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GENERAL NAS FEATURE COMPARISON

NAS Plex (local 4K) Plex HD (remote) Plex 4K (remote) BACKUP (MS/GOOGLE OFFICE) BACKUP (BAREBONE) PHOTOS (OBJECT AI) VIDEO EDITING (4K) VIDEO EDITING (8K) DOCKER VIRTUAL MACHINES PC MODE (QVM) 2.5GbE 10GbE 25GbE Thunderbolt NVMe Pcie Expansion HDMI Drive Mixing
TS-264
TS-453E
TS-253E
DS224+
DS423+

LATEST PRICE LIST

TS-264435.4 GBP958.08 USD
TS-453E3616.99 GBP639 USD
TS-253E1014.78 GBP733.62 USD
DS224+300.9 GBP387.98 USD
DS423+499.99 GBP542.1 USD

BEST FOR Virtualisation

NAS CPU Cores Threads Speed (GHz) Docker/VM Score ECC
TS-264 Intel® Celeron® N5095 4-core/4-thread p... 4 4 2 (MAX:2.9) Docker/VM 4036 NO /8 GB DDR4 on board (non-expandable)
TS-453E Intel® Celeron® J6412 4-core/4-thread processor, b... 4 4 2 (MAX:2.6) Docker/VM 3849 NO /8 GB DDR4 on board (non-expandable)
TS-253E Intel® Celeron® J6412 4-core/4-thread processor, b... 4 4 2 (MAX:2.6) Docker/VM 3849 NO /8 GB DDR4 on board (non-expandable)
DS224+ Intel Celeron J4125 4 4 2 (MAX:2.7) Docker/VM 2982 NO /2 GB DDR4 non-ECC
DS423+ Intel Celeron J4125 4 4 2 (MAX:2.7) Docker/VM 2982 NO /2 GB DDR4 non-ECC

BEST FOR MULTIMEDIA

NAS GPU Base_GHz/Max Codec FPS Transcoding Plex
TS-264 Intel® UHD Graphics 450/750 H.264 60 2160 2160p
TS-453E Intel® UHD Graphics for 10th Gen 400/800 H.264 30 2160 2160p
TS-253E Intel® UHD Graphics for 10th Gen 400/800 H.264 30 2160 2160p
DS224+ Intel® UHD Graphics 600 250/750 H.264 60 2160 2160p
DS423+ Intel® UHD Graphics 600 250/750 H.264 60 2160 2160p

BEST FOR FILE STORAGE

NAS BAYS Bandwidth HDD storage expansion Drive mixing File System
TS-264 2 HDD 5Gbit (2 ports combined) 44TB EXT4
TS-453E 4 HDD 5Gbit (2 ports combined) 88TB EXT4
TS-253E 2 HDD 5Gbit (2 ports combined) 44TB EXT4
DS224+ 2 HDD 2Gbit (2 ports combined) 44TB EXT4 BTRFS
DS423+ 4 HDD 2Gbit (2 ports combined) 88TB EXT4 BTRFS

*All NAS support multiple RAID/ volume groups, if you want to mix different size drive on non supported model.

BEST FOR BACKUP

NAS Level HA AI Google Microsoft encryption
TS-264 folder face HDD/volume /folder
TS-453E folder face HDD/volume /folder
TS-253E folder face HDD/volume /folder
DS224+ folder/barebone face volume/folder
DS423+ folder/barebone face volume/folder

BEST FOR VIDEO EDITING

NAS MAX LAN speed Ports transcoding PCIe NVMe
TS-264 2.5Gbit Slot 1: PCIe Gen 3 x2 2 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 x1
TS-453E 2.5Gbit 2 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 x2
TS-253E 2.5Gbit 2 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 x2
DS224+ 1Gbit
DS423+ 1Gbit 2x NVME gen2 x1 ???

BEST FOR SURVEILLANCE (CCTV)

NAS HDMI QVM transcoding AI
TS-264 1, HDMI™ 2.1 (up to 4096 x 2160 @ 60Hz)
TS-453E 2 x HDMI 1.4b ( up to 3840 x 2160 @ 30Hz )
TS-253E 2 x HDMI 1.4b ( up to 3840 x 2160 @ 30Hz )
DS224+
DS423+

BEST FOR SMART HOME/ AI

NAS Virtual switch Docker/VM HDMI S/PDIF / AUX
TS-264 Docker/VM 1, HDMI™ 2.1 (up to 4096 x 2160 @ 60Hz)
TS-453E Docker/VM 2 x HDMI 1.4b ( up to 3840 x 2160 @ 30Hz )
TS-253E Docker/VM 2 x HDMI 1.4b ( up to 3840 x 2160 @ 30Hz )
DS224+ Docker/VM
DS423+ Docker/VM

