Synology DS923+ 4K PLEX NAS TESTS

Last updated on 30 Jan 2023 📧 Subscribe
Contents hide
1 How Well Does the Synology DS923+ NAS Perform as a Plex Media Server?
2 What is the Hardware of the Synology DS923+ NAS Drive?
3 Understanding the Plex Media Server Tests of the Synology DS923+ NAS
4 How was the Synology DS923+ NAS Tested in Plex?
4.1 What % System Resources did the Synology DS923+ NAS Use in Plex when Idle?
4.2 Plex Test 1 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – IMAX 4K UHD H.264 8bit 40Mbps MKV
4.3 Plex Test 2 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – UHD 4K 10bit 16mbps HEVC H.265 MKV
4.4 Plex Test 3 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – IMAX 4K H.264 24FPS 40Mbs MKV
4.5 Plex Test 4 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – H.264 8bit 16Mbps MP4
4.6 Plex Test 5 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K UHD H.265 HEVC 8bit 60Mbps MKV
4.7 Plex Test 6 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K UHD H.265 HEVC 8bit 29Mbps MKV
4.8 Plex Test 7 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K UHD 5.265 HEVC 8bit 29Mbps MKV
4.9 Plex Test 8 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K H.264 12Mbps 24FPS MP4 Test
4.10 Plex Test 9 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 100mbs 1080p h.264 Test
4.11 Plex Test 10 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K H.264 8bit 32Mbs MKV
4.12 Is the Synology DS923+ NAS Any Good outside of Plex and Where Can I buy It?
5 Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

How Well Does the Synology DS923+ NAS Perform as a Plex Media Server?

Is the Synology DS923+ worth it as a Plex Media server NAS? Is that AMD Embedded Ryzen processor going to be a deal breaker? A Plex Media Server NAS is a network-attached storage (NAS) device that has the software for the Plex Media Server application installed. The device acts as a central repository for all multimedia files, and the Plex application streams the content to connected client devices such as smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs. The attraction of having control over all your movies, TV shows, music, and personal videos, in the sleek and organized way popularized by streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video, cannot be denied. With the rise of streaming platforms, however, comes the growing cost of monthly subscriptions and the uncertain ownership of the content. Even if you purchase digital movies or TV shows from online stores like Amazon Video, you still face the challenge of finding storage space and the risk of losing access if the platform loses its license. Having a Plex media server that offers a premium and accessible user interface, without the need for subscriptions, is a key reason why many home and prosumer users choose to invest in one. However, it’s important to note that not all NAS drives are created equal in terms of compatibility and performance with Plex. In this article, I will share my experience using the DS923+ NAS as a Plex media server, to help you make an informed decision on whether it’s worth storing your 4K multimedia content on it in 2023.

Note – If you are unfamiliar with the Synology DS923+ NAS, but you want to learn more about it, what else it can do and whether it is good for more than just Plex, you can watch my video review below:

What is the Hardware of the Synology DS923+ NAS Drive?

The Synology DS923+ NAS drive is structurally similar to most personal computers and laptops, as it features a CPU, memory, and storage. However, it boasts components that are designed to be more energy-efficient and provide optimal performance for 24/7 usage, with a greater emphasis on storage-related applications. On the other hand, the hardware in a PC or laptop is geared towards running general applications, with storage services being relatively basic. The DS923+ NAS is equipped with a popular mid-range server CPU, DDR4 memory, and can accommodate both Hard Drives and SSDs using SATA connections. Although the specifications of Synology NAS drives are not directly linked to Plex, it is important to understand the hardware specifications relevant to Plex when considering the DS923+ NAS. Below, I have compiled a list of the hardware specifications of the DS923+ that play a significant role in its compatibility and performance with Plex:

  • CPU: AMD Embedded Ryzen 2 Core / 4 Thread 2.6-3.1Ghz
  • Embedded Graphics: No
  • Memory (Quantity & Maximum): 4-32GB DDR4 ECC
  • Number of Storage Bays: Four
  • M.2 NVMe Caching Bays: x2
  • Network Connectivity: 2x 1GbE (10GbE Expansion Bay Option)

Next, let’s quickly touch on how we measure how good/bad the Synology DS923+ NAS is for Plex Media Server.

