Synology NAS Servers are among the most powerful NAS servers currently available. You can back up data from Windows, macOS Android, and iOS devices. A NAS also allows you to build a media server that streams audio and video to all devices in your home network. These are the top Synology NAS models.
Why should you purchase a NAS Server?
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A NAS server allows you to centralize your media collection. All your videos and photos can be hosted on a NAS server. You can then stream them to any device connected to the network.
A NAS server is useful for backing up data across your phone, tablet, and macOS computers. This task can be automated so that the most important data is transferred to the NAS automatically without your intervention.
There are many other benefits, beyond streaming media. Tailscale offers a great VPN service and an excellent note server. DiskStation + DS1522+It is also great for office use.
DiskStation DS220+ will continue to be the best option for those who are looking to purchase a NAS, or if they’re upgrading. It has two bays and can store 32TB of storage. This should provide enough storage for most users. The enclosure also features upgraded internal hardware, including an Intel Celeron J4025 chipset as well as 2GB DDR4 RAM.
There are two Gigabit Ethernet ports in the back. Link Aggregation makes it possible to combine the two ports for increased data transfer speeds across your home network. Two USB 3.0 ports are located at the back, as well as a single fan. Due to the DS220+’s beefier hardware, 4K video transcoding can be done with ease by the DS220+.
A Synology NAS is only half of the greatness that it offers. DiskStation Manager software from Synology is among the most popular in the market. DSM 7.1This visual update includes a host of new exciting features.
You can, for example, use the NAS as a mediaserver and stream audio or video from it to all your devices in your home network. Access the NAS anywhere you are in the world. The DS220+ has powerful tools that can back up data from all your computers on your home network. It also includes built-in tools for organizing your photos into albums.
Plex is compatible with the DS220+ NAS. You can stream content to your TV and other devices with ease thanks to 4K transcoding
The second stage of purchasing a storage device is to set it up. NAS hard drivesTo fit in the NAS, we recommend purchasing two 4TB Seagate IronWolf hard drives. You can choose the 6TB or 8TB models if you require more storage.
You need a NAS enclosure within a budget. If so, then you’ll be happy with the DiskStation DiskStation D220jThere is so much to choose from. You can slot 16TB drives into each bay of this 2-bay model just like the DS220+. The NAS can store up to 32TB. It comes with 512MB RAM, a Realtek TTD1296 chipset and two USB 3.0 ports.
The DS220+ has all the same amazing software features, including the ability backup data, stream audio and video, as well as streaming audio and video. While the DS220j can be used as a Plex Server, it is not able to transcode 4K video. It can stream media files over DLNA if it already has content that is compatible with devices on your home network.
I recommend 4TB IronWolf hard drives as my top recommendation. You will need two of these drives to make a media server. However, you get 8TB storage for a few hundred dollars. To get you started, you can always buy one 8TB IronWolf and purchase another later.
The DS120j is a good option if you don’t want to spend too much but still want to get a taster of Synology NAS. The NAS can be purchased for $100 and allows you to start Synology’s web-based DiskStation Manager (DSM). Synology’s fully-featured apps are available for Android or iOS. They allow you to stream locally stored audio and video to all devices in your home network.
The DS120j can hold one hard drive and is a 1-bay unit. You can fit a drive up 16TB into the DS120j. My recommendation for this model is a 2TB IronWolf hard drive. This will add $80 to your total cost. If you need more storage, you can get a 4TB IronWolf drive for $105 and a decent entry-level option for NAS with 4TB for less than $200. This is a great deal considering the hardware available.
The DS120j has 512MB DDR3L RAM and a Marvell Armada3700 chipset. There’s a single Gigabit Ethernet connector at the back and two USB 2.0 port. The NAS also has a 60mm fan that keeps it cool. Overall, the DS120j costs just $100.
DiskStation DiskStation + DS920+ offers everything you want in a storage device Plex NAS. The internal hardware was upgraded. The NAS enclosure now runs on an Intel Celeron J4125 chipset with 4GB RAM and a DIMM slots for adding 4GB memory module.
There are four drive bays, each one able to hold a 16TB hard drive. The DS920+ can store up to 64TB. The DS918+ was my home server for many years. It performed flawlessly streaming Plex from all my devices. The DS920+ improves on this with beefier hardware. This is the best home server to setup for 4K transcoding and Plex streaming.