LATEST VIDEOS RELATED


AVAILABILITY / RELEASE DATE

Brand Model TW USA UK Released
Qnap TS-264 2022-09
Qnap TS-453E 2022-06
Qnap TS-253E 2022-06
Synology DS224+ 2023-07
Synology DS423+ 2023-03

LATEST POSTS RELATED


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Synology DS423+ NAS Noctua Fans and Velcro Guide
Synology NAS Noctua Fans and Velcro Tutorial - DS923+ / DS423+ / DS920+ / DS420+ / DS918+
Synology NAS Noctua Fans and Velcro Mod - DS923+ / DS423+ / DS920+ / DS420+ / DS918+
Synology DS423+ vs DS923+ NAS - Which Should You Buy in 2024?
Synology DS923+ vs DS423+ NAS - Which Should You Buy?
Synology 4-Bay (5-bay) NAS Range Compared, Which One Is The Best DS423 Vs DS423+ Vs DS923+ Vs DS1522
Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-262 NAS - Which is Best For You?


RELATED REVIEWS

SOFTWARE - 10/10
HARDWARE - 6/10
PERFORMANCE - 7/10
PRICE - 8/10
VALUE - 7/10


7.6
PROS
👍🏻Synology 4-Bay NAS with a 4-Core Intel Integrated Gfx Processor - Lovely stuff!
👍🏻Runs Everything in the Synology DSM Catalogue (Active Backup, Surveillance Station, VMM, Drive, Collab Suite, etc)
👍🏻Great Plex, Emby and Jellyfin Media Server Performance
👍🏻Broad HDD/SSD Compatibility with Synology drives AND Seagate+WD
👍🏻Low Impact chassis, low noise in operation (HDD dependant) and efficient power use
👍🏻Runs exceedingly well on just 2GB of Memory
👍🏻More affordable than the DS923+ and DS723+
👍🏻Long-running DSM Support beyond the Hardware
CONS
👎🏻No means to upgrade network connectivity and 1GbE by default
👎🏻Memory maximum cap at 6GB as original 2GB is fixed (non-upgradable)
👎🏻Small Jump from the 2020 released DS220+
👎🏻Non-Expandable
👎🏻Lack of M.2 NVMe Support

SOFTWARE - 10/10
HARDWARE - 7/10
PERFORMANCE - 8/10
PRICE - 7/10
VALUE - 7/10


7.8
PROS
👍🏻Synology 4-Bay NAS with a 4-Core Intel Integrated Gfx Processor - Lovely stuff!
👍🏻Runs Everything in the Synology DSM Catalogue (Active Backup, Surveillance Station, VMM, Drive, Collab Suite, etc)
👍🏻Great Plex, Emby and Jellyfin Media Server Performance
👍🏻Supports M.2 NVMe SSD Storage Pools
👍🏻Broad HDD/SSD Compatibility with Synology drives AND Seagate+WD
👍🏻Low Impact chassis, low noise in operation (HDD dependant) and efficient power use
👍🏻Runs exceedingly well on just 2GB of Memory
👍🏻More affordable than the DS923+ and DS723+
👍🏻Long-running DSM Support beyond the Hardware 3yr Warranty
CONS
👎🏻No means to upgrade network connectivity and 1GbE by default
👎🏻Memory maximum cap at 6GB as original 2GB is fixed (non-upgradable)
👎🏻Too similar to the DS920+
👎🏻Non-Expandable
👎🏻2019/2020 Gen Intel CPU

SOFTWARE - 8/10
HARDWARE - 8/10
PERFORMANCE - 9/10
PRICE - 7/10
VALUE - 8/10


8.0
PROS
👍🏻Exceptional CPU choice for the Scale/Tier
👍🏻8GB of DDR4 Memory
👍🏻2.5GbE (x2) Ports on Day 1
👍🏻Two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb/s) Ports!
👍🏻2x M.2 NVMe Slots alongside those 4x SATA Bays for Storage (Caching, Tiered Storage or standalone Pools)
👍🏻Includes VM, Surveillance (8 licenses and upto 32 Cams), Backup, Sync, Multimedia, SaaS sync/migration and office tools (some with added AI services)
👍🏻3-Year Warranty (Can be extended)
👍🏻VERY Compact, low-impact design
👍🏻Supports 1-2x Expansions
👍🏻20TB and 22TB Confirmed Compatibility
CONS
👎🏻
👎🏻Memory Cannot be Upgraded
👎🏻M.2 NVMe SSD Slots are Gen 3 x2
👎🏻Chassis is still a little dated looking

