Heres the thing Robbie and something to pay attn to - if Synology release a 2025 version of its 9 series 4 bay, and the default LAN is RJ45 - 1GbE, even if it has the bay to install an expensive upgrade to 10GbE ... it may be very reasonable to actually consider it NOT recommendable at all. It is time. There is zero excuse to keep playing this game of mouse chasing the cat, to suggest using a NAS with this limitation, when most desktop motherboards and switches and modems now default with a 2.5 or 5GbE port. If they do this again, its time to not just call them out, but downgrade the recommendation on future reviews and comparisons like this. Think about it.
I’ve been a Synology guy. I wish they would come out with a updated 4 bay. The other companies are leaving them in the dust. Because of this thinking about changing. Thanks for all the reviews.
The other issue is the crazy pricing to add synology m2, 10gbe, memory, and drives is a fortune. Fully deck out a QNAP 4 bay (464, 453e, or 474) you get zfs and a much faster and better solution. Synology went crazy and abusive and I'm out...
During a sale I picked up DS923+ for $479, stocked up for our customers, and has been absolutely fantastic for most little SMBs, doctor offices, retail operations, etc. even at $599 which it can always be found for, it is the go-to choice in that price range unless you have to have intel transcoding. throw in a couple small nvme cache, ram upgrade, or a third party plug and play 10gb card and you cover 99% Small business needs.
You should put a dB sound number, for those folks looking for the quietest, and measured operating temp, for those worried about the nas getting too hot hidden in a cupboard, rack, under random desk.
Cheers for the feedback. To be fair, power consumption and noise level tests are now compulsory on all NAS server reviews here on the channel - that said, 2 of the 4 on this list were released prior to this being a strict rule. Point taken on board!
@scottspringer6854 I also bought it with intentions for Plex server. Was planning to run the stock OS or look into TrueNas/UnRAID eventually. I saved all the videos on Terramaster from NASCompares within the last year 😎🤙
@scottspringer6854 I also bought it with intentions for Plex server. Was planning to run the stock OS or look into TrueNas/UnRAID eventually. I saved all the videos on Terramaster from NASCompares within the last year 😎🤙
@keithmiller9665 completely agree! As a new person in the NAS gig, I noticed n100 systems were around $500, so when I realized they made i3/i5 systems, I really wanted one of them for the price of nearly n100 machine. I love a bit of overkill 😂🤣🤙😎
Crazy thought...If Synology started licensing their DSM as a NAS OS for third party hardware, I would buy it in a heartbeat. Synology would also make some good revenue.
Problem is that once its unlocked from its hardware and becomes an exe file, its hackable, breakable and scalable. Its the 'Apple' approach, right or wrong (i believe its wrong) once the door is open it cant be closed.
Currently in Australia on sale for Black Friday, the Synology DS923, for 950 AUD, but the base ram, yet alone the NVME, you have to go for Synology home brand stuff which is over priced unless you want to risk the warranty.
If you're good with software, hardware-wise the Aoostar WTR pro is a great contender. It's good enough to make into a full fledged hypervisor and still has 4 3.5 bays and 2 m.2 slots.
Aoostar seem to be having a lot of success with these. Aoostar had fresh batch on their site recently and it's back to sold out again! They are available from banggood, etc.
@@45KevinR I agree, it's sold out a lot. I was able to consolidate a Synology Nas and a mini pc hypervisor using proxmox, and I feel like I gained performance and functionality on both fronts. My only worry is long term quality of components since they're a small maker, so warranty etc might be a gamble.
Generally like your videos. And you were a huge help in answering some questions about Synology that i couldn't find elsewhere, so b was happy to support with a coffee. And yet this was super hard to watch guys. Please do not include the extreme time lapse videos WHILE you're telling us what you like about the Nas. The concentration and value here is on what you yourselves have to say about these units. And as i was watching it just felt like you needed to fill the screen with something. And those time lapse videos are a huge distraction. It was not evident, other than showing going through different setups and menus what you wanted the audience to walk away with from having watched the time lapse speed up so much that you couldn't even really get a feel for the menus, structure, layout etc. So as a consumer trying to hear what you think....please, less is more. Do not feel you've got to fill every second with something.
I am very much in the market for their entry level NASs, but theyre so behind on specs. I decided to go the DIY route since its perfect for re-using old hardware
Thanks for the detailed video! I'm completely new to the topic and a beginner, but I would still take the Synology DS923+. The next question is, which HDDs should you use? I've often looked at the compatibility list, often the really large plates aren't there, or the smaller ones aren't there either. In forums they constantly say "it doesn't matter", are those that are not on the list then recognized "without any problems"? I only know such lists from motherboard manufacturers because of RAM xD.
