Brand New Synology DS223j Value Series NAS Released

Synology has introduced a new entry-level NAS solution into their lineup, the DS223J NAS, following closely on the heels of several recent DiskStation releases. In stark contrast to the relatively sparse range of solutions that Synology launched for home users last year, 2023 has witnessed a significant refresh of their popular desktop range. Many were beginning to question if the modest yet affordable J series would ever see a refresh, since its last iteration back in 2020 with the DS220J and DS420J. The Synology J series has always been viewed as the most affordable access point for users wanting to transition away from third-party cloud services and towards their own private NAS ownership, without the hefty price tag.

The Synology DS223J closely follows the path of its predecessors, built on an efficient ARM processor and primarily designed to create as small a footprint as possible in the user’s network environment. Although it lacks much of the punch and power of more expensive devices in the Plus series, the Synology DS223J provides access to over 70% of the Synology DSM platform for under $190. However, the critical question remains, is the Synology DS223J powerful enough for your needs? Can it serve as a suitable upgrade to the DS220J? Let’s explore all that we know about the Synology DS223J value NAS.

What Are the Hardware Specifications of the Synology DS223j NAS

So, as mentioned above, the actual hardware across the bulk of the DS223j is largely identical to the DS220j NAS. Synology has pretty much kept everything (the chassis, USB standard, network connection, memory type and scalability) identical. That CPU and default memory quantity are the only meaningful change. Then again, they did see huge success with the Realtek product family up to this point and it would make sense for them to continue using this fantastically efficient but capable series. So, let’s dig into those specifications a little:

Synology DS223j NAS Drive $189 (Amazon 28/6/23)
Processor	Processor model	Realtek RTD1619B
	Number of CPUs	1
	processor architecture	64-bit
	processor clock	4-core 1.7 GHz
	hardware encryption engine	Yes
Memory	system memory	1 GB DDR4 non-ECC
storage device	Number of slots	2
	Compatible Disk Type	3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD
	Disk hot-plug support*	No
	M.2 NVMe Support	No
external port	RJ-45 1GbE LAN port	1
	USB 3.2 Gen 1 port*	2
	USB / SD Copy	No
file system	internal disk	Btrfs EXT4
	external disk	Btrfs EXT4 EXT3 FAT NTFS HFS+ exFAT
Exterior	Size (HXWXD)	165 mm x 100 mm x 225.5 mm
	weight	0.88 kg
other projects	system fan	92 mm x 92 mm x 1 pcs
	fan mode	full speed mode low temperature mode silent mode
	Front panel LED indicators with adjustable brightness	Yes
	Power Auto Reply	Yes
	Noise value*	18.2 dB(A)
	Timer switch	Yes
	wake on lan	Yes
	Power Supply / Transformer	60W
	AC input voltage	100V to 240V AC
	current frequency	50/60 Hz, single frequency
	power consumption	16.31 W (Access) 4 W (HDD Hibernation)
warranty	2-year hardware warranty, you can purchase Extended Warranty Plus to enjoy up to 4-year product warranty service.
environment	RoHS Compliant
package contents	Host X 1 Accessory bag X 1 Transformer X 1 Power cord X 1 RJ-45 network cable X 1 Quick Installation Guide X 1

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Synology opt for the Realtek RTD1619B ARM processor in their more affordable NAS devices. In fact, this is the third NAS in their lineup to feature this modest processor, and it’s been established that it represents a substantial upgrade in various ways over the RTD1296 in the previous generation of Value series devices. As it is an ARM processor, it doesn’t have all the powerful, rich features of an x86 Intel, but compensates by being impressively efficient. Capable of handling and playing back 4K media, this processor also allows Synology users to access BTRFS and snapshots at a reasonable price point, a feature absent from most previous generation J series devices.

Although this device doesn’t support virtual machine deployment, indications from the Synology resource center and previous instances of this processor used in other DiskStations suggest that support for containers is feasible in DSM 7.2. Synology has a tendency to extract the utmost potential from a processor for their DSM software, and much like the 4-5 years of development currently invested in the Realtek RTD1296, Synology seems set to continue with this new RTD1619B processor development in DSM. Over time, this likely means that they will extract even more performance from this modest chip. It should be remembered, however, that we’re not talking about an Intel Celeron or an AMD embedded Ryzen; ARM processors are designed to handle less complex commands due to compression, yet you can still accomplish quite a bit here.

