The Synology DiskStation DS225+ is presented as a solid two-bay Network Attached Storage (NAS) device suitable for general home use. It is described as easy to configure, moderately fast, and equipped with a robust suite of software. While it is considered a compact and smart choice, the review cautions that it is not the cheapest option and may lack sufficient scope for small business growth, suggesting better value alternatives are available.
The unit has space for two hard disks and connects to a Wi-Fi router via an Ethernet cable. Key features include Synology’s Disk Station Manager software, which handles basic operations and allows users to download various quality extra apps for media sharing, surveillance, or advanced network and development functions.
The physical design is noted as a compact black plastic box with front panel indicators. The DS225+ includes a USB port for supporting external disks, which features a dedicated button to trigger backups of thumb drives. The rear panel offers a second USB socket and two Ethernet ports. One port is standard gigabit Ethernet (GbE), while the other supports the 2.5GbE standard, which is noted as being two and a half times quicker than GbE. Connecting both ports offers more redundancy but is unlikely to provide a noticeable speed improvement.
Storage considerations include the fact that the NAS supports SATA-interface SSDs but not NVMe SSDs found in modern PCs. The manufacturer’s drive compatibility list only includes its own disks. Furthermore, the review advises avoiding desktop disks for an always-on environment and warns against using disks utilizing shingled magnetic recording (SMR) due to poor performance in a NAS setting.
Setup is described as straightforward: the front facia must be removed to reveal the two disk caddies, which then slide out. Installing 3.5-inch disks involves removing and refitting two clip-in rails, while 2.5-inch laptop disks or SSDs require screwing them in.
Synology’s DiskStation Manager (DSM) is characterized as perhaps the best NAS operating system, successfully balancing ease of use with strong features. Its strength lies in a comprehensive roster of downloadable, often free, apps. These applications facilitate various network tasks such as running DNS, DHCP, and proxy servers, and include office applications like a mail server and online office suite. The system also features Docker Container Manager, allowing the running of containerized servers.
Performance tests indicate that with a 2.5GbE network connection, the DS225+ can theoretically handle nearly 300MB of data per second. However, the review suggests that overheads from smaller files will reduce performance to a few tens of megabytes per second (MB/s). For users with gigabit Ethernet, the theoretical limit is around 113MB/s. During a specific test using a 10GbE network switch and a 5GbE PC interface, the NAS recorded a write speed of 76MB/s and a read speed of 55MB/s when copying a mixed folder of 6.5GB. The device reports modest power consumption, measuring a peak of 13 watts, and generates little heat or noise, although the clattering of server-grade drives was audible.
The review concludes that the DS225+ is a thoroughy decent enclosure, smart, and sufficiently fast for most home users, offering excellent application access for simple or ambitious media serving setups. However, its value is questioned, as four-bay enclosures can be obtained at a comparable price, and more powerful, expandable two-bay devices exist for advanced server workloads. The source recommends looking elsewhere or considering the QNAP TS-216G if cost saving is a priority, particularly for business use or expected growth.
Source: Trusted Reviews