You also get two Gigabit Ethernet ports with Link Aggregation, two USB 3.0 ports, and an eSATA port that lets you hook up a DX517 expansion unit, giving you the ability to add five additional drives — and 80TB more storage — to the NAS.
DiskStation manager provides a complete list of software features, just like all Synology NAS boxes. The DS920+ is a great media server and I recommend two 8TB IronWolf drives as a starting point. You can add more as you need.
The DiskStation + DS1520+This enclosure is among the most expensive NAS enclosures available. It is powered by the beefy Celeron J4125 chipset, has 8GB of RAM out of the box as standard — double that of the DS920+ — and comes with four Gigabit Ethernet ports at the back.
Five drive bays can hold 80TB. You can also add 10 more bays to the NAS via two eSATA connections. The DS1520+ also has three USB 3.0 ports and all the connectivity options that you would expect from a NAS. There are two M.2 slots available. However, like all NAS enclosures it can only be used for SSD caching, not storage. The NAS lacks an HDMI port. However, this is not a major omission. Plex and DLNA can be used to stream media to your TV.
The DS1520+ is a great option if your goal is to have a top-end Plex media server. The DS1520+ can handle 4K transcodes with no issues and you will not have problems streaming media to multiple devices simultaneously. The DS1520+ also offers many features for businesses such as a virtual machine manager and a collaborative office suite. If you’re looking to buy a high-end enclosure there are many options in the DS1520+.
The DiskStation DS420j is a 4-bay NAS that costs $300. The NAS’s appearance is different from other Synology models because of the plastic cover on the front. It makes it slightly more difficult for users to access the drive bays. It is a striking design, however, and once the drives are in, you won’t have to access them.
The DS420j has 1GB of RAM, powered by the Realtek ROTD1296 chip. Although there is no way to increase the memory, the DS420j will do most multimedia tasks well. You can run Plex, back up your data across all devices on your home network and get a fantastic set of DiskStation Manager features, including apps that allow you to stream audio and video from your NAS.
Each bay can hold 16TB drives, giving you 64TB total across all four drive bays. If you are looking to create a multimedia home server, there is a single Gigabit Ethernet connection at the back as well as two USB 3.0 ports. The DS420j is a reliable 4-bay NAS. You can start with a few 6TB IronWolf drives, and then add more as you need.
DiskStation is a well-known NAS enclosure that costs less than $400. There are four drive bays that can store 64TB. The NAS is powered with a Realtek RTD1296, which has 2GB of RAM, two Gigabit Ethernet and two USB 3.0 ports. Dual fans at the back.
While the DS418 can’t transcode 4K video at high quality, it is a good option if you are looking for a media server that streams content to all devices on your home network via DLNA. DiskStation Manager is included with all of its features. This includes an audio and video media server as well as the ability to back-up all devices on your network. It also offers robust note-taking and mail client capabilities.
The ideal hard drive to fit the DS418 is the 8TB IronWolf. You can get as many of these as you need, and you will have a NAS enclosure that will last you for years.
The DS218play model is a value-oriented one that’s aimed at people who are looking to build a multimedia server. This 2-bay NAS is a great starting point. It comes with a Realtek RTD1296 chip and 1GB RAM. There are also two USB 3.0 ports and one Gigabit Ethernet port.
The DS218play has two drive bays that can hold 32TB total storage. It is a good option if you are looking for a reliable media server to play locally stored files on all your devices.
DiskStation Manager is included with the NAS, as it does with all Synology models. It gives you access and a wide range of software features such as dedicated audio and video streaming clients and fast reading and writing performance. The bottom line is that you get a lot of value.
The 4TB or 8TB IronWolf drives would be the best recommendations for hard drives. You can get a single 8TB drive, and add another later, because there are only two drive bays.
DiskStation DS620slim stands out from other NAS enclosures. This is because it can’t accommodate 3.5 inch hard drives. It will only accept 2.5-inch SSDs or hard drives. This makes it an attractive option.
Which NAS should be purchased?
You are looking to invest in the Best NAS for HomeSynology offers many options at all price levels, whether you are looking for a first-time purchase or if you want to upgrade to a more powerful model. The DiskStation 220+ is the best choice. The DiskStation DS220+ is equipped with powerful hardware and the most recent software features. It also has two drive bays that can hold 32TB of storage. If you are interested in building a media server, there is plenty of space available.
DiskStation DS220j will appeal to budget-minded users who are looking for a less expensive option. If you only need to store media or back up data, this is the perfect starting point.