A notable aspect of the new Synology DS223J is its memory. Unlike its predecessor which launched with 512MB of memory, this new device arrives with 1GB of DDR4 memory. This memory is soldered onto the board, is non-ECC, and cannot be upgraded. Nevertheless, it’s encouraging to see Synology upgrading the base memory level on these devices as DSM 7.2 continues to expand its feature set. Synology rarely offers upgradeable memory on their value and entry-level devices, so it’s not surprising that the 1GB base memory cannot be further expanded.

For those who’ve been following Synology for a while and expressed concern about their support and compatibility with third-party components, the DS223J supports all of the usual third-party hard drives, as well as their new value hard drives, the HAT3300. This different approach is refreshing, compared to what we’ve seen with some of their enterprise-level devices. However, it’s worth mentioning that the range of supported hard drives on the DS223J is slightly more limited than other devices, and alongside the absence of Synology HAT5300 enterprise drives, there is also a noticeable lack of any listed compatible hard drives above 14 terabytes from third parties. This could change over time as more drives are verified, but it was an unusual omission from the compatibility and support lists for the DS223J at launch.

One final consideration for those planning to purchase the Synology DS223J and considering expansion in the future is that it does not feature any kind of expansion slot. While this is not uncommon in Synology’s value tier, and thanks to the device supporting SHR (Synology Hybrid RAID), there is the option to migrate the existing drives over to a larger Synology NAS down the line, it’s nonetheless a factor to keep in mind for users who view this as the first step in their long-term storage journey with Synology.

What Are the Software Specifications of the Synology DS223j NAS

The Synology DS223j NAS will arrive with the latest version of DSM 7 available, as well as the support of Synology Hybrid RAID too. As this is an ARM v8 processor, there is going to be the odd compromise here o there (although 4K handling is possible, 4K transcoding and general video encoding/conversion to a meaningful degree is going to be something of a pipe dream! Synology has managed to include the bulk of DSM 7’s features and serives with the DS223j hardware here, though the depth of support of 3rd party applications and services is still TBC till I have one in the office for review. Things like Virtual Machines are DEFINITELY NOT going to be possible here and the performance/scale of surveillance on this NAS with Synology’s Surveillance Station application re going to be a little lighter than on a PLUS model, but again that is something we would expect for a value series device. If you want a good idea of what a value/entry level Synology NAS like the DS223j NAS can support in DSM, you can use the video below:

Alternatively, you can watch our Synology DS223 NAS Review video below and watch the software section of the review (it will skip directly to that part in the video below, just click play, or click HERE)

Next, let’s discuss how much improvement/difference we have in the DS223j against the DS220j NAS that it is seemingly refreshing for 2023.

How Does the Synology DS223j compare with the DS220j NAS?

The Synology DS223j NAS is not going to be an enormous jump in terms of ability over the DS220j. Yes, this new CPU will bring improvements in power (aka clock speed) which means more ‘umpf’ under the bonnet to get things done, but also it will be more efficient, as it will benefit from the further developments by Realtek in getting the most out of these more economical of processors. The RTD1619b and RTD1296 are both quad-core, but the newer gen DS223j CPU is 1.7Gh in clock speed, so that means more resources to get your tasks done and (thanks to that R&D) less being used per task – so win-win. Additionally, the doubling of that available memory from 512MB to 1GB in this refresh is not only going to allow more tasks to be done at any given time, but also opens the door to new services (snapshots, containers, large camera support, etc) that were just not possible on the older DS220j NAS. Below is a breakdown of how the DS223j and DS220j compare:

Note: GREEN = Better

It goes without saying, if you’re currently a Synology DS220J NAS owner, there might not be a compelling reason for you to upgrade to the newly refreshed DS223J. The increase in memory is appealing, but it’s only around an additional 512 megabytes. Furthermore, while this new system enables you to access features such as BTRFS, snapshots, and even containers at DSM 7.2, if you’re already considering an upgrade from your existing DS220J, you would be better off choosing a Plus series device or a higher-end model to truly notice the difference in your upgrade. On the other hand, if you’re contemplating your first step into the world of Synology NAS from your current cloud platform and are seeking the most cost-effective, simplest, and least disruptive move away from third-party cloud services, then the Synology DS223J easily outshines the DS220J. This holds true even if you take into account any potential clearance sales you might come across for the DS220J in the near future.

When Will the Synology DS223j NAS Drive Be Released and What is the Price?