Understanding the Plex Media Server Tests of the Synology DS923+ NAS

Important Terms to Understand in Plex/NAS/Multimedia that will make the DS923+ NAS Plex Tests Easier to Understand.

  • SD, 160p, 240p, 480p, 720p, 1080p, 4K : The resolution refers to the level of detail at which media is displayed, ranging from SD to 160p, 240p, 480p, 720p, 1080p, and 4K. The higher the resolution, the more pixels are present, which is determined by the quality of the original recording. Displaying high-resolution media, such as 1080p and 4K, puts a heavier load on the NAS hardware. NAS devices with limited graphics capabilities or no graphics at all may struggle to play 4K media seamlessly or not play it at all. It’s important to keep in mind that just because a NAS brand, such as Synology, claims that their latest NAS is capable of natively playing 1080p or 4K media (natively meaning through their own software, client tools, and/or DLNA), this does not guarantee that the DS923+ NAS will perform the same way with Plex. As Plex is a third-party tool, it may have different requirements and limitations.
  • Transcoding, Encoding, Decoding: Transcoding, encoding, and decoding are various terms used when a media file needs to be transformed to be better suited for a specific device, internet connection, or hardware. When accessing media locally, transcoding may not be necessary, unless your files are mainly H.265/HEVC based. However, when accessing media from remote locations with limited bandwidth, weaker internet connection, or smaller devices, you may want to access the media in lower quality. This is where transcoding, or real-time encoding, comes in handy. Keep in mind that transcoding is one of the most demanding tasks for a NAS. To utilize the full resources of the NAS CPU, including its embedded graphics, you may need to enable the “Make My CPU Hurt” option in the encoder menu of the Plex NAS settings menu, which may require a Plex Pass subscription depending on the NAS.

  • H.264, HEVC, H.265: The compression techniques H.264, HEVC, and H.265 are used to make large media presentations suitable for viewing on home devices. While H.264 is widely supported by all devices, not all have permission or a license to play H.265/HEVC, as the licensing and patents for H.265/HEVC are complex, expensive, and spread across multiple providers. This can lead to the need for automatic conversion/transcoding of H.265/HEVC media into H.264, which consumes more system resources. The Synology NAS drive, like the rest of the Synology NAS range, does not come with HEVC support by default.
  • Bitrate:Bitrate refers to the quantity of data that is processed per unit of time, typically expressed in megabits per second (Mbps) for video and kilobits per second (kbps) for audio. The higher the bitrate, the better the quality and resolution of the media tends to be.

For more information on the most important terms to understand when discussing/researching a NAS as a Plex Media Server can be found in my video below:

If you have any further questions, you can use the free advice section at the bottom of the page and ask Eddie and me directly.

How was the Synology DS923+ NAS Tested in Plex?

The setup for testing the DS923+ NAS for Plex was as follows:

  • The Synology DS923+ NAS was accessed over a 1GbE network, however in order to test how the NAS would cope with transcoding/encoding, I would force the Plex Player client to transcode the file manually
  • The DS923+ NAS was used in the default CPU+Memory state that the base model arrives in (no upgraded memory or upgraded caching media)
  • Tests were performed one after the other with a short break between each test, so you might see the tail end of the previous test on a CPU graph, but I have pointed at the are of the % utilization that is important as per each test.

CLEAR PASS indicates successful file playback with enough resources for the NAS to handle other tasks, while PLAYED BUT HIGH CPU % signifies that the file played, but consumed significant system resources. FAIL AND-OR DID NOT PLAY means the file did not play or playback was choppy. To view the full video of the Plex tests performed on the Synology DS923+ NAS, watch the video below (warning: long). Or, you can scroll down to see individual test results and which ones succeeded and which ones failed.

What % System Resources did the Synology DS923+ NAS Use in Plex when Idle?

The Plex Media Server app requires a portion of system resources even when not playing multimedia, to ensure quick playback from the Synology NAS when requested remotely. While 2 cores and 2GB of memory are ideal for best performance, some NAS also reserve resources for system use. Knowing the amount of system resources consumed by the Synology DS923+ NAS when Plex is idle can provide insight into available power for playback. Here’s a screenshot of the DS923+ when Plex is running but no media is being accessed.

