The DS918+ NAS versus DS916+ Synology Flagship 4-Bay NAS Comparison

• • • Both units cab be used as a fantastic Plex Media Server
    • Serve as a cross-platform service – bridging connections and transfers of files between Mac and Windows systems over the network
    • Heavily support backups, archiving, remote replication and comprehensive snapshot technology meaning you will have an equal amount of backup options whichever you go for. As well as migration, connection and interaction with existing cloud services like dropbox, Google Drive, ElephantDrive and Synology C2
    • Create a comprehensive Surveillance solutions, supporting multiple IP cameras and even arriving with some licences included

What is included when you buy the DS916+ Synology NAS?

As mentioned, the Synology DS916+ was released in Spring of 2016 and was very well received. It featured an impressive Quad Core Intel Pentium processor at 1.6GHz that could be burst up to 2.56GHz when needed. Alongside this the unit arrived in two different memory configurations, 2GB and 8GB of DDR3 Memory. This level of hardware coupled with the ever evolving DSM 6.1 (6.2 in beta soon) system software mean that it is able to perform most tasks that you throw at it. Over the last 12 months we have seen it used more and more as a business NAS for those looking to centralise all there files and integrate with their CRM or CMS.

Who is the DS916+ NAS 4-Bay aimed at?

Also it has become a very attractive NAS for those in the Photo and Video industry as a means of a single storage device for backing up, editing and sharing personal and professional images. Though the NAS is sold without Hard Drives installed, it is very easy to populate and arrives with almost every other component you will need to set up your Synology DS916+ NAS. Click below to watch our unboxing video from much earlier in 2016.

What is included when you buy the Synology DS918+ NAS?

The arrival of the DS918+ NAS, coming just over 15 months after the DS916+ is something of a change of scene for Synology in a number of ways. For a start the change in chassis design a welcome change. Many found the non-lockable trays and removable front panel a little clumsy. It was never a deal breaker, but it was certainly considered a bit of an unecessary device move. The new DS918+ arrives in a brand new chassis from Synology that adopts the traditionally preferred lockable, hot swap HDD trays, with improved ventilation on all sides of the device.

What else has changed between the DS916+ and the DS918+ NAS?

Though it is when we delve inside the DS918+ NAS that we really see the big changes that 15 months release difference have made. Let’s start with the obvious change – that CPU and Memory. The new 4-Bay still features an Intel processor, however instead of a Pentium, it is a Intel Celeron J3455 Quad Core CPU. The Intel J series has really made a name for itself as the home and SMB NAS CPU of choice (already featured on numerous new Synology and QNAP NAS systems). This CPU features a 1.5Ghz frequency that can burst up to 2.3 GHz on each core. This is further improved with DDR3L memory at 4GB. This is twice that of the base 2GB DS918+ NAS and is DDR3L, rather than DDR3. This means it will hit the same speed in Mhz, but with a lower power consumption and low temperature. Numerous options are open to you with this CPU, many such as AES-NI hardware encryption, transcoding, excellent Plex support and more are available with either this CPU or the Pentium in the DS916+. However this new CPU provides improved efficiency and will hit those targets much earlier than with less power consumed than that of the DS916+. Also the new CPU support dual channel 4K (two 4k files), where as the DS916+ only supports just the one channel. Finally CPU benchmark rated both of the processors in these devices and scored the Celeron J3455 much higher.

Synology DS916+ CPU	Synology DS918+ CPU

The Synology DS918+ and the NVMe SSD Caching – Gimmick or innovation?

The biggest and most highlighted difference between the DS916+ and DS918+ is the inclusion of two NVMe m.2 SSD slots inside the device. SSD caching is not new and serves as an important and cost-effective way to provide increased performance to your NAS or indeed any computer. It provides support to the CPU and RAM in a big, big way and can be assigned as read only or read and write cache (the latter often needing two SSD modules). The thing that makes the SSD caching on the DS918+ so different is the NVMe part. NVMe is a PCI express connection that is twice that of SATA (the connection of most normal HDD and SSD) – this means that not only will you have the SSD caching option, but you have it at TWICE the speed of almost ANY NAS from Synology, QNAP, Drobo and more. To my knowledge, the DS918+ is the only NAS available that arrives with NVMe SSD slots included by default – other NAS servers arrive with it as either an optional upgrade at £150-200+ extra or as just normal SATA M.2. This is a big, big step up from a company that has traditionally been associated with software over hardware. I would almost go as far as to say that this feature almost single-handedly wins the comparison between the DS916+ and DS918+ NAS.