The Synology DS223J NAS is readily available as it has officially been launched on Synology’s global websites. Typically, it takes about one to two weeks for physical stock to arrive at distribution centers and local retailers, but it’s highly likely that pre-orders are now open. Pricing is yet to be fully confirmed, but we anticipate it will fall in the range of $179 to $199, taking into account local tax and shipping costs. If you’re interested in checking availability, use the provided links below to verify with your local retailer. Any purchase made using these links will result in a small commission for us here at NAS Compares, which helps support me (Robbie) and Eddie to continue doing what we love. Thank you and have a great week.

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Synology DS223j NAS – Should You Buy (Short Review)

Synology has been a part of the network-attached storage industry for around 25 years now, and during that time, they’ve produced an array of solutions. Although all of their solutions support DSM, the extent to which they can use it and the sheer range of features they include does differ. Even though a Synology NAS might sound like the ideal alternative for you to ditch your cloud subscription, not all Synology NAS are built equal. Today, I want to do a quick review of their new entry-level NAS solution, the DS223j, an ARM-powered and extremely cost-effective private NAS device. Synology makes it clear that this device is targeted at budget buyers and those looking for a less demanding entry point into DSM. Nevertheless, with a good range of software services available on the DS223J, its potential for deployment is surprisingly large for its rather modest price tag. Today, I will give you five reasons why you might want to consider it as your perfect small-scale, private cloud, and five reasons why it might be worth shopping elsewhere.

The Synology DS223j Supports the Majority of DSM 7.2 Applications

Despite its rather modest architecture, which features a low-powered ARM quad-core processor and one gigabyte of DDR4 memory, the Synology DS223J is able to run the majority of Synology’s baseline applications. Indeed, Synology rolled out their Disk Station Manager 7.2 software in mid-2023 and this low-cost NAS server runs most of the collaboration suite of apps. Everything from multimedia handling in the Audio Station, Video Station, and Synology Photos application with AI facial recognition is available here. Similarly, you have access to the multi-site and multitask backup tool known as Hyper Backup, the Office suite of applications that include an email server tool, Synology Drive, a single portal, and a multi-client synchronization tool, a calendar application, and all of this with access to a vast number of client tools for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. You even have access to Synology’s premium and award-winning surveillance platform, Surveillance Station 9.1, with two camera licenses included and the ability to support up to 12 cameras at any given time.

Meanwhile, on the back end, this low-powered and low resource system supports BTRFS or EXT4 as the file system of choice and even has support for snapshots. Whether you want to use the DS223J as your primary private server NAS or you want to use it in conjunction with an existing server array (for example, as a remote snapshot or backup storage in a multi-tier 321 backup strategy), the DS223J has a lot going for it.

The Synology DS223j NAS is Excellent Value at $179 / £187 / €189

I know I’ve already touched on this, but it is worth highlighting again, just how good of a value the Synology DS223J is when you consider what you are getting. Initially, it may seem that spending $179 on a 2-bay NAS seems a little high, but once you factor in the full range of apps and services that DSM includes and the fact that this rather modest compact cloud arrives with a whole bunch of Synology support and services, this is by far the best priced entry into the Synology ecosystem.

If you are looking for a user-friendly and intuitive private server ownership without having to grapple with the command line or a high learning curve, the DS223J is an excellent example of this and at this price point, it will easily pay for itself when you compare it to the monthly subscription cost for cloud services in just a couple of years by comparison.

The DS223j NAS has Twice the Memory of the DS220j

A minor point, and one that only long-time followers of the Synology brand will have noticed, but the DS223J arrives with one gigabyte of DDR4 memory, which is actually twice the amount that the brand has provided in this series for the last decade. Synology has been impressively efficient in how much they can do with systems on rather modest hardware, ensuring that they remain efficient over days, weeks, months, and years of operation. However, the more tasks you run and the more users you have, the more memory you are going to need. Even though the DS223J is priced similarly to previous J series value NAS models from Synology, the fact that it arrives with twice the baseline memory will be tremendously useful and add an element of future-proofing to your long-term storage plans, whether it’s deployed in or outside of DSM.