Plex Test 1 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – IMAX 4K UHD H.264 8bit 40Mbps MKV

Here is how the Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – IMAX 4K UHD H.264 8bit 40Mbps MKV File Performed:

RESULT: CLEAR PASS

Extra Notes: None

 

Plex Test 2 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – UHD 4K 10bit 16mbps HEVC H.265 MKV

Here is how the Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – UHD 4K 10bit 16mbps HEVC H.265 MKV File Performed:

RESULT: FAIL AND-OR DID NOT PLAY

Extra Notes: None

 

Plex Test 3 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – IMAX 4K H.264 24FPS 40Mbs MKV

Here is how the Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – IMAX 4K H.264 24FPS 40Mbs MKV File Performed:

RESULT: CLEAR PASS

Extra Notes: None

 

Plex Test 4 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – H.264 8bit 16Mbps MP4

Here is how the Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – H.264 8bit 16Mbps MP4 File Performed:

RESULT: CLEAR PASS

Extra Notes: None

 

Plex Test 5 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K UHD H.265 HEVC 8bit 60Mbps MKV

Here is how the Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K UHD H.265 HEVC 8bit 60Mbps MKV File Performed:

RESULT: FAIL AND-OR DID NOT PLAY

Extra Notes: None

 

Plex Test 6 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K UHD H.265 HEVC 8bit 29Mbps MKV

Here is how the Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K UHD H.265 HEVC 8bit 29Mbps MKV File Performed:

RESULT: FAIL AND-OR DID NOT PLAY

Extra Notes: None

 

Plex Test 7 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K UHD 5.265 HEVC 8bit 29Mbps MKV

Here is how the Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K UHD 5.265 HEVC 8bit 29Mbps MKV File Performed:

RESULT: FAIL AND-OR DID NOT PLAY

Extra Notes: None

 

Plex Test 8 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K H.264 12Mbps 24FPS MP4 Test

Here is how the Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K H.264 12Mbps 24FPS MP4 Test File Performed:

RESULT: CLEAR PASS

Extra Notes: None

 

Plex Test 9 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 100mbs 1080p h.264 Test

Here is how the Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 100mbs 1080p h.264 Test File Performed:

RESULT: CLEAR PASS 

Extra Notes: None

 

Plex Test 10 – Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K H.264 8bit 32Mbs MKV

Here is how the Synology DS923+ NAS Plex Test – 4K H.264 8bit 32Mbs MKV File Performed:

RESULT: CLEAR PASS

Extra Notes: None

 

Is the Synology DS923+ NAS Any Good outside of Plex and Where Can I buy It?

If you are interested in learning more about the Synology DS923+ NAS Drive, I am pleased to confirm that the review here on NASCompares is already live and you can find out more about this device below.

Quick Verdict of the Synology DS923+ NAS – What We Said in the DS923+ Review in Nov 2022:

Synology has clearly made something of a gamble in the release of the Synology DS923+ NAS. There is no avoiding that making the switch from the Intel Celeron that has historically been the build choice of this product family and opting for the AMD Emb.Ryzen has ruffled some feathers! On the face of it, the R1600 here has a heck of alot of going for it over the previous generation! Higher clock speed, greater PCIe Gen 3 Support throughout, that 4-32GB of DDR4 memory in such a compact system and just generally giving you a lot more horsepower to play with, as well as better bandwidth potential inside and out! But at what cost? The 1GbE standard connectivity in the base model leaves alot to be desired, the proprietary 10Gb upgrade (though incredibly handy) limits the upgradability a tad and the lack of an integrated graphics processor is likely going to result in many long-term Synology advocates to skip this generation. Synology Diskstation Manager (DSM 7.1 at the time of writing) still continues to impress and although the brand still continues to heavily push their 1st party priorities, they have left a little more wriggle room in DSM 7.1 than DSM 7 before it in terms of media compatibility. In terms of design, I cannot fault Synology on this as the DS923+ chassis still arrives as one of the best-looking and still exceptionally well-structured devices at this physical scale and storage level. As always, a Synology NAS is more about the software than the hardware (and the DS923+ delivers in spades on the software side!) and with DSM 7.2 around the corner improving things. Just always keep in mind that the Synology DS923+ NAS is a system that arrives with the slight emphasis on having to do many things ‘their way’. If you are less technically versed, then you will definitely appreciate this level of user-friendly design and assistance, but more technically minded admins’ main strain a pinch! In short, the DS923+ IS a good NAS drive, but its focus has certainly ebbed more towards the business user this generation than the home.

