Synology vs UniFi UNAS Pro Comparison

Synology vs UniFi NAS Comparison

UPDATEThe UniFi UNAS Pro NAS is now available and can be found HERE

In the world of Network Attached Storage (NAS), Synology has been a dominant player for over two decades, recognized for its extensive range of products, robust features, and seamless user experience. UniFi, by contrast, is a newcomer in the NAS market, having built a reputation for excellence in networking solutions under the umbrella of Ubiquiti. With the recent release of the UniFi UNAS Pro, the company is entering a highly competitive space dominated by established NAS providers like Synology. This article takes an in-depth look at both Synology’s NAS solutions and UniFi’s first NAS system. It compares the two across key aspects such as price, hardware, software, expandability, and company history, offering insights for both casual users and IT professionals considering which NAS system is right for them.


UniFi UNAS Pro vs Synology NAS – Price

When it comes to pricing, Synology and UniFi are positioned at different ends of the spectrum, catering to a wide variety of users with different needs and budgets.

UniFi‘s UNAS Pro, priced at $499, offers a 7-bay rackmount NAS with 10GbE networking capabilities, making it a highly competitive option, particularly for users already embedded in the UniFi ecosystem. This pricing is aggressive for a rackmount system, as most NAS systems with similar features are priced higher. The UNAS Pro is designed to offer an affordable entry point into the world of NAS for small businesses, IT enthusiasts, or existing UniFi users looking to expand their infrastructure with file storage.

By comparison, Synology offers a wide range of NAS devices, starting with affordable 2-bay home systems and scaling up to high-end rackmount systems designed for large enterprises. For example, the Synology DS923+, which retails around $499, provides a 4-bay desktop solution with expandable 10GbE support and an x86 processor, giving it a slight edge in performance over the UNAS Pro for the same price. However, Synology’s rackmount offerings, such as the RS422+, start at $599 for a 4-bay system, and prices quickly rise for larger models with more features and higher-end hardware.

The price difference between these two brands becomes more apparent as you explore Synology’s higher-end options. Their enterprise-grade NAS systems with features like redundant power supplies, dual controllers, and PCIe expansion slots can cost well over $1,000, whereas UniFi’s UNAS Pro remains a single, relatively fixed offering at the lower end of the price range.

In terms of long-term value, UniFi clearly offers a more affordable entry into the NAS market, particularly for users who already use UniFi’s networking products. However, Synology provides a much broader pricing structure, with options that allow users to scale up based on their growing needs—whether for home, SMB, or enterprise use.


Synology vs UniFi NAS – Hardware / Range / Value for Money

The hardware offered by both Synology and UniFi reflects their differing approaches to the NAS market. UniFi’s UNAS Pro is positioned as an affordable 7-bay rackmount solution, with a focus on simplicity and integration into the broader UniFi ecosystem. The UNAS Pro features a quad-core ARM Cortex-A57 processor, 8GB DDR4 memory, and a 10GbE port with an additional 1GbE port. Its hardware is designed to deliver adequate performance for tasks like file storage, backups, and basic networking, but it lacks advanced features like NVMe SSD support or expandable RAM. This makes it a good fit for users who want reliable storage without the need for heavy processing power or extensive scalability.

Synology, on the other hand, offers an extensive range of hardware, from small 2-bay models for personal use to enterprise-grade solutions. Synology’s systems often feature Intel or AMD processors, expandable RAM, and support for NVMe SSD caching. For example, the Synology DS923+ comes with an AMD Ryzen R1600 processor, expandable RAM, and optional 10GbE support, making it more powerful and flexible than the UNAS Pro for users needing higher performance. Additionally, Synology’s rackmount models like the RS422+ offer robust hardware for business environments, with support for redundant power supplies and PCIe slots for expansion.

Where Synology truly shines is in the variety of hardware it offers, allowing users to select devices that suit their exact needs, whether it’s a small 2-bay NAS for personal backups or a large-scale rackmount NAS for a data-heavy business. Synology’s hardware flexibility ensures that users can start small and scale up over time, adding more storage, faster networking, or additional computing power as needed. The comparison below highlights the differences in hardware between UniFi and 1 Synology NAS at a similar price point (DS923+), and another that is similar in hardware (RS422+:

Feature UniFi UNAS Pro

Synology DS923+

Synology RS422+

Price $499 $500-550 $599-699
Bays 7 SATA 4 SATA 4 SATA
Processor ARM Cortex-A57, Quad-core, 1.7GHz AMD Ryzen R1600, Dual-core AMD Ryzen R1600, Dual-core
Memory 8GB DDR4 (Non-upgradable) 4GB DDR4 (Expandable to 32GB) 2GB DDR4 (Expandable to 32GB)
Networking 1x 10GbE, 1x 1GbE 4x 1GbE (Upgradeable to 10GbE) 4x 1GbE
Redundant Power Supply No No No
NVMe Support No Yes (for SSD cache) Yes (for SSD cache)

Verdict on Hardware: While the UNAS Pro provides excellent value for its price, especially with its 7-bay capacity, Synology offers a broader and more flexible range of hardware options. Synology’s systems are better suited for users who need scalability, processing power, and more advanced features like NVMe SSD caching and expandable RAM.


UniFi NAS vs Synolgoy NAS – Software Presentation

The software interface of a NAS system is crucial to its usability, and here, the differences between Synology and UniFi are stark. Synology’s DiskStation Manager (DSM) is known for its user-friendly, graphical interface that feels similar to using a desktop operating system. DSM provides users with a desktop-like environment, complete with drag-and-drop functionality, customizable wallpapers, and a taskbar for quick access to applications. This layout makes it easy for both novice and experienced users to navigate the system, install applications, manage files, and perform backups. The interface is intuitive, with large icons and a clean, modern design that encourages exploration and productivity.

In contrast, UniFi’s UNAS OS is designed with a more text-based, data-centric approach. Borrowing from UniFi’s successful networking interfaces, the UNAS OS focuses heavily on analytics and system monitoring, making it ideal for users already familiar with UniFi’s ecosystem. The interface provides detailed insights into system performance, file transfer speeds, and network activity, which are displayed in simple, granular dashboards. While it may not have the graphical polish of Synology’s DSM, the UNAS OS excels in presenting network data and providing tools for IT administrators who prioritize system efficiency over aesthetics.

UniFi’s single-pane design keeps all relevant information within reach, but it lacks the app-based approach that Synology users are accustomed to. Synology’s DSM, on the other hand, organizes features into discrete applications, making it easy to jump between tasks like file management, backup scheduling, and multimedia streaming. Below is a table that summarizes the key differences in software presentation between UniFi and Synology at a glance (bigger chart soon, don’t worry!):

Feature UNAS OS

DSM 7.2

User Interface Style Text-based, network analytics Desktop-like, graphical interface
Customization Minimal Quite customizable (wallpaper, layout, shortcuts)
Mobile App Support Limited Extensive
Third-Party App Store No Yes (Synology Package Center)
Storage Interface Simplified, easy to use Comparatively Advanced, easy-to-use

Verdict on Software Presentation: Synology’s DSM clearly offers a more engaging and customizable user experience, while UniFi’s UNAS OS focuses on providing a streamlined, efficient interface for users already familiar with the UniFi ecosystem. Users looking for an intuitive, desktop-like experience will prefer DSM, while those focused on networking performance and integration may find the UNAS OS more suitable.