The DS223j has an Exceptionally Low Footprint on your Home Network

If you’ve been considering a Synology NAS because you want to own your very own private cloud for your data and not rely on public cloud spaces such as Google Drive or Dropbox, the Synology DS223J is one of the most low-impact 2-bay NAS that the brand has ever produced. With reported power consumption at 16 watts active and 4 watts idle, this is barely going to register on your electricity bill annually. Moreover, thanks to the compact plastic chassis, rubberized feet, and discreet ventilation, the system is also going to run exceptionally quiet unless you choose to install particularly aggressive or enterprise-grade hard drives. So, in short, if you are looking at a NAS that has a tiny impact o your network, environment, the DS223j is confirmed to support:

• 16W/4W Power Use (Active/Standby)
• 18.2 dba Noise (2x 4TB HDD)
• Plastic Closed Chassis
• Low Power Mode
• Quiet Fan Mode
• Scheduled On/Off
• Wake On LAN (WoL)

Because of this, if you are considering a NAS for houseboats, mobile homes, and RVs, or simply to have a NAS that can largely be set up and forgotten with the lowest footprint possible, the DS223J is a fantastic example of this.

Support of Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) on the DS223j NAS

Finally, the DS223J supports Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR). The benefits of SHR on the DS223J may seem limited given it is just a 2-bay system. Traditional RAID such as RAID 1 or RAID 5 limits the ability to use different capacity drives in a single storage pool, shrinking all drives to the smallest available capacity. SHR gets around this and allows you to mix and match larger hard drives without penalizing you when you go into larger drive configurations.

Click to view slideshow.

On a 2-bay NAS, the benefits of SHR are quite limited, and you won’t really get to enjoy the benefits of one hard drive being larger than the other. However, if you’ve purchased the Synology DS223J and 5, 7, or 10 years down the line decide to scale up your Synology server to a larger system and want to reuse your drives, having an SHR on day one will allow you to physically migrate these drives into the new system which may have more available bays. From there, SHR will prove extremely valuable in introducing larger drives that almost certainly have a better price per terabyte as needed. Ultimately, if you think that you may upgrade your Synology NAS much later in its life and you intend to reuse the drives, SHR will be exponentially helpful.

Click to view slideshow.

The DS223j 1GB Memory Cannot Be Expanded

As good as it is that the Synology DS223J arrives with twice the memory of its predecessor, the DS220J, it is still going to be something of a disappointment to hear that you cannot upgrade this memory beyond one gigabyte later on. A lot of Synology NAS systems that arrive with Intel or AMD processors allow you to add further memory to the system later on and improve its performance in handling multiple tasks. However, the ARM-based processor in the DS223J is designed to be as efficient as possible, and one of the ways to improve memory efficiency is by directly soldering the memory to the PCB motherboard of the NAS. Consequently, you are not able to upgrade the memory and the minute you start to grow the number of simultaneous operations and user activities, that one gigabyte of memory is going to feel particularly limiting.

Only 1x 1GbE Network Port on the DS233j, and no means to upgrade it

Generally, I would not critique a more cost-effective NAS system for arriving with 1 GbE/ gigabit ethernet, as the majority of value systems are designed to keep costs for both the manufacturer and the retail point as low as possible. However, given this is a 2x system and most modern hard drives, even at the most domestic quality, can output between 150 and 160 megabytes per second, that means that your external connection on this NAS is going to be extraordinarily limited to just a maximum 109 megabytes per second.

Again, this would not bother me so much if Synology had added two network ports to the DS223J. Or perhaps considered a single 2.5 gigabit Ethernet port, or even supported extremely affordable USB to 2.5 G network adapters that you can pick up for as little as $20. However, in the case of DS223J, you only have a single gigabit network port and you have no means to upgrade it beyond that which severely limits its performance. This is further underlined when the affordability of greater than gigabit internet connectivity and fiber internet is becoming increasingly available and opens the door to the potential that your local network NAS could have a lower speed than a remotely connected Google Cloud or Dropbox.

Odd HDD/SSD Compatibility Support on the Official Synology DS223j NAS Page

This is a minor point and one that potentially may become less true over time, but the compatibility list and supported hard drive list on the official Synology pages for the DS223J is fantastically small. Synology has been in the business of producing their own branded hard drives in both enterprise and standard class for a while, and though I’m pleased to say that they have not limited hard drive support on the DS223J to their own drives, I will say that the range of third-party drives currently listed on a compatibility list is pretty disappointing.

Click to view slideshow.