Which should I buy? The Synology DS918+ or Synology DS916+ NAS? Conclusion

Ultimately it will come down to the extent you wish to push your NAS and the tasks you have in mind. But my recommendation is the DS918+ NAS, as it just gives you more for your money in terms of ability and future proofing. Check out my video below:

Below are the specifications of both the DS918+ and DS916+ NAS.  Don’t agree with my conclusion? Take a look below and then why not let me know what you think.

How the Synology DS918+ NAS and Synology DS916+ NAS Compare

Model	Synology DS916+ NAS £430+ ex.VAT – 2GB Memory £460+ ex.VAT – 8GB Memory 2X 4GB Memory installed	Synology DS918+ NAS £470+ ex.VAT – 4GB Memory £550+ ex.VAT – 8GB Memory (DS918+ and 4GB Upgrade)
Where to Buy
CPU Model	Intel Pentium N3710	Intel Celeron J3455
Cpu Benchmark Score	1889	2162
CPU Architecture	64-bit	64-bit
CPU Frequency	Quad Core 1.6 burst up to 2.56 GHz	Quad Core 1.5 burst up to 2.3 GHz
Hardware Transcoding Engine	H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), MPEG-2 and VC-1; maximum resolution: 4K (4096 x 2160); maximum frame rate per second (FPS): 30	H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), MPEG-2 and VC-1; maximum resolution: 4K (4096 x 2160); maximum frame rate per second (FPS): 30
Memory
System Memory	2 / 8 GB DDR3	4 GB DDR3L
Memory Module Pre-installed	2 (2x 1GB) or (2x 4GB)	4GB (1 x 4GB)
Total Memory Slots	2	2
Memory Expandable up to	8 GB (4 GB x 2)	8 GB (4 GB x 2)
Storage
Drive Bays	4	4
Maximum Drive Bays with Expansion Unit	9	9
M.2 Drive Slots	0	2
Compatible Drive Type* (See all supported drives)	3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD	3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD M.2 NVMe 2280 SSD
Maximum Internal Raw Capacity	40 TB (10 TB drive x 4) (Capacity may vary by RAID types)	40 TB (10 TB drive x 4) (Capacity may vary by RAID types)
Maximum Raw Capacity with Expansion Units	90 TB (10 TB drive x 9) (Capacity may vary by RAID types)	90 TB (10 TB drive x 9) (Capacity may vary by RAID types)
Maximum Single Volume Size	108 TB	108 TB
Hot Swappable Drive	YES	YES
External Ports
RJ-45 1GbE LAN Port	2 (with Link Aggregation / Failover support)	2 (with Link Aggregation / Failover support)
USB 3.0 Port	3	2
eSATA Port	1	1
File System
Internal Drives	Btrfs EXT4	Btrfs EXT4
External Drives	Btrfs EXT4 EXT3 FAT NTFS HFS+ exFAT*	Btrfs EXT4 EXT3 FAT NTFS HFS+ exFAT*
Notes	exFAT Access is purchased separately in Package Center.	exFAT Access is purchased separately in Package Center.
Appearance
Size (Height x Width x Depth)	165 mm x 203 mm x 233.2 mm	166 mm x 199 mm x 223 mm
Weight	2.04 kg	2.28 kg
Others
System Fan	92 mm x 92 mm x 2 pcs	92 mm x 92 mm x 2 pcs
Fan Speed Mode	Cool Mode Quiet Mode	Full-Speed Mode Cool Mode Quiet Mode
Noise Level*	19.4 dB(A)	19.8 dB(A)
Scheduled Power On/Off	YES	YES
Wake on LAN/WAN	YES	YES
Power Supply Unit / Adapter	100W	100W
AC Input Power Voltage	100V to 240V AC	100V to 240V AC
Power Frequency	50/60 Hz, Single Phase	50/60 Hz, Single Phase
Power Consumption*	30 W (Access) 13 W (HDD Hibernation)	28.8 W (Access) 12.6 W (HDD Hibernation)
British Thermal Unit	102.4 BTU/hr (Access) 44.4 BTU/hr (HDD Hibernation)	98.27 BTU/hr (Access) 42.99 BTU/hr (HDD Hibernation)
Environment Temperature
Operating Temperature	5°C to 40°C (40°F to 104°F)	5°C to 40°C (40°F to 104°F)
Storage Temperature	-20°C to 60°C (-5°F to 140°F)	-20°C to 60°C (-5°F to 140°F)
Relative Humidity	5% to 95% RH	5% to 95% RH
Certification	FCC Class B CE Class B BSMI Class B	FCC Class B CE Class B BSMI Class B
Warranty	3 Years	3 Years

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