Synology vs UniFi – Software Security

Security is paramount for NAS systems, as they often store sensitive data and operate in environments where external access is necessary. Both UniFi and Synology offer security features, but they take different approaches based on their respective ecosystems.

Synology DSM offers a full suite of security features, including two-factor authentication (2FA), firewall configuration, and behavioral analysis to monitor suspicious activities. DSM allows users to integrate third-party security tools, such as Google Authenticator or OTP services, providing flexibility for businesses that already use external authentication systems. Additionally, DSM includes SSL certificates and IP blocking, ensuring that only trusted users can access the system. Synology also has an inbuilt security scanner that checks the system periodically (ad hoc if you want too) for potential weaknesses in the system configuration,which can be set to a home or business class standard (custom too).

UniFi’s UNAS Pro integrates security measures more closely tied to the broader UniFi ecosystem. 2FA is also available but typically relies on UniFi’s own authentication services, such as the UniFi Identity App. This may be limiting for users who prefer third-party authentication tools. The UNAS OS benefits from UniFi’s enterprise-grade network security tools, such as IP monitoring and network relay services, which are crucial for maintaining the integrity of the entire network infrastructure. However, its NAS-specific security tools, such as DOS protection and auto-lock, are less extensive than Synology’s.

UniFi’s focus on network-level security makes it ideal for businesses that already use UniFi networking hardware, as the UNAS Pro can integrate seamlessly with UniFi switches and security gateways.

However, Synology’s in-system security tools are more comprehensive, making DSM a better choice for users who prioritize NAS-specific security features. It’s also worth remembering that the majority of remote access security features of the UniFi UNAS Pro are locked into use with he UI.COM / UniFi account system. You cannot use 3rd party 2FA/OTP applications or use 3rd party remote access services like Tailscale or Teamviewer.

That said, BOTH systems provide a regular rotation of security and feature system updates over the years that they will be in operation, so the latest security fixes and improvements that are needed to combat vulnerabilities that appear i nthe wild can be automatically adjusted for. However, UniFi does provide a little something extra with simple modular update control. Synology DOES allow you to install updates on the whole OS and/or individual Apps (or be alerted about them but action when it best suits your needs for a restart), but the UniFi UNAS Pro presents this in a much easier to action single option, that allows for full update control to be more granular for either the OS or the application service(s). It’s no more/less than the synology DSM option, but it is presented a great deal more cleanly.


UniFi NAS OS vs Synology DSM – Software Features

When comparing the software features of Synology and UniFi, it’s clear that Synology has had years to develop a rich, feature-packed operating system, while UniFi‘s UNAS OS is still in its infancy. Synology DSM (DiskStation Manager) is known for its vast ecosystem of first-party and third-party apps, which provide a wide array of functionalities beyond basic file storage.

By contrast, UniFi UNAS OS focuses on core NAS functions, offering fewer features but maintaining tight integration with UniFi’s networking solutions.

Synology DSM is renowned for its wide range of software features that cater to home users, small businesses, and enterprise environments. DSM is designed to be a complete solution, offering robust support for file management, multimedia streaming, backup solutions, virtualization, and containerized applications. There is even support of a 3rd Party App center that can be added in less than a minute to add even further applications and services to your Synology NAS system:

One of the standout features of DSM is its application center, known as the Synology Package Center. Here, users can find hundreds of first-party and third-party apps that can be easily installed to extend the functionality of their NAS. These apps cover a broad spectrum of use cases, including:

  • Plex Media Server / Video Station (for now!) / Audio Station / Synology Photos for media streaming to smart TVs and mobile devices.
  • Synology Active Backup for High-end license-free backup management across hundreds/thousands of devices
  • Hyper Backup to manage domestic backup Operations
  • The Office Collaboration Suite for an email manager, user chat facilities, office package and more
  • Synology Container Manager / Docker for running containerized applications, which is essential for developers or businesses needing to test software in isolated environments.
  • Virtual Machine Manager (VMM), allows users to run multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and DSM Virtual Appliances, on a single NAS.

For businesses, Synology offers Active Backup for Business, a powerful backup solution that supports PCs, physical servers, virtual machines, and even cloud services like Office 365 and Google Workspace. This makes Synology DSM an attractive option for organizations looking for a comprehensive, multi-platform backup solution. DSM also excels in multimedia management. Apps like Synology Photos and Audio Station allow users to organize and access their photos, music, and videos from anywhere. Video Station, though recently phased out in favor of third-party options like Plex, has historically provided an easy-to-use platform for media streaming and management.

For surveillance needs, Synology offers Surveillance Station, which allows users to turn their NAS into a full-fledged NVR (Network Video Recorder), supporting IP cameras from a wide variety of manufacturers. This feature makes Synology NAS systems a compelling choice for businesses or homeowners who need both data storage and security monitoring.

While UniFi UNAS OS lacks the extensive feature set of DSM, it provides essential NAS features for file storage, snapshot management, and backup scheduling. It’s clear that UniFi’s focus is on simplicity and integration with their broader UniFi ecosystem. Drive is the primary app available on UNAS OS, offering basic file storage and sharing capabilities with snapshot and backup support.

Currently, UNAS OS does not support advanced features like Docker, virtual machines, or third-party media server apps such as Plex. This limits its appeal to more advanced users who need the ability to run multiple services or applications from their NAS. However, UniFi’s focus on network-level integration could be seen as a strength for businesses that already use UniFi networking hardware and want a NAS that fits seamlessly into their existing infrastructure.

There’s also potential for future growth. UniFi has a robust history of adding new features to their products post-launch, and it is possible that UNAS OS could see support for containerized applications like Docker or surveillance software such as UniFi Protect in the future. However, currently UniFi has not allowed Protect to be deployable on the UNAS Pro system – however you can use the UNAS Pro as a targetted storage system for your existing UNVR or UDM system. Most of the features of the UniFi UNAS Pro are not presented as ‘applications’ or ‘optional services’, but rather they are backed into the UX of the NAS OS already. Snapshots, Shared Drives, Security management, SMB file/folder management, Encrypted Drives, etc – all of it is in the OS already. That said, it still feels comparatively feature dry vs the Synology NAS pplatform.