There are only seven WD hard drives on that list, eight Seagate hard drives on that list, and (weirdly) 36 Toshiba drives. Additionally, despite hard drives currently being available in as high as 20 and 22 terabytes right now in summer 2023, the list of compatible hard drives at launch for the DS223J only go up to 14 terabytes. The more technically aware will be able to overlook this, and Synology may even improve this list of supported and compatible hard drives as time goes on, but less experienced users or those that follow the compatibility listings strictly will possibly miss out on some potentially better and/or higher performing drive media.

Lack of the Popular, Modern AAA Features on the DS223j

Although a large percentage of Synology DSM features and services are possible on the Synology DS223J, it has to be said that not all of the most popular Synology services are possible on the DS223J and a number of their big AAA class applications are completely missing from this device. Now, this is understandable given the more modest hardware specifications of the Synology DS223j and some things simply will not run on a Realtek ARM-based NAS with just one gigabyte of memory, but there will be some users who are choosing a Synology NAS because of the great things they’ve heard about what the software can do and then find out that this affordable system can’t actually do some of them. Features such as Synology Active Backup, a fantastic multi-site and multi-tiered single portal backup tool that a lot of business users consider worth the price of admission to many Synology NAS systems.

Likewise, applications such as Synology Virtual Machine Manager, which allows you to deploy VMs, are not possible on this system and although this is quite an ambitious service, it’s simply not possible on this hardware spec. Finally, there are popular third-party services such as Plex Media Server, which are not possible natively on this system on the day of launch and even if they are, they’re not going to be able to convert 4K media as needed. Finally, you have some of the more exciting innovations in DSM 7.2 that have been boasted about that are just not available here due to hardware constraints, such as immutable backups via Write Once Read Many support and Synology’s recent edition of encrypted volumes. Neither of these great add-ons to DSM 7.2 are possible on the DS223J.

The Synology DS223j NAS Lacks Most/All Storage Upgradability and Scalability

Although I already touched on some of the low glass ceiling design choices on the DS223j and its memory, this is particularly apparent when you look at the storage scalability of the DS223J. For a start, unlike a lot of the other Synology DiskStation devices, the DS223J does not have any kind of expansion port and therefore cannot increase its storage beyond two hard drives. Now two hard drives still sound like a decent amount of storage, right? Well, do factor in that as soon as you introduce a sufficient RAID safety net, you are actually only going to really have one hard drive of storage and when that’s full you will have to go down the road of replacing both drives for larger drives in a RAID one or start looking at getting a new Synology to migrate towards. Equally, the system does not support hot-swapping (the ability to remove and add a new drive to repair a degraded RAID state without powering the device down) which, although hardly a day-to-day necessity, does lack some of the convenience of other DiskStation devices that support this feature.

Finally, talking of features that other devices in the Synology DiskStation family support that are absent here, the DS223J lacks any M.2 NVMe slots. Now on the face of it, this is not a big deal as practically no value or J series Synology NASs have ever supported M.2 bays, for caching or storage pools. However, once you look into the fact that other Synology 2-bay NAS features M.2 bays alongside the main storage bays AND support expansions, AND support hot-swapping – for as little as $100 to $150 more, well, it’s also improving upon the baseline hardware so you can access the full scope of DSM 7.2 and its features, it’s important to note that the DS223J is affordable for a reason and lacks a lot of the expandability, upgradability, and scalability of other devices in the DiskStation family.

Synology DS223j NAS Review Conclusion

Overall, in this analogy, you get what you pay for with the DS223J NAS. Synology is not pretending that this is some kind of powerhouse system and is quite clear in all of their advertising and data sheets that this is a system designed for efficiency and as an entry point into DSM. In that mission, it 100% succeeds and I don’t think anyone could accuse Synology of mis-selling this system as anything more than that. However, it’s easy to imagine that a lot of users, who have been researching this purchase and looking exclusively at the brand and software, rather than any hardware restrictions or more affordable systems, might stumble and buy this system with expectations that are far beyond its capabilities. To those users, the user experience from day one will always feel a little lacking. Therefore, it’s important to view the Synology DS223J in the correct context of its design and target market. So, if you’re looking for the best possible entry point into the world of Synology and DSM, at a price point that won’t break the bank, and you have low to middle expectations and demands of the software, I can certainly recommend this NAS to you. For everyone else, I recommend you shell out a few extra dollars and opt for a plus series model.

