Brand New Synology DVA3221 GPU Card Enabled Surveillance Server for 2020/2021
One of the main reasons that a lot of businesses look at the Synology NAS platform is because they trust that their data will be safe. Synology has a fantastically good reputation in the field of NAS and part of that comes down to their systems being complete hardware + software solutions. Although a large number of applications in the Diskstation Manager (DSM) platform stand out (Synology Active Backup Sync, Hyper Backup, Office, Chat, Mail, Drive, VMM, etc) one application that get’s a lot of attention (i.e awards) is Synology Surveillance Station. This Enterprise-class, yet incredibly intuitive and functional network video recording software has always been a very appealing software selling point. However, the majority of Synology NAS hardware systems cannot provide the FULL extent of what that application can do and for that, you need a Surveillance optimized box – say hello to the new Synology DVA3221 4-Bay NAS desktop system, a followup to the DVA3219 system. This new and improved Deep Video Analysis (DVA) system features more memory and an improved GPU/Graphics Card inside, to provide an improved NVR and traditional NAS combination device over its predecessor. Let’s take a look at everything we know about the Synology DVA3221 and whether it deserves pride of place in your new surveillance upgrade.
What are the Hardware Specifications of the Synology DVA3221 Diskstation
The hardware specifications of the Synology DVA3221 are very similar in architecture to the DVA3219 that came before it, but that is not a bad thing. Arriving with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics card pre-installed, this allows Surveillance Station access to considerable more GPU resources in its analysis of recorded footage – both on archived footage AND on LIVE recordings, using AI support and Deep learning. This card is a PCIe Gen 3 x16 equipped device and 4GB of DDR5 memory onboard. Alongside this, the Synology features an Intel Atom C3538 processor, which might disappoint a few users hoping for the support of the AMD Ryzen V1500B we saw recently provided in the DS1621+, but this processor DOES feature a good range of PCIe Lanes and memory support, allowing the DVA3221 to arrive with 8GB of DDR4 memory (upgradable to 32GB), 4 1Gbe LAN ports, USB 3.2 Gen 1 and eSATA expandability of up to a total of 14 SATA HDDs (using the eSATA DX517 expansion device x2). Because of the GPU card that arrives pre-installed, there are no further PCIe slots available for upgrading network connectivity, as well as it requiring a 250W PSU (despite it being a mere 4-Bay device). Full specifications for the DVA3221 are:
| Model ID | Synology DVA3221 NAS/NVR
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Check Amazon for Stock/Price |
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| Processor model | Intel Atom C3538 |
| Processor architecture | 64-bit |
| Processor clock | Quad core 2.1 GHz |
| Hardware encryption engine (AES-NI) | Yes |
| GPU model | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 |
| Remarks | HDMI output is not supported. |
| System memory | 8 GB DDR4 |
| Pre-installed memory modules | 8 GB (4 GB x 2) |
| Total memory slots | 2 |
| Maximum memory capacity | 32 GB (16 GB x 2) |
| Number of Disk Slots | 4 |
| Rear Ports |  |
| Maximum number of disk bays for installing expansion units | 14 (DX517 x 2) |
| Disk hot swap support | YES |
| RJ-45 1GbE network port | 4 (Support Link Aggregation / Failover) |
| USB 3.0 port | 3 |
| eSATA port | 2 |
| COM Port | 1 |
| Size (height X width X depth) | 166 mm x 250 mm x 237 mm |
| weight | 4.92 kg |
| Wake on LAN | YES |
| System fan | 120 mm x 120 mm x 1 pcs |
| Noise value | 28.3 dB(A) |
| Timer switch | YES |
| Power supply/transformer | 250 W |
| Warranty | 3 Years |
Another notable factor that might disappoint some users is the lack of HDMI output. Synology has never really engaged in HDMI and Direct Output on their systems (even on the DVA3219 predecessor to the DVA3221), and this NAS is no exception. This is a shame because there ARE Synology NAS with HDMI output and a surveillance station GUI for a KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) set up in the NVR1219 and VS960. In the DVA3219 from early last year, we were able to remove the chassis of the NAS and found that the card itself features the stock HDMI and DVI connectors, which are disabled and blocked in the backplane.
Photo of DVA3219
That said, the Synology Surveillance Station software (at 8.2 at time of writing) is still EASILY the best NVR and remote access CCTV control system currently available on NAS right now. Additionally, the GUI (via the internet or network) can be accessed as BOTH traditional DSM (with access to the full complement of collaboration, backup, office and multimedia applications, as well as running parallel with the Surveillance software and it’s own GUI. Though it should be noted that the DVA3221 will most likely (like the DVA3219) NOT allow applications other than the DVA components of surveillance station to access the GPU performance boosts.