It genuinely doesn't matter. All that happens is DSM will show you a warning when you create your volume if the drive isn't on their list. It's the one and only time you will see the message and I believe the whole reason is to sell more of their branded drives. I have 3 synology and none of the have drives on the approved list.
4 Bay NAS is good for anyone want to get into this, no matter you buy brand build or DIY, Synology is slow in hardware and kind of giving up home user, other options have better hardware but their OS and softwares are still a bit behind, What I don't like about these brand build NAS is the PSU, they are all external PSU which really is the main reason your HDD or system failures.
Is there a solution that is especially good for MacOS? Does the availability of Time Machine make a NAS less necessary for my Mac workflow? Thx. Love your content! -JB
I am writing to you for the first time because I am interested in what you publish on the channel, but I have a question and I apologize if you have already answered in the past: if a person builds a Nas on his own and doesn't buy it ready made, is it possible to use and set nvme m2 as cache to speed up file transfer? If so, did you make a guide and could you please link it? If not, could you make a video if possible. Whatever you decide, I thank you for all your work on the channel. 🙇🏻
@@ymeshulin Since I can't make both a PC and a NAS I decided to make a NAS on Windows with 4 pairs of disks in a RAID 1 so that while the disks hold all the data I can still use the PC normally with Windows on M2 SSD. That's why I was asking how to create cache on Windows.
@@ymeshulin There are various folders, one dedicated to anime series, another to animated films, one with CDs and another with high definition music.This in various disks. Do you think it is necessary to create a cache with M2 to manage files remotely as well as on various devices at home? Thank you
@@ymeshulin Thank you very much for your availability and explanation. My files are all big and so from what you explained I understood that I do not need any cache. Can I ask you three more questions, one about the NAS, one about the RAM and one about viewing and managing files between two operating systems in dual boot?
@@ymeshulin Since the NAS will be with Windows and the disks in RAID 1, I wanted to know if by installing Linux Mint in dual boot or on a second M2, it would be possible to see and manage the disks also on Linux? For the RAM I wanted to know if putting 4 banks on an x870 (at the moment it's my choice as a motherboard) the RAM speed decreases or can you have the declared speed? Thanks
Looking at the Synology website, the DS923+ doesn't list the hard drives I already have as being compatible (Seagate exos X20 18TB)... and I can't find any Synology units that say they are compatible. Is that wrong? Will they work? Should I move on to a different platform?
I'm looking for a NAS to backup pictures from the family's mobile phones, so the mobile app needs to be easy to use. Which one is better from this perspective?
Tried to use your link to purchase one of the nas boxes…. It took me to the uk site…. Certainly I do not want to order and be shipped from the uk (duty would kill me).. and shipping takes a while.. when I tell Amazon to switch to Canada.. it forgets what I was ordering.. and your promotion…. I’m I missing something?
@ He references the prices in $us to give non-UK people an idea of the price.. mind you, it is even more complex.. many times I will convert pounds to $can and find we in Canada are paying more…. When black days are happening on Amazon we Canadians do not get as many deals.. this is because we are a small market. (Just my guess). Nas compares do an outstanding job at bringing us new tech stuff and give nice background on it.. all that from the comfort of our living rooms.. they produce great videos.. thanks guys.. (in spite of the seagulls). 🌝
Is there an easy way to mix/match QNAP and Synology? - I have a Synology NAS in London, but I'm thinking to get a QNAP for the added benefits in my home in Sydney and to have them back up to one another. Doable?
@@andyhey4576 I deal with many large video files and I like to move and re-organise them, rsync will re-transfer them all when the path changes so that doesn't work for me. What's nice about ActiveBackup is it tracks if files were simply moved - it also won't transfer duplicate files if you happen to have them in more than 1 path.
I do that with Syncthing. It's free and, with respects to andyhey4576, just a far better solution having tried rsync in the past. And, I selectively sync certain folders with my desktop, laptop and surface pro. You can even set it to use Tailscale or presumably other VPN's for a direct connection between the two.
The 923 with 10gbe, ssd pool, and approved drives is just ridiculous. This isn't a $500 nas. The synology branded components cost this up to a much better zfs system. If pricing was reasonable, it would be a good value.