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now? Synology DS223J 2 Bay Desktop NAS Amazon UK 64.56 OFF (WAS 245) [LINK HERE] These Offers are Checked Daily

This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below

Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

We want to keep the free advice on NASCompares FREE for as long as we can. Since this service started back in Jan '18, We have helped hundreds of users every month solve their storage woes, but we can only continue to do this with your support. So please do choose to buy at Amazon US and Amazon UK on the articles when buying to provide advert revenue support or to donate/support the site below. Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you. Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7] TRY CHAT  

Support What We Do

    Terms and Conditions Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.  

The Synology DS224+ NAS – Coming Soon!

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.

Synology DS224+ NAS Hardware Specifications

When I mentioned earlier that the Synology DS224+ is utilizing a similar hardware architecture to its predecessor, I was not joking. In terms of hardware, those who are already familiar with the DS220+ are going to struggle to see many differences here. We’re seeing the use of the same external chassis, same memory amount and scalability, nearly identical ports and connections, and overall, what seems like small tweaks and realignments of Synology’s portfolio here. The main focus has to be the new CPU inside the Synology DS224+, which is the already frequently featured Intel Celeron J4125 processor. This quad-core, four-thread, integrated graphics-equipped processor was already a popular choice in other releases such as the Synology DS920+ and DS720+, as well as in more recent releases such as the DS423+ and DVA1622. It is a decent little processor that balances a good price point versus great capabilities and is one that Synology has spent a lot of time optimizing in DSM.

Synology Model	Synology DS224+ NAS CHECK AMAZON
CPU Model	Intel Celeron J4125
CPU Architecture	64-bit
CPU Frequency	4-core 2.0 (base) / 2.7 (burst) GHz
Hardware Encryption Engine (AES-NI)	Yes
Memory
System Memory	2 GB DDR4 non-ECC
Total Memory Slots	1
Maximum Memory Capacity	6 GB (2 GB + 4 GB)
Storage
Drive Bays	4
M.2 Drive Slots	No
Hot Swappable Drive*	Yes
External Ports
Rear
RJ-45 1GbE LAN Port*	2 (with Link Aggregation / Failover support)
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port*	2
USB Copy	Yes
File System
Internal Drives	Btrfs EXT4
Appearance
Size (Height x Width x Depth)	165 mm x 108 mm x 232.2 mm
Weight	1.31kg
Others
System Fan	92 mm x 92 mm x 1 pcs
Power Supply Unit / Adapter	60 W

However, there’s no avoiding that this 2019 released processor has now been featured in Synology systems for four years and although what we are seeing here is a prosumer processor now being made available in the lower home tier (not the first time Synology has done this with their portfolio between generations), there is still going to be a percentage of users who will be disappointed that some of the several newer Intel Celeron releases were not featured here. Indeed, with more affordable Intel Pentium processors like the N6005 and Intel Celeron N5105 extremely commonplace from other competitor brands, this CPU is definitely going to seem like something of a damp squib when people are weighing up the hardware. Synology has always been a brand that has been unashamedly software-focused and the hardware has simply been a case of finding the most power-efficient hardware to achieve its lofty goals, but nevertheless, users who have been holding out for a newer generation to buy may find the hardware just a little bit underwhelming.

In terms of memory, the system arrives with 2GB of DDR4 memory already pre-installed and soldered to the board. This can be upgraded to a slightly unusual 6 GB of memory by installing an official DDR4 Synology SODIMM upgrade. On the one hand, it’s nice that you can upgrade the memory on this device to allow you to do more things at any given time. However, having 2GB fixed inside the system and only allowing a single upgrade slot results in a system only supporting 6 GB when the CPU inside the DS224+ actually supports up to a maximum 8GB. For users looking at utilizing containers, virtual machines, or a combination of the two, it’s a real shame to miss out on this extra 2 GB of memory. Nevertheless, this has been fairly standard as the baseline hardware for the DS 2xx+ series prior to this point and it’s not a tremendous surprise. Synology has always been in the habit of carefully curating their portfolio and therefore it is no surprise that the more scalable DS723+, released towards the end of 2022, costs more but can do more.

The rest of the ports and connections on the Synology DS224+ are all fairly predictable. We have USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gb connectivity and two Gigabit Ethernet ports. All fairly standard stuff and as mentioned, Synology is not particularly keen on scaling up the hardware on their systems as much as they are on the software. The lack of any expandability via an eSATA support and the Synology 5-bay Expansion DX517 is not a tremendous surprise, and something that long-term storage users may want to keep in mind. But ultimately, with the exception of the change in CPU, there is not a huge amount on offer here overall. An improvement within DSM 7.2, but it might just be worth sticking it out until the morning.