I know I seem to be hammering the UniFi’s UNAS OS hard here, but currently it lacks many of the popular/current advanced capabilities that may appeal to users, favouring their simple and integrated experience over a large feature set. For perspective, here is a full list of what is there and what isn’t:

Software / Service DSM 7.1/7.2/7.2.2 UNAS Pro
Operating System DiskStation Manager (DSM) 7.x UniFi OS (UNAS-specific OS layer)
User Interface Highly polished, desktop-like interface, intuitive Simplified interface, single-pane dashboard, focused on network metrics
Mobile Apps DS Finder, DS File, DS Cloud, DS Photo, DS Video, and more UniFi Mobile App (Drive management, Snapshots, Backups)
Virtualization Virtual Machine Manager (Supports Windows, Linux, and DSM Virtual Appliance) No virtualization support
Container Support Docker via Container Manager No Docker or container support
Surveillance Surveillance Station (2 free camera licenses, additional paid licenses) No support for UniFi Protect (at launch)
Multimedia Streaming Plex, Synology Photos, Video Station, Audio Station No multimedia apps (no Plex or streaming apps support)
RAID Support Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR), RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, Basic, JBOD RAID 1, 5 and 10 (with RAID 6 coming soon after launch)
Snapshot Support Yes (Btrfs for supported models), Advanced Snapshot Replication Yes (Snapshots with scheduling and backup options)
Cloud Backup Synology C2, Amazon S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive Google Drive (Limited cloud backup options)
Local Backup Solutions Hyper Backup, Snapshot Replication Local NAS backups supported (NAS to NAS)
File Synchronization Synology Drive (Supports syncing with Windows, macOS, and Linux) SMB, basic file synchronization with mobile app
Backup for PCs Active Backup for Business (PCs, Servers, VMs, SaaS, NAS, and Cloud) Basic backup for Windows, no advanced backup suite
Backup for macOS Time Machine Support Time Machine support (via SMB)
External Backup USB and eSATA Backup No external backup support
Cloud Integration Synology Cloud Sync (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.) Google Drive cloud sync only
Security Features 2FA, firewall, SSL certificates, VPN, Active Insight monitoring 2FA, SSL certificates, integration with UniFi Identity for SSO
Encryption Full-volume encryption, Folder encryption Full-volume and folder encryption
Multimedia Apps Synology Photos, Video Station, Audio Station, Plex No multimedia apps available
Third-Party App Store Synology Package Center No third-party app store
Mobile Backup Synology Drive (For mobile devices) Basic mobile backup via UniFi Drive
Cloud Sync C2 Cloud Sync, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive Google Drive only
Collaboration Tools Synology Office (Similar to Google Docs, Excel) No collaboration tools
Virtualization Backup Active Backup for Business (VMware, Hyper-V) No virtualization backup
AI-Powered Apps Synology Photos (AI-based photo organization) No AI-powered apps
High Availability (HA) Synology High Availability (for redundancy) No high availability features
NAS as VPN Server Yes (VPN Plus Server, supports PPTP, OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec) Yes (VPN integration with UniFi Gateway and Identity Enterprise)
App Virtualization Docker, DSM Virtual Appliances No virtualization or Docker support
Remote Access QuickConnect (secure remote access without complex configuration) UniFi cloud access (requires UI.com account)
Cloud Applications Synology Cloud Station No cloud applications beyond Google Drive sync
Video Editing No built-in tools, use third-party apps like Plex No video editing or AI tools
Remote Replication Snapshot Replication (Supports replication between NAS devices) NAS-to-NAS backup and remote replication supported
Multi-Version Backups Hyper Backup (Supports multi-versioned backups) Yes (multi-versioned backups via Snapshots)
Email Server Synology MailPlus No email server functionality
Web Server Web Station (Supports hosting multiple websites) No web server support
Music Streaming Audio Station, Plex No music streaming or audio apps
Drive Health Monitoring Disk Health Monitoring (SMART, regular drive checks) SMART drive monitoring
Antivirus Synology Antivirus Essential, third-party apps No antivirus tools available
PCIe Expansion Yes (for some models, supports 10GbE cards, M.2 SSD cache cards) No PCIe expansion options
Thunderbolt Support No Thunderbolt support No Thunderbolt support
SSD Caching Yes (supports NVMe and SATA SSD caching on select models) No SSD caching
ZFS File System No (Uses EXT4 or Btrfs on supported models) No ZFS support, BTRFS
Ransomware Protection Yes (dedicated security updates, Snapshot Replication) Yes (Snapshots, network security via UniFi Gateway integration)
Browser-based access Yes (Full access via web browser, similar to desktop) Yes (Single-pane UI via web browser)
NAS-to-NAS sync Yes (via Synology Drive and Snapshot Replication) Yes (Basic NAS-to-NAS sync)
Plex Media Server Yes (App available in Synology Package Center) No Plex or multimedia server support
Built-in AI Tools Synology Photos (AI-powered photo management) No AI-powered tools


Synology NAS H/W vs UniFi UNAS Pro – Hardware and Storage Expandability

Hardware and storage expandability is a critical factor for users looking to invest in a NAS system, especially for businesses or power users who expect their storage needs to grow over time. In this area, Synology excels, providing a broad range of options that allow users to easily expand their storage capacity and enhance system performance. On the other hand, UniFi’s UNAS Pro offers more limited expandability, focusing instead on offering a compact, all-in-one solution without much room for future upgrades.

Synology NAS systems are designed with scalability in mind. Many of their models, especially in the DS and RS series, allow for storage expansion via external expansion units. For example, the Synology DX517 expansion unit can add up to 5 additional drive bays to models like the DS920+, increasing the total number of drives and overall storage capacity. Similarly, Synology’s rackmount NAS solutions like the RS1221+ can connect to RX418 expansion units, enabling businesses to significantly increase their storage capacity as their data needs grow.

Additionally, Synology’s rackmount models often come with PCIe slots, allowing users to add features such as 10GbE networking, SSD caching, or even NVMe drives for high-speed storage pools. This level of hardware flexibility means that Synology systems can grow alongside a business’s needs, offering features that improve performance and expand storage without requiring a completely new system. For users seeking to maximize performance, Synology also offers support for SSD caching, which can greatly improve read and write speeds by using NVMe SSDs or SATA SSDs to cache frequently accessed data. Models like the DS1621xs+ support dual NVMe M.2 slots for SSD caching, giving users the ability to enhance performance even further without sacrificing drive bays for traditional hard drives.

Beyond the hardware expandability, Synology’s storage management features are equally powerful. Synology’s Hybrid RAID (SHR) technology allows users to mix and match drive sizes, making it easy to upgrade individual drives over time without losing data. SHR automatically optimizes storage space and provides RAID-like redundancy, ensuring data is protected even if drives fail.

In contrast, the UniFi UNAS Pro is designed as a more compact, self-contained unit. The 7-bay capacity offers a solid amount of storage from the outset, especially for SMBs and home users. However, the expandability options are much more limited when compared to Synology. For instance, the UNAS Pro does not support external expansion units, meaning that users are confined to the 7-bay configuration from the start.

