4/Thunderbolt 4 for IP networking, it maintained stable speeds of 1.4–1.6 GB/s per USB4 link, a valuable setup for users in need of direct high-speed connections like video editors. With enhanced heat dissipation—thanks to a copper-finned heat pipe and airflow redesign—this NAS efficiently manages thermal output even with these high-performance components, ensuring a durable, high-speed performance setup in a compact form.

The Lockerstor Gen 3’s software, ADM 5, covers essential data management and security, though it lacks the advanced multimedia and AI features seen in competitors. Its lack of integrated graphics means transcoding support may be limited, but ADM 5 still enables smooth, secure file management, automatic backups, snapshots, and remote access. Asustor has improved default security settings, and ADM’s flexibility also allows for third-party OS installation, making it compatible with solutions like TrueNAS and Unraid for custom storage configurations. With network management features like Wake-on-LAN and Wake-on-WAN, and support for SMB Multichannel, the NAS provides robust options for deployments needing remote access and high-performance file sharing.

In terms of build quality, the Lockerstor Gen 3 combines a sturdy metal frame with low noise levels, even under heavy loads, and maintains efficient power consumption, peaking at 50 watts during active workloads—a notable feat given its power and compact size. The built-in LCD panel for direct monitoring and configuration adds convenience, and the unit’s comprehensive array of connections means it is equipped to handle multi-user, high-bandwidth environments. Overall, with a focus on performance, network flexibility, and reliable design, the Lockerstor Gen 3 is a standout choice for professionals who require scalable, high-speed storage without compromising on build quality or power efficiency.

SOFTWARE - 6/10

HARDWARE - 10/10

PERFORMANCE - 9/10

PRICE - 8/10

VALUE - 8/10

8.2

PROS

High-Performance CPU: Equipped with the AMD Ryzen V3000 Embedded processor, delivering efficient, server-grade performance for demanding tasks.
ECC DDR5 Memory: Includes 16GB of ECC DDR5 memory (expandable to 64GB), ensuring data integrity and reliability.
Comprehensive Connectivity: Dual 10GbE and dual 5GbE ports, along with two USB4 ports, provide a combined bandwidth of up to 30 Gbps for versatile network setups.
Advanced Data Protection: Offers RAID 5 and RAID 6 options for HDDs and NVMe drives, with hot-swappable capabilities and Btrfs support for snapshots.
USB4/Thunderbolt 4 Over IP: Supports direct connection to Mac and Windows systems via USB4 for fast data transfers and point-to-point editing.
Robust Build Quality: Sturdy metal chassis with minimal noise, even during heavy operations, and excellent heat dissipation with a copper heat pipe.
ADM 5 Software: Reliable, secure OS with essential features like snapshots, remote access, and simplified setup; supports third-party OS installations.
Efficient Power Consumption: Peaks at around 50W under heavy load, efficient for the system’s performance class.
Front LCD Display: The configurable LCD panel allows direct monitoring and setup, a handy feature for easy system management.
Excellent for Multi-User Environments: Multi-channel network support and high bandwidth make it ideal for collaborative, multi-client setups.

CONS

High Price Point: At around $1,799, it’s a premium option, potentially limiting appeal for home users and hobbyists.
No Integrated Graphics: Lacks GPU support, limiting multimedia transcoding and high-end streaming capabilities.
Software Limitations: ADM 5 is solid but doesn’t match the multimedia and AI features found in competitors like Synology and QNAP.
M.2 NVMe Slots Limited to PCIe x1: Each NVMe slot is limited to x1 speed, slightly capping potential performance for SSDs.

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Need More Help Choosing the right NAS?

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When exploring NAS solutions for business in 2024, 8-Bay NAS drives stand out as a significant upgrade in both capability and professionalism. While NAS devices are commonly used in homes and small businesses for basic storage, the 8-Bay models represent a major advancement. These systems, supporting both hard drives and SSDs, highlight the cutting-edge features offered by NAS brands today. Historically, 8-Bay NAS units have played a crucial role in bridging the gap between desktop and rackmount servers, providing superior storage, performance, and redundancy. With features like 10-gigabit ethernet, Xeon processors, and expanded memory, they cater to a more demanding range of users and applications. NAS manufacturers have long recognized the need for powerful desktop alternatives to traditional rackmount systems, and 8-Bay NAS servers have filled that gap. With a variety of models offering similar price points but diverse hardware and software capabilities, the selection process can be overwhelming. In this updated guide, I’ll highlight the top three 8-Bay NAS systems to consider at the tail end of 2024 and into 2025, focusing on value, scalability, and performance. Let’s get started.

Best NAS of the Year (Honourable Mention) The Lockerstor 8 Gen 3 NAS $1799 (Nov/Dec) – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H Terramaster F8 SSD PLUS NAS $799 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H (Best Software) Synology DS1821+ $1099 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H UGREEN DXP8800 PLUS NAS $1499 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H

What Have the Best 8-Bay NAS Drives Have in Common?

While there are plenty of 8-Bay NAS drives available, not all offer the same level of quality and features. Many budget brands may seem appealing but often compromise on durability and reliability. Whether you’re considering my top recommendations or looking at other options, the best 8-Bay NAS systems should always include the following key features:

• Combined Hardware & Software: The NAS should come with a full software suite, including a web GUI, mobile apps, and desktop clients for backup, media, streaming, surveillance, and file management.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Works seamlessly with Windows, Mac, Android, and Linux.
• Warranty: A 2-3 year warranty, with the option to extend up to 5 years.
• Local and Remote Access: Provides secure local and remote access at no extra cost.
• Support for Large Drives: Compatible with the latest 22TB NAS hard drives (e.g., Seagate Ironwolf or WD Red).
• RAID Configurations: Supports multiple RAID options for data protection and performance.
• Regular Updates: Ensures ongoing security and feature enhancements.
• Cloud Sync: Integrates with services like Google Drive, Dropbox, AWS, and Azure.
• Shared Drive Hosting: Syncs with your PC’s native file manager for easy access.
• Direct Ethernet Access: Allows fast direct connection via Ethernet for 100MB/s or higher speeds.
• Backup and Sync Tools: Includes software for regular backups and synchronization with your devices.

Make sure any 8-Bay NAS you consider includes these features to avoid ending up with an inferior product.

The UGREEN DXP8800 PLUS NAS

0-192TB, Intel i5-1235u 10 Core, 12 Thread CPU, 8-64GB DDR5, 8x SATA, 2x PCIe Gen 4 m.2, PCIe x4 Slot, 2x 10GbE, 2x USB4/TB4, SD Card Slot, 3x 10GbE

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $1499 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H

Hardware Review – HERE

YouTube Video Review – HERE

Much like the rest of the NASync series, the UGREEN DXP8800 PLUS 8-Bay NAS is incredibly good value in terms of hardware and, if you are looking for the very best desktop NAS hardware for the price point available in the market – the DXP8800 PLUS is truly unbeatable in its specifications, build quality and overall physical presentation. Even going full ‘DiY’ and trying to build a system of this calibre yourself (case, cables, i5 embedded mobo, 2 port 10GbE card, 2 NVMe, 8 SATA, case, cooling, etc), you would struggle to beat the sub $999 of this system by a meaningful margin. Add to this the fact that UGREEN have now softened their stance on 3rd party NAS OS’ on their NAS devices having no aggressive impact on your 3-year hardware warranty has won a lot more users over, as the DXP8800 PLUS becomes the perfect TrueNAS or UnRAID NAS for users who don’t want the hassle of building from scratch, chasing multiple warranty’s and silicon paste under the fingernails! Genuinely, it is impossible to fault the DXP8800 PLUS on a hardware level (it’s not even that noisy, compared to other 8-Bay NAS in the market at least).

When it comes to software and performance, however, things are a little more complicated. The UGREEN NAS software (UGOS) is still very much in beta, and it feels likes it. The system (at time of writing) has still yet to complete initial crowdfunding and development of the software is still on-going (so we are still judging a software OS that hasn’t finished). But nevertheless, the absence of services such as 2 factor authentication, WORM, a comprehensive security monitor, volume encryption, a virtual machine hypervisor, broader 3rd party cloud sync and backup tools, etc – the absence of these (as well as inconsistencies in the software and performance, that arguably are possibly related to it’s beta status) lead to it being hard to recommend the DXP8800 PLUS on a software level. However, this system will not see physical fulfilment to backers till at least June/July at the very earliest, which is still a decent amount of time to polish the software and roll out beta’s of individual services that are promised on the UGREEN roadmap.

Perhaps you are looking at the DXP8800 PLUS series for TrueNAS/UnRAID/OMV etc, or simply to set it up for local SMB storage for your backups and then use the docker app to run Plex. For those users, the DXP8800 is an absolute bargain. Overall, I am hugely impressed and look forward to seeing where this system, UGOS and UGREEN go in the exciting world of NAS in the next year or two. The DXP8800 PLUS is a BEAST of a NAS in terms of hardware, but the software is still WiP.

SOFTWARE - 6/10

HARDWARE - 10/10

PERFORMANCE - 7/10

PRICE - 10/10

VALUE - 9/10

8.4

PROS

PCIe Expandability
8 HDDs + 2x Gen 4 M.2 in 1 box under $999
Good Balanced CPU choice
10GbE Dual Ports!
An SD Card Slot (wierdly rare!)
10/10 Build Quality
Great Scalability
Fantastic Mobile Application (even vs Synology and QNAP etc)
Desktop/Browser GUI shows promise
Established Brand entering the NAS Market
Not too noisy (comparatively)
Very Appealing retail package+accessories

CONS

10GbE Performance was less than expected
Crowdfunding choice is confusing
Software (still in Beta) is still far from ready 18/4/24

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Best All Round 8-Bay NAS Drive – Synology DS1821+ NAS

0-176TB, 8-Bays, 2x NVMe Cache Bays, Quad-Core Ryzen V1500B 2.2Ghz CPU, 4-32GB DDR4 ECC Memory, 4x 1Gbe Port, 1x PCIe 3×8 Upgrade Slot, 5yr Warranty

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $1099

Hardware Review – LINK

YouTube Video Review – Watch

What I said in my review Dec ’20:

What you have here is a solid piece of hardware that very much lives up to everything Synology promises, even if some of those promises aren’t to everyone’s taste. With a hardware architecture that we have already tested to notable success in the DS1621+ previously, we already knew that this NAS would be able to do everything it promised. Many users looking to spend their annual business budgets on an improved or extended data storage solution will find the balanced position of hardware vs software found by the Synology DS1821+ to be quite desirable, as well as the scaled potential to upgrade external performance via PCIe and storage via eSATA. However, there is no ignoring that despite the fact this 2020 release excels in many things, it also arrives with a little bottlenecking in a number of others. The continued default utilisation of 1Gbe on the newest generation by Synology is somewhat perplexing and although I have continued admiration for Synology’s engagement with intelligent M2 NVMe cache utilisation and providing a solution that allows more flexible upgrade paths, I know that there are still users who just wish they could use that super fast NAND for raw storage pools and have better than gigabit connections out by default.

It has never been a secret that buying a Synology NAS solution was always a largely ‘software over hardware’ purchase, and the DS1821+ is still a fine example of that balance. However, with other brands closing the gap in what they can offer the SMB (Small/Medium Business) user, while still providing superior hardware and similar warranty coverage, there is the tiniest feeling that the DS1821+ is a NAS that sits on its laurels a bit. Hugely upgradable and still with that award-winning and fantastically intuative DSM software, the DS1821+ is about buying a solution you can adapt within its lifespan and not one that will knock your socks off on day one. A solid and dependable data storage solution, if a little safe, at the end of 2020.

SOFTWARE - 8/10

HARDWARE - 8/10

PERFORMANCE - 8/10

PRICE - 8/10

VALUE - 8/10

8.0

PROS

Desktop Ryzen Powered Solution
Dual NVMe M.2 cache
PCIe Gen 3 x8 PCIe Equipped
Great RAID Options (inc SHR)
Excellent choice of Apps
DDR4 ECC Memory up to 32GB
Numerous Backup Software Options
Huge Virtualization Support
3yr Warranty and Extendable to 5yrs

CONS

1Gbe Ports seem a bit limited now
Shame it does not support 1/2 x DX1215
NVMe SSDs cannot be used for RAW storage

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The Terramaster F8 SSD PLUS Flash NAS

0-64TB, 8x M.2 NVMe Gen 3×1 SSD Bays, 16-32GB DDR5, 10GbE x1, USB 3.2 10G x3, HDMI 4k 60fps, 2 Year Warranty

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $799 – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H

Hardware Review – HERE

YouTube Video Review – HERE

You really have to give Terramaster credit here for this system. With so many brands trying to enter the world of dedicated flash SSD storage in the last year or so, the F8 SSD Plus is hands down one of the most impressively designed options out there. Somehow arriving with more storage than most options out there, whilst also being the smallest. Long-time storage veterans are definitely going to ponder temperatures and operational heat when the system has been up and running for long periods of time, but Terramaster has clearly factored this in too with a vast amount of tactical heatsink placement, angled airflow, and painfully necessary SSD performance reductions in order to stop the cart before the horse bolts in terms of heat! The Terramaster F8 SSD Plus is by no means a perfect SSD NAS! Not by a long shot in fact! As long as you keep it realistic in terms of what you expect an eight-bay SSD system of this scale and price point to be able to do, I do not think you will be disappointed! Just make sure to remember that this is not an enterprise piece of kit, and is geared far more towards the prosumer, the enthusiast, and perhaps the small/medium business user.

Content creators, photographers, videographers, and those that want to manage a fast-moving database in a small group of users are definitely going to feel the benefits of the F8 SSD Plus. But the absence of higher-tier business features in terms of hardware, such as ECC memory and no network failover out of the box, are going to be a pain for those bigger users that have bigger demands. The TOS 6 software is, on the whole, better than it’s ever been in terms of feature set, functionality, and responsiveness. I am still not really in love with the “Windows 11” aesthetic, and definitely miss the TOS 5 desktop style that has become something of a staple of the NAS software industry, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it. At this point, there really are very few things available in the NAS market in terms of software that are not available here. A flexible RAID system in T-Raid, support of BTRFS, a multi-tiered backup software, multiple client tools, support of Write Once Read Many, volume encryption, two-factor authentication, isolation mode, the list goes on and on. It would be easy to critique the system in saying that it lacks ZFS (with numerous inline features that really benefit SSD use), but then you also remember that Terramaster allows users to use third-party operating systems like UnRAID and TrueNAS, which means that these are not completely off the table anyway!

Overall, I’ve got to say that the Terramaster F8 SSD Plus is a fantastically capable, affordable, and impressive desktop flash NAS system, and in a growing competitive marketplace for these kinds of devices, Terramaster has done a phenomenal job in their introduction of a new SSD-targeted solution in their portfolio. It may lack some of the software pizzazz of a Synology or aggressive hardware of a QNAP, but it manages to do its own thing very well, and as long as you keep your expectations realistic, this is a phenomenal NAS for 2024/2025.

SOFTWARE - 8/10

HARDWARE - 8/10

PERFORMANCE - 7/10

PRICE - 9/10

VALUE - 10/10

8.4

PROS

Compact Size with High Storage Capacity: Despite its small footprint, the F8 SSD Plus can accommodate up to 8 M.2 SSDs, providing significant storage in a compact form factor.
Effective Heat Management: The system features strategic heatsink placement, angled airflow, and SSD performance adjustments to manage heat efficiently.
Affordable Price Point: Offers a cost-effective solution for a flash NAS system, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
Versatile Use: Suitable for prosumers, enthusiasts, small to medium businesses, content creators, photographers, videographers, and those managing fast-moving databases.
Improved TOS 6 Software: The latest TOS 6 software version includes a broad range of features such as RAID support, BTRFS, multi-tiered backup, and more.
Support for Third-Party Operating Systems: Users can install third-party NAS software like UnRAID and TrueNAS, offering flexibility and customization options.
Low Power Consumption: Utilizes an efficient Intel N305 i3 processor, which keeps power usage low while still delivering adequate performance.
Quiet Operation: Despite being a pure SSD system, the fan noise is minimal, making it suitable for quieter environments.
Good Connectivity Options: Includes a 10 GbE port and multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, allowing for a range of external connections and expansions.
Environmentally Conscious Design: The packaging is mostly recyclable, and the use of external PSUs can help reduce heat and potential e-waste.

CONS

Lacks High-End Business Features: Missing enterprise-level features such as ECC memory and network failover, which are important for more demanding business environments.
Single 10 GbE Port: Only one network port limits redundancy and failover options, potentially creating a bottleneck for data transfer.
Aesthetic and UI Concerns: The new “Windows 11” aesthetic of TOS 6 may not appeal to all users, and the lack of the familiar TOS 5 desktop style might be a drawback for some.
No Native ZFS Support: Although there are alternative file systems available, the absence of native ZFS support, which benefits SSD use with features like data integrity and snapshot capabilities, may be seen as a limitation.

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Honourable Mention 1: The ZimaCube Pro NAS

0-144TB HDD, 0-32TB M.2, Intel 10 Core i5-1235u, 16-64GB DDR5, 6x SATA Slots, 4+6 NVMe, 1x 10GbE, 2x 2.5GbE, 2x TB4/USB4, 2x PCIe Slot, 2 Year Warranty

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $TBC

Hardware Review – HERE

YouTube Video Review – HERE

The ZimaCube Pro is a well-rounded NAS solution that combines robust hardware with extensive connectivity options, making it a viable choice for users with demanding storage and processing needs. The device’s solid construction and comprehensive storage capabilities make it a reliable option for professionals involved in content creation, data management, and media processing. The dual Thunderbolt 4 ports and multiple Ethernet interfaces enhance its versatility, allowing it to adapt to various use cases and environments. However, the ZimaCube Pro also presents some challenges that potential users should consider. The device’s high noise levels, particularly under load, could be a concern for those who prioritize a quiet operating environment. The aggressive cooling profile, while effective in managing heat, contributes to this noise issue and may detract from the overall user experience. Additionally, the device’s write performance is less consistent than its read performance, which could impact users who require reliable and fast data transfer for write-intensive tasks.

The software functionality, while adequate, may require further refinement to fully leverage the device’s hardware potential. Firmware updates and enhancements could address these limitations, improving the device’s performance and user experience over time. In summary, the ZimaCube Pro shows significant potential as a high-performance NAS solution, particularly for specific user groups like content creators and data professionals. However, users should weigh the pros and cons carefully, considering their specific needs and environments, before investing in this NAS solution. While the device offers a solid foundation, further optimization and refinement could enhance its appeal, making it a more competitive choice in the NAS market.

Honourable Mention 2: The Lockerstor 8 Gen 3 NAS (AS6808T)

0-192TB, AMD Emb.Ryzen V3000, 16-64GB DDR5 ECC, 8x SATA, 4x M.2 Gen4x1 Slots, 2x 10GbE, 2x 5GbE, 2x USB4/TB4, 3 Year Warranty

Current Price/Availability on Amazon – $1799 (Nov/Dec) – Buy Here on Amazon – Buy HERE on B&H

Hardware Review – HERE

YouTube Video Review – HERE

The Asustor Lockerstor Gen 3 is a significant leap forward, showcasing enhanced hardware and connectivity tailored to high-performance storage needs. Built with an AMD Ryzen V3000 Embedded processor, this NAS balances power and efficiency for various data-intensive tasks. Its ECC DDR5 memory ensures data integrity, making it reliable for professional users handling large data volumes. Equipped with dual 10GbE and dual 5GbE ports alongside USB4, the Lockerstor Gen 3 achieves up to 30 Gbps in total network connectivity and offers PCIe Gen 4 M.2 NVMe support, maximizing throughput across multiple high-speed connections. Real-world testing confirmed its capability to reach transfer speeds over 3 GB/s with combined network and USB4 connections. Performance tests on standard HDDs in RAID 5 mode over 10GbE averaged 500–600 MB/s, while NVMe drives in RAID 0 fully utilized dual 10GbE with around 2.5 GB/s speeds.

When directly connected over USB4/Thunderbolt 4 for IP networking, it maintained stable speeds of 1.4–1.6 GB/s per USB4 link, a valuable setup for users in need of direct high-speed connections like video editors. With enhanced heat dissipation—thanks to a copper-finned heat pipe and airflow redesign—this NAS efficiently manages thermal output even with these high-performance components, ensuring a durable, high-speed performance setup in a compact form.

The Lockerstor Gen 3’s software, ADM 5, covers essential data management and security, though it lacks the advanced multimedia and AI features seen in competitors. Its lack of integrated graphics means transcoding support may be limited, but ADM 5 still enables smooth, secure file management, automatic backups, snapshots, and remote access. Asustor has improved default security settings, and ADM’s flexibility also allows for third-party OS installation, making it compatible with solutions like TrueNAS and Unraid for custom storage configurations. With network management features like Wake-on-LAN and Wake-on-WAN, and support for SMB Multichannel, the NAS provides robust options for deployments needing remote access and high-performance file sharing.

In terms of build quality, the Lockerstor Gen 3 combines a sturdy metal frame with low noise levels, even under heavy loads, and maintains efficient power consumption, peaking at 50 watts during active workloads—a notable feat given its power and compact size. The built-in LCD panel for direct monitoring and configuration adds convenience, and the unit’s comprehensive array of connections means it is equipped to handle multi-user, high-bandwidth environments. Overall, with a focus on performance, network flexibility, and reliable design, the Lockerstor Gen 3 is a standout choice for professionals who require scalable, high-speed storage without compromising on build quality or power efficiency.

