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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-262
TS-462
TS-253E
TS-433 - -
TS-233 - -
TS-431X - -
DS423 -

LATEST PRICE LIST

TS-262
TS-462
TS-253E772.23 USD
TS-433
TS-233268.9 USD
TS-431X1023.76 USD
DS423

BEST FOR Virtualisation

NAS CPU Cores Threads Speed (GHz) Docker/VM Score ECC
TS-262 Intel® Celeron® N4505 2-core/2-thread processor, ... 2 2 2 (MAX:2.9) Docker/VM 2378 NO /4 GB DDR4 on board (non-expandable)
TS-462 Intel® Celeron® N4505 2-core/2-thread processor, ... 2 2 2 (MAX:2.9) Docker/VM 2378 NO /2 GB DDR4 SODIMM DDR4 (1 x 2 GB)
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)
TS-433 ARM 4-core Cortex-A55 2.0GHz processor 4 4 2 Docker 694 NO /4 GB DDR4, not expandable
TS-233 ARM 4-core Cortex-A55 2.0GHz processor 4 4 2 Docker 694 NO /2 GB DDR4, not expandable
TS-431X Annapurna Labs Alpine AL-212 2-core 1.7 GHz 2 2 1.7 Docker 400 NO /2 GB SODIMM DDR3 (1 x 2 GB)
DS423 Realtek RTD1619B 4 4 1.7 Docker 700 NO /2 GB DDR4 non-ECC

BEST FOR MULTIMEDIA

NAS GPU Base_GHz/Max Codec FPS Transcoding Plex
TS-262 Intel® UHD Graphics 450/750 H.264, H.265 60 2160 2160p
TS-462 Intel® UHD Graphics 450/750 H.264, H.265 60 2160 2160p
TS-253E Intel® UHD Graphics for 10th Gen 400/800 H.264 30 2160 2160p
TS-433 / H.264 30 1080 720p
TS-233 / H.264 30 1080 720p
TS-431X / 0
DS423 Mali-G51 GPU / H.264, H.265 60 2160

BEST FOR FILE STORAGE

NAS BAYS Bandwidth HDD storage expansion Drive mixing File System
TS-262 2 HDD 2.5Gbit (1 ports combined) 44TB EXT4
TS-462 4 HDD 3.5Gbit (2 ports combined) 88TB EXT4
TS-253E 2 HDD 5Gbit (2 ports combined) 44TB EXT4
TS-433 4 HDD 3.5Gbit (2 ports combined) 88TB EXT4
TS-233 2 HDD 1Gbit (1 ports combined) 44TB EXT4
TS-431X 4 HDD 12Gbit (3 ports combined) 88TB EXT4
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-262 folder face HDD/volume /folder
TS-462 folder face HDD/volume /folder
TS-253E folder face HDD/volume /folder
TS-433 folder face HDD/volume /folder
TS-233 folder face HDD/volume /folder
TS-431X folder face HDD/volume /folder
DS423 folder face /folder

BEST FOR VIDEO EDITING

NAS MAX LAN speed Ports transcoding PCIe NVMe
TS-262 2.5Gbit Slot 1: PCIe Gen 3 x2 2 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 x1
TS-462 2.5Gbit Slot 1: PCIe Gen 3 x2 2 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 x1
TS-253E 2.5Gbit 2 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 x2
TS-433 2.5Gbit
TS-233 1Gbit
TS-431X 10Gbit 1 x 10GbE SFP+
DS423 1Gbit

BEST FOR SURVEILLANCE (CCTV)

NAS HDMI QVM transcoding AI
TS-262 1, HDMI™ 2.1 (up to 4096 x 2160 @ 60Hz)
TS-462 1, HDMI™ 2.1 (up to 4096 x 2160 @ 60Hz)
TS-253E 2 x HDMI 1.4b ( up to 3840 x 2160 @ 30Hz )
TS-433
TS-233
TS-431X
DS423

BEST FOR SMART HOME/ AI

NAS Virtual switch Docker/VM HDMI S/PDIF / AUX
TS-262 Docker/VM 1, HDMI™ 2.1 (up to 4096 x 2160 @ 60Hz)
TS-462 Docker/VM 1, HDMI™ 2.1 (up to 4096 x 2160 @ 60Hz)
TS-253E Docker/VM 2 x HDMI 1.4b ( up to 3840 x 2160 @ 30Hz )
TS-433 Docker
TS-233 Docker
TS-431X Docker
DS423 Docker