What are the Software Specifications of the Synology DVA3221 NAS?
- Number of simultaneous cameras one time
- The frame rate of individual cameras recording
- Resolution supported by individual cameras simultaneously
How Does the Synology DVA3221 Compare with the DVA3219 NAS?
As mentioned, the new Synology DVA3221 is very similar to the older DVA3219 and despite its remarkable enterprise nature, there is every possibility that when the Synology DVA3221 is released, that the older DVA3219 will be available at a discount at some retailers. So, whether you want to choose between them to see which one is better for your surveillance needs, or wondering whether to upgrade early, here is how the DVA3219 and DVA3221 Synology Surveillance solutions compare.
Additionally, you can find my Synology DVA3219 NAS Review – https://nascompares.com/2019/08/29/synology-dva3219-surveillance-nas-hardware-review
At their core, the only real technical hardware difference that can be made between the Synology DVA3221 NAS and the DVA3219 is the Nvidia Graphics card that is installed inside each server and the amount of memory that the system arrives with by default. The DVA3221 arrives with a newer GeForce GTX1650 graphics card, originally released in the 2nd quarter of 2019, and is designed to be a much more compact and power-efficient graphics card (as one might expect for NAS server deployment and the 24×7 job of network surveillance). This is a noticeable degree higher in performance and efficiency than the late 2016 released GeForce GTX 1050 Ti that arrives in the DVA3219:
| GPU Model |
GeForce GTX1650 (DVA3221)
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GeForce GTX1050 Ti (DVA3219)
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| Release Year | Q2 2019 | Q4 2016 |
| Pipelines | 896 | 768 |
| Core clock speed | 1485 MHz | 1291 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1665 MHz | 1392 MHz |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 75 Watt | 75 Watt |
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| Texture fill rate | 93.24 | 66.82 |
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| Memory | 4GB GDDR5 | 4GB GDDR5 |
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| Memory Speed | 8000 MHz | 7008 MHz |
| Technical.City Pass | 7820 | 6400 |
| PC Builds.com Pass | 37372 | 28127 |
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The improvements in this graphics card are what largely makes up the improvement between these two NAS, but the 8GB of DDR4 memory that arrives with the DVA3221 (4GB greater than the DVA3219) is a welcome addition, given that the system is designed for large scale IP Camera use. Network cameras from companies like AXIS, Edimax, Hikvision and (current person recommendation) Reolink are all quite hungry for memory when deployed in higher resolution and frame rates, pushing larger and larger data packets for the NAS to storage – more memory is essential for more cameras and/or smoother coverage. Alongside this, both systems support BTRFS as the file system (as well as EXT4) and the Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) drive configuration – which is always a plus!
| Synology DVA3221
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Synology DVA3219
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Check Amazon for Stock/Price
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| Processor model | Intel Atom C3538 | Intel Atom C3538 |
| Processor architecture | 64-bit | 64-bit |
| Processor clock | Quad core 2.1 GHz | Quad Core 2.1 GHz |
| Hardware encryption engine (AES-NI) | YES | YES |
| GPU model | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti |
| System memory | 8 GB DDR4 | 4 GB DDR4 |
| Pre-installed memory modules | 8 GB (4 GB x 2) | 4 GB (4 GB x 1) |
| Total memory slots | 2 | 2 |
| Maximum memory capacity | 32 GB (16 GB x 2) | 32 GB (16 GB x 2) |
| Number of Disk Slots | 4 | 4 |
| Maximum number of disk bays for installing expansion units | 14 (DX517 x 2) | 14 (DX517 x 2) |
| Compatible Disk Type | 3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD |
3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD |
| Maximum internal net total storage capacity | 64 TB (16 TB drive x 4) (Capacity may vary by RAID types) | 64 TB (16 TB drive x 4) (Capacity may vary by RAID types) |
| Maximum net total storage capacity with expansion device | 224 TB (16 TB drive x 14) (Capacity may vary by RAID types) | 224 TB (16 TB drive x 14) (Capacity may vary by RAID types) |