SOFTWARE - 6/10

HARDWARE - 10/10

PERFORMANCE - 9/10

PRICE - 8/10

VALUE - 8/10

8.2

PROS

High-Performance CPU: Equipped with the AMD Ryzen V3000 Embedded processor, delivering efficient, server-grade performance for demanding tasks.
ECC DDR5 Memory: Includes 16GB of ECC DDR5 memory (expandable to 64GB), ensuring data integrity and reliability.
Comprehensive Connectivity: Dual 10GbE and dual 5GbE ports, along with two USB4 ports, provide a combined bandwidth of up to 30 Gbps for versatile network setups.
Advanced Data Protection: Offers RAID 5 and RAID 6 options for HDDs and NVMe drives, with hot-swappable capabilities and Btrfs support for snapshots.
USB4/Thunderbolt 4 Over IP: Supports direct connection to Mac and Windows systems via USB4 for fast data transfers and point-to-point editing.
Robust Build Quality: Sturdy metal chassis with minimal noise, even during heavy operations, and excellent heat dissipation with a copper heat pipe.
ADM 5 Software: Reliable, secure OS with essential features like snapshots, remote access, and simplified setup; supports third-party OS installations.
Efficient Power Consumption: Peaks at around 50W under heavy load, efficient for the system’s performance class.
Front LCD Display: The configurable LCD panel allows direct monitoring and setup, a handy feature for easy system management.
Excellent for Multi-User Environments: Multi-channel network support and high bandwidth make it ideal for collaborative, multi-client setups.

CONS

High Price Point: At around $1,799, it’s a premium option, potentially limiting appeal for home users and hobbyists.
No Integrated Graphics: Lacks GPU support, limiting multimedia transcoding and high-end streaming capabilities.
Software Limitations: ADM 5 is solid but doesn’t match the multimedia and AI features found in competitors like Synology and QNAP.
M.2 NVMe Slots Limited to PCIe x1: Each NVMe slot is limited to x1 speed, slightly capping potential performance for SSDs.

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Need More Help Choosing the right NAS?

Choosing the right data storage solution for your needs can be very intimidating and it’s never too late to ask for help. With options ranging from NAS to DAS, Thunderbolt to SAS and connecting everything up so you can access all your lovely data at the touch of a button can be a lot simpler than you think. If you want some tips, guidance or help with everything from compatibility to suitability of a solution for you, why not drop me a message below and I will get back to you as soon as possible with what you should go for, its suitability and the best place to get it. This service is designed without profit in mind and in order to help you with your data storage needs, so I will try to answer your questions as soon as possible. Just enter in a few details of your setup, storage requirements and (in the case of buying a new solution) your budget – then me and Eddie the Web guy can help you with your question. This is a completely free service, is NOT provided with profit in mind and is manned by two humans (no bots, no automated replies, etc). Assistance might take an extra day or two (the service gets a lot of visitors) but we do try to answer every message. If you want to support this service, you can find out how to donate HERE. Otherwise, you can still just message us for free advice anyway!

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Buying your first network-attached storage device can be really intimidating! If you have spent the better part of a decade storing your personal or business data on public cloud services or in a drawer full of USB drives, but have now taken the grown-up decision to go ahead and migrate over to your own private network-attached storage (NAS). You might have done this for reasons of cost, centralization or perhaps for security, whatever the reason for your data migration, there is simply no denying that the world of NAS can be a fraction complex and confusing early doors. Like any kind of modern computer appliance, you want to make sure you buy right the first time and when it comes to choosing between two of the latest generations of Synology NAS devices, these two incredibly similar four-bay devices might be two of the most different solutions I have ever compared. The Synology DS423+ is a home and small business-focused compact NAS designed to leverage an affordable price point between reasonable hardware and reasonable software and abilities. The slightly older Synology DS923+, on the other hand, has much of a high and even in some places entry enterprise-level focus about its architecture and is needless to say the more expensive of the two. Nevertheless, both of these Synology NAS devices can be picked up for around $450 to $600 (without drives), the contrast between their pricing, are actually very different beasts. Therefore, for users that don’t quite know their AMD embedded from their Celeron integrated processors, or who aren’t sure of the benefits that ECC can bring, today I want to compare the Synology DS423+ and Synology DS923+ and help you decide which one best deserves your data!

Just before we get into the meat and potatoes of this comparison, it is worth highlighting that regardless of whether you buy the Synology DS923+ or DS423+, you are guaranteed to get a system that can perform all of the following:

• Both units feature x86 processors, which allow a wide degree of app/services to run well and are a good price vs hardware balance
• Both the DS923+ and DS423+ are constructed of plastic desktop compact chassis, thereby reducing power consumption, noise and heat generated
• Both can Stream 1080p HD or 4K media, with superior performance natively and mid-range performance in Plex
• Both the Synology DS923+ and DS423+ NAS support AI-supported photo and ‘thing’ recognition supported to a very high degree from the free branded software included
• For Business users who currently enjoy the use of Google Workspace or Office 365, both of these NAS provide excellent means to backup your mass cloud accounts (as well as natively sync, dupe and configure rules on the fly)
• Both the DS423+ NAS and DS923+ NAS support snapshots, for more incremental and version protecting failsafe in efforts to protect you from Malware and Ransomware attacks, by allowing multi-versioning storage history to browse through and restore
• Both units are DLNA certified so can be accessed, browsed and played from by popular DLNA devices, such as Amazon Firestick, Alexa, Google Home Chromecast, Apple TV, Bose, Sonos, iPads, etc, as well as connectivity between these platforms with IFTTT
• Both are multi-bay, RAID enabled devices NAS devices that support JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6 and RAID 10 (as well as Synology Hybrid RAID too for their Plus series range), though it is worth highlighting the DS923+ is the only one that supports an expansion and therefore also can support RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10 and SHR-2 over an expansion (more on that later)
• Both devices run on their own proprietary operating system that can be accessed remotely or locally. These include regular updates to the firmware, security patches, applications and more. Ranging from multimedia, home and multi-tiered backup applications, to more business end tools such as Surveillance software, Virtual Machine deployment and business-class backup and synchronization tools.
• Both the DS423+ and DS923+ use and can be accessed equally by a multitude of mobile applications such as DS File, DS Video, DS Photo, DSCam and DS Music that are created by and constantly improved by Synology.
• Both NAS are completely compatible with Windows, Android and Mac systems, as well as acting as a bring between software platforms to share and distribute files for migration and file sync]
• Both units can be used as a mail and/or business servers, providing excellent 3rd party CRM and first-party CMS systems, as well as the fantastic Synology collaboration Suite of applications Chat, Drive, Mail, Calendar, Office and Active Backup Suite
• Both systems will support DSM 7.1 or DSM 7.2 out the box, as well as support software updates (security and feature) for many years moving forward
• Both systems support the Synology Surveillance Station applications, support numerous cameras and arrive with 2 camera licenses with your purchase

But you didn’t come to this comparison page to find out what they had in common, you wanted to know what makes them different and which one best suits your needs, so let’s crack on with this comparison.

Synology DS423+ vs DS923+ NAS – Price and Value

Now, for those of you that are keeping a very close eye on the budget, it will already be clear to you that the Synology DS423+ is the lower-priced NAS of the two, by quite a considerable margin! Arriving, depending on where you are in the world, for around $449 to $499, it will immediately look more appealing to those on a tight budget when compared against the $549 to $599 of the DS923+. And that is before you’ve gone ahead and purchased any storage media too, so that’s saving of $100 to $150 could go a long way to further bolstering your network-attached storage setup. So, if the most important thing to you right now is remaining within a tight budget, then it might be worth seeing to read the rest of this article as when comparing DS423+ and DS923+, we have to look considerably more at the subject of value, not price. Price. Both of these devices arrive with the same software, Synology DSM 7.2, as well as both systems being four drive NAS solutions that support nearly identical ranges of storage media too, but more on that later. In terms of physical size, the range of components, they are pretty darn similar at a casual glance. However, it is in terms of the individual hardware components and scalability where the Synology DS923+ shows its worth, which we will cover shortly in the hardware section. But at least in terms of numerical value, the Synology DS423+ carries the lead. However, the reality isn’t quite that simple:

This is because the Synology DS923+ was released approx than half a year earlier than the DS423+ (Nov 2022 vs April 2023) and because of its wider availability and longer presence in the market, it has been featured in numerous special offers throughout that time. We saw this near $500 NAS on a few considerably impressive special offers throughout Amazon Prime day and other smaller eShop-specific events. So, yes, the DS423+ is the lower-priced NAS of the two, but do make a point of checking your local online retailer to see if the DS923+ is on special offer right now!

Synology DS423+ vs DS923+ NAS – Hardware and Connections

The hardware architecture of the DS423+ and DS923+ clearly have two very different target audiences in mind. The DS423+ has more of a home and multimedia feel about it, while the DS923+ feels substantially more like a business solution. This is reflected in numerous areas such as the distinct differences in CPU, memory specifications, and potential for growth. Even if you were to take into account the affordability of the DS423+, it has to be said that in the majority of hardware available, the DS923+ is significantly more powerful and scalable in practically every way. Here is a brief summary of the key hardware highlights of either system, side-by-side:

Synology DS423+ vs DS923+ NAS Hardware Comparison
Synology NAS
Amazon Price:	$479 (Amazon 21/07/23)	$599 (Amazon 21/07/23)
Processor model	Intel Celeron J4125 (2019 Gen)	AMD Ryzen R1600 (2020 Gen)
processor architecture	64-bit	64-bit
processor clock	4-core 2.0 (base frequency) / 2.7 (burst frequency) GHz	2-core 2.6 (base frequency) / 3.1 (max overclock) GHz
Integrated Graphics	Yes (250-750Mhz)	No
Hardware encryption engine (AES-NI)	Yes	Yes
system memory	2 GB DDR4 non-ECC	4 GB DDR4 ECC
Pre-installed memory modules	Yes	4GB (4GB x 1) via SODIMM
Total number of memory slots	1	2
Maximum memory capacity	6 GB (2 GB + 4 GB)	32GB (16GB x 2)
The maximum number of disk slots for an expansion unit	N/A	7 (DX517 x 1)
M.2 drive bay	N/A	2 (NVMe, PCIe 3×1)
Compatible Disk Type	3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD	3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD M.2 2280 NVMe SSD
Disk hot-plug support*	Yes	Yes

So first and foremost, we need to discuss the main differences between the CPUs available here. The Intel Celeron found inside the DS423+ is a four-core, four-thread processor with a clock speed of 2.0 GHz that can be burst to 2.7 GHz when needed. However, despite the age of this CPU, which was released towards the end of 2019, it is the integrated graphics of this processor that gives it a slight edge for some users in terms of NAS deployment- especially those looking at multimedia use for their system. For users that are looking at the manipulation of graphical data, or more commonly are using the NAS as a multimedia server and wish to convert dense multimedia into something more manageable locally (for example, converting a dense 4K file into a much smaller and portable version to watch on the phone whilst commuting to work, on the fly), integrated graphics allow the NAS to perform this task with much lower overall resource consumption.

Thanks to it having a more specialized tool to get this job done. The embedded Ryzen R1600 processor on the other hand, lacks the integrated graphics and is a dual-core processor instead of a quad-core. However, it substantially makes up for this by being a much more powerful dual-core processor, with four threads that allow the system to assign system resources in a similar way to that of having multiple cores. Equally, the clock speed is noticeably higher here with the DS923+ CPU having a 2.6 GHz base power that can be burst when needed to 3.1 GHz. It is true that in cases of graphical manipulation or multimedia conversion, the AMD CPU here will be far less efficient and capable. However, in practically every other way, it is superior to that of the J4125 inside the DS423+. And if you are more concerned with traditional file transfer speeds internally and externally, the DS923+ will comfortably be the better-performing NAS.

The CPU choices in the DS423+ and DS923+ also result in very different memory architectures in each device, which will undoubtedly result in different scalability in the long term. The DS423+ arrives with 2GB of 2666Mhz memory, soldered to the main controller board, which can be further expanded via an available SODIMM memory slot to 6 GB total. This may be a little disheartening when you find out that the CPU here is actually capable of supporting 8 GB maximum memory. However, due to that initial 2GB memory being fixed internally, you cannot officially exceed 6 GB physically. This shortfall is considerably magnified when you bring into comparison the DS723’s memory structure. It arrives with 4GB of DDR4 3200Mhz memory which can be expanded to a whopping 32 GB total across two available SODIMM slots. Additionally, the system arrives with error-correcting code (ECC) memory, which ensures that data that passes through the memory during write operations will have its integrity checked by a separate module on the memory of the system. If any irregularities or inconsistencies are spotted, that data will be repaired. This goes a long way to reassure any doubts around the integrity of long-term archival data and susceptibility to things like bit rot. This is one of the main reasons why the DS923+ is considered much more of a business solution overall.

Much like the memory choices by Synology in these two NAS devices, the ports and connections of them both are similar, but one is definitely more scalable than the other. Both systems arrive with standard gigabit ethernet connectivity, with two available ports that each will provide up to a maximum 109 megabytes per second. Both systems also arrive with USB 3 connectivity, but it is only 5GB gen 1 USB. However, it is from here onward that the DS723 massively upscales things:

Model ID	Synology DS423+	Synology DS923+
Synology NAS
RJ-45 1GbE LAN port*	2 (Supports Link Aggregation / Failover)	2 (Supports Link Aggregation / Failover)
USB 3.2 Gen 1 port*	2	2
eSATA port	0	1
USB Copy	Yes (inc. Physical Button)	Yes
PCIe expansion	N/A	1 x Gen3 x2 LAN card slot
system fan	92 mm x 92 mm x 2 pcs	92 mm x 92 mm x 2 pcs
fan mode	full speed mode low temperature mode silent mode	full speed mode low temperature mode silent mode
Front panel LED indicators with adjustable brightness	Yes	Yes
Noise value*	19.8dB(A)	22.9 dB(A)
wake on lan	Yes	Yes
Power Supply / Transformer	90W	100W
AC input voltage	100V to 240V AC	100V to 240V AC
current frequency	50/60 Hz, single frequency	50/60 Hz, single frequency
Power consumption	28.3 W (access) 8.45 W (disk hibernation)	35.51 W (access) 11.52 W (disk hibernation)

For a start, the DS923+ features an eSATA external port that is used to connect the official Synology 5-bay expansion device, the DX517. This means that while the DS423+ has a maximum long-term capacity of four SATA drives, the DS923+ allows you to expand your storage down the line by an additional five SATA bays (so 9 Bays total). This can be done gradually and this storage can either mirror the original NAS or extend the storage pool across both devices.

Scalability and expandability do not stop there though, with the DS923+ also having the option to add a network adapter upgrade module (the E10G22-T1-MINI) to increase your network bandwidth to 10GbE. This is going to be incredibly useful for users who plan on taking advantage of SSDs or plan on having a much busier network environment between the NAS and multiple users and tasks at any given time. And it doesn’t stop there! Though BOTH systems also features two SSD bays on its base for installing M.2 2280 SSD modules (which can be used for caching or as raw storage pools, depending on which drive you use), the DS423+ is a Gen 2 PCIe lane system, whilst the DS923+ is a Gen 3 system – resulting in double the bandwidth per lane (ultimately, the difference between 500MB/s max per SSD on the DS423+ and 1,000MB/s on the DS923+). This is a feature that, although growing more common across Synology’s NAS portfolio, it is still unavailable on many of their lower tier/affordable systems (such as the DS224+) and, alongside the lack of storage expansion support, the gen2 speeds on these bays will place limits the storage potential long term on the more affordable NAS.

Finally, we need to discuss storage media compatibility, as this has grown to be another thing that has changed the way in which a user can populate their NAS quite a lot in recent years. On the list of storage media that they are prepared to verify as compatible with their systems. Although technically, one could say that any SATA media drive would be compatible with a SATA NAS, there are still a few incredibly isolated examples of compatibility, durability and stability. Synology requires that all drives need to be officially checked and verified before they’re prepared to add them to their list in order to truly guarantee that a user will get the promised Synology experience from their hardware with that media. As questionable as this might sound, the result is that the list of compatible storage media for both of these devices, despite their incredible similarities, is actually pretty darn different. Take a closer look at the slideshow below of compatible HDDs from WD and Seagate on these two NAS systems (from 21st July 2023) and see if you can spot an odd inconsistency:

In the case of the DS423+, we see a smaller pool of supported storage media, as well as a lower list of larger capacity drives being featured also. The DS923+, on the other hand, seemingly has a larger pool of more high capacity drives added and available to it, as well as a larger range of Synology’s own drives available for use with that system that includes the higher end options in the HAT5300 range. Synology has clearly prioritized higher-end drives for more advanced Synology systems, but for those that like to use their system clearly and rigidly within the defined parameters of a brand to maintain their warranty/guarantee, this is going to be a little disheartening to see the smaller pool of verified compatible storage media on the more affordable NAS solution. This is something that may well change over time as more drives are added to verified compatibility lists, but Synology has not exactly been putting their foot on the gas here. Given how close these two systems have been released side by side and the large disparity between their compatibility lists, I can’t see a huge amount of change happening anytime soon. It is absolutely no surprise that the more expensive Synology NAS has a better degree of hardware options in the long term. Though, it should be highlighted that a lot of the real benefits available in the DS723 are optional extras, long-term scalability and upgrades that are not necessarily available in the default model. It could be very easily argued that you are paying for entry to then pay extra for delivering upgrades, SSD upgrades, storage scalability, and increasing your memory years from now. Nevertheless, the fact that the baseline memory is ECC and the AMD CPU is indeed more powerful in most ways, does make up some of that additional cost and ultimately mean that in terms of hardware and connectivity, the DS923+ is the better of the two.

Synology DS423+ vs DS923+ NAS – Software and Services

At the risk of being incredibly repetitious, both of these devices are remarkably similar in what they can do in Synology’s premium DSM software platform, but the scalability and scope provided by the DS923+ inevitably leads to that more expensive system, ultimately giving you just more resources with which DSM can utilize. In terms of the actual range of applications, services supported on either system and scope for use right out of the box, both the DS423+ and DS923+ have got more than enough to run every single available app and tool available in DSM 7.2. Despite their rather modest scale, both systems can run multiple virtual machines, host a fantastically capable surveillance solution with numerous cameras, both can provide an excellent Plex media server experience (with a slight edge to the DS423+ in terms of conversions and transcoding when needed), and in terms of backups, both systems support the full range of services from Hyper Backup and Active Backup Suite. If you are a small business or just a small group of users who are going to be interacting with either of these NAS units fairly regularly, you’re going to have a largely identical experience in either one of these two systems using the baseline default hardware. However, things will change as soon as you start moving into larger simultaneous access, more high-volume application exchanges between the system and client hardware, and the scope of each one of those individual processes growing over time. In terms of the escalation of accessing the services of DSM and long-term future-proofing of a system running at top speed, despite growing requirements and demands of the system, the DS923+ comfortably wins.

Notwithstanding that the system has a much higher clock speed CPU that, despite only being a dual-core processor, features a four thread architecture with DSM, allowing a lot of the spreading of resources normally associated with cores to be made available with vCPU allocation (containers, virtual machines and just natively). Then there is the scope for the larger overall capacity available to be upgraded towards in terms of memory, with the rather modest 6GB of memory on the DS423+ looking quite underwhelming when compared against the whopping 32 GB maximum memory that is scalable on the DS923+. That ultimately adds up to the more expensive NAS system having a better opportunity to grow alongside a more demanding data storage network of connected devices and users over time. And we haven’t even touched on the performance benefit in DSM and all of the first and third party applications when we factor in support of Gen3 SSDs for caching or storage pools in the DS923+, both of which are going to allow much better, long-term utilization and overall, a much smoother experience for a considerably longer amount of time than that of the DS423+. Ultimately, if you think your utilization of the NAS is going to grow steadily and increasingly over time, the DS923+ is the better choice here in terms of software, in and out of DSM.

Synology DS423+ vs DS923+ NAS – Conclusion and Verdict

Unsurprisingly, what we have here is an old-fashioned case of getting what you pay for. The DS423+ is a very solid, and reliable NAS solution and is definitely more than capable of running the bulk of modern NAS hardware needs, also, remaining pretty flexible in the resources available to it on day one to get the job done. Equally, for home users and particularly those seeking a more flexible approach to multimedia, the DS423+ does bring a decent amount of bang for buck when you compare it against the bulk of other Synology solutions in the brand’s portfolio. But it just pales in comparison to the sheer scope of scalability, upgrade options and flexibility long-term that the DS923+ provides. And regardless of whether you’re a business user or a home user that may perhaps be looking to do something more aggressive with their storage down the line, the DS923+ justifies a lot of the extra expense, simply by the weight of it having that ECC memory, twice the default memory on day 1, Gen3 SSD NVMe storage options, expandability, 10G as an optional extra and the scale of how far you can upgrade the memory. As mentioned earlier, we have to at least acknowledge that a lot of these advantages that the DS923+ presents compared with the DS423+ are ones that you will only really take advantage of if you spend a little bit more money, but having the option for that scalability down the line for many users is going to be worth the investment on day one. Side by side, in most cases, the DS923+ will comfortably outperform the DS423+ even in the default model, so you still aren’t losing out just because you’re paying extra for upgrade options you may not use later down the line.