LATEST VIDEOS RELATED


AVAILABILITY / RELEASE DATE

Brand Model TW USA UK Released
Qnap TS-262 2022-08
Qnap TS-462 2022-07
Qnap TS-253E 2022-06
Qnap TS-433 2022-05
Qnap TS-233 2022-02
Qnap TS-431X 2020-07
Synology DS423 2023-03

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RELATED REVIEWS

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


8.2
PROS
👍🏻Good value hardware and software at this pricepoint
👍🏻2GB of DDR4 Memory at the affordable tier is very welcome
👍🏻
👍🏻Runs the latest version of QTS 5
👍🏻
👍🏻First Value Tier NAS in the market to use the Cortex A55 Processor
👍🏻
👍🏻Quad-Core Processor is a nice bonus
👍🏻
👍🏻Inclusive AI-powered component built into the hardware
👍🏻
👍🏻USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port and Copy Button always good at the value tier
👍🏻
👍🏻Support for NAS-to-NAS/USB/Cloud backups and also supported Hybrid Storage and mounting
CONS
👎🏻1GbE in 2022 event at the value tier is underwhelming
👎🏻2x USB 2.0 Ports is equally underwhelming

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 - 6/10
HARDWARE - 8/10
PERFORMANCE - 8/10
PRICE - 8/10
VALUE - 9/10


7.8
PROS
👍🏻Very compact chassis design, despite large storage potential
👍🏻A BIG jump in hardware and scale from the QNAP TS-251D
👍🏻Easily one of the most hardware-packed SMB/Mid-range 2-Bay on the market
👍🏻HDMI 2.1 Support is fantastically future-proof!
👍🏻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
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
👎🏻HD Station application needs more updates by the brand
👎🏻Fixed 4GB of memory will annoy some users
👎🏻The QuTS ZFS Platform is not available
👎🏻Software can be a little inconsistent under excessive use and features a steeper learning curve than Synology

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


7.8
PROS
👍🏻Very compact chassis design, despite large storage potential
👍🏻A BIG jump in hardware and scale from the QNAP TS-451D
👍🏻Easily one of the most hardware-packed SMB/Mid-range 2-Bay on the market
👍🏻HDMI 2.1 Support is fantastically future-proof!
👍🏻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
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
👎🏻HD Station application needs more updates by the brand
👎🏻Base 2GB Memory is quite small!
👎🏻Software can be a little inconsistent under excessive use and features a steeper learning curve than Synology

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-262
TS-462
TS-253E772.23 USD
TS-433
TS-233268.9 USD
TS-431X1023.76 USD
DS423
DEAL WATCH - Is It On Offer Right Now?

QNAP TS-462-4G NewEgg usa USA $366.75 (WAS 439) [LINK]
QNAP TS-462-4G NewEgg usa USA $366.75 (WAS 439) [LINK]
Synology DS423 NAS Amazon UK UK £332 (15% OFF) [LINK]
QNAP TS-233-US 2 Bay Affordable Desktop NAS with ARM Cortex-A55 Quad-core Proces Amazon usa USA 5.76 OFF (WAS 276) [LINK]
Synology 4-Bay DiskStation DS423 (Diskless) Black Amazon usa USA 15.34 OFF (WAS 385) [LINK]
Synology DiskStation DS423 4-Bay 3.5 Diskless 2xGbE NAS, Realtek RTD1619B 4-core Amazon usa USA 160.26 OFF (WAS 550) [LINK]
QNAP TS-253E Single Memory 8GB Amazon usa USA 372.89 OFF (WAS 1145) [LINK]
QNAP TS-431XeU-2G 4-Bay 1U Short-Depth Rackmount NAS with 10Gbe SFP+ Port Amazon usa USA 219.73 OFF (WAS 1087) [LINK]
Synology DiskStation DS423 4 Bay Desktop NAS Enclosure Amazon UK UK 368.69 OFF (WAS 750) [LINK]

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