Synology DS224+ NAS Software Specifications

While most Synology systems roll out with identical software, it is the hardware that the system arrives with that largely dictates the full range of applications and services that the system supports, as well as the number of concurrent users and applications that can run at any given time. In the case of the Synology DS224+ NAS, the system runs pretty much everything in the DSM 7.2 catalog. Indeed, barring any particularly complex processes running at the same time that would be too hungry for the base 2GB memory, there is practically nothing on offer from Synology in their DSM platform that is not possible on this device.

Now, there is ALOT we already know about this processor with regard to the more popular applications that people would consider the DS224+ for, as we have tested it for well over 3-4 years in the DS920+ and more. Its performance in DSM is fantastic (with full access to all the applications and services that you would expect), Plex Media Server performs very well in both 1080p and 4K (supporting client-side HEVC conversions and more), upto 40 cameras in the Synology Surveillance station applications (though you will need more than that base 2GB memory) and if the price point is comparable/lower than the DS2200+ is at launch – the DS224+ an absolute bargain for that purpose!

Synology DS224+ NAS HDD/SSD Compatibility

Those who have been following Synology for the last 18 to 24 months will be surprised to hear that the likely hard drive and SSD compatibility list for the Synology DS224+ is going to be fuller than some of their enterprise and access series devices, but is still likely less populated than some of their previous generation devices. The compatibility list will of course include their own standard class+ series hard drives, the HAT3300 range, but also include several Western Digital and Seagate drives to choose from too. These drives are a bit light on the capacity side of things and arguably, there are quite a few omissions in the list of drives on offer, but the Synology verification process takes time and while it could be very easy for Synology to add every single SATA drive in existence as compatible with their systems, they would still need to certify that these drives are truly 100% verified and compatible.

This is something that Synology has clearly decided they are not prepared to just click ‘accept all’ on. So, at least for now, we have to give Synology the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the list of supported storage media on the DS224+ as they may well be adding more drives over time, post official launch. Equally, it would have been very easy for them to add their own enterprise-grade drives, the HAT5300 range, but they didn’t, as they have deemed that this system should only really be using standard class drives and not the noisier, heavier, and more power-consuming enterprise drives. So, I will give them credit for not ignoring lots of other drives while including their own enterprise-grade drives.

Synology DS224+ vs DS220+ NAS Comparison

Unfortunately, we do have to make comparisons here between the DS224+ and the now 3 years older Synology DS220+, as some users may have skipped that previous generation in order to wait out for something better. Likewise, there is still a contingent of Synology users who were disappointed when the first wave of new Synology+ series devices arrived with non-integrated graphics AMD Ryzen processors inside, deciding to wait out for a new mid-range device like the DS224+. As mentioned earlier, the DS220+ and DS224+ are incredibly similar in almost every way and it is really only that CPU upgrade that bears any kind of difference between them. Now, some would argue that this CPU, having already appeared on the Synology DS720+ from 2020, does not really serve as much of an upgrade on this new 2023 system. It is worth highlighting that, whereas the older generation device is a dual-core processor, this newer generation device is a quad-core – though at a slightly lower burst clock speed.

In the grand scheme of things, this is still a better CPU with an ever-so-slightly larger power consumption, but hardly serves as much of an incentive for existing DS220+ owners to refresh to the newer model. Likewise, unless you are a particularly graphics-intensive or conversion-hungry multimedia user, I would argue that the DS223+ does a good job of making the DS723+ a more attractive NAS – despite its more business focus. Ultimately, on the one hand, Synology has clearly spent a great deal of time with this particular hardware architecture and can therefore make the most of it in DSM, as well as the system arriving at a lower price point than the similar DS720+ that arrived with this hardware a few years ago. But nevertheless, this is still a very safe, middling, and minor upgrade over its predecessor.

Synology DS224+ NAS Price and Release Date

The release of the Synology DS224+ is coming up soon by the looks of things (likely late July/Early August) and it also seems like it is going to arrive at largely a comparatively price point to its predecessor of around $300 to 350 (Don’t forget to factor in your local tax and shipping). You can use the links below to check stock, availability, and pricing for the DS224+. Using these links results in a small fee being earned by me and Eddie here at NAScompares.com. It’s just us here and this allows us to keep doing what we do. Thanks for reading and have a great week.

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