Synology NAS
Amazon Price:	Synology DS423+ NAS $479 (Amazon 21/07/23)	Synology DS923+ NAS $599 (Amazon 21/07/23)

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						+ADD
DS1522+	DSM 7.1.1-42962 Update 3	WD Ultrastar HC560 20TB	WUH722020ALE6L4	YES	YES	▲ 100%
DS923+	DSM 7.1.1-42962 Update 3	Seagate IronWolf Pro 20TB	ST20000NT001	YES	NO	▲ 100%
DS920+	DSM 7.1.1-42962 Update 3	Ultrastar® DC HC330 10TB	WUS721010ALE6L4	YES	NO	▲ 100%
DS1520+	7.1.1-42962 Update 4	Seagate IronWolf Pro 20TB	ST20000NTZ01	YES	NO	▲ 100%
DS723+	DSM 7.1.1-42962 Update 4	Seagate Exos X18 18TB	ST18000NM000J	YES	NO	▲ 100%
DS920+	DSM 7.1.1-42962 Update 3	WD Red Pro 20TB	WD201KFGX	YES	NO
DS2422+	DSM 7.1.1-42962 Update 3	WD Red Pro 20TB	WD201KFGX	YES	YES
DS2422+	DSM 7.1.1-42962 Update 3	WD Red Pro 20TB	WD201KFGX	YES	YES
DS1522+	DSM 7	WD Red Pro 18TB	WDBC9Y0180HH1-WRSN	NO	YES
DS418	DSM 7	16TB Seagate Ironwolf Pro	ST16000NE000	YES	NO
DS418Play	7.1.1-42962	Seagate IronWolf Pro 20TB	ST2000NT01-3LT101	YES	YES
DS224+	DSM 7	WD Red 4 TB	WD40EFRX	No	Yes
DS224+	DSM 7	WD Red 4 TB	WD40EFRX	No	Yes
DS224+	DSM 7.2.1-69057 Update 4	WD Red 4 TB	WD40EFRX	Yes	Yes
RS1221+	DSM 7.2.1-69057 Update 4	Seagate IronWolf Pro 16TB	ST16000NT0001-3LV101	YES	NO
DS923+	DSM	Samsung	.	.	.
DS1823xs+	7.2	WD RED Pro 22tb	WD221KFGX	YES	NO	▼ 0%

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sheets

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It is extremely frustrating that Synology NAS systems do not support professionally made NAS hard drives. While it is understandable that they may not have the resources to test new, larger capacity drives like 20TB, it is baffling that even 10TB drives are not supported. Moreover, it is annoying to receive a warning for using a high-quality NAS drive from a reputable brand that is specifically designed for harsh environments. Synology is a NAS maker, not a hard drive manufacturer, so it is hard to comprehend why they think their drives are better than those from a company with 50 years of experience. It is imperative for Synology to recognize the importance of supporting professional-grade hard drives for their NAS systems, as it can have a significant impact on the system’s reliability and performance.

How to fix drive locking (not recognised) on Synology

HDD compatibility warning – way to disable it? Synology Storage Manager will display an Incompatible or Unverified message

WARNING: Follow these steps at your own risk.

Step 1

Enable SSH on the Synology and log in with your admin account, then type:

sudo -i

and type in your password.

Step 2

Navigate to the folder where the drive list is stored.

cd /var/lib/disk-compatibility

Step 3

edit *_host.db and *_host.db.new and add your drive. In our case we had to add this line to the DB rs2821rp+_host.db and rs2821rp+_host.db.new

{"model":"WD102KRYZ","firmware":"01.01H01","rec_intvl”:[1]},

Some drives in that file don’t have a firmware defined, so for you, you could try to copy that entry and add your model number of the drive. Another option is to look in the DB for the expansion unit for your drive, we found our config there. Just make sure “rec_intvl” is set to 1 if you copy the entry. Ours was standard 3 and that didn’t work.

Save and quit both files with :wq and then reboot the NAS, if everything is done correctly the NAS should say the disk status is normal.

https://linustechtips.com/topic/1371655-synology-dsm-7-drive-lock-bypass/

Here is also a script – https://github.com/007revad/Synology_HDD_db

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Although Western Digital still is an absolute powerhouse in the world of general storage media for several decades, I think it would be fair to say that in the last few years, their NAS systems (My Cloud, My Book Live, etc) have taken something of a PR beating. They were one of the very first ‘highstreet’ brands that provided affordable NAS solutions to home/business users alike, giving them a much more accessible and higher performing alternative to growing 3rd party clouds like DropBox, Google Drive and more. This was further bolstered by their software and system setups being as close to ‘turnkey’ (i.e. switch on and GO) as there is in the market – even now in 2024. So, what is the issue? Well, between their system software support declining on the oldest systems in their portfolio (not unusual, they can’t support things forever) and several examples off remote access attacks taking place on their systems – it was the start of alot of users starting to wonder if the grass was greener elsewhere for them and their data. This all came to a head in late March 2023 when Western Digital was cyber attacked and alongside reports of at least 10TB of stolen data and a $10B+ ransom (see references and story here), the brand disabled their cloud services as a security measure for around 10 days and remained quite tight-lipped throughout – despite a large number of affected users demanding answers and access to their data. The brand DID show users how to enable local access via an arguably convoluted means, but by then the number of users looking at their WD system and considering jumping ship increased insurmountably, which is possibly what brings YOU here to today’s article. If you have been using a WD My Cloud, WD Personal Cloud Home or WD My Book Live, you might have been completely unaware just how far modern NAS technology has moved forward! So, today I want to run through the best alternatives to WD NAS. This has been broken down into the following key areas – Software, Internal Hardware, Price, Value, Security, Lowest Impact, Plex, Connectivity and for Business. But first, we should probably take a moment and ask – is WD NAS still ok to use?

Is WD My Cloud NAS Still Ok to Use in 2024?

It is important to highlight that this article is not about me saying the WD My Cloud range is bad, because it really isn’t and it is still one of the best bang for your buck NAS solutions you can buy right now in 2024 – as well as being remarkably user friendly for the first time NAS user! Additionally, with the majority of WD solutions arriving with bundled hard drives, a simple streamlined user interface and considerably better high street availability than any other brand, they are still a good solution. However, like most technology, the evolution and expectations in what it can do in the eyes of buyers change rapidly and although most other brands have pushed software and hardware innovation to some incredible lengths, the WD My Cloud NAS range has remained quite steadfast in its refusal to adapt. Although WD My Cloud is sturdy, safe, robust and makes no promises it cannot fulfil, in terms of what you can do with it and how you can evolve the system in its lifespan is tremendously limited. This along with some third party app brands not updating their applications for the WD NAS OS system has led to an increasing lack of support of these popular software platforms. Ultimately, the majority of people reading this are owners of a WD My Cloud NAS that are now looking to upgrade to something with a little more future-proofing and modern innovation. However, don’t overlook the fact that you can still use your WD My Cloud NAS as another tier of your backup strategy, by synchronising over the network or internet with numerous application methods available from WD themselves and others brands. 

Better Alternative to WD and Netgear for Software – Synology and DSM 7.2

Unsurprisingly, if you have been researching the subject of NAS and thinking of upgrading from a WD My Cloud NAS, then the name ‘Synology’ and its incredible software will almost certainly have appeared on your radar. Although the brand is not as establish or steeped in years as Western Digital, Synology is still over 20-years old and has produced hundreds of NAS solutions in their portfolio. The main difference between Synology and WD when it comes to NAS software is twofold. The first major difference is the first party software on offer. WD and it’s NAS OS have surprisingly thin software add-ons available, with most of the system abilities being classed more as day-to-day services – RAID functionality, USB backups, synchronised backups and low-level account control. WD-OS is very functional but it has not changed much in the last 5-6 years in terms of innovation and most of its key abilities are considered rather rudimentary in 2024. Synology on the other hand includes its DSM (Diskstation Manager) software platform with every NAS, which is is the equivalent of an entire operating system comparable to a desktop OS that can be accessed via the web browser and numerous mobile apps. The Synology supports all of the services that the WD My Cloud does, but has also evolved every one of them into a central data ecosystem. The range of first-party services, applications and add-ons that Synology provide are extensive and cover surveillance, virtual machine deployment, intelligent multi-tier backups, bespoke email server deployment and more. Alongside this, DSM also provides applications that attempt to wrestle the user away from third-party desktop client apps for business. Examples include Synology Chat that serves as an alternative to Skype, Synology Office which serves as an alternative to Google Docs/Office 365, Synology Video Station is a popular alternative to Plex Media Server as well as an alternative to the slick and easy UI of Google Drive and Dropbox with Synology Drive. The evolution of Synology software where is genuinely unparallel and although QNAP is always getting closer, it is still going to be very impressive for the end-user when switching away from WD My Cloud NAS OS to DSM.

The second reason that the Synology NAS software platform is significantly superior to the WD NAS software is the support of third-party applications. WD NAS OS does have access to a small apps centre that includes easy installation of a few third-party applications. Although the majority of these have been all but abandoned in terms of updates and utility in recent years, one popular 3rd party application that most users a few years ago purchased the WD My Cloud NAS for was Plex media server. However updates on the Plex media server application on the WD NAS platform have slowed down and because this is a third-party application, you are heavily reliant on the manufacturer to develop updates for the WD NAS platform – something that has become increasingly less frequent from 2020 onwards. Synology NAS on the other hand supports significantly more third-party applications in it’s app center, as well as numerous custom apps that can be installed manually. There is certainly a few bits of bloatware in this application centre that can be overlooked, but nevertheless, there is still a good 30-40x third-party applications here that are worth your time and updated with more frequency than those found on the WD NAS platform. Equally, as the popularity of Synology NAS has increased, so has the amount of time that developers have spent on both the first and third-party applications for this platform and this combined with the improvements in mobile applications has led to the Synology NAS range being wildly superior to that of WD NAS My Cloud in software. Add to this that Synology also provides the option of BTRFS as a filesystem choice option with its file self-healing and lower resource-consuming snapshot creation, as well as the Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) configuration for allowing mixed hard drive capacities, and the Synology NAS software is easily the preferred upgrade choice for those moving away from the WD My Cloud NAS platform for apps and services.

PROS of Synology NAS

• Easily the most intuitive and Usage browser-based GUI (award-winning DSM 7.1/7.2) – FULL DSM 7 Review HERE or DSM 7.2 Review HERE
• One of the best Surveillance NAS software solutions
• Most popular vendor for Mac users for it’s UI
• Incredibly feature-rich NVR software included, in Surveillance Station
• Includes Active Backup Suite – Enterprise level and fully featured Backup Co-ordination software
• Lowest Power Consumption vs other brands
• A large # of their systems arrive with m.2 NVMe SSD caching upgrade bays
• Quiet chassis compared with other brands
• Task specialised Ranges like ‘PLAY’, ‘PLUS’ and ‘J’ make buying easier
• The best range of first-party software, with Synology Office, Chat, Mail, Drive and more
• SHR and SHR-2 – also BTRFS available in most solutions
• Cloud Services available in Synology C2
• Desktop and Rack-mount options are available
• Best software for Home and SMB

CONS of Synology NAS

• Often the most expensive
• Recent Enterprise NAS Hardware has changed Compatibility in favour of Synology HDDs and SSDs
• Generally, Synology NAS has the lowest hardware power in their systems
• NVMe SSD Bays are for caching ONLY, they cannot be used for super-fast storage pools in MOST of their systems (recent releases support pools)
• More technically minded folk will need to dig a little to get to the nitty-gritty
• SHR is not available on Enterprise NAS Systems
• Network ONLY – no HDMI, Audio in/out, Thunderbolt, etc

Better Alternative to Netgear and WD for Price – Terramaster

As mentioned earlier, one of the appealing things for many first-time NAS owners that drew them to the WD My Cloud, etc range is that they are very well priced. If you want to buy a NAS from another company that still maintains this price point for the hardware, but includes some more software applications, supported services and modern features of NAS in 2024, then Terramaster might well be the best choice for you. Often considered the ‘budget choice’ in NAS for the last few years, their most recent hardware solutions have really upped their game – all the while maintaining a price point for the hardware that Synology and QNAP struggle to compete with (as they try to maintain a considerably more level hardware vs software package). Terramaster NAS do still arrive with an on-board 1st party software, known as TOS (version 5.1 at the time of writing) which though less evolved than Synology DSM or QNAP QTS, is still a noticeable degree more feature rich than the WD OS software – but with the added benefit of things like BTRFS/EXT4 file system choices, multi-tier backup managers, VM tools, AI-powered photo recognition and more. They even feature a fluid RAID system, known as TRAID, that is comparable to Synology Hybrid RAID and Drobo BeyondRAID that allows you to create a RAID storage pool using mixed drives – something that is surprisingly rare (and bloody useful for those that want to only half/partially populate a NAS, then add drives a few years later). You can find out more about the Terramaster TOS software in the video or article below:

Terramaster TOS Written Review (Will Open in New Tab)	Terramaster TOS YouTube Review

Moving away from the software though, it is the hardware of the Terramaster NAS series that (most) users are going to like. With the bulk of the systems in 2023/2024 arriving with M.2 NVMe slots, USB 10Gb/s, 4K HDMI 60FPS output and minimum 2.5GbE network ports (as well as quite a few affordable 10GbE solutions now), they also arrive with the same CPUs that their competitors use, but often as low as 25% cheaper. Then there is the chassis design of their solutions. Up until around 2020/2021, Terramaster solutions had a tendency to look a little dated. However, they have since introduced some fantastic looking 6-Bay, 9-Bay and even 12-Bay desktop solutions that capitalize on the efficient scaling and cooling of rackmount solutions, but in a desktop-designed chassis. A great example of which is in the NAS images below:

Terramaster still maintains it’s more affordable and budget reputation in the NAS industry, as well as their solutions often being the noisiest in the market by a few dB(A)s, but they have improved exponentially over the last few years and have closed alot of the gap between themselves and the bigger names in the NAS market, at least in the eyes of more cost-aware buyers. Finally, even if you LOVE the Terramaster Hardware, but do not want to use the software (as you have one already in mind or are put off by events last year when they were targetted by ransomware attackers), you can still use the majority of Terramaster NAS systems for TrueNAS Core, TrueNAS Scale, UnRAID and OpenMediaVault – Installing these Open-Source or Low-Cost/Resource NAS OS’s is super quick, can be easily reversed and done so without harming your hardware warranty. Overall, if you want to move away from WD NAS and towards something that is lower in price but still gives you more hardware to play with – Terramaster NAS is a solid WIN.

PROS of TerraMaster NAS

• Great Price vs Hardware
• VERY Fast Brand Evolution
• TOS 5 Software introducing Surveillance, FluidRAID (TRAID), AI-Powered photo Recognition and Isolation Mode
• Added a LARGE 2.5GbE selection of NAS in their portfolio
• Hugely Improved GUI and Client apps
• BTRFS available as file system choice
• Desktop and Rackmount options
• Similar Hardware to QNAP and Asustor, but at a Lower Price
• Straight forward range and classification
• Very Straight Fordwared Setup

CONS of TerraMaster NAS

• Very Few Mobile Apps
• Not quite as polished or fully featured as Synology/QNAP
• Despite Business targeting, very poor support of 10GBe till recently in the F2-423
• A little dated design
• Arrives with Warranty, but the turnaround is slower than many
• Have been targetted by Ransomware attacks in the last 2 years

Better Alternative to WD and Netgear NAS for Performance and Flexibility – QNAP

The performance of a NAS drive will often be dictated by both the internal and external hardware available. The quantity and number of hard drives you install inside will always provide something of a performance boost, but overall the performance will always be dictated by the primary components that the brand chooses to use and the external connectivity that a system features by default. Each one of the WD My Cloud range of devices are very efficient, make the most of the hardware inside and are designed for smooth running with little or no intervention by the end-user at any point. However, it has to be said that the hardware featured inside pales in comparison to that of QNAP alternatives in the last few years. With the WD My Cloud series largely concentrating on an Intel Pentium processor from 2015/16, alongside several ARM processors in 32-bit and 64-bit, they are certainly comparable to a number of much older QNAP NAS systems in the TS-X31K, TS-51D and TS-53D Series. Unfortunately, they soon get surpassed in comparison to the wide array of more modern processors available in QNAP desktop systems that can range from Pentium Gold, Newer Gen Celeron and Ryzen, to Intel Core i5, i7 and Xeon. This disparity also extends to the memory available, with most WD My Cloud systems arriving with between 1-2GB of memory that cannot be upgraded – whereas QNAP arrive with vast memory upgrade options and many models arriving with 4GB and 8GB by default. Then there is the fact that most of the QNAP NAS systems arrive with either 2.5GbE by default, very easy 5GbE/10GbE upgradability via USB and PCIe Cards and it is all uphill from there! QNAP provides their own QM2 card series which includes 10GbE ports, NVMe SSD multi-port cards and even combo cards that manage to give you a little of everything. All this together results in even mid-range/modest QNAP NAS systems having tremendous scope for higher performance than even the more high-end WD NAS right now.

The difference between QNAP and WD My Cloud is made even more clear when you learn that the majority of QNAP NAS systems released in 2024 ranges also include M2 NVMe SSD storage upgrade slots internally by default, that allow you to install SSDs that can be used for an area of superfast storage, tiered storage for data to be scanned and moved to the most appropriate media source or for caching to allow frequently access data to be copied over to the SSD for improved performance in the files that need it most. Although the use of SSDs for intelligent caching is by no means a new feature of NAS, it is still something that WD My Cloud NAS has yet to integrate and something that QNAP NAS has applied to the majority of their hardware portfolio. If one of your criticisms of WD NAS was that it felt underpowered and that your performance always felt like an uphill struggle, then most of the QNAP NAS range will absolutely blow you away by comparison. The software that all QNAP NAS arrive with, though not quite as fluid and user-friendly as the Synology DSM platform, is still really impressive, hugely customizable/flexible, arrives with many, many client apps for mobile/desktop devices and even arrives in a ZFS version for more powerful QNAP NAS systems – which in turn results in even higher performance potential. There is even a Thunderbolt NAS series from them that allows you to directly connect with the QNAP NAS on a few of their systems – allowing you to combine the ease of direct connectivity of Thunderbolt, with the multi-access nature of NAS. Finally we can highlight that a large number of the QNAP solutions also include an HDMI output and parallel GUI (so running alongside the normal NAS software, not just mirroring it over HDMI) that allows you to run many applications and tasks via a Keyboard/ouse and/or remote control setup. This can include surveillance (8 Camera Licenses included in the QVR Pro NVR/CCTV software btw), virtual machines, Multimedia with things like Kodi/Emby/Plex/Jellyfin and even use as a standalone PC! All this can be done and with the QTS/QuTS NAS software running in the background being accessed by hundreds of users and apps, all at the same time! They even produced one of the very first 8K PLEX native performing NAS I have ever tested:

So, with both the baseline level of hardware AND the upgradability of the internal hardware found in a QNAP NAS to be better than that found in WD My Cloud NAS, it’s a great upgrade for those that are interesting in improved internal performance in their next NAS purchase.

PROS of QNAP NAS

• Best Solutions for Plex Media Server in NAS
• Enterprise/Business Solutions feature ZFS
• 2.5Gbe, 5Gbe and 10Gbe Options
• Best Virtual Machine and Container Solutions in NAS
• NVMe SSD Bays can be used for Caching, Storage Pools or Tiered Storage Configurations
• Almost all range is metal in design, or a plastic but unique chassis
• HDMI and remote control included in most Media NAS devices
• Thunderbolt NAS options covering TB2, TB3 and even TB4 (TS-464)
• Two Surveillance Solutions (with 4/8 Camera Licenses included)
• The Best Backup/Synchronization solution in ‘Hybrid Backup Sync 3’
• Technical information far more readily available
• Lower price compared with Synology in terms of hardware
• Regularly updated software and Detailed GUI/APPs – FULL Review HERE
• Desktop and Rackmount options are available
• Much better business options and definitely the best for virtual machines

CONS of QNAP NAS

• A more android feel towards apps and stability means some users will be put off
• Lacking the BTRFS and SHR support of Synology
• Higher typical Power consumption
• Often a fraction noisier due to chiefly metal chassis
• Much larger range of devices can lead to confusion
• Most units arrive with 2-3 Years warranty, but longer will cost you more
• Have been targetted by Ransomware attacks in the last 2 years

Better Alternative to Netgear and WD Hardware Value for Money – Asustor

Of all the NAS brands I talk about, the one that all too often gets overlooked is Asustor. This is because they seemingly come ‘2nd’ or ‘3rd’ to most brands when it comes to the hardware, cost and software. However, they do make up for this by being excellent VALUE! By this, I mean that they provide a number of solutions that give you a little bit of what all the other brands provide – but in a single solution, rather than you having to choose between the others. Want BRTFS like Synology? Asustor and ADM has that. Want loads of desktop and mobile applications, plus an HDMI output like QNAP? Asustor has that! Want a price point that is low like Terramaster? They get pretty dare close with the Asustor Drivestor and Lockerstor series. They even provide some things that all the other brands do not too! Such as HDMI 2.0b for increased visual bandwidth handling, systems with FOUR Gen3 M.2 NVMe slots inside, dedicated 10GbE NVMe NAS’ and all the while arriving with minimum 2.5 GbE network ports and USB 3.2 10Gb/s. The Asustor software runs very smooth and although it lacks a few things (an AI photo application, 1sst party VM tool or a fluid/flexible RAID system like SHR/TRAID, etc), it IS very user-friendly and arrives with support of more 3rd party apps in it’s app center than most of the other NAS brands. Learn more about Asustor ADM below:

In the last year of two, Asustor has really innovated their ranges and alongside the 2nd generation of their Lockerstor series, effectively doubling down on the hardware of the Gen 1 (barely increasing the pricepoint too) and releasing several new cost-effective solutions in the Drivestor series too. This combined with improvements in their accessories and add-ons such as te 10GbE+NVMe SSD Combo card (the AS-T10G3), a 5-Port 2.5GbE switch and there is work on a dedicated home flash solution too. All of this, whilst the brand still manages to maintain a great ‘Value’ when compared to alternatives from Synology and QNAP. We should mention that they too (much like QNAP and Terramaster) were targetted by the Deadbolt ransomware group in 2022 and much like other brands, they immediately heightened the default security settings of their systems and made it much tougher/layered for novice users to open up ports on their system and give some apps remote access so easily. Overall, it is really hard to find better hardware value for money in pre-made/turnkey NAS than with Asustor solutions.