Read the Rest of the Review HERE. Alternatively, you can find out the Pros and Cons below, as a few retailers that sell the Synology DS923+ NAS. Thanks for reading and if you need any further help choosing the right NAS for your Plex Media Server, use the free advice section linked below. Have a great week.

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


8.6
PROS
👍🏻DSM 7/7.1 (and DSM7.2 Around the corner) still continues to be an absolute tour-de-force of NAS Software
👍🏻This latest generation expandable 4-Bay arriving with a 10G Upgrade Option is fantastic
👍🏻ECC Memory Support and scalability to 32GB is completely unparallel at this price point
👍🏻The design of the DS923+ NAS still continues to be market-leading
👍🏻The New CPU architecture allows great PCIe3 bandwidth to be afforded to the rest of the hardware, inside and out
👍🏻Low Noise, Low Physical Impact and Intelligent Automatic Power Use Adjustment Settings
👍🏻Increased Support for macOS in Synology Drive and Active Backup Suite (DSM 7.2)
👍🏻Synology C2 Cloud Services, 1st Party Backup/Sync Tools and Collaboration Suite App = Complete 1st Party Eco-system that can rival Office365 and Google Workspace
👍🏻PCIe Gen 3 M.2 NVMe SSD Support as Storage Pools!!! FINALLY!
👍🏻Tremendously User-Friendly!!!
CONS
👎🏻The AMD Emb.Ryzen instead of a Intel Celeron (with Integrated Graphics) will be a dealbreaker for alot of users
👎🏻The default 1GbE ports that the system arrives with are tremendously dated
👎🏻The USB ports on the system are older gen USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s) and their support/usability have been quite pared back in recent DSM releases
👎🏻The continued moves by Synology to prioritize 1st party hardware and software services may put some users off
👎🏻Plex Support on the Synology DS923+ is still great for native playback, client-side handling and client devices with relevant multimedia licenses in place, but if server-side media conversions are needed - this system will struggle in comparison with the DS920+ before it



 

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      146 thoughts on “Synology DS923+ 4K PLEX NAS TESTS”

      4. I have a 818+ that I snagged off of eBay a few years ago. It seems to struggle with streaming through Apple TV on my Plex Live TV. I am wondering if the new RS923 would be better at running this, do you have any thoughts?
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      5. I had problem about my synology nas
        And Steve Baker
        Technical Support Engineer write me about my problem that

        We are sorry to hear that your DS218 has to be reset. This is likely caused by an issue in the DSM operating-system.