Moreover, the UNAS Pro lacks PCIe slots or NVMe support, limiting its ability to be upgraded with features like 10GbE or SSD caching. This is particularly noticeable when comparing the UNAS Pro to Synology models that allow for these kinds of hardware upgrades. While 10GbE is included on the UNAS Pro, its lack of PCIe expandability means users cannot add additional features like dual 10GbE ports or SSD caching to further improve performance. Another limitation of the UNAS Pro is the inability to upgrade the RAM. While 8GB of DDR4 RAM is included, this cannot be expanded, which may be a limiting factor for users who want to run more intensive applications or serve multiple users simultaneously. In comparison, many of Synology’s NAS devices, such as the DS1821+, come with expandable memory, allowing users to increase RAM up to 32GB or more depending on the model.

Overall, UniFi’s UNAS Pro offers sufficient storage capacity for most small businesses and home users, but its lack of expandability makes it a less flexible solution for those who anticipate needing more storage or advanced features in the future.

Key Examples of Synology’s Expandable Hardware Features:

  • DX517 Expansion Unit: Adds 5 additional bays to compatible DS series NAS devices.
  • PCIe Slots: Found in models like the DS1621+, allowing for 10GbE upgrades, SSD caching, and more.
  • NVMe Support: NVMe SSD caching is available in devices like the DS1621xs+, improving I/O performance.
WD Red Pro NAS Drive in Synology NAS Test – Success!

HOWEVER, we also need to factor in that Synology has recently been reducing the number of 3rd party HDDs and SSDs that are listed as ‘compatible’ and ‘supported’ on their product advice pages. The majority of 2024/2025 systems now either list ONLY Synology HDD/SSD media (such as the HAT5300, SAT5210, SNV3410, etc) or list only a handful of storage media from established brands such as Seagate and WD (around 15-18 – out of potentially hundreds), despite them being proven to work successfully. UniFi has it’s own range of storage media drives for their UNAS Pro, UDM and UNVR systems, however they also widely support 3rd party drive utilities.

This would not be an issue in the case of Synology if their own branded storage media was the same price or superior – but the reality is that Synology storage media IS more expensive and in many cases a better, faster and/or larger drive from Seagate/WD is available at the same and/or lower price. This is less true on the entry NAS class of HDDs (eg Seagate Ironwolf vs Synology HAT3300, with only 2-4% difference), but once you look at higher capacity HDDs and more durable HDDs and SSDs, the price difference is kinda crazy:

Synology promotes their solutions are ‘all on one’ solutions and focus all their development towards a single NAS ecosystem, so focusing support, compatibility and operations towards their own media makes sense in a development sense. However, many first time Synology NAS buyers who are scaling up from smaller solutions or migrating away from SAAS/PAAS/Cloud storage in a big way might be unaware of the media storage policy they seem to be persuing. By no means a dealbreaker for many, but something to be aware of!


Synology vs UniFi ANS – Verdict and Conclusion

Choosing between Synology and UniFi NAS systems comes down to evaluating your specific needs, the level of software and hardware expandability you require, and whether you prioritize a more established ecosystem or tighter integration with your networking infrastructure. Both brands offer compelling NAS solutions, but they target different user bases and excel in distinct areas. For users who prioritize software features, scalability, and a broad range of applications, Synology is the clear winner. With over two decades of experience in the NAS market, Synology has fine-tuned its DSM (DiskStation Manager) software to offer an impressive array of first-party and third-party applications. Whether you’re a home user looking for a media server or a business seeking comprehensive backup solutions, Synology DSM provides an extensive feature set that meets almost any need. The rich support for virtualization, containerized apps, and backup tools makes it a top choice for advanced users and businesses with diverse requirements. Synology’s hardware lineup is also far more diverse, with options that cater to everyone from entry-level users to enterprises. Their hardware is expandable, supporting PCIe slots, NVMe caching, and external expansion units, which makes them suitable for users with growing storage needs or demanding performance requirements. Moreover, Synology’s Hybrid RAID (SHR) and flexible storage management tools are ideal for users who need to easily expand their storage without dealing with complex RAID setups. The downside of Synology, however, is its cost. While its hardware is packed with features, it comes at a higher price point, especially as you move up the product range. Additionally, some users have criticized Synology’s recent push to restrict third-party drive compatibility in newer models, which could be a drawback for users looking for more flexibility in their hardware choices.

UniFi’s UNAS Pro series is a newer player in the NAS field but leverages Ubiquiti’s expertise in networking to provide a product that is tightly integrated with the UniFi ecosystem. If you’re already invested in UniFi’s networking gear, adding a UniFi NAS to your setup can make network management and storage integration much simpler. UniFi’s controller-based system allows users to manage their entire network—including their NAS—from a single dashboard, which is a significant convenience for users in SMB environments. The UNAS OS, while still in its early stages, does an admirable job at nailing down the fundamentals of NAS functionality, such as file storage, snapshots, and backups. However, it currently lacks the depth and range of applications found in Synology DSM. This makes UniFi a better choice for users who are looking for simple storage solutions rather than advanced features like Docker, virtual machines, or third-party multimedia apps. When it comes to hardware expandability, UniFi lags behind Synology. The 7-bay UNAS Pro offers a decent starting point for storage, but the lack of PCIe slots, NVMe support, or external expansion units limits its long-term scalability. Furthermore, the inability to upgrade RAM or add additional 10GbE ports means that UniFi’s NAS might not grow as effectively with your needs over time. However, it does come with built-in 10GbE, which could be a compelling feature for users looking to take advantage of higher network speeds out of the box.

Which NAS Should You Choose?

  • If you’re a business or power user who needs a highly customizable, feature-rich NAS with long-term expandability, Synology is likely the better choice. Its DSM software, extensive hardware options, and proven reliability make it a solid investment for users who want full control over their storage and the ability to run advanced applications.
  • On the other hand, if you’re already embedded in the UniFi ecosystem and prioritize network integration over advanced NAS features, UniFi’s UNAS Pro may be more appealing. Its ease of use and seamless integration with other UniFi devices make it a great option for SMBs and users who prefer simplicity over extensive customization.

Ultimately, the decision between Synology and UniFi NAS depends on whether you value software flexibility and advanced applications (Synology) or seamless integration and simplicity (UniFi).

PROS PROS
  • Rich ecosystem of first- and third-party apps
  • DSM is a highly polished and feature-rich OS
  • Supports expansion units, PCIe slots, NVMe caching
  • Active Backup Suite, Hyper Backup, Time Machine support
  • Docker and Virtual Machine Manager for VMs
  • Supports Plex, Synology Photos, Audio Station
  • A wide range of NAS devices for home users to enterprises
  • Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) for easier storage upgrades
  • Drive integration with the entire UniFi ecosystem
  • UNAS OS is simple and intuitive for basic storage needs
  • Built-in 10GbE offers high-speed networking out of the box
  • Supports simple cloud backups via Google Drive
  • Tightly integrated into UniFi Controller for network management
  • Basic media streaming supported via Drive
  • Compact design with 7 bays and minimal footprint
  • Good for small businesses and home offices
CONS CONS
  • Higher initial cost, especially for advanced models
  • Third-party drive compatibility becoming more limited
  • Feature-rich software may be overwhelming for some users
  • More features mean a higher learning curve
  • Can take time to fully configure with advanced settings
  • Higher expandability adds to cost
  • Video Station removed, requires third-party apps like Plex
  • 10GbE not standard on many models, many require an upgrade
  • Lacks advanced software features like Docker and VMs
  • No hardware expandability (no PCIe or NVMe support)
  • Limited to 7 bays, no expansion units available
  • RAM is non-upgradable, limiting future performance
  • Limited third-party app support
  • Lacks SSD caching and other advanced storage features
  • No multimedia management tools beyond basic file sharing
  • Fewer remote access options compared to Synology’s QuickConnect, Tailscale and More

Check Amazon Below for the Latest Synology NAS

Visit the UniFi Store for your UNAS Pro Below

 

Synology stands out for users seeking a high-performance and highly expandable NAS system with a mature software ecosystem, while UniFi shines in integrated network solutions for those looking for simplicity and efficiency in small business and home office environments.