SOFTWARE - 8/10
HARDWARE - 9/10
PERFORMANCE - 9/10
PRICE - 8/10
VALUE - 8/10


8.4
PROS
👍🏻Very compact chassis design, despite large storage potential
👍🏻A BIG jump in hardware and scale from the TS-253Be and TS-253D
👍🏻Easily one of the most hardware-packed SMB/Mid-range 2-Bay on the market
👍🏻8GB Memory in the base model will certainly appeal to some users looking at pimping this system out fully in terms of hardware upgrades and storage
👍🏻m.2 NVMe SSD Bays AND a PCIe Upgrade Slot (no need to choose one upgrade path)
👍🏻8x Included Camera Licenses
👍🏻Includes Anti-virus, Firewall Tool, VPN client tools, Malware Remover, network manager and Security Councilor Tool
👍🏻3 Different Container/VM tools that also feature image download centers
👍🏻10Gb/s (1,000MB/s) USB Ports will be incredibly useful
👍🏻Large range of expansion options in the TR/TL series in 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 Bays
👍🏻HDMI 2.1 Support in the 2-Bay, whereas the 4/6-Bay still runs HDMI 2.0 (released in Spring \'22)
CONS
👎🏻The PCIe Slot is PCIe 3x2 and the M.2 SSD Bays are PCIe 3x1 (likely limitations of all this H/W on a Celeron+chipset
👎🏻Default 8GB of memory (again, down to global memory shortages) does increase the base price and is non-upgradable too
👎🏻The software can be a little inconsistent under excessive use and features a steeper learning curve than Synology

SOFTWARE - 8/10
HARDWARE - 10/10
PERFORMANCE - 9/10
PRICE - 8/10
VALUE - 9/10


8.8
PROS
👍🏻Exceptional CPU choice for the Scale/Tier
👍🏻8GB of DDR4 Memory
👍🏻2.5GbE (x2) Ports on Day 1
👍🏻Two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb/s) Ports!
👍🏻2x M.2 NVMe Slots alongside those 4x SATA Bays for Storage (Caching, Tiered Storage or standalone Pools)
👍🏻Includes VM, Surveillance (8 licenses and upto 32 Cams), Backup, Sync, Multimedia, SaaS sync/migration and office tools (some with added AI services)
👍🏻3-Year Warranty (Can be extended)
👍🏻VERY Compact, low-impact design
👍🏻Supports 1-2x Expansions
👍🏻20TB and 22TB Confirmed Compatibility
CONS
👎🏻Memory Cannot be Upgraded
👎🏻M.2 NVMe SSD Slots are Gen 3 x2
👎🏻Chassis is still a little dated looking

In terms of these two brands, there is been a long-running theme all the way through that Synology has focused on FIRST-PARTY (i.e. Synology-brand) software and hardware priority, then supporting THIRD-PARTY services/hardware when they haven’t got a viable alternative in-house – to mixed degrees of popularity. Whereas QNAP has been a much more level playing field where they have released their own innovative hardware/software (occasionally a little too quickly) and singing its praises, but also tried to keep customization and flexibility for 3rd parties as open as possible and shouting loud-and-proud about that too – which can be a tad overwhelming for the less tech-savvy. Both brands have done an incredible job evolve their platforms as much as they have to date, especially when Microsoft, Google and Amazon are pouring BILLIONS into the SaaS (and PaaS and IaaS – Platform and Infrastructure as a Service) in order to create entirely streamable ecosystems for businesses, with NAS brands like Synology and QNAP not only integrating with them but also thriving alongside them as a local/bare-metal failsafe. These are all very lofty ideas and ones that most home or small business users will likely have little time for right now (aside from where NAS fits in with their Google/Office 365 office tools like documents, email and spreadsheets at a pinch) and for those users, who the NAS stands on its own two feet is what is going to matter most. Synology is earning its position in the market as the complete 1st party software and hardware package, with a genuinely groundbreaking range of available services, but still managing to make NAS accessible for all in DSM 6.2/7.0/7.1. That said, the trends we are seeing in those sub-enterprise services that are slowly receding in support of popular 3rd party hardware, software and services, making using a Synology NAS alongside your own existing setup in a frictionless way cannot be ignored and leading some to think Synology is shifting their industry position towards something higher.

QNAP NAS on the other hand, although maybe trying to cover too many bases at once, is still trying to cover as much as it can to appear to their audience. Their support of considerably more 3rd party platforms/software/services, even when they have their own software available, is certainly admirable and aside from rather aggressive pricing on their QVR Pro surveillance platform, are still the better choice for those who want a much more adaptable and customizable platform. Its a pretty understandable fact that most people who buy a NAS will be arriving with an existing collection of software in their daily workflow (Office 365 for docs, Gmail for their email, Plex for their media, Chromebook for their commute, Skype/Whatsapp for their communication, TB3 for their editing, etc) and it has to be said that QNAP keeps a more open platform to adapt a NAS into this mix than Synology – occasionally less intuitively and not without a little setup-friction, but certainly to more customizable results. Unsurprisingly, I am going to tell you that both Synology and QNAP NAS are good NAS brands and have earned their place at the top of the industry (whilst both making their own respective moves to integrate into the next tier – ie SaaS providers, Hyperscale environments and Boundless cloud storage), but there is no denying that no one brand has managed to do EVERYTHING to perfection. So, if in double, below is how I would recommend QNAP and Synology NAS to you, for each user case scenario and I hope this guide and my recommendations help you with your next big data storage purchase.