        We understand that you are worried about losing your data. Please rest assured, your data should not be affected by the reset as the OS and data are stored in separate partitions on the drives. When re-installing the OS, the system should normally not touch the data-partitions of your drives.
        I beleived and i did what he said now all my data erased omg i shocked after sir Steve Baker dissepeared i am alone there is nothing in my hands
        Synology is regret bad nas choose qnap there isnt good support for problemss !!!
        There is no good service and support becarefullll!!!
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      6. Great video….. what was the RAM memory size of your NAS (8Gb standard or higher) or does it matter? Have you a video on the advantages of having more RAM on your NAS?
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      7. I have a synology RS3614xs+ NAS connected via iscsi to a Windows Server running Veeam for backups. The synology NAS is raid 6. The synology NAS is showing used space 29.8 TB / 33.4 TB 89% used space. The windows veeam server is showing 12.3 TB / 27.3 TB used space. Why the discrepancy ?
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      9. Hey guys! Can you help me with a recommendation for a 4k streaming/decoding NAS and some general phone/computer back up please? I just bought the DS224+, which I will returning now. Had my sights set on the DS923+, then debated with DS1522+, DS423, and now I’m looking at the QNAP TS-453E-8G-US. Any suggestions. Honestly, idk if I need to decode. I just keep hearing they. But I do have an eye and ear for 4k and quality audio. So I’d like to keep that.
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      10. Help please! I just need something that will house my high quality photos and videos recorded in 4K 60fps (HEVC?) and give my family the ability to watch the videos from their iPhones as seamlessly as if they are still saved on the devices. I will not buy QNAP again as their security flaws are unforgivable and they have made my current TS-470 pro obsolete. I am not able to view H.265 files anymore. I just bought a 923+ to replace it, but did I make the wrong choice?
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      14. I’ve been trying to buy a NAS for several months. Every time I watch your videos I get more confuse. What do you recommend for file and maybe old, stored movies on other hard drive.
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      15. Would the Synology DiskStation DS920+ run the videos that the Synology DiskStation DS923+ had a hard time playing or couldn’t play? Could you do a video where you do the same test you did I here but on a Synology DiskStation DS920+. That would be really helpful in my decision to purchase a DiskStation DS920+ or DiskStation DS9203. Thanks for the great video.
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      16. Every time I hear you say, “it’s playing absolutely fine”, I notice stuttering in the playback shown. Unacceptable for me, but that’s maybe due to what’s running in your system or network performance ? Or is it due to the NAS ?
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      17. I get you are more familiar with NAS as master. I remember the synology used to decode via video station. I get the r1600 doesnt have gpu is dump move giving 10gig and removing video trans coding. For 2023 it should be power house support 2-4 trans-coding . Most devices have 1-4 devices and not all can decode on the fly. So for Plex server is this NAS recommended or not.
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      20. Hi. Most of my movies or serials are in 1080p and I put OpenVPN to watch it outside and everything is running overall normally. I think that problem is only when playing with 4k formats. Is that right? Thanks
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      21. Hi! Please,
        I really do not understand why people are bothering about transcodeing on DS923+. I really do not understand…
        I have Plex server on DS923+ and everything is running great. Plex server, DS 923+ is doing transcodeing only for computers, mobile phone, etc. that doest not support 4K and than Plex server, DS 923 + have to do everything for them.
        Today and for last 10 years most of all devices have 4K support.
        All movies on 1080p are great and for that resolution movie runs great and that should be fine. Isn’t it?
        Is there something more that I do not know?
        As I said my DS923+ is running all movies and shows without any problem.
        Just one thing that I done is that I put OPENVPN on my mobile phone and it runs everything much quicker.
        Is there something that I’m missing?
        Thank you very much!
        Thanks in advance.
        Elvir
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      28. Hey. I have a synology 923+ 4bay. I upgraded the parts to 32gb of ram, 10gb Ethernet port and 2 400gb ssd cache. I ripped my 4k UHD blu rays to mkv files which average out to be 50gigs per movie. Watching them on plex at home it works flawlessly. But watching them outside of home it buffers every few seconds. Do you know what the problem is?
