Synology offers a plethora of NAS models to choose from, but the selection can be a bit dizzying if you’re not sure what all the differences are. Here are some things you should know to help you narrow down your ideal choice.
We’re big fans of Synology’s NAS products, mainly because they’re super-easy to set up and use, making it possible for even the most novice of users to dip their toes into the world of network-attached storage without feeling too overwhelmed. The problem, however, is that Synology has dozens of models to choose from, and choosing one can be the most difficult part.
If all you’re looking for cheap basic storage, consider the DS218 ($249 without hard drives). For media performance the DS218+ ($298 without hard drives) is great. In either case, you can add more money for more drives. And if you need something with plenty of storage, performance, and backup options, the DS1019+ ($619 without drives) a 5-bay powerhouse that can meet all the needs.
Read on for an explanation of why we made these recommendations and our preferred four-bay options.
A Quick Breakdown
When you quickly take a glance at Synology’s product list, you’ll notice it’s broken down into different series: FS & XS Series, Plus Series, Value Series, and J Series. Here’s what each series offers:
- FS Series: These use flash storage exclusively and are aimed at businesses and enterprises—best used with the most intensive of applications. They run on Intel Xeon CPUs (the FS1018 uses Intel Pentium, though).
- XS Series: These are server-class models also aimed at businesses powered by Intel Xeon CPUs. Models with “RP” come with a redundant power supply and models with a “+” come with a redundant power supply and built-in 10 gigabit Ethernet (GbE).
- Plus Series: All DS models with a “+” tacked on come with Intel Atom CPUs running on x86 architecture. These offer the best performance on a consumer level and all of them come with hardware video transcoding.
- Value Series: Synology’s mid-tier budget models that sport ARM-based CPUs that are a bit slower than Plus models. However, “play” models support hardware video transcoding.
- J Series: These are Synology’s bottom-tier budget NAS models, which also come with ARM-based CPUs. They’re the slower of the bunch, so they’re great if you just need a cheap storage solution accessible over your network.
For the most part, if you’re just a regular person looking for a NAS box for home use, you’ll ignore the FS and XS series (as well as any of the RS models) and look at models from the other three series instead.
But man, all those model numbers sure are confusing! Have no fear, because Synology provides this handy breakdown of what its model numbers mean:
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