Terramaster seems to be janky from all the NAS reviews i watch, qnap,outside the all ssd lookoutdated, synol9gy is being breeched again and again, and asustor prices are for suckers. I imaging aoostar with a 5gbe usb dongle makes sense, and ugreen is missing from this list
Heres the thing Robbie and something to pay attn to - if Synology release a 2025 version of its 9 series 4 bay, and the default LAN is RJ45 - 1GbE, even if it has the bay to install an expensive upgrade to 10GbE ... it may be very reasonable to actually consider it NOT recommendable at all. It is time.
There is zero excuse to keep playing this game of mouse chasing the cat, to suggest using a NAS with this limitation, when most desktop motherboards and switches and modems now default with a 2.5 or 5GbE port.
If they do this again, its time to not just call them out, but downgrade the recommendation on future reviews and comparisons like this.
Think about it.
100% agree
I’ve been a Synology guy. I wish they would come out with a updated 4 bay. The other companies are leaving them in the dust. Because of this thinking about changing. Thanks for all the reviews.
The other issue is the crazy pricing to add synology m2, 10gbe, memory, and drives is a fortune. Fully deck out a QNAP 4 bay (464, 453e, or 474) you get zfs and a much faster and better solution. Synology went crazy and abusive and I'm out...
Build your own and run Xpenology
Nice video .. I thought the ugreen 4800 would be the "honorable mention" list.
During a sale I picked up DS923+ for $479, stocked up for our customers, and has been absolutely fantastic for most little SMBs, doctor offices, retail operations, etc. even at $599 which it can always be found for, it is the go-to choice in that price range unless you have to have intel transcoding. throw in a couple small nvme cache, ram upgrade, or a third party plug and play 10gb card and you cover 99% Small business needs.
You should put a dB sound number, for those folks looking for the quietest, and measured operating temp, for those worried about the nas getting too hot hidden in a cupboard, rack, under random desk.
Cheers for the feedback. To be fair, power consumption and noise level tests are now compulsory on all NAS server reviews here on the channel - that said, 2 of the 4 on this list were released prior to this being a strict rule. Point taken on board!
Just purchased the Terramaster F4-424 pro for $520(coupon on Amazon). First NAS ever 😎
@scottspringer6854 I also bought it with intentions for Plex server. Was planning to run the stock OS or look into TrueNas/UnRAID eventually. I saved all the videos on Terramaster from NASCompares within the last year 😎🤙
@scottspringer6854 I also bought it with intentions for Plex server. Was planning to run the stock OS or look into TrueNas/UnRAID eventually. I saved all the videos on Terramaster from NASCompares within the last year 😎🤙
Nice! I was very surprised the 424 Pro didn’t make Robbie’s list. 😮 I think its value for money is much better than the 424 Max.
@keithmiller9665 completely agree! As a new person in the NAS gig, I noticed n100 systems were around $500, so when I realized they made i3/i5 systems, I really wanted one of them for the price of nearly n100 machine. I love a bit of overkill 😂🤣🤙😎
@@kingchoup1744 Yeah I got the f4-424 pro last night as well. Why did he dog us pro guys like that?
Crazy thought...If Synology started licensing their DSM as a NAS OS for third party hardware, I would buy it in a heartbeat. Synology would also make some good revenue.
I've thrown this out before as well. If you're not going to serve the enthusiastic market with hardware just license your OS. That's how MS got huge.
Problem is that once its unlocked from its hardware and becomes an exe file, its hackable, breakable and scalable. Its the 'Apple' approach, right or wrong (i believe its wrong) once the door is open it cant be closed.
People have cracked it anyway. It's just annoying to maintain.
Wouldn’t it just get pirated?
@@BratMatoriI just did it. Easy as pie from my experience.
Currently in Australia on sale for Black Friday, the Synology DS923, for 950 AUD, but the base ram, yet alone the NVME, you have to go for Synology home brand stuff which is over priced unless you want to risk the warranty.
Can't believe we are half way through Nov and still no sysnology release im done with them
Just wonder why Ugreen NAS not in the list
Curious too. 4800 on ebay now for 300 starting bid
Because Ugreen is not a sponsor. :)
@@DanStroot 😂 true
GRAZIE x la traccia audio in italiano è molto apprezzata.
If you're good with software, hardware-wise the Aoostar WTR pro is a great contender. It's good enough to make into a full fledged hypervisor and still has 4 3.5 bays and 2 m.2 slots.
just installed TrueNAS on mine.. ftw so damn good
Aoostar seem to be having a lot of success with these. Aoostar had fresh batch on their site recently and it's back to sold out again! They are available from banggood, etc.