| Maximum single storage capacity* | 108 TB | 108 TB |
| Disk hot swap support | YES | YES |
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| RJ-45 1GbE network port | 4 (Support Link Aggregation / Failover) | 4 (with Link Aggregation / Failover support) |
| USB 3.0 port | 3 | 3 |
| eSATA port | 2 | 2 |
| COM Port | 1 | 1 |
| Size (height X width X depth) | 166 mm x 250 mm x 237 mm | 166 mm x 250 mm x 237 mm |
| weight | 4.92 kg | 4.92 kg |
| Wake on LAN | YES | YES |
| System fan | 120 mm x 120 mm x 1 pcs | 120 mm x 120 mm x 1 pcs |
| Automatic power recovery | YES | YES |
| Noise value* | 28.3 dB(A) | 28.3 dB(A) |
| Timer switch | YES | YES |
| Power supply/transformer | 250 W | 250 W |
| AC input voltage | 100 V to 240 V AC | 100 V to 240 V AC |
| Current frequency | 50/60 Hz, single frequency | 50/60 Hz, Single Phase |
| Power consumption power* | 43.92 W (Access) 28.43 W (HDD Hibernation) |
53.78 W (Access) 34.01 W (HDD Hibernation) |
| British Thermal Unit | 149.86 BTU/hr (Access) 97.01 BTU/hr (HDD Hibernation) |
183.62 BTU/hr (Access) 116.12 BTU/hr (HDD Hibernation) |
| Remarks | The power consumption test data is obtained when the Western Digital 1TB WD10EFRX hard drive is full. | Power consumption is measured when it is fully loaded with Western Digital 1TB WD10EFRX hard drive(s). |
| Operating temperature | 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F) | 0°C to 40°C (32°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 |
Finally, in terms of software and it’s performance, both systems support up to 32 cameras, as well as arrive with 8 camera licenses to attach IP Cameras to the system. Performance differs across the spectrum of frames rates and resolutions on each system, but at a general level of recording and playback, the DVA3221 is the better choice in terms of software operation, thanks to that increase of memory and improved GPU card.
| Maximum number of cameras supported | 32 (including 8 Free License) | 32 (including 8 sets of free licenses) |
| Total FPS (H.264) | 960 FPS @ 720p (1280×720), 32 channels 448 FPS @ 1080p (1920×1080), 32 channels 280 FPS @ 3M (2048×1536), 28 channels 190 FPS @ 5M (2591×1944), 19 channels 130 FPS @ 4K (3840×2160), 13 channels |
960 FPS @ 720p (1280×720), 32 Channels 576 FPS @ 1080p (1920×1080), 32 Channels 310 FPS @ 3M (2048×1536), 31 Channels 200 FPS @ 5M (2591×1944), 20 Channels 90 FPS @ 4K (3840×2160), 9 Channels |
| Total FPS (H.265) | 960 FPS @ 720p (1280×720), 32 channels 960 FPS @ 1080p (1920×1080), 32 channels 320 FPS @ 3M (2048×1536), 32 channels 200 FPS @ 5M (2591×1944), 20 channels 150 FPS @ 4K (3840×2160), 15 channels |
960 FPS @ 720p (1280×720), 32 Channels 960 FPS @ 1080p (1920×1080), 32 Channels 960 FPS @ 3M (2048×1536), 32 Channels 320 FPS @ 5M (2591×1944), 32 Channels 230 FPS @ 4K (3840×2160), 23 Channels |
| Deep Video Analytics Feature | Vehicle detection Crowd count Face recognition Intrusion detection |
People and vehicle detection People counting Face recognition Intrusion detection Deep motion detection |
| Video Codec | H.264 H.264+ H.265 H.265+ MJPEG MPEG-4 MxPEG (does not support deep image analysis tasks) |
H.264 H.264+ H.265 H.265+ MJPEG MPEG-4 MxPEG (not supported by Deep Video Analytics tasks) |
| Audio Codec | AAC AMR G711 G726 PCM |
AAC AMR G711 G726 PCM |
When will the Synology DVA3221 NAS Be Released and How Much?
Release of the Synology DVA3221 and the price of the system should not be too hard to clarify. Right now it is listed on the official Synology.tw pages, so that generally means that release will be spread globally in the coming month or so (based on previous hardware releases) but that is by no means concrete and could still mean a regional-only release. Regarding price, given the similarity of the DVA3221 to the Synology DVA3219, I can imagine that the pricing structure will also be quite similar, at around £1600+ (including the tax).
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Watching this in 2021, I am still not 100% sold on the features of this for the price of the unit. In 2019 It still would have been questionable for the price of the unit.
Surveillance Station has come a long way to bridge gaps, but even now in 2021 Blue Iris still does more with Deepstack integration and the hardware for a 12 camera Blue Iris system is cheaper than the price of this unit, let alone the more updated unit (DVA 3222)
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