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      243 thoughts on “Synology vs UniFi UNAS Pro Comparison

      1. Thinking if these do well they will come out with a ‘Max’ and ‘Enterprise’ editions.
        I’ve been looking at getting a Synology or building my own TrueNAS system for home. Now this came out, I have more research to do to see this will work for my home and families needs.
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      2. Having already invested in Unifi gear (including a Pro switch with a spare SFP+ port) and already having a fairly beefy Proxmox host in play to host applications this seems like a great option!
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      3. It’s pretty clear their goal for this device is having basic file storage for users of a home/small business that are going to connect to shared folders on mac and windows systems. What a NAS by definition really is… I see a lot of people complaining about lack of redundant network ports, NFS, iSCSI, etc. IMO, I think all those features they’re wanting are things needed when you are building enterprise infrastructure and Ubiquiti knows that’s really best handled by a proper SAN product from the likes of Dell, HP, IBM, NetApp, etc.
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      4. 11:30 on my Synology rs3614rpxs, those read and write speeds are what I was getting with five hard drives, over a SPF+ DAC cable. When I switched to a LC om4 fiber SPF+ cable, I was achieving 750MBps or 7Gbps.
        Not sure why I’m getting better numbers from fiber cable over the copper cable. Both cables are rated 10gigabits per second
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      5. This is just a NAS network attached storage only. Not able to complete to Synology, QNAP, UGreen, etc. at this time. Is this NAS going to support docker, plex, etc
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      6. Have you actually logged in via SSH and poked around the system? I’m curious what filesystem its running on those drives; given the feature set, it sounds like they are using btrfs.
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      7. Maybe I missed but is there any thermal test for this machine? The front design of those drive bay let me suspect it might have thermal issue once you use it for some years later.
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      8. Some what disappointed, this is just a software patch of the UNVR with a slightly more RAM. I’m sorry to say this but I’m not going to buy it, well not until an NVME slot, 1x 2.5 gbe lans and 2x 10 gbe SFP+
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      9. Dude this is amazing how many people are now entering the consumer space. honestly if the software is stable and good like synologys and as a storage server this seems like a no brainer for a home user who doesn’t want to configure a lot.
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      10. A product like this is for a specific market and it’s not me. I prefer DIY… A used 12bay 2U server is about the same price but way more powerful and more versatile. I do like and use their networking hardware though.
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      11. Such a detailed review, thank you ???? It is a pity about Docker/VM/Plex support (or lack of!), but I understand why Ubi have focused on making just a NAS right now.

        Also re reply you made to another comment, I would love to watch the story of how you had to reshoot this video multiple times. Fair play to you on the patience.
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      12. disappointed in the power consumption. Granted being 7 bays at 500$ seems decent but my AIO server is a much better fit long term. I hope they continue to add to their offering.
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      13. Finally someone is throwing a bomb in the NAS market, $500 is CHEAP for a proper built system with solid software and hardware support from a company that is represented in the whole world.
        And those that shout “software”, that is something completely different, it takes way more resources to come up with comparable features that Synology has. If that is the need Synology have you covered at a high price with weak specs.
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      14. I think it’s very nice to have a system that’s actually ONLY a NAS. I do use docker on my Synology devices at home and in the office. And the Synology backup between these two sites is so great that I wouldn’t be without it.

        But for something like an actual online disk system in the office, this fits the bill nicely at a much lower price. Also, as an on-site backup for the backup, this would do well.

        The only reason why this is the case is the price, of course. If it had been comparable to Synology, why would you ever get it? It’s nice to see someone hitting Synology with a price hammer, though. They’ve been getting a bit pricey over the years.
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      15. I know you are looking for proxmox setups with the GMKtecK8 mini PC. Do one with the mini running proxmox and a vm like home assistance os (needs a vm) and another vm or proxmox container to run docker containers. The data or docker volumes are atore in the new Unifi nas using SMB (I hope one day it gets NFS)
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      16. I did have a question, understand you were able to put a large seagate hdd without issues. But don’t you usually need more ram when total storage size is much larger? If so is there a limit? For instance, if I fill all 7 bats with 24tb drives let’s say, is it capable of that? Or will the 8gb ram be an issue?

        Also if I put 3 drives inside, does it have the ability to add more drives as you go and expand your storage without wiping data from existing raid array?
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      17. Now I need ubiquity to make a 1U server that can run media apps like plex or any of its alternatives and make it for about $200 since rackmount chassis are about $200 on their own which is insane
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      18. No redundant replaceable power supplies or network , awful network options in general … sure feels like they left to much out for a Pro max / SE model later
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      19. Can you mix and match drives? On the nvr pro it made me use old 2tb drives because when I tried to put in 2x 10tb, 2x 8tb, and 2x 4tb, it wanted to only use 4tb of d ery drive.
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      20. My entire feed is now just tech tubers reviewing this device. I’m guessing they must have all been waiting for an embargo to end. I am, of course, watching this guys review because he’s THE MAN.
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      21. I love your review. No shade on any of the other reviewers, but your review is geared more towards how “I” am looking to use a NAS for my work loads.
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      22. It’s all a bit bizarre. Let me check…. yes, it’s definitely 2024. As always, beautiful interface, Ikea-style Unify minimalism, but NIC redundancy, no NVMe, single PSU, it’s all a bit drab. Can you run TrueNas on it ????
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      23. Can be cool if those who dont have a server rack to be able to have Unifi Drive on a cloudkey g2 to have a small file storage without redundancy. Or even on the drive of a UDM.

        As they keep the UNVR frame, im assuming they will have a UNAS Enterprise as well with the UNVR Enterprise frame 🙂

        And no need apps on a NAS… its a NAS and not a server… I have Plex on my truenas and I regret not having it on my proxmox instead.