PROS of Asustor NAS

• Great Price vs Hardware – Often one of the lowest Prices Hardware solutions available
• Recent Lockerstor Gen 2 Releases are Incredible Value for the Hardware
• BTRFS Support
• First Brand to Adopt 2.5Gbe Commercially
• Nice software and still supports Kodi (unofficially), something slowly being pulled from other NAS Software stores – FULL REVIEW HERE
• Good selection of Home and Business NAS devices
• Early Adopter of HDMI 2.0a – so 4K at 60FPS and have their own HDMI GUI in Asustor Portal
• VM deployment and Container Support not dissimilar from QNAP, only not quite as flash
• Noise is pretty low on most home devices like the Nimbustor 2/4
• More Apps are available on the NAS app store, more than QNAP and Synology
• Product Naming is easier to follow than most brands

CONS of Asustor NAS

• Mobile Apps are very functional but appear a little sparse
• Many HDMI apps seem to be simplified web portals, rather than standalone applications
• Browser-based GUI does not feel quite as smooth as Synology DSM, but on par with others
• The Surveillance Center application feels very dated and less intuitive than most
• Have been targetted by Ransomware attacks in the last 2 years

Better Alternative to WD/Netgear for Connectivity – QNAP

The connectivity between the network-attached storage device and your local network hardware environment will massively dictate the speed at which your client devices can access your data for home or business use. Although there are a handful of more enterprise-level WD NAS solutions available, all of the WD My Cloud Feature 1Gbe with no means with which to upgrade that connectivity. Some NAS in the My Cloud range are a little better with dual 1Gbe RJ45 connections, but even then this is a small addition that in 2024 is less desirable than it once was. However, if you are looking for the best possible external connectivity in a modern NAS when choosing from or upgrading from a WD My Cloud NAS, then QNAP have easily the best selection of external connectivity on even their modest hardware solutions available.

Even on the 1/2-bay NAS solutions, you can find 2.5Gbe connectivity on a number of QNAP solution, which then scales progressively throughout their portfolio to multiple 2.5Gbe connections, 5Gbe connections and 10Gbe very easily while still maintaining a price point that remains compatible with that of even the biggest WD My Cloud solution. Then you have the fact that a number of QNAP solutions can be upgraded via PCIe or USB upgrade adaptors for more numerous external connectivity or at the enterprise level with larger bandwidth connections such as 25Gbe and 40Gbe of PCIe Gen 3 NICs for just a few £100s. Finally, there is the growing collection of Thunderbolt 3 equipped NAS systems from QNAP that allow a marginally more plug-and-play connection between the NAS and a thunderbolt 3 USB-C equipped client device. Ultimately QNAP NAS wildly outpaces the WD My Cloud range in terms of external connectivity and is arguably better for its external bandwidth than most NAS brands on the market today.

Better Plex Alternative to WD and Netgear – Synology and QNAP

As mentioned at the start of this article, many users purchased the WD My Cloud Pro NAS system as it was remarkably proficient at Plex Media Server, thanks to its choice of Pentium Processor and hardware transcoding in Plex as standard utilization. However, due to Plex not frequently updating the WD NAS Media Server application in line with how the platform has evolved over time, the WD My Cloud Pro PR2100 and PR4100 have grown increasingly less proficient at Plex Media Server, leading to guides and support walkthroughs being needed to bridge the gap more informally and this has been one of the largest driving force for users wishing to trade away from a WD NAS and onto something a little more modern. When it comes to buying a NAS that is primarily used for Plex media server, for the sheer simplicity and Performance it is hard to argue with a Synology or QNAP NAS as a better Plex media server. Although many would argue that a QNAP NAS would serve as a better Plex media server due to a higher class of CPU, the Synology NAS platform tends to get more out of the hardware at any given time in terms of efficiency which for most users and Plex media server is highly desirable for a stress-free, set up and forget architecture.

Here is my FULL Guide on Synology NAS for Plex (Click Below):

The performance of Plex media server on a QNAP or Synology NAS when compared with that of a WD My Cloud NAS though is not quite as clear-cut as you might like though. For a start, in order to take advantage of hardware transcoding on the NAS, you are going to need a paid Plex Pass, which may come as a real disappointment given that earlier revisions of Plex media server on the WD My Cloud allow Plex to use this CPU and hardware transcoding for free by default. However, the performance of this older Pentium in hardware transcoding is of a similar level to the software transcoding of the much newer Celeron found in the QNAP and Synology recent diskstation releases – so this advantage can be largely negated. One final point that, although not applicable to everyone is still worth considering when looking at a NAS for Plex media server, is how the system utilises the hardware resources available between both the Plex application, other software services and the system in general. Plex media server in its recent version consumes the majority of the hardware available on the WD My Cloud Pro system with even modest playback of 1080p media and is all but consumed by 4K files, leaving little or no resources for the rest of the NAS and it’s applications. The majority of Synology Plus Series Diskstation NAS systems, by comparison, thanks to using more modern hardware architecture and upgradeability in their design result in a smaller percentage of resource consumption buy Plex media server and therefore more fuel in the tank for other services too. If you are not planning on using hardware transcoding/encoding (i.e you have client devices that playback all your media natively with ease and/or you are only going to use the local network to stream), then you can start to look at non-integrated graphics NAS systems from QNAP and Synology too. Overall, though many of the other brands mentioned till now (Asustor, Terramster, etc) all arrive with similar hardware at each tier, I have regularly found that the Plex applications running in Synology DSM or QNAP QTS (either as the official app or as a container) jus run more efficiently on the QNAP/Synology platforms overall.

Better Alternative to WD and Netgear for Security and Scalability – TrueNAS

Let’s face it – 90% of users who are reading this article to move away from WD NAS are doing so for reasons of security. Or more precisely, they have lost faith/trust in their WD NAS’ balance of secure and reliable access. Aside from the storage of your data, another HUGE element of managing your NAS (TrueNAS or otherwise) is how well the system manages its network connectivity. This is such an important part of the perfect storage setup that it can often be the make-or-break of a system. This is especially true in 2024 as concerns of cyber security, ransomware, malware and remote access to your home/business network are extremely current! In the last 18 months, big turnkey/off-the-shelf NAS solution providers have been affected by ransomware and remote command injection-based attacks (Deadbolt, QSnatch, Dirty CoW, Dirty Pipe and more) and this has led to a large number of users rolling up their sleeves and deciding to move towards highly customizable/configurable solutions that allow them to craft a completely unique network security setup. Using TrueNAS to do this is arguably going to be a much more technical process BUT the range of customization and unique internal separate options that the platform offers is completely unique in many places and part of that stems from TrueNAS being built on FreeBSD (rather than Linux, as most other NAS platforms are built on, though there IS a Linux kernel TrueNAS option for those that want the benefits inherent to that platform in TrueNAS Scale). This allows a greater degree of partitional design that allows incredibly unique storage setups that brute force attacks and injected code methods can not overcome beyond a certain point. Eg If you think of TrueNAS on FreeBSD as a house, every single door in the house has a unique lock (multiple unique locks per door if you choose) and having keys to even a single door is just not enough to access everything. Even command-line/back-end access can be forbidden and for many that level of native isolation to the storage, backups and snapshots is damn near irresistible! Here are the elements of TrueNAS core that stood out for me in its network management and security.

Whether it’s compliance, performance, or economics, Federal, state and local governments have plenty to think about when choosing a data storage solution. TrueNAS provides various agencies with enterprise storage that is safe, secure, unified and scalable, which can be used with multiple applications. TrueNAS provides unrivaled data integrity protection, scales to 4PB, unifies block and file storage, balances price and performance, and uses the open source OpenZFS file system. Using TrueNAS eliminates the risk of deploying a complex storage infrastructure and reduces storage costs. The term JAILS is one that is thrown around a lot when people talk about security in the TrueNAS platform and for good reason. When it comes to installing a new third party tool/service that is not native to the platform, in TrueNAS you can install these additional components as completely contained areas of the system. These JAILS are excellent for securely and safely partitioning the system and services, that way in the event of troubleshooting, giving limited access to or quickly locking down a specific application or service. In essence, TrueNAS has two options to create a jail. Unusually for the platform, they even include a Jail Wizard (a hand holding guide, not a man in a big hat) which makes it easy to quickly create a jail. ADVANCED JAIL CREATION is an alternate method, where every possible jail option is configurable. There are numerous options spread across four different primary sections. This form is recommended for advanced users with very specific requirements for a jail. Many users might query why you would use a jail system such as this to run these contained storage/services, as opposed to a virtual machine or a container (as found more often in Linux). However, as jails run the FreeBSD operating system. These jails are independent instances of FreeBSD. The jail uses the host hardware and runs on the host kernel, avoiding most of the overhead usually associated with virtualization that requires hardware to be hard-locked or provisioned. The jail installs FreeBSD software management utilities so FreeBSD packages or ports can be installed from the jail command line. This allows for FreeBSD ports to be compiled and FreeBSD packages to be installed from the command line of the jail in a way that is considerably more configurable and more hardware efficient overall. That isn’t to say that TrueNAS ignores the versatility of Linux and containers, as their newer TrueNAS SCALE (Scale-out, Convergence, Active-active, Linux, Easy – doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, but covers the big advantages inherent to Linux kernel use) platform is built on Linux and takes advantage of those benefits too.

TrueNAS provides unrivaled data integrity protection for backup images by using the OpenZFS enterprise file system. OpenZFS is a next-generation file system in every regard, from its self-healing bit rot mitigation to its flexible snapshotting and replication. It guarantees that you recover the same data that was written. TrueNAS can also encrypt data and replicate it remotely. Many government organizations require encryption of at-rest and in-flight data, so TrueNAS supports disk-level encryption and encryption on data sent over the wire. TrueNAS remote replication (called TrueSync) can be encrypted; while the TrueNAS Web User Interface can be configured to work over HTTPS. Even its firmware updates are signed with a certificate issued by a public certificate authority. When you can’t leave security to chance, TrueNAS has you covered. Additionally, TrueNAS gives you flexibility in your choice of Big Data applications, while reducing the number of storage arrays needed. It is both a NAS and a SAN, supporting multiple block and file protocols. This gives you flexibility in your choice of applications, while reducing the number of storage arrays needed. Every common operating system, hypervisor, and application is supported. Instead of creating storage silos for your various applications, you can use one TrueNAS storage array. There is no avoiding that TrueNAS is an incredibly intimidating and HIGH learning curve platform to choose, especially when moving away from the chewable crayon and hand-holding presentation of WD My Cloud NAS systems – but in terms of security inside and out – very few platforms can challenge TrueNAS. Do keep in mind though that the system still gives YOU the power to make it insecure if you ignore the warning and/or allow 3rd party tools access. Ultimately, the power is in YOUR hands. You can learn more about TrueNAS Core (if you want the Linux version, that is TrueNAS Scale) in the review of the software below:

Better Alternative to WD and Netgear for Scale and Small Impact – UnRAID

You have likely heard about UnRAID in forums, community sites and server enthusiast discussion groups – but rarely on any premium platforms. This is because UnRAID performs a balancing act between a paid solution and Open-source. UnRAID is BY FAR the more resource lite server platform I will cover in this article and also has the potential to be BY FAR the cheapest too. UnRAID runs from a USB that you can connect to an existing system. That means whether you want to build a new PC/Server OR just want to re-use an old PC/Laptap/Mac Mini (maybe avoid that last one), you can simply put your UnRAID installation on a USB, connect it and boom – you have an UnRAID server that you can connect with over the network. It lacks alot of the bells and whistles of turnkey solutions like Synology and QNAP (all those client apps, 1st party apps and services in an app store, etc), but makes up for it by being fantastically efficient. It supports storage pools and volume type storage, but how the drives are held together and how redundancy/performance is managed is very different.

Unraid is unlike traditional RAID for a few reasons. In most RAID cases, when you write a file to a RAID array, more than one disk will spin up, and data is striped across several drives. So even a single file could exist on more than one drive. Because RAID uses more than one drive to read and write data, there is a performance benefit. RAID also offers a degree of safety. RAID5 can sustain the loss of a single drive, with RAID6 able to cope with the loss of two drives. RAID is still susceptible to catastrophic failure. If you were to lose two drives in a RAID5 array, you might not be able to get any of your data back. This is because the entirety of the data is dependent on the other disks. If you took out a single drive from a RAID5 array and plugged it into a computer, you won’t be able to see anything meaningful because the data is striped. A network share in Unraid can span multiple disks, but it manages the data quite differently compared to traditional RAID. Unraid can be configured to have up to two parity drives.

Similar to traditional RAID, this will prevent data loss if up to two drives die, keeping your data safe. There is a trade-off with storing the data in this method in that the performance for reading and writing data is limited to the speed of a single drive. However, Unraid mitigates this by allowing you to use an SSD as a cache drive. In Unraid, if one of your disks had to die, you could plug in another drive, and it would rebuild the data on that drive. However, if you were to lose more than one drive, you could still plug the remaining drives into a computer to retrieve what’s there. Another consideration with RAID is that the smallest drive limits the size of the array. This can limit how you can upgrade the size of a RAID array. Additionally, it may not be possible to add a single drive and increase the size of the array. The GUI might seem a little less graphical and easy to follow than your usual OS Desktop, but everything is well spaced out and you will find that things moderately intuitive once you get to grips with it.

In a direct Unraid vs Raid comparison, Unraid may not be as performant as traditional RAID, but it’s far more efficient. There is a massive reduction in power consumption because all the drives aren’t spinning to read and write data. Unraid is also efficient in how you can expand the size of the array. You can add a drive of any size, and it will increase the size of the array by that size, even if it doesn’t match the size of the other disks. As long as you ensure that your parity drive is equal to or larger than the biggest drive in your array, your data will be safe. The base configuration of an Unraid server requires only 2GB of RAM and a 1GHz processor. At idle, barely any RAM or CPU is used. Under regular usage, like a video playing and a file being written simultaneously, Unraid still barely bats an eye. This shows how efficient a basic Unraid performance is at managing its resources. One aspect puts people off Unraid: there is a cost attached to it. But it is excellent value for money, and there is a 30-day trial to try it for yourself and create your own Unraid NAS server. Moreover, Unraid has an excellent community forum that you can use for both support and advice on your build. One of the most significant advantages of Unraid is that it runs on regular PC hardware. Just keep in mind that the UnRAID software is not completely free. You can run it as a 30-Day trial, but you will eventually need to get a license key. You can find out more and get yourself an UnRAID License HERE – https://unraid.net/pricing?via=nascompares/

There’s no limit to how powerful you’d like to make your build as long as you’ve got the budget to match. If you require a NAS without virtualization or resource-intensive apps, you may even be able to repurpose an older computer that you own. All this said, if the idea of a DiY NAS build is too intimidating for you, you CAN use an existing NAS system and just convert it over to UnRAID very easily. It will need you to use a NAS with an HDMI out, at least 2GB of memory – but as you can see in the video below, it is very easy to run UnRAID on even a moderately priced NAS and end up with a fantastically capable UnRAID system indeed. Overall, although UnRAID cannot match the throughput externally/internally of the rest of the turnkey NAS solutions (or even compete with TrueNAS Core/Scale with ZFS), it allows you to reuse your existing hardware that you might have at home and set up an UnRAID NAS INCREDIBLY affordably!

Better Alternative to WD/Netgear My Cloud for Business – Synology

When network-attached storage was in its infancy, it was presented as a means for prosumers and small-medium business users to have an alternative to subscription-based Cloud services (DropBox, Google Drive, etc) with improved customizable security and larger capacities. Due to the nature of data and how it is the centre of all kinds of business in the last few decades, the idea of a business having its own server is hardly a new thing, given the importance of data retention and GDPR. However, the expectations from a business in what a server can do at even the most modest level have grown rapidly and a simple hard drive connected to the internet will simply not do! As mentioned earlier, the software available on the WD NAS OS platform is starting to look a little underwhelming in 2024, whereas Synology has invested heavily in software development for the NAS systems likely more than any other brand. Now, to cover the WHOLE Synology software and services that are included with their NAS’ would result in a review that is twice as long as this review so far! Synology’s Diskstation Manager software that comes with this device provides a massive arrangement of services, applications (first and third-party supported) and a huge number of client applications for Desktop clients, Mobile, Windows, Mac and Linux (as well as a bunch of other more home-based tools). These allow management and access to the data on a Synology in very tailored ways, as well as the web browser-based access that has the appearance, intuitive design and responsiveness of a local operating system. The DSM interface can be accessed by hundreds of users at the same time (with each user having tailored access, rights and privileges). DSM is available with ALL Synology NAS and the depth and abilities of DSM on any NAS are dependent on the hardware architecture of the NAS itself. In the case of most PLUS or XS series devices, they supports practically EVERYTHING (with the exception of SHR in the case of the XS, SA and UC series). If you want to learn about the latest version of DSM 7 and the software and services that are included with their systems, watch my FULL review below (alternatively, you can read the DSM 7 Full Review HERE):

Needless to say, most Synology NAS will support the bulk of DSM applications, features and services. Longtime followers of Synology (and NASCompres) will be familiar with the huge range of first-party applications and features of DSM, but for those less familiar, here are some highlights:

Synology Office – Create documents, spreadsheets, and slides in a multi-user environment. Real-time synchronization and saving make collaboration a breeze.

Synology Chat – Aimed at businesses, Synology Chat is an IM service that transforms the way users collaborate and communicate.

Synology Drive – Host your own private cloud behind the safety of your NAS with 100% data ownership and no subscription fees. Drive has become one of the premier applications of DSM and allows uses to create intelligent shared team folders that support versioning, file streaming+pinning, encryption, Windows AD support (soon) and native file system support with Windows and macOS.

Synology Photos – Manage your photos and videos with deep-learning algorithms that automatically group photos with similar faces, subjects, and places. Designed after the merger of Synology Photo Station and Moments, it also includes tailored folder, sharing and categorization features to help photographers manage their photos and share them with clients for feedback or business development.

Synology Calendar – Stay on track, share calendars, and schedule meetings, while ensuring sensitive information remains safely stored on company premises.

Synology Active Backup for Business (ABB) – Consolidate backup tasks for virtualized environments, physical servers, and personal computers, and rapidly restore files, entire machines, or VMs – license-free. This software also arrives as a specialised Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace platform to sync with those platforms and allow a bare metal tier to your cloud office services

Synology Hyper Backup – Backup your NAS safely and efficiently to multiple destinations with deduplication, integrity checks, compression, and versioning.

Synology Surveillance Station – Safeguard your business, home, and other valuable assets with reliable video surveillance tools. With improved AI services being accessible thanks to Synology BC500 and TC500 Cameras (which arrived in mid 2023 and a new CC400W Camera slated for mid 2024). Additionally, you can connect this platform with Synology’s cloud platform to use ‘C2 Surveillance’ and bolster the odds of recordings being maintained in the event of accidental/malicious damage to your surveillance system.

Synology Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) – An intuitive hypervisor that supports Windows, Linux, and Virtual DSM virtual machines. Its powerful disaster recovery tools help users achieve maximum service uptime.

Synology High Availability – Synology High Availability (SHA) combines two Synology NAS servers into one active-passive high-availability cluster, alleviating service disruptions while mirroring data.

Synology Central Management System (CMS) – Synology CMS allows you to manage multiple Synology NAS servers quickly and conveniently from a single location.

Synology Video Station – Manage all your movies, TV shows, and home videos. Stream them to multiple devices or share them with friends and family.

Synology Audio Station – Manage your music collection, create personal playlists, stream them to your own devices, or share with family or friends.

Synology File Station – Manage your Synology NAS files remotely through web browsers or mobile devices. This tool allows complete file management and contains all the features and services of your own native file management platform (archiving, extracting, Copy, Cut, Paste, Sharing, native file format opening, integration with the rest of the Synology applications, property/metadata access, etc)

Should I Choose Synology, QNAP, TrueNAS, Terramaster or Asustor NAS?

So, if you have reached this far in the article, you are likely wondering whether you should switch from a WD My Cloud NAS towards either a Synology or QNAP NAS? It’s a valid question, as both brands (especially in recent years) managed to carve their own very distinct design, the priority of build and available utilities for different end-users. Synology will always be the software-optimized choice over hardware (60/40) and manages to get the very most possible out of comparatively less hardware in their own first-party applications. QNAP NAS on the other hand has more of a hardware focus (again 60/40) which means that they have a better 1t and 3rd party hardware balance when it comes to using their system in your environment. Synology is a solution that wants you to do things its way and in return gives you a smooth if safe and predictable outcome. QNAP NAS manages to be exceedingly customizable and adaptable and for those who take the time to tweak it, setup it up from scratch or adapt it to their 3rd party environment, can achieve much better results overall. Below is two videos that focus on each brand and key consideration on QNAP and Synology before you buy. Take a look:

Choosing A NAS – Need More Help?