Why Choose Synology NAS?

Better Surveillance Software

More Intuative and User-Friendly Design

EXCELLENT 1st Party Alternative Apps to Existing 3rd Party Tools

(including Synology Chat, Mail, Office, Drive, Calendar and more)

Greater Support/Migration with VMware & Hyper-V

Better Redundant System Options (SHA)

Greater Support on Amazon Home Hardware

Synology Hybrid RAID for flexibility in Media Upgrades

BTRFS on Most systems

Longer Warranty Available on More Systems

First Party SSD and HDDs Available

Typically Quieter Operation

Why Choose QNAP NAS?

Better 1st Party/Hosting Virtual Machines

Better Plex Media Server NAS

More Adaptable and Customizable

Wider Support of Surveillance using AI Recognition

EXCELLENT KVM Support

More Camera Licenses

ZFS or EXT4 File System Choice on many systems now

2.5Gbe Network Interfaces at 1Gbe Cost

Allows NVMe SSD Storage Pools and Volumes

Support of QTier for intelligent Data storage for Access

Greater 1st and 3rd Party Hardware Upgrade Compatibility

(including Graphics Cards, WiFi 6 and Thunderbolt)


LATEST PRICE LIST

TS-264435.4 GBP958.08 USD
TS-453E3616.99 GBP639 USD
TS-253E1014.78 GBP733.62 USD
DS224+300.9 GBP387.98 USD
DS423+499.99 GBP542.1 USD
DEAL WATCH - Is It On Offer Right Now?

Synology DS224+ NAS Amazon UK UK £299 (4% Off) HERE [LINK]
Synology DS224+ 2 Bay NAS Desktop: Efficient Storage Solution Amazon usa USA 178.26 OFF (WAS 526) [LINK]
QNAP TS-253E Single Memory 8GB Amazon usa USA 38.61 OFF (WAS 772) [LINK]
QNAP TS-264 Single Unit 8GB Memory Amazon usa USA 75.02 OFF (WAS 1033) [LINK]
Synology 2-Bay DiskStation DS224+ (without Disk) Amazon UK UK 11.09 OFF (WAS 312) [LINK]
QNAP TS-264-8G-US 2 Bay High-Performance Desktop NAS with Intel Celeron Quad-cor Amazon UK UK 6.03 OFF (WAS 441) [LINK]
QNAP TS-253E-8G 2-Bay Intel Quad-core CPU Multimedia NAS with Dual 2.5GbE, 8GB R Amazon UK UK 24.9 OFF (WAS 498) [LINK]
QNAP TS-253E-8G 2 Bay Desktop NAS Amazon UK UK 96 OFF (WAS 600) [LINK]
QNAP TS-453E-8G 4 Bay Desktop Amazon UK UK 8.74 OFF (WAS 640) [LINK]
Synology DS224+ 8TB 2 Bay NAS Solution installed with 2 x 4TB HAT3300 Drives Amazon UK UK 101.81 OFF (WAS 750) [LINK]
Synology DS224+ 2-Bay Diskstation NAS (Intel Celeron J4125 4-Core 2.0 GHz 2GB DD Amazon UK UK 82.8 OFF (WAS 773) [LINK]
QNAP TS-453E-8G 4-Bay Intel Quad-core CPU Multimedia NAS with Dual 2.5GbE, 8GB R Amazon UK UK 15.43 OFF (WAS 719) [LINK]
Synology DS224+ 12TB 2 Bay NAS Solution installed with 2 x 6TB HAT3300 Drives Amazon UK UK 48.83 OFF (WAS 812) [LINK]
Synology DS224+ 2-Bay Diskstation NAS (Intel Celeron J4125 4-Core 2.0 GHz 2GB DD Amazon UK UK 459.18 OFF (WAS 1319) [LINK]
Synology DS224+ 2-Bay Diskstation NAS (Intel Celeron J4125 4-Core 2.0 GHz 2GB DD Amazon UK UK 303.26 OFF (WAS 1199) [LINK]
Synology DS224+ 2-Bay Diskstation NAS (Intel Celeron J4125 4-Core 2.0 GHz 2GB DD Amazon UK UK 12.99 OFF (WAS 946) [LINK]
Synology DS224+ 32TB 2 Bay NAS Solution installed with 2 x 16 HAT3300 Drives Amazon UK UK 12.37 OFF (WAS 1237) [LINK]

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