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      29. Can you connect the eSATA to a Mac or PC as “DAS” direct or is it only for expansion? If so that sucks because 1Gbe is slow for photography. 10Gbe not available on a customer PC.
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      30. After much debate we just ordered a 923+…but have we f’d up? Here are the factors: 2 adults who are NOT gamers. We watch on one large TV and will NOT be using any remote clients. We will NOT be sharing our Plex library. We have about 8000 DVDs. MOST are standard DVD’s, 40% are ripped from DVDs and have been compressed to fit 4.7 disks. And, about 10% are BluRays. I only understand the very basics of the 923 not having a graphics processor and not being able to play some really dense media, but, will the 923+ work for us or do we need a NVidia Shield Pro or Apple TV box?
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      31. Ow cmon those Synology SSDs are just insane over 300 euro for just 800 GB. While other brands offer fast SSDs for 104 euro for 2 Tb thats like € 0,052 vs € 0,387 per GB…. that’s almost 7,5x more.
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      32. I have purchased the DS923+. The following items do work fine. 4EA Seagate Exos 7E8 4th (ST4000NM0035) and NEMIX 16GB DDR4-2666 PC4-21300 SODIMM (D4ESO-2666-16G). No warning and working great.
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      35. So with last update DSM we can use m.2 SSD not only like cash for HDD. Maybe my question is not correct: can i setup Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) to ds923+ ssd m.2? I mean like in standart pc we have fast system drive with operating system (in this case i think it is m.2 ssd) and we have slow HDD for multimedia and other data.
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      36. Hi – I have a DS214Play that I am wanting to upgrade, I want to run virtual machines and use it for storage and for streaming. I was set on buying the 923+ but after viewing your video re no onboard graphics, I am considering alternatives. What would you recommend I go for? I would like to stay with the Synology brand and would like more than two bays.
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      42. Starting with 3x12TB plus the 2×8 I already have. Then I can just pull them out and expand if needed. Dedicate 8TB to plex. Adding an old m.2 1TB Drive and 10Gb card but only 2.5Gb for now.
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      45. The plex application on the xbox series S/X console perfectly reproduces 4K HEVC H.265 and other video files directly without transcoding on the PLEX server side!
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      46. Just came across your videos and they have given me some good information. I just picked up the 923+ to replace my WD EX4100 that I have been using as a plex server and just to store other media. I just learned this doesnt have the graphics built in which is one of the reason I wanted to upgrade as I was having issues with plex streaming outside my house and not have a good enough cpu in it for that and figured this having more ram and a better processor than the ex4100 and came recommend from the sales guy at microcenter. Now with that said would it be better to pickup a Nvidia Shield Pro to do the Plex encoding or something like a Intel Nuc to run the plex side?
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      47. Hello after I install in my Nas 923+ when open say “not Authorized” and don’t me allow to my Nas media files? I have create a video folder and allow Plex server to access in control painel
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      50. should i wait for this or get the 920+ ? im from India. my use cases will be mass storage for my 3D stuff, synology photos backup and JELLYFIN media server.
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      52. Why dont they include cat 8 ethernet cables in the year 2022/23??? I dont understand it. Is it so much more expansive? At least cat7. When i buy their 10gbe extension i need cat7 anyway so why not include from the beginning.
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      53. imo one of (by far) biggest issues you have not mentioned is the power consumption. 4x times more than the 920+? Holy!! That is unacceptable in these energy crises times…
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      55. Thank you very much for sharing this content! I have watched several videos in the past few weeks and would have loved to have seen them before purchasing my old nas QNAP TS-253 PRO. I’m strongly considering purchasing a Synology DS923+ or 723+. Only I can’t get my files off my old nas since my motherboard is broken. I have already tried to read this through a program like R-Linux which should be able to read my RAID 1 configuration. But unfortunately this doesn’t work. Is it possible that I can read the disks on the Synology DS923+? I hope you can help me?
        REPLY ON YOUTUBE