@@45KevinR I agree, it's sold out a lot. I was able to consolidate a Synology Nas and a mini pc hypervisor using proxmox, and I feel like I gained performance and functionality on both fronts. My only worry is long term quality of components since they're a small maker, so warranty etc might be a gamble.
It will be my upgrade from a 2-bay synology in the new year.
Hopefully there will be a 6 bay best NAS.
Would recommend the cheaper Asustor like the Nimbustor Gen2 stuff?
A little secret, the usb on the DS923+ is definitely 10gbps rather than the official listed 5gbps.
Does that mean the ds1522+ is the dame speed too?
@VinceM797 no idea
aren't more people just buying a used ds920+ instead of a ds923+
The Terramaster F4-424 MAX is an i5 not an i7.
Apologies.pretty sure review of the T9-500 Pro the same week as this frazzled my brain. Cheers for the heads ip
Generally like your videos. And you were a huge help in answering some questions about Synology that i couldn't find elsewhere, so b was happy to support with a coffee. And yet this was super hard to watch guys. Please do not include the extreme time lapse videos WHILE you're telling us what you like about the Nas. The concentration and value here is on what you yourselves have to say about these units. And as i was watching it just felt like you needed to fill the screen with something. And those time lapse videos are a huge distraction. It was not evident, other than showing going through different setups and menus what you wanted the audience to walk away with from having watched the time lapse speed up so much that you couldn't even really get a feel for the menus, structure, layout etc. So as a consumer trying to hear what you think....please, less is more. Do not feel you've got to fill every second with something.
I am very much in the market for their entry level NASs, but theyre so behind on specs. I decided to go the DIY route since its perfect for re-using old hardware
Thanks for the detailed video! I'm completely new to the topic and a beginner, but I would still take the Synology DS923+. The next question is, which HDDs should you use? I've often looked at the compatibility list, often the really large plates aren't there, or the smaller ones aren't there either. In forums they constantly say "it doesn't matter", are those that are not on the list then recognized "without any problems"? I only know such lists from motherboard manufacturers because of RAM xD.
It genuinely doesn't matter. All that happens is DSM will show you a warning when you create your volume if the drive isn't on their list. It's the one and only time you will see the message and I believe the whole reason is to sell more of their branded drives. I have 3 synology and none of the have drives on the approved list.
@@poprin5194 Okay, thank you very much, now I know xD.
4 Bay NAS is good for anyone want to get into this, no matter you buy brand build or DIY, Synology is slow in hardware and kind of giving up home user, other options have better hardware but their OS and softwares are still a bit behind,
What I don't like about these brand build NAS is the PSU, they are all external PSU which really is the main reason your HDD or system failures.
I still won't touch synology
Why?
@squatch545 frequent breeches and ypu have to pay at every step?
@@TimHunold What do you mean?
What about ugreen? Partner really wants to get it but is it the security? Pls reply
Is there a solution that is especially good for MacOS? Does the availability of Time Machine make a NAS less necessary for my Mac workflow? Thx. Love your content! -JB
The one with thunderbolt connection, definitely is well suited for Macs! Aka the last in this video.
@ thx so much. I’ll dig into it.
How would you now compare the synology ds1522 to the 923. In previous videos you’ve recommended the 1522?
Which would be best for Plex usage? Thats the only thing I’d be using mine for. I would have maybe 3 streams max and some transcoding
The only way Synology makes sense any more is if you get it for a good price second hand
I am writing to you for the first time because I am interested in what you publish on the channel, but I have a question and I apologize if you have already answered in the past: if a person builds a Nas on his own and doesn't buy it ready made, is it possible to use and set nvme m2 as cache to speed up file transfer? If so, did you make a guide and could you please link it? If not, could you make a video if possible. Whatever you decide, I thank you for all your work on the channel. 🙇🏻
@@ymeshulin Is it possible to use nvme M2 as cache on windows with mechanical disks in raid 1? Thank you for answering me
@@ymeshulin Since I can't make both a PC and a NAS I decided to make a NAS on Windows with 4 pairs of disks in a RAID 1 so that while the disks hold all the data I can still use the PC normally with Windows on M2 SSD. That's why I was asking how to create cache on Windows.
@@ymeshulin There are various folders, one dedicated to anime series, another to animated films, one with CDs and another with high definition music.This in various disks. Do you think it is necessary to create a cache with M2 to manage files remotely as well as on various devices at home? Thank you
@@ymeshulin Thank you very much for your availability and explanation. My files are all big and so from what you explained I understood that I do not need any cache. Can I ask you three more questions, one about the NAS, one about the RAM and one about viewing and managing files between two operating systems in dual boot?