So, those were the key considerations for those looking to buy a new NAS or looking to upgrade/migrate from an older NAS Drive. However, there is still so much that you may need to know to range from operating system compatibility, how to connect the NAS in the best way, ideal software and the best backup methods. If you still need help choosing the NAS solution for your needs, use the NASCompares free advice section below. It is completely free, is not a subscription service and is manned by real humans (two humans actually, me and Eddie). We promise impartial advice, recommendations based on your hardware and budget, and although it might take an extra day or two to answer your question, we will get back to you.

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Synology has always been the ‘Apple’ of the NAS industry, approaching the launch of their newest hardware/software releases with a sense of gravitas and importance (global launch events, hosted digital streams, etc) that is only matched by the sheer blanket of secrecy they maintain on their upcoming solutions. However, with many of their NAS systems refreshed every 2-3 years, many new NAS buyers (or those looking to upgrade) are always keen to know whether the current range of solutions that are available are the best option, or should they wait a little longer for the launch of a new and exciting follow-up? Likewise, the Synology DSM platform (arguably the jewel in the crown of Synology’s platform) sees regular updates and improvements to both the GUI itself and the range of features and services that are included in it’s wonderfully detailed ecosystem. Generally, when it comes to the software, Synology opt for minor updates almost monthly, noticeable platform/app upgrades every 4-6 months and significant widespread updates (eg DSM 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 8.0?) every year or two. The hardware on the other hand is a different story. Around July/August every year, we see the year/naming convention shift towards the next annual period (i.e DS918+ > DS920+ > DS923+) and it is THOSE new hardware releases that most users take the most interest it. Rackmount and 6-8+ Bay SMB systems have been mostly absent in the 2022/2023 series of Diskstation and Rackstation, so this is likely something we are going to see refreshes for in the 2nd half of 2023. So, I have made this page to allow me to aggregate all information that we (me and Eddie who run NASCompares), to keep in one place.

The following list of articles, links and information will be periodically updated as new information appears and you can add your email address at the bottom of the page if you want to get immediate alerts when these updates arrive (no need to make any account etc, it’s just a notification tool).

LAST UPDATED, Tuesday 2nd July 2024

Is Synology Focusing Too Much on Enterprise?

With Synology making more and more moves towards the enterprise sector, I decided to host a panel with 3 prominent voices in the Synology social ecosystem to discuss the question “Has Synology Become TOO Enterprise?”. Alongside myself (Robbie @ NASCompares) I invited Will (AKA Spacerex), Frank (AKA Wundertech Tutorials) and Luka (AKA Blackvoid and Synoforum) to discuss, among many things, the new Synology Product line up, the GS and AP platforms, their moves in Surveillance and AI, and also whether Synology can cut it in the enterprise sector right now? It’s a long discussion, but I think you will enjoy it, as I thin kit gives a tremendous range of perspectives and logic to the Synology Enterprise moves in 2024:

The Synology GS Series Unveiled

Synology is no stranger to large-scale storage. Last year, we saw the long-developed rollout of the High Density series (premiering a 60 Bay 4U Rackmount solution) and further refreshes in the Synology RS and SA series. However, it would appear that Synology has even loftier goals, with the launch of the Synology GS series – designed to massively scale up towards XX nodes (demonstrated as GS6400 rackmount devices) that, when clustered together, can scale up to an insane 20 Petabyte groups.

We are still awaiting details on the storage capacity scaling (i.e., will they arrive in pre-designated storage configurations), but they will no doubt roll out supporting the Synology HAT5310/HAS5310 Enterprise drives up to 20TB. The GS series appears to be in a slightly modified chassis (numeric LED panel and vent fascia) but seemingly will be using similar hardware/architecture to existing EPYC-powered systems already in the Synology RS/SA portfolio. Additionally, as the scale of the GS Clusters is so large, Synology are rolling out a dedicated GS Cluster switch to coordinate the whole thing. Pricing and capacity details are still TBC!

The Synology DP Series and ActiveProtect

Synology really made some noise on this one, and frankly, I can see why. The Data Protection series is a new tier of their portfolio that exclusively focuses on backup management, fast deployment, and simplicity. Arriving in rackmount hardware form (at least at launch), these systems will NOT arrive with DSM (the operating system of the majority of Synology NAS systems) but instead a dedicated backup appliance called ActiveProtect.

It appears to consolidate the features and functions of several parts of the Synology ecosystem (in particular Active Backup) in order to create a 10-minute setup backup solution for businesses who need robust and easily configurable backup management for:

• Local PC/Mac/Linux client machines
• Synology and 3rd Party Linux Server backups
• Cloud-Based Software as a Service (SaaS) data, such as Google Workspace and Microsoft 365
• Hyper-V/VMware virtual machines

The architecture of the ActiveProtect system also features a number of impressive restoration services built in, ranging from deploying backups of your cloud source VMs to a local VM deployed on the NAS and WORM-protected backups, to simple file/folder restoration and deduplication.

That last one is extra important, as not only does a single DP system with ActiveProtect deduplicate backed-up data in its immediate network circle, but when you deploy multiple DP systems across multiple sites in your business’ physical geography (i.e., sites globally) and have a dedicated target backup for them all, it will further deduplicate the data being sent from all those other DP systems too. You can find out more about the Synology DP series and ActiveProtect in the article below:

[Click Link to ActiveProtect Article]

Synology Unveils Its AI Integration with AI Console

This is something I think most of us saw coming! The integration of AI assistant services and AI language models into the majority of platforms we use on a daily basis has been pretty much non-stop these last 12-18 months, and it comes as no surprise that Synology is now moving into this. But to their credit, they have not rushed into this. In fact, although we saw very tentative steps and early demonstrations of where they would like it to go at their Taipei event in 2023 (see video HERE), they have not rushed into this. The Synology AI Console is their integration of AI assistant tools into a number of their collaboration tools, namely Synology Mail Plus, Office, and Chat.

These tools are designed to provide services that are tailored to these applications – not just a glossy portal/GUI with ChatGPT and other LLMs behind it. Such as the ability to provide a summary of larger email chains, provide context and proofreading of documents, craft responses to communication that are tonally appropriate, and more. Additionally, they state that the AI services will be completely optional, off by default, individually enabled, and have a framework in place that prevents sensitive information from being used in AI-generated content. The extent to how this is controlled and adapted by the system owner is yet to be fully confirmed, as is the level of control that is provided to the Synology NAS owner with regard to the AI’s reference points internally.

Video from a Synology event in 2023:

They do highlight that support of existing popular AI models that include ChatGPT, Microsoft Azure AI, and Google Gemini will be available when the service is launched (in beta, I assume), but I will be interested to see how far the brand will be willing to take AI integration (especially if they are going to allow flexibility in the AI models a user can connect with) as the ability to use AI tools with storage filing services, more creative search categorization, and analysis of system logs. We will have to wait and see… DSM 8?

Synology C2 Surveillance Station and Cloud Cameras

Although Synology has quite a few different apps and services in DSM, one of the most polished and universally praised examples is Surveillance Station. All Synology NAS systems that run DSM also include the Surveillance Station applications and the ability to add multiple cameras. However, 2 years ago, when Synology rolled out C2 Surveillance (a cloud failover and dual recording platform to be used in conjunction with SS), it was only a question of time before they went the extra step and created a ‘direct to cloud’ version of their Surveillance Station platform – C2 Surveillance Station.

This is a cloud-based UI of Surveillance Station that allows users to deploy Synology C2 cameras that record directly to the C2 Cloud. Now, there is an argument that this is something that other camera brands have always offered (i.e., a camera and a cloud subscription for recordings), and many choose Synology for their surveillance/CCTV as they have an in-house surveillance system in a DSM NAS.

However, that does not apply to everyone, and there are several different deployments that could see the benefits of a Synology surveillance system, but without deploying a Synology network storage appliance, such as:

• Building sites, where the network and PoE structure of surveillance cameras are not present
• Locations with a largely exclusive wireless network
• Mobile setups that require camera security, but have a regularly changing physical location
• Users who want the user-friendly surveillance UI of Surveillance Station, but are not interested in purchasing more than the physical cameras

Needless to say, after this initial reveal, there is still the question of pricing, i.e., will the cameras require a monthly storage subscription? Do the cameras support use for local Synology NAS Surveillance deployment as an option? We will have to wait and see closer to the physical launch.

New Fisheye Camera and 8MP Bullet Camera

New Synology Flash NVMe and HDD Hybrid Rackmount (Still Early Development)

Synology CC400W Surveillance Camera Review NOW LIVE

The Synology CC400W, when viewed in isolation, stands out as a slightly above-average surveillance camera. It may not be at the cutting edge of technology, but it doesn’t aspire to be. Instead, Synology is focusing on expanding its camera lineup to complement its well-established surveillance NAS platform, aiming to offer robust and seamlessly integrated products rather than chasing the latest trends. The commitment to ensuring compatibility with third-party cameras while expanding its own range, including the CC400W, BC500, and TC500, is a smart move. It appeals to users seeking a unified first-party surveillance solution that minimizes compatibility issues and security vulnerabilities. One of the CC400W’s strengths is its honesty about capabilities, a refreshing approach in a market often dominated by overhyped claims. This camera clearly delineates its role in the surveillance setup, highlighting a balanced workload between the camera and the Synology NAS. This straightforward integration is likely to attract users looking for a hassle-free surveillance solution. The camera’s enhanced security features, compliance with US certifications, and the absence of a requirement for a surveillance camera license further contribute to its appeal as a reliable, if not revolutionary, product designed for long-term use.

However, there are aspects of the CC400W that could be improved. Given its exclusive design for use with Synology systems and services, the absence of an included SD card at its price point is a notable oversight. Additionally, a two-year warranty feels somewhat limited, especially considering the camera’s likely deployment in business settings for five to ten years, exclusively within Synology’s ecosystem. Moreover, there seems to be a gap in understanding among users regarding the camera’s object detection capabilities versus object recognition and analysis—a distinction Synology could clarify more effectively. Despite these drawbacks, for those looking to expand their Synology surveillance setup without the complexities of camera licenses, desiring quick setup and integration under a single brand, the CC400W confidently meets these needs.

You can watch the FULL YouTube Review of the Synology CC400W Camera HERE

Alternatively, review the full written review of the Synology CC400W Surveillance Station Camera HERE

Synology BeeStation Personal Cloud Review NOW LIVE

What IS the BeeStation? Of all the products I’ve spoken about from Synology in nearly 25 years of solutions from the brand, the new BeeStation is possibly one of the most conventional yet surprising they have ever released. We first spoke about the BeeStation, otherwise known as the BST150-4T, halfway through 2023, when we started hearing rumors about Synology’s new entry-level solution that was shaping up to challenge the likes of WD My Cloud and My Book solutions. Synology has been providing impressively capable personal cloud solutions for a considerably long time, but it would be fair to say that for the majority of users who just want a simple cloud solution that is easy even for a child to set up, DSM isn’t quite as straightforward as they would like.

The BeeStation and BSM hope to remedy this with Synology providing what is potentially the most user-friendly and easy-to-use personal cloud solution they have ever provided, as well as inviting positive comparisons against the likes of Google Drive and iCloud in terms of price. Roll in the fact that the system already arrives pre-populated with four terabytes of storage and is priced at just $199, and what you find here is one of the biggest brands in the world in network attached storage trying to reinvent the wheel that they themselves had a big part in designing! If you are reading this, it is because you are wondering whether the Synology BeeStation is the perfect fit for your simple, low-scale, and low-cost private cloud. So today, I want to tell you the five reasons why I can highly recommend the Synology BeeStation, as well as providing five reasons why you might want to give it a miss.

You can watch the FULL YouTube Review of the Synology BeeStation HERE

Alternatively, review the full written review of the Synology BeeStation Personal Cloud NAS HERE

Synology 2024 and Beyond?

Eddie takes a moment to predict where Synology are going with their solutions in 2024, as we have grown so used to the big brand in NAS launching its annual review and preview’s of things to come – which is oddly absent this year! Perhaps they are gearing up for a Spring launch event? Perhaps they are doubling down on their 2025 event this winter in order to celebrate 25 years in the industry. Take a moment to hear Eddie’s thoughts on this below:

Where is the Synology RS1224+ Rackstation?

Synology is arguably one of the most popular brands in the entire private server market, and once you then factor in the large number of small and medium-sized businesses migrating away from cloud services and onto their own private NAS, who have been flocking in their droves towards Synology, you can understand why they are something of a big deal. Almost 25 years, the brand has been producing numerous desktop and rackmount NAS solutions (alongside a bunch of other side hustles like routers, storage media, business surveillance tools, and more), but in particular, their growth in the rackmount market in the last 5 to 7 years has been genuinely impressive. Which brings us to the subject of today’s article, where the hell is the Synology RS1224+ RackStation NAS? There has been an undeniable shift in the home lab and small business community away from desktop NAS devices and towards small-scale rackmount solutions, and Synology’s recent releases have certainly capitalized on this, thanks to improved smaller-scale four and eight-bay rackmount servers appearing in their product portfolio.

This combined with changes in the baseline hardware of several of their more recent releases have led to many users looking for a very specific kind of Synology rackmount! It has to be compact, it has to be powerful, it has to be scalable, and it has to be reasonably priced – currently, Synology only provides one solution that fits the bill in every regard, the 2020/2021 released RS1221+, which, despite its merits, is still a system that is almost 3 years old, leading many to question the benefits of investing in a system that is perhaps not as cutting edge as the rest of Synology’s portfolio currently stands. The answer, of course? A refresh (something Synology tends to do with their portfolio every two to three years), which would be the Synology RS1224+. Today we want to discuss everything we know, confirm this unit is coming, the expectations we have, and whether it’s worth waiting for it.

Read About it HERE in the Article

Or Watch the YouTube Video HERE

Synology Launch the BeeStation 4TB Personal Cloud (Should You Buy Short Review Live)

Of all the products I’ve spoken about from Synology in nearly 25 years of solutions, the new BeeStation is possibly one of the most conventional yet surprising they have ever released. We first spoke about the BeeStation, otherwise known as the BST150-4T, halfway through 2023, when we started hearing rumors about Synology’s new entry-level solution that was shaping up to challenge the likes of WD My Cloud and My Book solutions. Synology has been providing impressively capable personal cloud solutions for a considerably long time, but it would be fair to say that for the majority of users who just want a simple cloud solution that is easy even for a child to set up, DSM isn’t quite as straightforward as they would like. The BeeStation and BSM hope to remedy this with Synology providing what is potentially the most user-friendly and easy-to-use personal cloud solution they have ever provided, as well as inviting positive comparisons against the likes of Google Drive and iCloud in terms of price. Roll in the fact that the system already arrives pre-populated with four terabytes of storage and is priced at just $199, and what you find here is one of the biggest brands in the world in network attached storage trying to reinvent the wheel that they themselves had a big part in designing! If you are reading this, it is because you are wondering whether the Synology BeeStation is the perfect fit for your simple, low-scale, and low-cost private cloud. So today, I want to tell you the five reasons why I can highly recommend the Synology BeeStation, as well as providing five reasons why you might want to give it a miss.

Read About it HERE in the Article

Or Watch the YouTube Video HERE

Synology DSM 7.2 Update for RackStation Removes EXT4 Support

Synology’s latest update to DSM 7.2 (brings a significant shift in the file system landscape for its NAS devices. This update not only enhances the functionality of the Storage Manager but also marks a crucial transition from EXT4 to BTRFS file systems for many of its models. This article delves into the specifics of this update, the differences between EXT4 and BTRFS file systems, and guides you on how to navigate these changes, including reverting to older firmware versions for EXT4 support.

Read About it HERE in the Article

Or Watch the YouTube Video HERE

Synology Solutions Conference 2023/2024 – Everything We Saw + Round-Up

Wednesday 29th November 2023 saw two live events hosted by Synology in Taipei and London. These events, titled ‘Synology Solution Exhibition‘s were hosted in order to give existing/new Synology NAS owners a better understanding of what their hardware and software can do, how the brand have moved forward in the 12 months since the last large-scale seminars, how DSM 7.2 has been received and future plans fo their hardware and software in 2024. Below is a video from just after the event, in which Robbie and Eddie discussed everything they saw, as well as the highlights, low lights, rumours and confirmed things for next year:

Synology CC400W IP Camera for Surveillance Revealed

Synology has revealed a new, more compact entry, into its range of surveillance cameras, the CC400W. This less industrial alternative to the bulkier metallic PoE BC500 bullet and TC500 turret-style cameras that were launched earlier in 2023 is seemingly designed for more internal building and day to day use, though seemingly still IP67 weatherproof – so it’s not limiting itself much in terms of deployment. Sporting a similar 4MP and 30FPS recording maximum to the other two cameras, this camera has a slightly larger 125 degrees of view (vs 110 degrees of the other two high/ceiling placement cams) and is more desktop stylized.

Additionally, it will definitely be a camera that does not require a license for use in surveillance station (i.e removing the need to use one of your inclusive 2x Synology licenses that 99% of all Synology NAS arrive with and/or just meaning you can expand your surveillance setup without costly $35-50 surveillance station camera licenses). Let’s discuss everything we know so far.

Find out in the article HERE

Synology Launching a New Simplified Backup Solution, BeeStation Manager (BSM) and BST150 Series

Note the Link to Synology BSM NAS Software News Video HERE

Remember when Synology launched a new direct attached SSD drive, the BeeDrive, back in summer 2023? Well, as many of us suspect, it looks like this was the first step in a larger roll out of a new storage solution in the brand’s portfolio of both hardware and software. Named BSM (which at this time is suspected to stand for BeeDrive Station Manager, Bee Station Manager or Backup Station Manager), this new software was originally spotted by keen-eyed friend of the channel Luka, of BlackVoid (his big breakdown of his findings, as well as tear down of the OS .pat file can be found HERE on his site – where the bulk of today’s article is sourced from) seemingly is more than just an firmware update for the existing BeeDrive series however. Pre-bundled with a large number of 1st party Synology tools/apps and service extras, it increasingly appears that we are talking about a full system OS built to run on a new range of Synology hardware devices, arriving with inclusive storage (more on that later) and is either serving as a much more streamlined alternative to the traditionally more open-managed DSM natures of the rest of the Synology NAS portfolio, as an extension of the more locally accessible storage architecture of the existing BeeDrive series – or perhaps a merging of both? Which would definitely serve to fill the increasingly frustrating void left in the storage market left by Drobo between DAS and NAS? Things are still very, very much ‘unconfirmed’ right now, but luckily thanks to Luka’s teardown, we have plenty of information we can use to make well-informed guesses! Let’s go through them, via the article below (click the banner below to open in new tab):

Additionally, we also recorded a zoom discussion with Luka over at Blackvoid to discuss all things BeeStation Manager (BSM) and more information on the upcoming BST150 NAS Series. What we like, what we don;t and the shape of things to come!

Synology 2023/2024 Questions and Answers with Michael Wang @ Synology HQ

Synology have always been largely considered to be the market leader in the world of network attached storage (NAS) and more often than not the decisions that make in their range of hardware/software solutions tend to be of tremendous interest to their growing global user base. Whether it’s a feature of DSM that has been added/removed, or a hardware path that they have yet to pursue, may users have questions for this big brand is the world of big data! So, today we want to share our latest Q&A with Synology (something of an annual event in itself now, with 2019 here, 2020 here, etc), in which we spoke with Michael Wang, Corporate Communications Manager at Synology, and put forward your user questions from the YouTube comments, Polls and NASCompares forums/discord/social media channels. So, let’s dive straight in and see what the brand have in store for the 2nd half of 2023 as we shift our attention towards Synology 2024. Subjects covered include the Synology Play series in 2024, Synology and Ransomware, New Flash Storage, DSM 8.0 (exceedingly briefly), the potential for a Synology switch, new cameras and more.

Click the banner below to head over to the Synology Q&A:

Synology 2024 – Confirmed Releases, Leaks, Rumours and Predictions

It’s past the halfway point of the year and that means that it’s time for Robbie and Eddie to discuss what’s coming in the next generation of Synology NAS hardware and software. We hosting a long, LONG video on this that covers it all. We cover the hardware we know about, as well as the releases that have been leaked and rumoured. We finish up with what we predict to happen with Synology in their 2024 generation, so if you are wondering about what the brand has in store for the future and whether you should care, give it a watch (chapters are underneath the video):

Video Chapters: 00:00 – The Start 00:54 – Synology 2024 – Where are we at? 01:34 – Synology DS224+ NAS – What Do We Think? 07:06 – Synology DS124 NAS – NICE! 11:38 – Synology AI Integration Long Term 13:29 – DSM 8.0 15:23 – What I want from AI in a Synology NAS and DSM 8.0 16:43 – Synology PLAY is DEAD? 21:54 – Synology 2024 Rumours 22:16 – Synology RS1624xs+ Rackstation 27:51 – New Synology Cameras in Winter 2023/2024 31:42 – Synology DS1824+ and DS1624+ NAS Coming 35:42 – Synology 2024 Predictions 36:21 – Fleshing Out that HDD and SSD Portfolio 38:52 – New Flash Server and Flash Drives? Bit Overdue 40:09 – The Synology Switch ISN Coming…Or is it?! 43:06 – Synology DS924+, DS724+, DS1524+ NAS etc? 44:21 – Mid Series Refresh (ver II)? 45:36 – Synology in 2024 and 2024 Moving Forward – Verdict so Far…

The Synology DS224+ NAS – Coming Very Soon!