      56. I have a random question that is not related to this video, I have a DS420+. I had an old 4TB drive that had all my data (taken out of a WD NAS). I bought the DS420+ with one drive with the intention of using the old drive as a second drive. Turned out to be badly degraded so I took it out. Now I have this “storage degraded” message constantly and cannot remove it. I tried creating an SSD cache and it is not allowing me because the unit is “in an abnormal state”. Please help. I want the unit to accept that it will not be having a second drive anytime soon. Drives are expensive
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      63. I had e-mailed Synology about the lack of transcoding on the 923+.. I actually got a reply back from the Product Manager..

        “we did not offer support for hardware transcoding in the last generation of products (DS1520+ and similar.) We didn’t advertise it and we can’t offer support for people having trouble using it so the feature of the CPU was available entirely as-is. As it stands we aren’t focused on providing transcoding capabilities in our products and the need for doing so has diminished over time.

        The device that is used to view the video is what determines playback capability so any NAS can host 4K content. Transcoding is used when your playback devices are not capable of playing back the video format or audio/video codecs of your files. It can also be used to reduce quality or resolution for off-site streaming. When transcoding the video quality is always reduced so to ensure the best playback use a compatible playback device so no transcoding occurs.”

        I understand their position, however my videos are in all different formats and generally need to be transcoded. I had tried QNAP in the past but switched to Synology because QNAPs software just seemed like it was buggy not to mention the security concerns. However, there’s no arguing that QNAP has much nicer hardware options and isn’t pushing their own hard drives, memory and SSD down their users throats. I just don’t know if I’m ready to go back to QNAP for transcoding. I might be firing up handbrake and converting everything to support direct play.
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      64. Wached quite plenty of your informative videos but as a amateur first time user only in an internal home network enviroment i still don’t know if the 923+ will be able to stream a own recorded 4k 60fps video to my sony oled x90j without buffering. My TV is connected by 1gbit lan. I don’t want the NAS to be connected at all to the Web itself. Basically an storage and backup for private photos and videos and ability to drop it within my home to my tv… will it do the job? Thanks
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      65. I’m confused as to why the DS1522+ in raid 5 configuration showed ATTO at around peak write 371MB and peak read 425MB in your tests. Yet the DS923+ (albeit with slightly faster hat5300 drives) showed more than double that at 890MB write and line speed read. Can you explain these results?
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      69. very useful review, i have a question: i own some new win 11 PCs an old win xp 32 bit PC, and i am interested in buying a NAS for my home /office.
        Do you think DSM 7.0 is compatible with windows xp? if not is it possible to use a previous DSM version on a new Synology NAS or is it better to look elsewere? (QNAP, Asustor..?)
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      70. I know I should have worked this out I currently use my 5700 G to run plex but it’s very noisy I want to have a nurse but I don’t know what 1 to go for Most of the people I stream to like the grandchildren and my kids which day is a total of 30 Not streaming all the time None of them stream fire trains coding as I have 3000MB up load speed Could you recommend a nas that would be suitable for what I need
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      75. Ugh, this is so annoying. Before going the Synology route would be a no-brainer for me. Right now considering the QNAP TS-464 instead, even if that doesnt allow me to benefit from SHR which is absolutely killer on the Synology.
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      79. Hi, quick question. Since I am considering purchasing NAS I would like an advice which should I pick: 923+ vs 1522+. I would say that I don’t really need 5-bay option (for now I am considering putting in some 8TB drives – was looking at IronWolf (I would like some on the quieter side), but the price difference is not that hight so I am rather baffled which should I opt for. Usage which I am considering is mostly storage server, with optional virtual machine.
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      84. I just bought a DS923+ It will be here tomorrow. maxed out the memory. I’m putting in 4x8TB IronWolf. I’ve watched all of the DSM 7 Setup guides Thanks for the great content. 11/30/2022 2004
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      86. Nice video, but when I do compare it with my Qnap Tvs-h674 with an Upgraded GPU (Nvidia quadro p2000 5g) I can go back to the slow streaming, I used 2 like Synology… no more.. thanks for the video, It reaffirmed my decision to change to Qnap.
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      87. Thanks for the review!! ….for my media will be Synology DS 920+.
        Why did Synology just upgrade the intel Cpu with the new one i3 or i5 with a Graphic accelerator ??
        Big mistake to go with DS 923+ for media, skipped it!
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      89. Brother, I love your videos they are great. Question…do you have a preferred handbreak profile? Something with maybe a 40 bit rate h.264 so I can transcode all my media so I don’t have buffering or transcoding required. I run 1gbe at home and 5G on my phone. But sometimes I do get buffering and it’s annoying. Can you help?
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      91. Robbie, would you consider doing a bit of a sidebar discussion on video format / codec basics; MP4, MKV, HVEC, 1080P, etc. Maybe a bit about the evolution of these formats. And, what they give us and how they relate to our choice of NAS hardware.
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      96. The problem with 1G ports is that even if you have 10 x 1G ports it’s inferior to a single 10G port.. if you have a single file transfer it will always be using a single port, so it you want to copy a BIG single file and you have one hundred 1G ports, the max you’ll get is still limited to a single interface.. such a stupid move by synology
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      100. As we know, this and the rest of the top end of the plus lineup this year, is an absolute joke. Also just noticed that if this is “enterprise” focused, customers will have to get subpar overpriced HAT drives, rather than industry leading Ultrastars and Exos. Pathetic.
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      103. I have thingking to get ds1522 or ds 923. Different +100usd for extra 4gb ram and 1slot hdd. Which one would be a wise decision? Since upgrade 4gb ecc ram cost more than 100usd.
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      104. Great review! I just bought a DS923+ and I got one problem – it’s very noisy. I’m still waiting for the hard drivers to come, but wanted to check if the DS923+ works fine without any drives. I’d say the fans are at 100% all the time (even if there are no drives in it and there’s no high CPU usage).