        I will for sure ditch my TrueNAS for UNAS and migrate my Plex on a VM
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      24. This is the “beta” product. They will cut production quickly and check how many buyers, then renew the team that made it to continue with next unit. New unit will have slot-in PSU (regular server style) but still no backup, as they want to encourage purchase of the Ubiquiti UPS battery. Two SFP ports (depending on cost and users making use of 10G speed, could be one 10G and one 2.5G) and two RJ45 ports (probably regular 1Gbps or using the new 2.5G that throttles when hot). Likely one fewer drive bay. Newer CPU. More RAM. Double the price.
        Pro: all driver ports will be SATA/U.2 compatible, much more expensive CPU, possible socketed RAM slot (onboard or soldered 4GB or 8GB). Pro will be around 10x the price.
        Ubiquiti developer team isn’t huge, they will not support apps or VM until far future. Best you can hope is to SSH and attempt to install your own OS.
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      25. The only thing I would have liked was for them to drop the RPS connection and put in dual hot-swappable power supplies. But I get it, they are using the existing hardware from the UNVR Pro so it takes much less effort to make one of these. I plan on getting two of these. One for my primary backups and then the second one for backups of my backups. I will use my current Synology NAS that I am currently using for backups as a Docker system running HA and Plex and move my backups from Synology to the Ubiquiti NAS.
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      26. I would buy this without hesitation if I could split data pools to have a 4 drive raid 1 nas as a data replication for my Synology, and a 3 bay raid 0 for unifi protect. To add to that, I would love love LOVE to also be able to use the drive bay in my UDM SE as an additional storage option for unifi protect. (I don’t need redundancy for my home cameras Ubiquiti, I just want as many days recorded as drives I have available).
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      27. This will save me a ton on having a NAS to backup my 1821+. My old 4 bay Synology died. So, I’m backing up one volume on my 1821+ to another volume on the same NAS, which obviously worries me. I can’t justify buying another 8 bay Synology, but I can justify this easily. As soon as it’s proven itself in production environments, I’m getting one.
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      28. I quite like the NAS and just NAS approach they took. I have separate machines for hypervisors to run VMs and containers on and like the separation. Two of these in a shadow mode active-passive fail over setup would be tits.
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      29. I feel like you miss the point of the single PSU. Unifi devices all ahve a single PSU and they have a solution for it that connects to multiple devices and acts as a secondary psu for them. I do not know of any NAS or computer/server that people typically use at home that have duel psu’s.
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      30. Hopefully the firmware up-downgrade will be even easier than their other network devices, as they do sometimes release stinker of updates. Currently they broke many widely used IoT devices like shelly. It would probably be good for install-and-forget areas though.
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      31. WOW, excellent review, I have Unify network setup at home along with a QNAP NAS and heard on the grape vine that there may be a Unifi NAS released soon, and that price, you can’t go wrong… Can’t wait for future updates to see whether they include docker etc as I do like having the utils that QNAP provide. ????
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      32. For my Home Lab this is almost what I need. I have QNAP 8 bay ARM (~1000€) but it’s not rack mounted. But I also use ssd in raid 0 as a cache. And I have about double the ram. I really use it as SMB store so thats fine. I wanted so bad to replace my QNAP with this but it seems, it will just be a backup for QANP storage with speeds I see. UNAS Pro MAX would just need to have 2 NVME bays for CACHE, double SFP+ and give us the 12 bays and 3U. But who knows, maybe the UNAS Pro is enough for raw video editing of SMB and playing games with Steam?
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      33. All I need is my private dropbox, ability to back up family phones and view uploaded and edited videos from hols on TV and phone. Dont care about plex or dockers (what are these?:)Is that going to cut the mustard?
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      34. Hey there! Finally it came to life, so many years! Now I’m glad I never did spend time on switching OS on a UNVR, that time is now _saved_.

        thoughts: It’s good that there’s no concept of pools. keep it this simple or it will just not fit into its very limited scope anymore.

        If I could, and if it would already support the right bits, I would put one in each access switch cabinet and use them as archival storage or similar. Not as team folder or anything they would suck at. but as a way to spread out tertiary storage. The price is right, the URPS connector is suitable, don’t need a second 10g port for that either. Integrate moosefs or similar at the same level of hands-off-no-choices setup and this would be nice[tm].

        I also would say the lack of WORM features is a pity. how well do they have that down in UNVR? it’s not a trivial feature to implement to any non-laughable level of reliability.
        Given the price point, I’d even ejnoy a toggle switch that makes the whole device read-only and can only be cancelled at the front panel. Fill it, lock it.
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      35. Kinda a bummer, i was holding out building something for myself. Sure Not having plex is a bummer butttttttt…. Not allowing Unifi Protect to be used on the NAS is a deal breaker….
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      36. Good review.

        I’ve a question about user management and “directory integration”. Does it mean that instead of creating local users in this NAS, if I’ve a MS AD server on ny network, I can assign rights for some network users on some directories ?
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      37. Thanks for really nice video!
        When sharing a folder, you can add a user. What user is this? Is this something that you create on your machine?
        And how does the remote login for it look?

        I’m currently using Nextcloud on Truenas to share large video files. All my friends and clients have a personal login where they view/download/reshare the media. I’m curious if I can replicate this with the UNAS.

        Also, when you preview/stream remotely a video file does it transcode? If yes, does it also do h265? Sorry for the interrogation 😛 It’s just it can be a dealbreaker or dream for me depending on the answer.
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      38. For the price, this is great! I usually have my Plex server and VMs and stuff on another machine anyway. Seems pretty desirable to split the two so you have some redundancy.
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      39. Nice start, but not a homerun.

        Give it:

        More cores/threads (n305)
        Replacable RAM
        NVME storage
        Usb ports
        Alligned front drives, not this masonry pattern

        I’d like to run docker and apps like photobackup, torrent, jellyfin, home assistant.

        Happy to pay twice the price
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      40. Got it, this is intended to be mostly a pure NAS not a compute and app platform. For the cost that is a great value prop for SMB. They currently seem to have more interest in nailing the NAS basics rather than trying to run any and all docker apps. This seems ok. woah, directory integration, hope they extend that to the whole control plane and not charge a subscription for that.
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      41. Given Ubiquiti’s history of never delivering promised features on new devices before they reach EOL, I’ll wait to see if they actually deliver the app that simplifies mounting of drives for end users before I decided to make a purchase… I’m over here having “Security Scanning Radio, SHD-AP” flashbacks…
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      42. Great video, lots of details thanks! One question, can you mix and match different HDD sizes? As someone who hacked unvr to NAS, I have installed 4 disks which automatically turned on raid 5. Is this the same case with UNAS PRO?
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      43. Kind of limited to me but I can see this being great for a lot of people, especially those already using Ubiquity equipment and/or who might be on the fence about buying Synology. Kind of refreshing to see a ‘pure’ NAS though as someone who still believes in separating storage and compute.
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      44. Great video! will be using your link to purchase one.
        I currently have a TrueNAS box that has 9 drives in it but going to scale down to 7 drives anyways to save power consumption (yes for me it does make that big of a difference). That is the biggest thing for me… when my NAS is at idle it is 90-100w and reading/ writing heavy it is 160-200 w. I don’t do docker or anything like that on my NAS, I have another machine for that. I just need something efficient and that will do the storage thing well, and it will match my other Unifi equipment…. lol
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      45. I actually like that it’s not a Synology or QNAP. I can’t stand how those brands are trying to turn their NAS into a Swiss army knife. I don’t need my NAS to be a VM host, run Docker containers, host OpenOffice, Nextcloud, Home Assistant, act as a DNS or DHCP server, or provide LDAP, etc. I hve proxmox clusters, DC servers, and Routers that already do all of that. I need my NAS to do one thing, and one thing only—store stuff. And that’s exactly what this does. It’s a no-frills solution for straightforward storage.