Update 06/07/23 – Synology has really been churning out the DiskStation releases this year, with a number of their popular DiskStation NAS devices all seeing a modern refresh to a greater or lesser degree. The Synology DS224+ is the update of the three-year-old DS220+ NAS, arriving in a similar framework as its predecessor. Although arguably featuring very small updates in Synology’s 2024 refresh, it does boast an improved CPU, which will result in greater performance on Synology’s award-winning DSM platform. The DS224+ is likely one of the last Synology home and SMB solutions we will see refreshed this year, as Synology clearly begins to set its sights on some of its larger and more centrally business-focused solutions in the 2024 range. I am not going to sugarcoat it, the DS224+ is by no means a significant upgrade over its predecessor and for some, it’s not going to seem like much has changed in the three years between these releases. However, we are still seeing a setup here that the brand has rigorously invested time and development into, which likely means you are getting a superior experience that is more felt than seen compared with its predecessor. Let’s discuss the new Synology DS224+ and help you decide whether it deserves your data.

Find out in the article HERE

And the video HERE

Synology DS124 NAS 1-Bay for the Synology 2024 Series

Update 04/07/23 – If you’ve been considering Synology as an affordable and power-efficient NAS drive option in 2023, it’s highly likely that you’re curious about the possible release of the DS124. Although we have seen tremendous innovation within one-bay NAS devices in recent years, we are still yet to see this brand roll out a one-bay NAS with anything higher than an ARM processor. Give them credit though, this is quite a capable ARM processor, and it would have been very easy for them to cut corners and opt for a lower-class Marvel or Annapurna AL processor in order to keep costs low. The Synology DS124 arrives with the Realtek RTD1619B quad-core ARM processor, which has a 1.7Ghz clock speed and even has a smidgen of integrated graphic support too. This processor certainly will not rival even the most modest Intel Celeron in capabilities, but Synology has been doing great things in ensuring its latest software, DSM 7.2, runs on this platform exceptionally well. The extent to which DSM runs will be discussed later on, as ARM processors have a very unique architecture that also has an inherent difficulty when it comes to more complex processes, but fair play to Synology for including this CPU on such a value series device and after already testing this CPU in the likes of the DS223J, DS223, and DS423 here on the channel, I can comfortably say this is the best value series CPU the brand has ever used and definitely runs the bulk of Synology’s mainline home and light business backup applications.

Read the FULL Article HERE

Synology ChatGPT? Integrating an Optional AI in Synology Office & Mail Plus

Update 03/06/23 – When Synology hosted their Solutions exhibition parallel with the Computex 2023 event over in Taipei, it was always going to be a certainty that I would attend. Aside from featuring this brand regularly on the NASCompares YouTube Channel and Blog, I have always been impressed by the brand’s incredible prioritization of it’s software above all else. Although this can occasionally be to their detriment in the eyes of more hardware-focused users, no one could question the quality and level of R&D that has gone into DSM and its range of services. However, although a lot of new hardware was on show at their event, alongside pre-set demonstration stations to overview their abilities, the thing that REALLY stood out for me was an ‘in development’ feature to integrate AI support services into key DSM applications. Now, currently, the big buzzword in AI is ChapGPT of course.

With everyone from beginners and enthusiasts, all the way to multinational corporations starting to discover the benefits of integrating AI into their workflow and operations. What Synology demo’d at their event, although clearly in early development, was a clear and considered implementation of the benefits of AI assistance from within the Synology ecosystem – more precisely those in the collaboration suite. In the demo, they showed how they were in the early steps of providing AI assistance in numerous areas of content creation and communication. Currently, this was shown in Synology Mail Plus and Synology Office. So, today I want to talk through how this was shown and what we can look forward to as functionality is slowly rolled out.

Find out in the article HERE

And the video HERE

The Synology BeeDrive Backup Hub Revealed

Update 07/06/23 – I’ve been a follower of Synology for many years, but this might be the most ‘left field’ release I have seen from the brand in more than a decade (psst… DS213air..I’m looking at you!). The Synology BeeDrive USB SSD Backup Hub promises to provide simplified backup and Sync storage for upto 5 devices in Windows, iOS, Android and MacOS (eventually) environments. But is it just a glorified external USB drive or much more? Synology is arguably the top dog in the world of turnkey NAS. They have an exceedingly well-populated NAS server portfolio, a very well-established storage media range, Several high-class routers and recently added surveillance cameras into the mix too! Nevertheless, when I saw the official Synology BeeDrive External USB SSD, I was very confused! Synology has diverged from its traditional NAS lineup in an attempt to provide a convenient, easy-to-use, and very user-friendly remote cloud alternative solution for personal data storage. This USB Direct Attached Storage (DAS) device arrives with either 1TB or 2TB of storage capacity and supports a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) connectivity. The main focus by Synology here seems to try and eradicate the complexity of a NAS backup drive for a handful of devices, whilst trying to replicate the ease of use and ‘set up and forget’ mentality of small-scale cloud backup services – Ultimately, the BeeDrive aims to make data backup as simple as it gets.

YouTube Review of the Synology Bee Drive VIDEO REVIEW and WRITTEN REVIEW

Find out in the article HERE

And the video HERE

Synology PLUS NAS Hard Drives – The HAT3300 Series

Update 28/02/23 – For those who have been following the world of network Attached Storage (NAS) and more precisely, the developments of Synology, it might not come as a huge surprise that the brand is now in the process of rolling out a new series of HAT3300 Hard Drives for 2023. Now, you might well be thinking “hold on, they have had their own range of HDDs for a few years now!” and that is correct. However, the existing HAT5300 and HAT5310 series of drives are very much targeted at Pro and Enterprise users (5yr warranty, 5400rpm, 550TB workload, etc) and Synology users who were looking to keep things ‘single ecosystem’ in their more modest scale systems (e.g DS920+, DS1522+, etc) were not won over by these bigger, noisier and more expensive drives in their systems. Therefore, it was somewhat inevitable that the brand would eventually get around to launching a more home/SMB-friendly range Of storage media that is better suited to smaller NAS systems of around 5-8 Bays at most. Enter the Synology HAT3300 Plus hard drive series, eventually rolling out in 4 (possibly a 5th in 16TB) different capacities and built on Seagate Ironwolf HDDs (whereas the Synology HAT5300 and HAT5310s are built on Toshiba Enterprise MG drives). Given Synology already has their other HDDs in the market, 2 types of SSD media, numerous types of memory media, upgrade cards, routers and even their own Surveillance IP cameras now – this really is one of the final steps for them to complete their own 1-brand hardware ecosystem of networking equipment.

YouTube Video – HERE

NASCompares Full Reveal Article  – HERE

Synology DSM 7.2 NAS Software Now Officially Released

Synology DSM 7.2 brings a range of benefits and features compared to Synology DSM 7.1/7.0. It introduces immutable storage and backup through WriteOnce shared folders, enforcing data retention policies and protecting against modification or deletion. Compliance Mode features like Tamper-proof Clock, Grace Period, Appendable Mode, and Snapshots enhance data protection. Full Volume Encryption encrypts Shared Folders, LUNs, and package data, providing security and convenience with improved performance. Immutable Snapshots defend against ransomware by securely storing unchangeable copies of data. Turbocharged VM performance is achieved with M.2 NVMe storage volume support, enabling SSD caching or creating all-flash storage volumes. Block-level full-system backups in Hyper Backup speed up large data backups significantly. Inline zero-block removal improves deduplication efficiency while maintaining performance. Adaptive Login Protection enhances security with multi-factor authentication and confirmation for external DSM admin account access. Auto Block expands protection against brute-force attacks, and QuickConnect servers globally ban IP addresses after failed authentication attempts. Container Manager, renamed and enhanced, allows easy management of multi-container applications through the UI. Hybrid Share, coming soon, prevents file conflicts across connected Synology systems and provides detailed logging. These features make DSM 7.2 a comprehensive upgrade with robust security, performance, and management capabilities for Synology NAS users.

You can download Synology DSM 7.2 HERE

Alternatively, you can look at the video below that outlines whether existing DSM 7.1/7.0/6.2 Users that own Value series devices (such as the DS223, DS423, DS220J and even DS120J) should upgrade:

You can find out more about Synology and their plans for their 2024 series by visiting our friends over on Blackvoid HERE

Looking for Information on Synology NAS Hardware and Software Releases and Rumours for 2023? You can visit our Synology 2023 News Page HERE

We pool the comments on this article and the videos that are featured in it to keep all the relevant comments in one place, so take a look and see if your POV is the same as everyone else’s.

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We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you. Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which is used to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H. You can also get me a Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks! To find out more about how to support this advice service check HERE   If you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver   Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here  

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Synology has always been the ‘Apple’ of the NAS industry, approaching the launch of their newest hardware/software releases with a sense of gravitas and importance (global launch events, hosted digital streams, etc) that is only matched by the sheer blanket of secrecy they maintain on their upcoming solutions. However, with many of their NAS systems refreshed every 2-3 years, many new NAS buyers (or those looking to upgrade) are always keen to know whether the current range of solutions that are available are the best option, or should they wait a little longer for the launch of a new and exciting follow-up? Likewise, the Synology DSM platform (arguably the jewel in the crown of Synology’s platform) sees regular updates and improvements to both the GUI itself and the range of features and services that are included in it’s wonderfully detailed ecosystem. Generally, when it comes to the software, Synology opt for minor updates almost monthly, noticeable platform/app upgrades every 4-6 months and significant widespread updates (eg DSM 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 8.0?) every year or two. The hardware on the other hand is a different story. Around July/August every year, we see the year/naming convention shift towards the next annual period (i.e DS918+ > DS920+ > DS923+) and it is THOSE new hardware releases that most users take the most interest it. Rackmount and 6-8+ Bay SMB systems have been mostly absent in the 2022/2023 series of Diskstation and Rackstation, so this is likely something we are going to see refreshes for in the 2nd half of 2023. So, I have made this page to allow me to aggregate all information that we (me and Eddie who run NASCompares), to keep in one place.

The following list of articles, links and information will be periodically updated as new information appears and you can add your email address at the bottom of the page if you want to get immediate alerts when these updates arrive (no need to make any account etc, it’s just a notification tool).

LAST UPDATED, Tuesday 2nd July 2024

Is Synology Focusing Too Much on Enterprise?

With Synology making more and more moves towards the enterprise sector, I decided to host a panel with 3 prominent voices in the Synology social ecosystem to discuss the question “Has Synology Become TOO Enterprise?”. Alongside myself (Robbie @ NASCompares) I invited Will (AKA Spacerex), Frank (AKA Wundertech Tutorials) and Luka (AKA Blackvoid and Synoforum) to discuss, among many things, the new Synology Product line up, the GS and AP platforms, their moves in Surveillance and AI, and also whether Synology can cut it in the enterprise sector right now? It’s a long discussion, but I think you will enjoy it, as I thin kit gives a tremendous range of perspectives and logic to the Synology Enterprise moves in 2024:

The Synology GS Series Unveiled

Synology is no stranger to large-scale storage. Last year, we saw the long-developed rollout of the High Density series (premiering a 60 Bay 4U Rackmount solution) and further refreshes in the Synology RS and SA series. However, it would appear that Synology has even loftier goals, with the launch of the Synology GS series – designed to massively scale up towards XX nodes (demonstrated as GS6400 rackmount devices) that, when clustered together, can scale up to an insane 20 Petabyte groups.

We are still awaiting details on the storage capacity scaling (i.e., will they arrive in pre-designated storage configurations), but they will no doubt roll out supporting the Synology HAT5310/HAS5310 Enterprise drives up to 20TB. The GS series appears to be in a slightly modified chassis (numeric LED panel and vent fascia) but seemingly will be using similar hardware/architecture to existing EPYC-powered systems already in the Synology RS/SA portfolio. Additionally, as the scale of the GS Clusters is so large, Synology are rolling out a dedicated GS Cluster switch to coordinate the whole thing. Pricing and capacity details are still TBC!

The Synology DP Series and ActiveProtect

Synology really made some noise on this one, and frankly, I can see why. The Data Protection series is a new tier of their portfolio that exclusively focuses on backup management, fast deployment, and simplicity. Arriving in rackmount hardware form (at least at launch), these systems will NOT arrive with DSM (the operating system of the majority of Synology NAS systems) but instead a dedicated backup appliance called ActiveProtect.

It appears to consolidate the features and functions of several parts of the Synology ecosystem (in particular Active Backup) in order to create a 10-minute setup backup solution for businesses who need robust and easily configurable backup management for:

• Local PC/Mac/Linux client machines
• Synology and 3rd Party Linux Server backups
• Cloud-Based Software as a Service (SaaS) data, such as Google Workspace and Microsoft 365
• Hyper-V/VMware virtual machines

The architecture of the ActiveProtect system also features a number of impressive restoration services built in, ranging from deploying backups of your cloud source VMs to a local VM deployed on the NAS and WORM-protected backups, to simple file/folder restoration and deduplication.

That last one is extra important, as not only does a single DP system with ActiveProtect deduplicate backed-up data in its immediate network circle, but when you deploy multiple DP systems across multiple sites in your business’ physical geography (i.e., sites globally) and have a dedicated target backup for them all, it will further deduplicate the data being sent from all those other DP systems too. You can find out more about the Synology DP series and ActiveProtect in the article below:

[Click Link to ActiveProtect Article]

Synology Unveils Its AI Integration with AI Console

This is something I think most of us saw coming! The integration of AI assistant services and AI language models into the majority of platforms we use on a daily basis has been pretty much non-stop these last 12-18 months, and it comes as no surprise that Synology is now moving into this. But to their credit, they have not rushed into this. In fact, although we saw very tentative steps and early demonstrations of where they would like it to go at their Taipei event in 2023 (see video HERE), they have not rushed into this. The Synology AI Console is their integration of AI assistant tools into a number of their collaboration tools, namely Synology Mail Plus, Office, and Chat.

These tools are designed to provide services that are tailored to these applications – not just a glossy portal/GUI with ChatGPT and other LLMs behind it. Such as the ability to provide a summary of larger email chains, provide context and proofreading of documents, craft responses to communication that are tonally appropriate, and more. Additionally, they state that the AI services will be completely optional, off by default, individually enabled, and have a framework in place that prevents sensitive information from being used in AI-generated content. The extent to how this is controlled and adapted by the system owner is yet to be fully confirmed, as is the level of control that is provided to the Synology NAS owner with regard to the AI’s reference points internally.

Video from a Synology event in 2023:

They do highlight that support of existing popular AI models that include ChatGPT, Microsoft Azure AI, and Google Gemini will be available when the service is launched (in beta, I assume), but I will be interested to see how far the brand will be willing to take AI integration (especially if they are going to allow flexibility in the AI models a user can connect with) as the ability to use AI tools with storage filing services, more creative search categorization, and analysis of system logs. We will have to wait and see… DSM 8?

Synology C2 Surveillance Station and Cloud Cameras

Although Synology has quite a few different apps and services in DSM, one of the most polished and universally praised examples is Surveillance Station. All Synology NAS systems that run DSM also include the Surveillance Station applications and the ability to add multiple cameras. However, 2 years ago, when Synology rolled out C2 Surveillance (a cloud failover and dual recording platform to be used in conjunction with SS), it was only a question of time before they went the extra step and created a ‘direct to cloud’ version of their Surveillance Station platform – C2 Surveillance Station.

This is a cloud-based UI of Surveillance Station that allows users to deploy Synology C2 cameras that record directly to the C2 Cloud. Now, there is an argument that this is something that other camera brands have always offered (i.e., a camera and a cloud subscription for recordings), and many choose Synology for their surveillance/CCTV as they have an in-house surveillance system in a DSM NAS.

However, that does not apply to everyone, and there are several different deployments that could see the benefits of a Synology surveillance system, but without deploying a Synology network storage appliance, such as:

• Building sites, where the network and PoE structure of surveillance cameras are not present
• Locations with a largely exclusive wireless network
• Mobile setups that require camera security, but have a regularly changing physical location
• Users who want the user-friendly surveillance UI of Surveillance Station, but are not interested in purchasing more than the physical cameras

Needless to say, after this initial reveal, there is still the question of pricing, i.e., will the cameras require a monthly storage subscription? Do the cameras support use for local Synology NAS Surveillance deployment as an option? We will have to wait and see closer to the physical launch.

New Fisheye Camera and 8MP Bullet Camera

New Synology Flash NVMe and HDD Hybrid Rackmount (Still Early Development)

Synology CC400W Surveillance Camera Review NOW LIVE

The Synology CC400W, when viewed in isolation, stands out as a slightly above-average surveillance camera. It may not be at the cutting edge of technology, but it doesn’t aspire to be. Instead, Synology is focusing on expanding its camera lineup to complement its well-established surveillance NAS platform, aiming to offer robust and seamlessly integrated products rather than chasing the latest trends. The commitment to ensuring compatibility with third-party cameras while expanding its own range, including the CC400W, BC500, and TC500, is a smart move. It appeals to users seeking a unified first-party surveillance solution that minimizes compatibility issues and security vulnerabilities. One of the CC400W’s strengths is its honesty about capabilities, a refreshing approach in a market often dominated by overhyped claims. This camera clearly delineates its role in the surveillance setup, highlighting a balanced workload between the camera and the Synology NAS. This straightforward integration is likely to attract users looking for a hassle-free surveillance solution. The camera’s enhanced security features, compliance with US certifications, and the absence of a requirement for a surveillance camera license further contribute to its appeal as a reliable, if not revolutionary, product designed for long-term use.

However, there are aspects of the CC400W that could be improved. Given its exclusive design for use with Synology systems and services, the absence of an included SD card at its price point is a notable oversight. Additionally, a two-year warranty feels somewhat limited, especially considering the camera’s likely deployment in business settings for five to ten years, exclusively within Synology’s ecosystem. Moreover, there seems to be a gap in understanding among users regarding the camera’s object detection capabilities versus object recognition and analysis—a distinction Synology could clarify more effectively. Despite these drawbacks, for those looking to expand their Synology surveillance setup without the complexities of camera licenses, desiring quick setup and integration under a single brand, the CC400W confidently meets these needs.

You can watch the FULL YouTube Review of the Synology CC400W Camera HERE

Alternatively, review the full written review of the Synology CC400W Surveillance Station Camera HERE

Synology BeeStation Personal Cloud Review NOW LIVE

What IS the BeeStation? Of all the products I’ve spoken about from Synology in nearly 25 years of solutions from the brand, the new BeeStation is possibly one of the most conventional yet surprising they have ever released. We first spoke about the BeeStation, otherwise known as the BST150-4T, halfway through 2023, when we started hearing rumors about Synology’s new entry-level solution that was shaping up to challenge the likes of WD My Cloud and My Book solutions. Synology has been providing impressively capable personal cloud solutions for a considerably long time, but it would be fair to say that for the majority of users who just want a simple cloud solution that is easy even for a child to set up, DSM isn’t quite as straightforward as they would like.

The BeeStation and BSM hope to remedy this with Synology providing what is potentially the most user-friendly and easy-to-use personal cloud solution they have ever provided, as well as inviting positive comparisons against the likes of Google Drive and iCloud in terms of price. Roll in the fact that the system already arrives pre-populated with four terabytes of storage and is priced at just $199, and what you find here is one of the biggest brands in the world in network attached storage trying to reinvent the wheel that they themselves had a big part in designing! If you are reading this, it is because you are wondering whether the Synology BeeStation is the perfect fit for your simple, low-scale, and low-cost private cloud. So today, I want to tell you the five reasons why I can highly recommend the Synology BeeStation, as well as providing five reasons why you might want to give it a miss.

You can watch the FULL YouTube Review of the Synology BeeStation HERE

Alternatively, review the full written review of the Synology BeeStation Personal Cloud NAS HERE

Synology 2024 and Beyond?

Eddie takes a moment to predict where Synology are going with their solutions in 2024, as we have grown so used to the big brand in NAS launching its annual review and preview’s of things to come – which is oddly absent this year! Perhaps they are gearing up for a Spring launch event? Perhaps they are doubling down on their 2025 event this winter in order to celebrate 25 years in the industry. Take a moment to hear Eddie’s thoughts on this below:

Where is the Synology RS1224+ Rackstation?

Synology is arguably one of the most popular brands in the entire private server market, and once you then factor in the large number of small and medium-sized businesses migrating away from cloud services and onto their own private NAS, who have been flocking in their droves towards Synology, you can understand why they are something of a big deal. Almost 25 years, the brand has been producing numerous desktop and rackmount NAS solutions (alongside a bunch of other side hustles like routers, storage media, business surveillance tools, and more), but in particular, their growth in the rackmount market in the last 5 to 7 years has been genuinely impressive. Which brings us to the subject of today’s article, where the hell is the Synology RS1224+ RackStation NAS? There has been an undeniable shift in the home lab and small business community away from desktop NAS devices and towards small-scale rackmount solutions, and Synology’s recent releases have certainly capitalized on this, thanks to improved smaller-scale four and eight-bay rackmount servers appearing in their product portfolio.

This combined with changes in the baseline hardware of several of their more recent releases have led to many users looking for a very specific kind of Synology rackmount! It has to be compact, it has to be powerful, it has to be scalable, and it has to be reasonably priced – currently, Synology only provides one solution that fits the bill in every regard, the 2020/2021 released RS1221+, which, despite its merits, is still a system that is almost 3 years old, leading many to question the benefits of investing in a system that is perhaps not as cutting edge as the rest of Synology’s portfolio currently stands. The answer, of course? A refresh (something Synology tends to do with their portfolio every two to three years), which would be the Synology RS1224+. Today we want to discuss everything we know, confirm this unit is coming, the expectations we have, and whether it’s worth waiting for it.