@@ymeshulin Since the NAS will be with Windows and the disks in RAID 1, I wanted to know if by installing Linux Mint in dual boot or on a second M2, it would be possible to see and manage the disks also on Linux? For the RAM I wanted to know if putting 4 banks on an x870 (at the moment it's my choice as a motherboard) the RAM speed decreases or can you have the declared speed? Thanks
Looking at the Synology website, the DS923+ doesn't list the hard drives I already have as being compatible (Seagate exos X20 18TB)... and I can't find any Synology units that say they are compatible. Is that wrong? Will they work? Should I move on to a different platform?
It's strange how all NAS users say that you need multiple backups in multiple locations, but more and more NAS are becoming all-in-one boxes.
@@ymeshulinAll your data is in one box.
Have you done a best rack mount NAS roundup 2024
I'm looking for a NAS to backup pictures from the family's mobile phones, so the mobile app needs to be easy to use. Which one is better from this perspective?
synology, no doubt
Not seen any BF sales yet in the UK for the DS923+
Tried to use your link to purchase one of the nas boxes…. It took me to the uk site…. Certainly I do not want to order and be shipped from the uk (duty would kill me).. and shipping takes a while.. when I tell Amazon to switch to Canada.. it forgets what I was ordering.. and your promotion…. I’m I missing something?
So he gives us the prices in dollars, but the links in UK??
@
He references the prices in $us to give non-UK people an idea of the price.. mind you, it is even more complex.. many times I will convert pounds to $can and find we in Canada are paying more…. When black days are happening on Amazon we Canadians do not get as many deals.. this is because we are a small market. (Just my guess). Nas compares do an outstanding job at bringing us new tech stuff and give nice background on it.. all that from the comfort of our living rooms.. they produce great videos.. thanks guys.. (in spite of the seagulls). 🌝
@ a simpler answer is that appears to be the case .. If I am not mistaken..
Is there an easy way to mix/match QNAP and Synology? - I have a Synology NAS in London, but I'm thinking to get a QNAP for the added benefits in my home in Sydney and to have them back up to one another. Doable?
I do that with Rsync as I live between two countries. No problem at all and work flawesly.
@@andyhey4576 I deal with many large video files and I like to move and re-organise them, rsync will re-transfer them all when the path changes so that doesn't work for me. What's nice about ActiveBackup is it tracks if files were simply moved - it also won't transfer duplicate files if you happen to have them in more than 1 path.
I do that with Syncthing. It's free and, with respects to andyhey4576, just a far better solution having tried rsync in the past. And, I selectively sync certain folders with my desktop, laptop and surface pro. You can even set it to use Tailscale or presumably other VPN's for a direct connection between the two.
Where is the flashstor gen2 review?
He doesn't have one yet. It's on its way.
DS923+ on sale for 539 euro. Snag it or wait for new models to release? (Home user, almost exclusively media streaming.)
Cheers for sharing! Can you put a link in a new comment towards it for others to get it. Cheers
YT keeps removing my comments
I love the much hated seagull memento.
I wish he'd say Triple A instead of A A A .. lol
asustor gen 4 can not be ordered from my location ..
539 euro at Megekko (Netherlands)
And also at Dutch Amazon (although direct link seems broken).
The 923 with 10gbe, ssd pool, and approved drives is just ridiculous. This isn't a $500 nas. The synology branded components cost this up to a much better zfs system. If pricing was reasonable, it would be a good value.
What's the point of $1200 Lockerstor if all it has is AMD CPU ? can't use it for transcoding
Transcoding is not the only thing a NAS does.
Ecc memory support, more available pcie lanes
Transcoding idiots everywhere now
Too bad about the DS923+ having such old hardware.
cool
Why did you dog terramaster f4-424 and f4-424 pro?
I went with ugreen with unraid, synology simps holding on to 2002 hardware saying "BuT OuR SoFTwARe". LOL
I see an AMD based NAS, I ignore it...
I'd love to know why. Helps me understand more!
@ASUSTOR_YT Intel Quicksync
The audio translation to Spanish it's awful, I'm from Spain and I prefer hearing you in English.
TBF, it's RUclips's new service and still in beta. That said, cheers for the feedback bud
Terramaster seems to be janky from all the NAS reviews i watch, qnap,outside the all ssd lookoutdated, synol9gy is being breeched again and again, and asustor prices are for suckers. I imaging aoostar with a 5gbe usb dongle makes sense, and ugreen is missing from this list