        That said, Ubiquiti has a bad reputation for exciting the world with new products then abandoning thrm 9 months to a year after release and leaving a bunch of early adopters with useless doorstops after they stop supporting it (ask me how i know), so I think I’ll hold off buying one until its been around for a while but it looks like a great jumping point for a platform. as it seems to be based off the UNVR Pro, I imagine the UNVR and UNVR Enterprise will eventually join the ecosystem as the UNAS and UNAS Enterprise so well see. lot of potential here.
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      46. For simple business NAS this is probably more than adequate but anyone who wants a server like Synology/QNAP or something more advanced like Unraid won’t be interested in this at all. What would be cool is if they launched a 4U rack mount case with tons of hot swappable drive bays so we could build what the client (or Prosumers) wants.

        I have a 90TB Unraid server in a desktop style ATX case. There are not many rack mount cases that work great imo other than those massive LTT style servers they build (forgot the companys name) but they don’t just sell the case.
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      47. If it can do storage and permissions better then unraid/truenas then I could care less about vm/docker support. Proxmox does vms better and docker is just better on a dedicated machine
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      48. I’ve got multiple Synology’s in my house, and I love them. I also have a full Unifi setup. I’d love to try transitioning to one of these in the future, but I’m going to wait until the software gets a little more polished, and some more features get added. But $500 for a 7 bay rack mountable NAS is a great price!
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      49. It’s surprising to see the same hardware as the NVR Pro, running Drive but doesn’t support Protect. If you combined the NVR and NAS into a single product line, eliminating the need to purchase and manage two separate sets of drives, I’d be ready to purchase it, even with the current software limitations. Over the past few years, Synology has been scaling back on features while continuing to charge a premium for hardware that is outdated. It’s hard to justify paying top dollar for a NAS that still ships with generations old CPU and 1Gb Ethernet. Unfortunately, UniFi’s solution doesn’t seem to be quite there yet either. I had high hopes that UniFi was going to get me out of the Synology downward spiral.
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      50. What’s the underlying file system, BTRFS? No NFS 3 or NFS 4.1? No iSCSI LUN and target support? Upgradeable memory? Does it deliver data fast enough for 4K streaming (Plex) running on a connected device? Does seem disappointing compared to Synology.
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      51. I don’t understand the connectivity/single PSU complaints. The thing’s 500 bucks. It’s got SFP+. This is 100% a repurposed NVR, and fit for purpose at a frankly insane price. Great for storing your jellyfin library and similar workloads. Don’t ask it to do stuff it wasn’t designed for.
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      52. I really like this product. Most home users these days want a “NAS” but really they want a home server that runs a lot of different services and stores files for their network and they think their NAS is supposed be that device. I appreciate that this device goes back to being what a NAS was originally intended to be and seems targeted perfectly to the small business and home business market.
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      53. I’m not sure if it supports dynamic expansion, such as adding more hard drives later like SHR, or flexibly expanding by replacing one hard drive with a larger capacity. After all, not everyone is a professional who would spend a large amount of money to buy all the hard drives at once.
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      54. You mentioned it’s quiet and I’ve heard the same from other reviewers. What HDDs were you using when you put the mic on it? It sounded just like my UNVR, which is very quiet. I can’t get over how quiet these Unifi devices are compared to my Synology with Ironwolf drives, which I can hear 2 rooms away.
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      55. I’m not terribly impressed with the documentation on the website as it doesn’t cover what the back plane and system support. is it all SATA3 6Gb or does it also support SAS 12Gb? yes there’s only one 10Gb port BUT the fewer drives you need to saturate that bandwidth the more drives you can allocate for redundancy if you aren’t just looking to maximize storage volume. Despite my grump there, the price alone makes this device appealing and thanks for the video!
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      56. @liamfoneill We have to wait for the UNAS Pro Max for NVME M.2 drive support!! 😛 😀 🙂
        It’s also worth noting 1 PSU isn’t a big deal, it has a connection (from what I see from your pictures) for an RPS.
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      57. this NAS is a good machine for back-ups over the network
        the only think I want to know is what if the unit fails (mobo/PSU) can I remove the drives and move them to another unit and have the data?
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      58. Needs to have SFP+ for me to leave synology 2.5Gbps. I am very happy with synology software ecosystem (drive, photos, audio, video, VM Manager). I can’t leave that either.
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      59. I’m wondering if the storage can be increased by adding more drives without destroying the data already there. Say you set it up in RAID6 with 4 drives and then add 3 more, do you have to wipe the array and start over or is there a way to expand the storage without losing the data already there? 7 disk bays, 10 gig and an easy to manage interface for $500 seems like a crazy good deal if you don’t want to hassle with a DIY job (which I’ve done and hate).

        Edit: LOL should have finished watching the vid first
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      60. Cheap is not good. There could have been a bit more hardware and software for a 20% higher price.
        It’s just a data repository with a fancy interface, there’s still a lot to do. I have UGreen NAS as an EA, it could do more than NAS when it came out and it’s not more expensive. For the little that the UNAS can do (lack of synchronization between PC and MAC, no NFS and iSCSI, no M.2 NVMe) you don’t need a “special” interface. And the worst thing for me is that I have 7 disks and I can’t set them up in different storage pools.
        Is the video also available in slow mode? Many of the interfaces are hard to recognize and the video is extremely hectic.
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      61. Great Video thanks. I’ve been waiting for something like this since I turned off my Power hungry Apple 1U Servers and huge Apple RAIDs and bought a Qnap, which I have hated for years. All I want is mountable storage , easy to use, no faffing about, couldn’t care less about Apps and Containers and real hot swappable storage. Gonna get one for sure.
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      62. Great Video thanks. I’ve been waiting for something like this since I turned off my Power hungry Apple 1U Servers and huge Apple RAIDs and bought a Qnap, which I have hated for years. All I want is mountable storage , easy to use, no faffing about, couldn’t care less about Apps and Containers and real hot swappable storage. Gonna get one for sure.
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      63. give us Max version: x86 platform at least 4/8 core, nfs+iscsi, 4x NICs /2+2 10G/, nvme storage, wasabi+backblaze backup target, native apps or dockers. will happily pay 899+ EUR any day.
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      64. I guess the price reflect the features. But you can use it for Protect archiving recently released. I guess you have UDMP with protect and archive to this or the cloud. The cpu and memory on this are slim because it can’t run any other apps but it’s good for shuffling files. Also the Microsoft / Google account integrations for identity enterprise could be a big feature for businesses.
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      65. I was excited until I discovered it does not have NFS or iSCSI, as I consider those services a fundamental requirement for even an entry-level NAS. I’d also love to see an NVMe RW/RO cache option.