Read About it HERE in the Article

Or Watch the YouTube Video HERE

Synology Launch the BeeStation 4TB Personal Cloud (Should You Buy Short Review Live)

Of all the products I’ve spoken about from Synology in nearly 25 years of solutions, the new BeeStation is possibly one of the most conventional yet surprising they have ever released. We first spoke about the BeeStation, otherwise known as the BST150-4T, halfway through 2023, when we started hearing rumors about Synology’s new entry-level solution that was shaping up to challenge the likes of WD My Cloud and My Book solutions. Synology has been providing impressively capable personal cloud solutions for a considerably long time, but it would be fair to say that for the majority of users who just want a simple cloud solution that is easy even for a child to set up, DSM isn’t quite as straightforward as they would like. The BeeStation and BSM hope to remedy this with Synology providing what is potentially the most user-friendly and easy-to-use personal cloud solution they have ever provided, as well as inviting positive comparisons against the likes of Google Drive and iCloud in terms of price. Roll in the fact that the system already arrives pre-populated with four terabytes of storage and is priced at just $199, and what you find here is one of the biggest brands in the world in network attached storage trying to reinvent the wheel that they themselves had a big part in designing! If you are reading this, it is because you are wondering whether the Synology BeeStation is the perfect fit for your simple, low-scale, and low-cost private cloud. So today, I want to tell you the five reasons why I can highly recommend the Synology BeeStation, as well as providing five reasons why you might want to give it a miss.

Read About it HERE in the Article

Or Watch the YouTube Video HERE

Synology DSM 7.2 Update for RackStation Removes EXT4 Support

Synology’s latest update to DSM 7.2 (brings a significant shift in the file system landscape for its NAS devices. This update not only enhances the functionality of the Storage Manager but also marks a crucial transition from EXT4 to BTRFS file systems for many of its models. This article delves into the specifics of this update, the differences between EXT4 and BTRFS file systems, and guides you on how to navigate these changes, including reverting to older firmware versions for EXT4 support.

Read About it HERE in the Article

Or Watch the YouTube Video HERE

Synology Solutions Conference 2023/2024 – Everything We Saw + Round-Up

Wednesday 29th November 2023 saw two live events hosted by Synology in Taipei and London. These events, titled ‘Synology Solution Exhibition‘s were hosted in order to give existing/new Synology NAS owners a better understanding of what their hardware and software can do, how the brand have moved forward in the 12 months since the last large-scale seminars, how DSM 7.2 has been received and future plans fo their hardware and software in 2024. Below is a video from just after the event, in which Robbie and Eddie discussed everything they saw, as well as the highlights, low lights, rumours and confirmed things for next year:

Synology CC400W IP Camera for Surveillance Revealed

Synology has revealed a new, more compact entry, into its range of surveillance cameras, the CC400W. This less industrial alternative to the bulkier metallic PoE BC500 bullet and TC500 turret-style cameras that were launched earlier in 2023 is seemingly designed for more internal building and day to day use, though seemingly still IP67 weatherproof – so it’s not limiting itself much in terms of deployment. Sporting a similar 4MP and 30FPS recording maximum to the other two cameras, this camera has a slightly larger 125 degrees of view (vs 110 degrees of the other two high/ceiling placement cams) and is more desktop stylized.

Additionally, it will definitely be a camera that does not require a license for use in surveillance station (i.e removing the need to use one of your inclusive 2x Synology licenses that 99% of all Synology NAS arrive with and/or just meaning you can expand your surveillance setup without costly $35-50 surveillance station camera licenses). Let’s discuss everything we know so far.

Find out in the article HERE

Synology Launching a New Simplified Backup Solution, BeeStation Manager (BSM) and BST150 Series

Note the Link to Synology BSM NAS Software News Video HERE

Remember when Synology launched a new direct attached SSD drive, the BeeDrive, back in summer 2023? Well, as many of us suspect, it looks like this was the first step in a larger roll out of a new storage solution in the brand’s portfolio of both hardware and software. Named BSM (which at this time is suspected to stand for BeeDrive Station Manager, Bee Station Manager or Backup Station Manager), this new software was originally spotted by keen-eyed friend of the channel Luka, of BlackVoid (his big breakdown of his findings, as well as tear down of the OS .pat file can be found HERE on his site – where the bulk of today’s article is sourced from) seemingly is more than just an firmware update for the existing BeeDrive series however. Pre-bundled with a large number of 1st party Synology tools/apps and service extras, it increasingly appears that we are talking about a full system OS built to run on a new range of Synology hardware devices, arriving with inclusive storage (more on that later) and is either serving as a much more streamlined alternative to the traditionally more open-managed DSM natures of the rest of the Synology NAS portfolio, as an extension of the more locally accessible storage architecture of the existing BeeDrive series – or perhaps a merging of both? Which would definitely serve to fill the increasingly frustrating void left in the storage market left by Drobo between DAS and NAS? Things are still very, very much ‘unconfirmed’ right now, but luckily thanks to Luka’s teardown, we have plenty of information we can use to make well-informed guesses! Let’s go through them, via the article below (click the banner below to open in new tab):

Additionally, we also recorded a zoom discussion with Luka over at Blackvoid to discuss all things BeeStation Manager (BSM) and more information on the upcoming BST150 NAS Series. What we like, what we don;t and the shape of things to come!

Synology 2023/2024 Questions and Answers with Michael Wang @ Synology HQ

Synology have always been largely considered to be the market leader in the world of network attached storage (NAS) and more often than not the decisions that make in their range of hardware/software solutions tend to be of tremendous interest to their growing global user base. Whether it’s a feature of DSM that has been added/removed, or a hardware path that they have yet to pursue, may users have questions for this big brand is the world of big data! So, today we want to share our latest Q&A with Synology (something of an annual event in itself now, with 2019 here, 2020 here, etc), in which we spoke with Michael Wang, Corporate Communications Manager at Synology, and put forward your user questions from the YouTube comments, Polls and NASCompares forums/discord/social media channels. So, let’s dive straight in and see what the brand have in store for the 2nd half of 2023 as we shift our attention towards Synology 2024. Subjects covered include the Synology Play series in 2024, Synology and Ransomware, New Flash Storage, DSM 8.0 (exceedingly briefly), the potential for a Synology switch, new cameras and more.

Click the banner below to head over to the Synology Q&A:

Synology 2024 – Confirmed Releases, Leaks, Rumours and Predictions

It’s past the halfway point of the year and that means that it’s time for Robbie and Eddie to discuss what’s coming in the next generation of Synology NAS hardware and software. We hosting a long, LONG video on this that covers it all. We cover the hardware we know about, as well as the releases that have been leaked and rumoured. We finish up with what we predict to happen with Synology in their 2024 generation, so if you are wondering about what the brand has in store for the future and whether you should care, give it a watch (chapters are underneath the video):

Video Chapters: 00:00 – The Start 00:54 – Synology 2024 – Where are we at? 01:34 – Synology DS224+ NAS – What Do We Think? 07:06 – Synology DS124 NAS – NICE! 11:38 – Synology AI Integration Long Term 13:29 – DSM 8.0 15:23 – What I want from AI in a Synology NAS and DSM 8.0 16:43 – Synology PLAY is DEAD? 21:54 – Synology 2024 Rumours 22:16 – Synology RS1624xs+ Rackstation 27:51 – New Synology Cameras in Winter 2023/2024 31:42 – Synology DS1824+ and DS1624+ NAS Coming 35:42 – Synology 2024 Predictions 36:21 – Fleshing Out that HDD and SSD Portfolio 38:52 – New Flash Server and Flash Drives? Bit Overdue 40:09 – The Synology Switch ISN Coming…Or is it?! 43:06 – Synology DS924+, DS724+, DS1524+ NAS etc? 44:21 – Mid Series Refresh (ver II)? 45:36 – Synology in 2024 and 2024 Moving Forward – Verdict so Far…

The Synology DS224+ NAS – Coming Very Soon!

Update 06/07/23 – Synology has really been churning out the DiskStation releases this year, with a number of their popular DiskStation NAS devices all seeing a modern refresh to a greater or lesser degree. The Synology DS224+ is the update of the three-year-old DS220+ NAS, arriving in a similar framework as its predecessor. Although arguably featuring very small updates in Synology’s 2024 refresh, it does boast an improved CPU, which will result in greater performance on Synology’s award-winning DSM platform. The DS224+ is likely one of the last Synology home and SMB solutions we will see refreshed this year, as Synology clearly begins to set its sights on some of its larger and more centrally business-focused solutions in the 2024 range. I am not going to sugarcoat it, the DS224+ is by no means a significant upgrade over its predecessor and for some, it’s not going to seem like much has changed in the three years between these releases. However, we are still seeing a setup here that the brand has rigorously invested time and development into, which likely means you are getting a superior experience that is more felt than seen compared with its predecessor. Let’s discuss the new Synology DS224+ and help you decide whether it deserves your data.

Find out in the article HERE

And the video HERE

Synology DS124 NAS 1-Bay for the Synology 2024 Series

Update 04/07/23 – If you’ve been considering Synology as an affordable and power-efficient NAS drive option in 2023, it’s highly likely that you’re curious about the possible release of the DS124. Although we have seen tremendous innovation within one-bay NAS devices in recent years, we are still yet to see this brand roll out a one-bay NAS with anything higher than an ARM processor. Give them credit though, this is quite a capable ARM processor, and it would have been very easy for them to cut corners and opt for a lower-class Marvel or Annapurna AL processor in order to keep costs low. The Synology DS124 arrives with the Realtek RTD1619B quad-core ARM processor, which has a 1.7Ghz clock speed and even has a smidgen of integrated graphic support too. This processor certainly will not rival even the most modest Intel Celeron in capabilities, but Synology has been doing great things in ensuring its latest software, DSM 7.2, runs on this platform exceptionally well. The extent to which DSM runs will be discussed later on, as ARM processors have a very unique architecture that also has an inherent difficulty when it comes to more complex processes, but fair play to Synology for including this CPU on such a value series device and after already testing this CPU in the likes of the DS223J, DS223, and DS423 here on the channel, I can comfortably say this is the best value series CPU the brand has ever used and definitely runs the bulk of Synology’s mainline home and light business backup applications.

Read the FULL Article HERE

Synology ChatGPT? Integrating an Optional AI in Synology Office & Mail Plus

Update 03/06/23 – When Synology hosted their Solutions exhibition parallel with the Computex 2023 event over in Taipei, it was always going to be a certainty that I would attend. Aside from featuring this brand regularly on the NASCompares YouTube Channel and Blog, I have always been impressed by the brand’s incredible prioritization of it’s software above all else. Although this can occasionally be to their detriment in the eyes of more hardware-focused users, no one could question the quality and level of R&D that has gone into DSM and its range of services. However, although a lot of new hardware was on show at their event, alongside pre-set demonstration stations to overview their abilities, the thing that REALLY stood out for me was an ‘in development’ feature to integrate AI support services into key DSM applications. Now, currently, the big buzzword in AI is ChapGPT of course.

With everyone from beginners and enthusiasts, all the way to multinational corporations starting to discover the benefits of integrating AI into their workflow and operations. What Synology demo’d at their event, although clearly in early development, was a clear and considered implementation of the benefits of AI assistance from within the Synology ecosystem – more precisely those in the collaboration suite. In the demo, they showed how they were in the early steps of providing AI assistance in numerous areas of content creation and communication. Currently, this was shown in Synology Mail Plus and Synology Office. So, today I want to talk through how this was shown and what we can look forward to as functionality is slowly rolled out.

Find out in the article HERE

And the video HERE

The Synology BeeDrive Backup Hub Revealed

Update 07/06/23 – I’ve been a follower of Synology for many years, but this might be the most ‘left field’ release I have seen from the brand in more than a decade (psst… DS213air..I’m looking at you!). The Synology BeeDrive USB SSD Backup Hub promises to provide simplified backup and Sync storage for upto 5 devices in Windows, iOS, Android and MacOS (eventually) environments. But is it just a glorified external USB drive or much more? Synology is arguably the top dog in the world of turnkey NAS. They have an exceedingly well-populated NAS server portfolio, a very well-established storage media range, Several high-class routers and recently added surveillance cameras into the mix too! Nevertheless, when I saw the official Synology BeeDrive External USB SSD, I was very confused! Synology has diverged from its traditional NAS lineup in an attempt to provide a convenient, easy-to-use, and very user-friendly remote cloud alternative solution for personal data storage. This USB Direct Attached Storage (DAS) device arrives with either 1TB or 2TB of storage capacity and supports a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) connectivity. The main focus by Synology here seems to try and eradicate the complexity of a NAS backup drive for a handful of devices, whilst trying to replicate the ease of use and ‘set up and forget’ mentality of small-scale cloud backup services – Ultimately, the BeeDrive aims to make data backup as simple as it gets.

YouTube Review of the Synology Bee Drive VIDEO REVIEW and WRITTEN REVIEW

Find out in the article HERE

And the video HERE

Synology PLUS NAS Hard Drives – The HAT3300 Series

Update 28/02/23 – For those who have been following the world of network Attached Storage (NAS) and more precisely, the developments of Synology, it might not come as a huge surprise that the brand is now in the process of rolling out a new series of HAT3300 Hard Drives for 2023. Now, you might well be thinking “hold on, they have had their own range of HDDs for a few years now!” and that is correct. However, the existing HAT5300 and HAT5310 series of drives are very much targeted at Pro and Enterprise users (5yr warranty, 5400rpm, 550TB workload, etc) and Synology users who were looking to keep things ‘single ecosystem’ in their more modest scale systems (e.g DS920+, DS1522+, etc) were not won over by these bigger, noisier and more expensive drives in their systems. Therefore, it was somewhat inevitable that the brand would eventually get around to launching a more home/SMB-friendly range Of storage media that is better suited to smaller NAS systems of around 5-8 Bays at most. Enter the Synology HAT3300 Plus hard drive series, eventually rolling out in 4 (possibly a 5th in 16TB) different capacities and built on Seagate Ironwolf HDDs (whereas the Synology HAT5300 and HAT5310s are built on Toshiba Enterprise MG drives). Given Synology already has their other HDDs in the market, 2 types of SSD media, numerous types of memory media, upgrade cards, routers and even their own Surveillance IP cameras now – this really is one of the final steps for them to complete their own 1-brand hardware ecosystem of networking equipment.

YouTube Video – HERE

NASCompares Full Reveal Article  – HERE

Synology DSM 7.2 NAS Software Now Officially Released

Synology DSM 7.2 brings a range of benefits and features compared to Synology DSM 7.1/7.0. It introduces immutable storage and backup through WriteOnce shared folders, enforcing data retention policies and protecting against modification or deletion. Compliance Mode features like Tamper-proof Clock, Grace Period, Appendable Mode, and Snapshots enhance data protection. Full Volume Encryption encrypts Shared Folders, LUNs, and package data, providing security and convenience with improved performance. Immutable Snapshots defend against ransomware by securely storing unchangeable copies of data. Turbocharged VM performance is achieved with M.2 NVMe storage volume support, enabling SSD caching or creating all-flash storage volumes. Block-level full-system backups in Hyper Backup speed up large data backups significantly. Inline zero-block removal improves deduplication efficiency while maintaining performance. Adaptive Login Protection enhances security with multi-factor authentication and confirmation for external DSM admin account access. Auto Block expands protection against brute-force attacks, and QuickConnect servers globally ban IP addresses after failed authentication attempts. Container Manager, renamed and enhanced, allows easy management of multi-container applications through the UI. Hybrid Share, coming soon, prevents file conflicts across connected Synology systems and provides detailed logging. These features make DSM 7.2 a comprehensive upgrade with robust security, performance, and management capabilities for Synology NAS users.

You can download Synology DSM 7.2 HERE

Alternatively, you can look at the video below that outlines whether existing DSM 7.1/7.0/6.2 Users that own Value series devices (such as the DS223, DS423, DS220J and even DS120J) should upgrade:

You can find out more about Synology and their plans for their 2024 series by visiting our friends over on Blackvoid HERE

Looking for Information on Synology NAS Hardware and Software Releases and Rumours for 2023? You can visit our Synology 2023 News Page HERE

We pool the comments on this article and the videos that are featured in it to keep all the relevant comments in one place, so take a look and see if your POV is the same as everyone else’s.

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Have you ever looked at the cost of popular Network attached storage devices from brands such as Synology and QNAP, then looked at the price tag and thought “wait…HOW MUCH?!? I could build my own NAS server for much less than that”? Well, you are not alone! There are quite a few experienced PC builders and IT veterans out there who look at turnkey solutions (turnkey, as it ‘switch on and you are largely good to go’) from popular NAS brands and question why they cost so much, especially when the traditional CPU+Memory+Ports combination of most NAS devices is so modest (i.e low powered!). So, today I want to dig into how much it would cost to build the same hardware specifications of popular NAS devices such, do you save that much, what are the pros, what are the cons and ultimately is building your own NAS server from scratch better for you than buying an off-the-shelf NAS drive? Let’s start.

The Importance of NAS Software!!! DSM, QTS, ADM, TOS, TrueNAS and UnRAID

Before we go any further, we need to talk about NAS software! It is very often overlooked that most off-the-shelf / turnkey NAS solutions from Synology, QNAP, Asustor and Terramaster arrive are combined hardware and software solutions! Yes, you are paying for the hardware, but also with your NAS system you also have fully-featured NAS software. This NAS software differed in utilities, services, functions and support depending on the NAS brand you buy. However, they all support Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android and iOS, have a full range of in-platform apps, a GUI that is accessible via a web browser, a full range of client apps for desktop/mobile devices, online support services (real humans) and more. This has to factor into the cost of a NAS device, as although the hardware has it’s own limited warranty, the software has a much longer support period (often ‘lifetime’), as well as security, stability and service updates regularly. Although this software is build on linux and freeware originally, what has been built on top of it is a premium platform that needs continued development to remain at the top of it’s use. Before we talk about the free alternatives that you can use on your custom-built linux NAS solution, you should take a moment to find out about the NAS software that each turnkey NAS brand provides with their systems that is included in the price. Use my video reviews below to learn more about each respective platform:

As mentioned though, just because you choose to build your own NAS from scratch, does not mean you do not have access to excellent software for your server. If you are choosing to go DiY , there are two main/popular NAS software platforms in the market that have risen largely above the others. Those are TrueNAS and UnRAID. The former, TrueNAS, is available in both its original FreeBSD version and now a Linux version (TrueNAS Core and TrueNAS Scale), and both are available free/open-source to download and install on your custom-built NAS hardware. TrueNAS allows you to use advantages such as the Zettabyte File System (ZFS) and benefit from a whole bunch of advantages (Triple Parity RAID, inline data compression, inline data deduplication, inline data compaction, Fast RAID Builds, Rebuilds, Resync and Resilvering to name just a few), plus the Linux based TrueNAS scale provides better 3rd party app development and compatibility. Most of these advantages are available on paid NAS platforms to a smaller/great extent, but knowing you can have them for free with TrueNAS is very appealing! The same goes for UnRAID which provides a whole bunch of advantages, is more of a modular payment platform (scaling on your storage scale) which also benefits from being much faster to deploy, lower in resource use and is just generally a great platform for those looking for precise and no frills storage that is robust and secure. You can find out more about them in the vids below:

However, it is worth remembering that TrueNAS and UnRAID, although largely free/open-source, are nowhere near as user-friendly as the turnkey NAS software of DSM, QTS, QuTS, ADM and TOS from the brands. They lack the client apps and tools for your devices, do not have the same level of 1st/3rd party App support, flexible RAID configurations, can be much more resource intensive (i.e ZFS needs at least 16GB memory for all services to run at full extent), lack the premium contract support of a complete hardware+software solution, require an additional boot drive (more often an internal SSD dedicated to the OS) and often the money you are saving could be spent on your time learning the setup/management of TrueNAS/UnRAID. So, make sure you factor the cost of this into your custom NAS build. Let’s discuss building a modest NAS.

How Much Does it Cost to Build a NAS comparable to a Synology or QNAP 4-Bay?

So, first things first. Building a NAS that is comparable to popular mid-class NAS drives that cost you around the $500-600 mark is actually pretty straightforward and those of you that have built a PC in your life will know how it is put together. A NAS is designed around the same logic as a standard PC, however, it is designed around EFFICIENCY. This means power use efficiency (i.e. using as little as possible 24×7), efficient cooling (i.e. keeping the system at a good temp at all times and prolonging the lifespan of the system, whilst also using as little power as possible) and physical efficiency (i.e smaller the better, as its quieter and tasks up less space). So, the following four NAS drives are the flagship 4-Bay Prosumer NAS devices in the market in 2024. The Synology DS923+, the QNAP TS-464, the Terraamster F4-423 and Asustor Locksterstor 4 Gen 2 NAS:

So right now, as we approach the mid point of 2024, these NAS’ are all roughly around the $500-600 price tag. Although the Synology ’23/’24 generation NAS features a different CPU than the others, the general architecture (as well as that of the DS920+ that came before it) are pretty similar.to the others. Here is how these four hardware+software NAS solutions compare in price:

• Synology DS923+ NAS = $580
• QNAP TS-464 NAS = $573
• Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen 2 NAS = $589
• Terramaster F4-423 NAS = $515

Note – Not factoring in local tax/import tax or Shipping!

So, keeping this architecture in mind, just how much would it cost if you wanted to build the same level of hardware into a custom-built NAS server? Is it worth building from the ground up or going somewhat more modular in your approach to a custom NAS? Let’s find out!