        Just worried if that’s normal or should I replace them with more silent fans (Reddit says about Noctua fans).
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      105. The only question I have is why the hell can’t Synology use a screw on LOCKING retainer or twist-on LOCKING power connector?!!! It literally would add $0-$0.01 cost.
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      107. Great review. Can you run dsm on the ssd storage. Is it possible to move the existing installation to the ssd? And if so do you think the power consumption would be reduced because the hdds only hold data and the hdd are in sleep mode until you really need data if them. If so I think this could be a very big reduce of power consumption….
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      108. 33:00 “quick” guide then a 1:25:00 “full” review! ???????? I think you were afraid to give your final opinion without trying to talk yourself up to give your final thoughts? ????????
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      110. Even as a long time Synology user, I really hate the penny-pinching here. The USB, network ports, lack of GPU, hugely expensive expansion boxes and network card upgrades, and the pushing toward own-branded drives, are all big turn-offs for me. Adding 2.5GbE, better USB, and a Ryzen with graphics would have cost them next to nothing, literally a few dollars. The NVME storage is an unexpected bonus, but I’m not seeing anything here pulling me away from the QNAP TS-464. Just seems a better all-rounder.
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      111. I have £1500 budget and I am looking for the best 40TB raid NAS to 20TB my current solution is a 20TB my home cloud duo raided to 10TB and its starting to fail., I need to keep my home business files, photos movies and music running via Plex and streaming to my 65″ 4k tv. I also need to access it via the web when i am out of the house. my house internet is FTTP 950GB. So what would you suggest i buy inline with my budget?
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      120. 4:10 did I understand correctly that in early 2023 there might be the chance of a DS920+ successor for prosumers? This mentioned ‘value series’ may indeed fill the gap that the DS923 has left in regards to transcoding. Gosh I am still in doubt: My DS216+II is old and the two bays only became a big burden but I am hesitating to still buy the DS920+ or keep waiting. In regards to the DS923+ I just dont see how I personally benefit from 10GBit and 32GB RAM upgrade possibilities. (My entire network is all 1GBits only) and the high RAM I dont see use neither. The only really cool thing is the ECC. Wait & hope for 2023 or grab the 920+ on Black Friday? Uff! Nevertheless. I enjoyed watching the full review. Thanks a million for this video and all the previous ones covering the topic.
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      129. A few questions I might have missed: The NVMe slots only works with Synology SSDs? 10GbE card also compatible with 5 and 2,5GbE? If using 10GbE and NVMe storage pool is faster than with raid disks? Also, I have a few old WD30EFRXnot on the compatibility list, can they be ok to use in DS923+? Sorry for my basic questions and thank you for a very detailed review.
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      132. I had to downvote, because you gave 10/10 for non 2.5GBe NAS. There is completely no justification other than greed.
        -2 for lack of 2.5GBe
        -1 for “compatibility list”
        -1 for prices
        Solid 6/10
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      138. Users simply don’t care about 2.5 or 5GBE. Most networks are 1GBE… it simply isnt a bottle neck. If anything its drive IOPS slowingthings.
        The ones who do have greater network speeds they ALL skipped to 10G.
        I’d rather they keep 1G and keep reliability and software optimizations on existing chips… and not raise prices.
        *I have an IT company supporting many businesses, almost all have synology.
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      143. 2:00 Now you’ve done it. Most N. Americans have no idea what “chuffed” means.
        adjective Chiefly British Informal.
        delighted; pleased; satisfied: We’re absolutely chuffed to have won the game.
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      144. Before anyone says it, I KNOW… 1HR 25MINS!!! But this is the MASSIVE review where we review and test EVERYTHING on the #Synology DS923+ NAS. If you are looking for a shorter version of this review that ONLY covers the Pros and the Cons, you can find my shorter ‘DS923+ Before You Buy Video here – The Synology DS923+ NAS – Should You Buy? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjALhE3TtyY

        Thanks for watching and have a lovely week!
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