Custom NAS DiY Build #1 – Lowest Cost, Highest Build Time and Skill Level

So, the first thing I wanted to see was how much it would cost to build comparative hardware to the Synology, QNAP, Asustor or Terramaster NAS at the lowest price! Heading over to AliExpress, you can get hold of the bulk of the most cost-effective elements of this 4-Bay NAS drive:

So, factoring in that he CPU+Memory combo was a bundle and that the likes of TrueNAS would require a dedicated OS drive, the following components were selected:

Topton NAS Motherboard N6005/N5105 4x Intel i226-V 2.5G Nics Dual M.2 NVMe Motherboard – $226.97

Mini ITX 4 Bays disk NAS Case – $57.90

350W Small 1U Flex Full Modular PSU – $47.87

SATA 3.0 III 6Gb/s 40cm Cable – $0.71 (each)

JinyJaier SSD NVME M2 128GB SSD – $9.76

Mostly Budget DiY NAS Server Total : $401

So, first things first, focusing just on the hardware you would make a saving:

$179 saving vs the Synology DS923+

$172 saving vs the QNAP TS-464

$188 saving vs the Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen 2

$114 saving versus the Terramaster F4-423

If you are on a particularly tight budget, these are not insignificant numbers! You do still need to factor in that this price does NOT include the cost if time spent setting the custom NAS up, setting up the software and general maintenance, but for many users looking at ZFS solutions in trueNAS, this can be quite a significant saving!

Custom DiY NAS Build #2 – Middle Cost, Short Build Time and intermediate Skill Level

If you have a much lower understanding of PC building, are looking for a much more straightforward plan to build your own custom NAS, or are hoping to repurpose an existing mini PC (old Mac Mini or Intel NUC), then you can also create a similar level of NAS hardware using a single mini computer and an external storage device. You need to factor in the potential bottleneck of USB (external SATA in/outside of a RAID connected via USB at 5Gb or 10Gb etc), but at this scale, you will be able to find ways around this thanks to USB 3.2 Gen 2 and USB 4.0. The resulting setup will certainly cost you more than a complete DiY setup as found in custom DiY NAS build #1, but it also allows you a much more user-friendly setup.

This level of setup will only need you to purchase the main PC and an external store device, leading to a simpler setup.

Beelink U59 Pro Mini PC,11th Gen Intel 4 Core N5105 B0BB2JGSNP – $259

ORICO 4 Bay External Hard Drive Enclosure USB 3.0 B07XL2BS53 – $189.99

2 Piece Mini PC + USB JBOD DAS DiY: $448

Note – Not factoring in local tax/import tax or Shipping!

However, the resulting savings in this mini PC NAS setup will result in significantly smaller savings when compared with a traditional turnkey NAS setup. Here is how this custom two-part build compares with traditional off-the-shelf NAS drives. The benefit of this setup of course is that the actual setup is going to be tremendously quick. This also allows you to run the NAS software (TrueNAS, UnRAID, etc) as a VM from within the often included Windows OS that the mini PC arrives with (or create a dual OS box with a 2nd OS drive). This setup will also require a dual PSU setup (one for the PC and one for the DAS) which might be a bit annoying for some users. Still, the savings between this setup and a comparable setup turnkey NAS are:

Price Difference:

$132 saving vs the Synology DS923+

$125 saving vs the QNAP           

All this said, the Mini PC + DAS setup is going to limit you in a number of ways. For a start, upgrading towards 10GbE is not going to be possible as (at the time of writing) there are no USB-to-10GbE adapters in the market (though 2.5G and 5G are available). Additionally, the external storage will be connected via USB 3.2 Gen 1 in most budget direct attached JBOD enclosures (also known as USB 3.1 or USB 3.0) which caps at 500-550MB/s – which will bottleneck the connected drives noticeably. In normal off-the-shelf NAS enclosures, the HDDs are connected via a multiport connector cable or SATA board that connects to the main system inside over PCIe connectors that open the bandwidth up significantly. This method of creating a custom NAS yourself is only really recommended to a user who already owns a DAS USB box or a Mini PC already (Intel NUC or Mac Mini) that they are happy to repurpose – then the savings and hardware offered can make alot more sense.

How Much Does it Cost to Build a NAS comparable to a QNAP TVS-h874?

So, moving away from more domestic and smaller scale turn key NAS solutions, what about going for a much more powerful desktop NAS solution? Right now, the best example of NAS hardware available in a desktop tower form is the QNAP TVS-h874 NAS. However, this kind of off-the-shelf NAS does not come cheap, arriving at $1737 (for the i5 model, i7 and i9 versions are available) which in the eyes of many PC builds, might seem a tough pill to swallow! However, this is an Intel 12th Gen Core i5-12400 6-core/12-thread Processor, burst up to 4.4 GHz, 32GB of DDR4 Memory, PCIe 4 M.2 and PCIe upgrade slots, 2.5G and all of this packed into a very compact sever.

So, what is it going to cost to build a similar level of NAS hardware yourself? Let’s find out.

Custom DiY NAS Build #3 – Middle Cost, Short Build Time and intermediate Skill Level

At this point, building a custom Linux server that is comparable to the QNAP TVS-h874 NAS hardware is much, MUCH closer to building a normal PC. It is just a case of selecting much more power-efficient components, enclosures and constructing a device that is better suited to larger storage and 24×7 operation than a regular desktop PC is. The CPU. motherboard and 8-bay basic enclosure are going to be more expensive that the hardware we covered in builds #1 and #2, but the rest is going to be relatively affordable. Also, a beefier PSU is going to be needed to accommodate the PCIe 4 upgrade slots, that larger storage and general upgradability down the line.

In the end, I selected the following components, but it needs to be highlighted that this was done with haste and with economy in mind, so although this setup will work, I would recommend spending a little more time in your own setup in selecting components, as there is alot of flexibility available in memory brands, network adapters and boot/OS SSDs. Here is how it all worked out:

• AUDHEID K7 8 Bay NAS Case B09QKMQ1B1 – $179.99
• MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4 Gaming Motherboard B09PXD16F6 – $179.34
• Intel Core i5-12400 Desktop Processor B09NMPD8V2 – $182.99
• CPU Cooler with Aluminum Heatsink & Copper Core Base B01LKDS8OA – $14.95
• BENFEI SATA Cable III, 3 Pack B07JFQ2H9R – $6.99
• BENFEI SATA Cable III, BENFEI 6 Pack SATA Cable B07JGNM46J – $8.99
• 2.5G NIC Network Card, Dual RJ-45 B09W2PVDPZ – $33.99
• FSP Dagger Pro 650W Mini ITX Solution/SFX 12V / Micro ATX 80 Plus Gold PSU B07SYSLZDR – $134.99
• Silicon Power Value Gaming DDR4 RAM 32GB Memory B092ZCVHS8 – $64.97
• Patriot P310 P310P240GM28 240GB Internal SSD B09KY7PMCS – $19.99

Prosumer/Business 8-Bay DiY NAS: $830

Note – Not factoring in local tax/import tax or Shipping!

$907 Saving vs QNAP TVS-h874 NAS

Now THIS is a big saving! With the total cost of building the QNAP TVS-h874 i5 NAS Hardware at $820 (not factoring in your local region tax/delivery), even if you were to scale up a few bits (move from an i5 to an i7, upgrade to 10GbE or increase that base OS SSD, you are still looking at around a $1000 Spend. So, does that make the QNAP TVS-h874 Turnkey NAS a rip-off? Well, no, because remember that we are ONLY talking buying hardware – we have not included the cost of setup time, the knowledge needed to put it all together, installing your 3rd party NAS software, having 10 different brand warranties and drivers to keep on top of and more. So, now we have discussed three ways to build your own custom Linux NAS, let’s discuss the value of NAS software, total cost of ownership and concerns of long-term support and maintenance.

NAS Software Value, Total Cost of Ownership, Time investment and Maintenance Concerns?

In both the previous ‘build your own NAS’ solutions, we have been trying to emulate the hardware of existing turn-key NAS devices in the market. Now, there will be alot of users who will immediately want to highlight that the MAIN BENEFIT of building your own custom NAS drive is that you are not as restricted in your hardware choices and, thanks to better value-for-money hardware choices, you can super size your NAS at the same cost. Now, this IS true, but the point of the above examples was to identify just what the cost of the NAS software, services and support included in an off-the-shelf NAS will actually cost most home users. If you want the very best hardware-value-for-money, then custom-built NAS is 100% the best option! However, this is all needs to be viewed in the context of how much time you can dedicate to building your server from scratch. Some of you might already be experienced in building your own PC (plus the fun and games of creating bootable images of your chosen software for first-time installation – you can normally tell the difference if they think Rufus is a piece of software or a character from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure).

Next, there is learning your way around your new custom NAS hardware – open-source software such as TrueNAS Core, TrueNAS Scale and UnRAID are all hugely capable platforms, but they are not especially user-friendly! Aside from having to learn about how their own software structure works, you will also have much less help in understanding the details of optimal Storage Pools, Jails, Snapshots, Cache benefits, zdevs and vols. There are lots of online community support platforms and the software does include hint/tip bubbles – but it can be a tremendously intimidating and time-consuming platform to learn from scratch. Turnkey NAS software on the other hand is hugely user-friendly (some more than others, with Synology easily being the most intuitive), has premium support (as you would expect from a paid solution) and have support team members that can be contacted via their official sites, online support lines, forums and even tech teams located in numerous locations around the world. Whilst we are talking about support – we need to discuss warranties! Building a NAS from scratch means that instead of one warranty that covers the whole product, you have numerous (CPU WarrantY, Motherboard guarantee time, etc) that, if your system has a fault, means you need to spend time isolating the issue and working out which part is the issue, then arrange a warranty repeat with that one brand. A Turnkey NAS means that if you have a fault – you contact the NAS manufacturer and arrange a return/repair/replace. SIGNIFICANTLY easier! More over, if you buy individual components to build your own NAS, the warrnaty/guarentee/support period on each part will different (more often than not a CPU has 2yrs, motherboard 1 yr, a PCIe card 1 yr, etc). Whereas a turnkey/pre-built NAS has a blanket warrnaty that covers all of the parts, is ALWAYS minumim 2years  (and often 3-5 years if you look at the prosumer or XS series of devices).

Finally there is support long term. NAS brands tend to prioritize their software as much as they can, as this is they big selling point for businesses (especially Synology) and hope to provide users with more than just a storage system. They want to provide an ecosystem for your data. This is done with many client applications for Windows, MacOS, Android, Unbuntu, iOS, etc, as well as providing their own apps and software that works the same as 3rd party tools in the market for communication, sharing, multimedia, backups, mail servers, etc. and all this whilst remaining compatible to migrate or sync with existing 3rd party SaaS and PaaS platforms (Google Workspace, Office 365, AWS, VMware, etc). This ecosystem of apps and services is developed in partnership with a number of those premium 3rd party platforms and therefore allows them to stay up to date. Freeware and/or opensource NAS software that might use of your DiY NAS will be slowly to support or compatible with those 3rd party services, as their platforms are heavily based on their user community.

The ultimate takeaway should always be that building your own NAS server from scratch makes ALOT more sense for users who are one (or more) of the following:

• You already have a reasonable understanding of how to build a PC
• You have older computer hardware around you that you can resue
• You already have and/or are prepared to lead about TrueNAS/UnRAID as they have a much higher learning curve
• Have the time to learn the NAS software from scratch AND the time to build/troubleshoot a NAS on Day one and later if you encounter issues
• Your data is not hight business priority, whereby downtime costs real money
• Want to use your existing 3rd party software purely and just use the custom DiY NAS as something to ‘point at’ on the network/internet

Likewise, turnkey NAS solutions from Synology, QNAP, Terramaster and Asustor are best suited for:

• Those looking for ease of use and more intuitive MANAGEMENT
• Those who have less time to setup, learn and manage the server longterm
• Those whose data is business or inttegral
• Those that need simply warranty handling and premium support

I hope you found this guide helpful! Below is a video where I covered most of the information in this article, as well as making further build points and suggestions that you might want to factor into buying or building your own NAS. Otherwise, if you still need help, take advantage of the free advice section of NASCompares or our free community forum, ASKNASCompares.com. Have a great week!

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For those who have been following the world of network Attached Storage (NAS) and more precisely, the developments of Synology, it might not come as a huge surprise that the brand is now in the process of rolling out a new series of HAT3300 Hard Drives for 2023. Now, you might well be thinking “hold on, they have had their own range of HDDs for a few years now!” and that is correct. However, the existing HAT5300 and HAT5310 series of drives are very much targeted at Pro and Enterprise users (5yr warranty, 5400rpm, 550TB workload, etc) and Synology users who were looking to keep things ‘single ecosystem’ in their more modest scale systems (e.g DS920+, DS1522+, etc) were not won over by these bigger, noisier and more expensive drives in their systems. Therefore, it was somewhat inevitable that the brand would eventually get around to launching a more home/SMB-friendly range Of storage media that is better suited to smaller NAS systems of around 5-8 Bays at most. Enter the Synology HAT3300 Plus hard drive series, eventually rolling out in 4 (possibly a 5th in 16TB) different capacities and built on Seagate Ironwolf HDDs (whereas the Synology HAT5300 and HAT5310s are built on Toshiba Enterprise MG drives). Given Synology already has their other HDDs in the market, 2 types of SSD media, numerous types of memory media, upgrade cards, routers and even their own Surveillance IP cameras now – this really is one of the final steps for them to complete their own 1-brand hardware ecosystem of networking equipment (though, when will they EVER release a switch… come on… the SG1000 was a prototype!). So, let’s discuss the new Synology HAT3300 range, the hardware specs, how it compares with the existing HAT5300 series and ultimately whether they deserve your data?

Hardware Specifications of the Synology HAT3300 PLUS Hard Drive Range

As mentioned, the Synology HAT3300 Plus HDDs are built on Seagate Ironwolf drives. This does mean that they will likely mirror a number of the hardware specifications of that popular range, but with some additional Synology firmware improvements (such as the ability to update firmware from within Synology DSM and the storage Manager). Synology has supported compatibility of the Seagate Ironwolf HDD series for many, many years (though there has been a few bumps in the road in 2021/2022 when Synology rolled out their HAT5300 series and compatibility on some of their systems featured some rather unpopular omissions!) so the HAT3300 drives being Synology adapted/badged Seagates makes sense. Plus the Seagate Ironwolf Health Management tool has featured in the DSM storage manager for a number of years. Early information indicates that the Synology HAT3300 will arrive in 4TB, 6TB, 8TB and 12TB capacities, which are pretty much the ‘go to’ capacities for most users in 2023. Here is how the specifications for each drive break down:

*TBC  – Will know more when they are launched officially

Why would you use Synology HAT3300 Hard Drives and not 3rd Party HDDs in your NAS?

It’s a very valid question! Much like the Synology HAT5300 drives being Toshiba MG drives with Synology treatment and firmware changes, why should a user opt for the HAT3300 drives if they are the same price or (likely) a pinch more expensive than the drives from Seagate on their own? Well, technically, users shouldn’t really have to ‘choose’. Unlike the Synology XS series and higher which seemingly had quite strict compatibility lists and support in DSM when 3rd party drives are used, the HAT3300 drives are designed for NAS devices much lower in the food chain (Plus and even Value series devices) which still had a wide range of HDD compatibility (including WD Red and Seagate Ironwolf). This means that the HAT3300 (at least, as far as the range of currently available NAS devices in the market now go) are not a hard/locked choice being foist on the end user. That said, there are several reasons why they might make a better choice over 3rd party drives for some users:

• Synology firmware – When NAS drives are released by popular brands like WD and Seagate, they are designed with firmware that adapts the drive’s internal mechanisms to perform in 24×7 server environments and multi-access RAID configurations. However, as these drives will likely be used in a variety of different NAS systems and brands, they need to be a little broader in their behaviours (different NAS brands run their systems and access patterns/algorithms differently). The Synology HAT3300 will (much like the HAT5300 drives) have firmware that is specifically tweaked towards Synology NAS and it’s own access behaviour. They zeros in on the behaviour ranges of the drives within this particular hardware client system in a way that is much broader in compatible HDDs for NAS will need to be. It’s only a small handful of differences really, but in a larger RAID array and over 24×7, these small things can add up
• Easier Firmware Updates – Surprisingly overlooked by many, but the ease and convenience of being able to update the drive firmware of an HDD from WITHIN the NAS software (in this case DSM) for one or more drives in an existing RAID is incredibly useful! HDD firmware updates for most drives in the market are not particularly frequent (often 1-2 a year at the very most) and these address any improvements that have been developed/observed by the manufacturer since launch or repair any issues/errors that have only been discovered through massive end-user unique use. However, the process of upgrading firmware on a NAS is NOT straightforward. With regular HDDs, you will need to power the NAS down, remove drives individually, connect them to a computer (sometimes directly via SATA, depending on the client system), then run a branded firmware update tool in the OS or in BIOS. Mounting this drive outside of a NAS environment can also open the door to possible formatting/reinitialization or altering existing partitions that will result in the reintroduction into the NAS being (at best) slow as a resync/rebuild is needed or (at worst) the RAID failing if multiple drives are being updated in batches. All this and we have not even discussed the downtime and handling time that will go into repeating this for EVERY DRIVE, as well as the dangers of harming a drive by dropping it or simple static electricity. So, therefore it is HUGELY BENEFICIAL that firmware updates for the Synology HDDs can be done from within DSM without removing the drives!
• Warranty and Support – This is something that will be more appealing to those who purchased a Synology NAS specifically for it being a single eco-system platform (for ease of use and brand support). In the same way that a turn-key/pre-built NAS simplifies a potential process for warranty handling vs a custom-built device that will have individual warranty/support lines for each component (CPU+MEMORY+MOBO+NETWORK CARD, etc), opting for HDDs that are the same brand as the NAS you purchased at the same time massively simplifies the warranty/support process and also allows any issues to be much speedier in their identification (outside of just a simple drive failure of course). Support can even be started from within the Synology NAS system in DSM and progressed from there. Again, this advantage in the HAT3300 drives is a much smaller one, but certainly going to be appealing to small/medium businesses and those who value their time personally, as well as the downtime of their system.

So, as you can see, there are a few reasons why some users might opt for Synology’s HAT3300 drives over that of 3rd party drives in their Diskstation or Rackstation systems. So, what about those much beefier and higher price HAT5300 Hard drives that have been around for a few years now? How do they compare with the newer and lower-tier HAT3300s?

How do the Synology HAT3300 Regular Class and HAT5300 Enterprise Class HDDs Compare?

In terms of the support, compatibility and accessibility to Synology NAS hardware, the HAT3300 and HAT5300 HDDs are pretty much identical (though how/if you can use the HAT3300 in XS/SA/UC/HD servers is still a little less clear) and it is only when you dig into the specification that you can see the main differences between the drives. Here is how they compare:

When will the Synology HAT3300 Plus HDD series be released and How much will they be?

As details on the Synology HAT3300 have only just emerged, details regarding pricing at each capacity and their availability are still being outlined by the brand. Expect each capacity of drive to sit somewhere between the comparative price per TB of Seagate Ironwolf regular and Pro series drives. Release of the HAT3300 series looks to be very soon (practically ‘now ish’ in fact) and although I anticipate the bulk of the capacities to be available, expect the actual quantities of each tier to be a little low at least till the 2nd half of 2023. Expect a full review and testing of these drives later this year, here on NASCompares.

Original News Article Below (Out dated):

Synology PLUS NAS Hard Drives – The HAT3300 Series

Get ready for some exciting news for all the Synology and Network Attached Storage (NAS) fans out there! Synology is rolling out a brand new series of HAT3300 hard drives in 2023, and this time it’s geared towards home and SMB users. While Synology already has its own range of HDDs, the HAT5300 and HAT5310 series were mainly designed for Pro and Enterprise users, and many users with smaller scale systems weren’t fully satisfied with their bigger, noisier and more expensive drives.

But now, Synology has finally addressed this issue with the launch of the HAT3300 Plus hard drive series, which will come in four different capacities (and possibly a fifth in 16TB) and will be built on Seagate Ironwolf HDDs. This marks one of the final steps for Synology to complete its one-brand hardware ecosystem of networking equipment, which already includes 2 types of SSD media, numerous types of memory media, upgrade cards, routers and even their own Surveillance IP cameras.

So, let’s talk about the specs of the new Synology HAT3300 range, how it compares to the existing HAT5300 series, and most importantly, whether these drives are worth your precious data. With Synology’s reputation for high-quality products and excellent customer service, we’re confident that these new hard drives will be a game-changer for home and SMB users alike. Don’t miss out on this exciting new release!

Hardware Specifications of the Synology HAT3300 PLUS Hard Drive Range

Here are their Enterprise series HDDs

Here are their Plus series HDDs

Spec	12TB	8TB	6TB	4TB
Model ID	HAT3300-12T	HAT3300-8T	HAT3300-6T	HAT3300-4T
Bay Support	1-8 Bay	1-8 Bay	1-8 Bay	1-8 Bay
Recording	CMR	CMR	CMR	CMR
Drive Seal	Helium	Air	Air	Air
Workload	180TB	180TB	180TB	180TB
Spin Speed	7200RPM	5400RPM	5400RPM	5900RPM
Cache	256MB	256MB	256MB	64MB
Load Cycles	600K	600K	600K	600K
MTBF	1M Hours	1M Hours	1M Hours	1M Hours
Warranty	3yrs*	3yrs*	3yrs*	3yrs*