        I’d have instantly given UI my money if it had iSCSI, NFS, NVMe cache, and dual 10GB SFP+.

        I guess those will come as a PRO MAX version 😛
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      66. Thank you, thank you, thank you for a great video on this system. I felt your review was very honest and unbiased. I totally agree on your Pro’s and Con’s and for me, I think the ‘current state’ of this unit is underwhelming for my needs. Maybe if they release another unit that will allow third party software, unifi surveillance integration, a better CPU, and memory upgrades. BTW. I’m almost all in on the Unifi ecosystem although I do have a QNAP and Synology NAS.
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      67. Well there goes my hope of not having to wait for synology. So you think if we dont get a synology announcement by first week of Nov no release again this year? I dont see how they would miss the holiday buying period. Unless their plan is to sell old NAS on black friday and release the new one right after and really p everyone off.
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      68. The “Create a UI account” really seems to be disingenuous on UniFi’s part. Not being at all familiar with Unify, I would just think that it’s the normal user name and password to login locally to the desktop *User Interface* and not an online account. Unify could have been far clearer about this but I suspect that a fair number of people would have blindly proceeded with setting up the UI account which is what they are counting on. And, to put that in perspective, think back to your review of HexOS and the really solid push back by those who did not want an online login. I don’t like to do business with anyone who runs their business like that. No thanks.
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      69. Synology is the only NAS brand where I think their software adds value beyond being a storage server. But if I’m being honest, over time as I’ve migrated most of my docker/VM services over to Proxmox or XCP-ng and have very little running on the Synology hardware itself.
        I could see myself being interested in exploring Unifi as a storage server in the future, but I’d need a higher performance version.
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      70. Defiantly going to pick one of these up. Don’t give a hoot about the docker side, that’s why I have servers. I want a storage NAS that does just that, store things and get data to the right users, I don’t want to host my docker apps from it as well. Great video thanks for the review!
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      71. Is it even possible to saturate a 10G connection with spinning disks? Other than that, i assume this is meant to be connected to an SFP+ aggregator (USW-Aggregation) switch to split between multiple storage units
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      72. A silent rackmount NAS is what I was searching for! Other rack mount NAS are too loud! I do not need docker, because I have docker on my Proxmox computer.
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      73. This device is the beginning . It’s affordable and it’s easy to use.

        If it catches on, you bet you’re bippy, more will come.

        I’ve got four Synology unit in use between my family members and they are great but … I would love something that just efficiently stores data.

        It also appears that it may easily, allow safe direct remote access.

        I’ll have to watch how things go before I would purchase.
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      74. So I see some real good here; one, Unifi has a track record of software upgrades, so I fully expect items like NFS/ISCSI. I do not in any way expect Plex, Docker, etc. and I shouldn’t – that isn’t who this product is aimed at. Two, the remote management through the UI account management system is a potential IT godsend in comparison to the way that this works in Synology. Three, I do like the snapshop methodology in comparison to the way that this functions in synology. Now, the biggest items I see that will be big is that it fits directly into the UI ecosphere, and that is good. Now, I can see a lot of room for improvement, but I can see where this can have a big future with some of the integration options this is going to have. I do like how this is a business ready product that isn’t moving to drives that are made by them and nothing else (screw you Synology on that one)
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      75. Soooooo ugly. I like Unifi, have a lot of their hardware. But just can’t understand why 7 drives? Why layout is so strange? Just… why? Can’t they just stack two 4-drives cases?
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      76. Thanks for the review, well done and thorough. Not surprised to see no availability for Docker at this point. At the price point, this is great for fire storage. It’s not HA or high-speed system, which is fine. There are other players for that type of equipment. It appears that UI gave us a purpose-built system that does one thing really well, at a price that is hard to not smile at.
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      77. This looks like a decent start – funnily enough while eating my bacon, egg and black pudding (and watching this video), I got the email from Ubiquiti titled “Welcome to Unifi Drive and UNAS Pro” (1134hrs EDT). As others have commented though, I won’t be swapping my DS920+ for the UNAS Pro. I do have a Ubiquiti network setup, so was very excited when I saw your video this morning. As always – great video and thanks for taking the time to post!
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      78. I am… underwhelmed.
        I was not expecting perfection, but… it lacks so much to be an instant buy. But yeah, it’s truly cheap (especially for Unifi) for a 2U 7 drive bay (which is really something) and would play nice into the ecosystem. But… no ZFS, no NFS, no iSCSI, no docker (because let’s be honest, even if purists say that a NAS should be just a NAS, but… it makes sense to have those hosts a few docker).

        I know Unifi makes update, albeit slowly.. but.. at the moment it’s not worth it. But 500 euros… it’s super interesting when they started adding features.
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      79. First galance. Where does the air flow come from to cool the drives. As not much air is going to get around those solid caddie faces. As a rackmount. Its supposed to have front to back airflow. The almost solid front panel raises questions.

        The network ports have one up and one pointing down is an odd design choice. Not to mention being in the front.
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      80. This is just a pure NAS. Nothing more. I mean, yea. But at the same time it does not go up against things like Unraid or Truenas. Even OMV has more functions. For what this is, it is about $200 more then it should be for what you get. I was really looking forward to this to replace my Unraid server, but damn.
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      81. I’d consider going with a Unifi Nas, but I don’t want rack-mount (5 bays would be great) and I’d like to see more configuration options. Docker support would be (really) nice.
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      82. I’m disappointed in the backup options on this nas. Let’s be honest, no one will be backing up their 7 drives of data to Google Drive. That would be a insane cost. So this device doesn’t have a real, usable cloud backup that you can use. It doesn’t also have USB backup, so to backup this device you need to… get another NAS. Because you haven’t payed enough just yet.

        I do agree it’s a good value target for a synology backup.
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      83. The device feels like the perfect unit for low cost offsite backup storage. Easy to lock away in a comms rack and you wont saturate the write speeds over the wire.
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      84. This is an superb video !

        You really know your stuff and you really gave us an insight into the product, what it can and can’t do with lots of visual showing of it
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      85. This looks really interesting to me. My big question though, what if you get more than 1 of these? Say I expand and need more than 7 drives, could I buy a second unit and have the pools merge between the 2? Because that would be cool. Also seeing performance stats of SATA SSD’s would be nice too!
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      86. people complaining about the features for a $499 NAS drive from Ubiquiti, common guys .wait for next more expensive version will probably have all those missing features.
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      87. what a disappointment, only 1gib network port. I would have liked it to have another sturdy switch, depending on the equipment, at least 1/2.5/5gib network connector.
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      88. The demand was a bit manic. I missed the official announcement but guess it was today. Interesting there is only 1 of each network connection but let me watch the video
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      89. This seems interesting and I might even pull the trigger. It would be nice to have a single pane of glass to manage everything and not to have to worry about Synology and the lack of 3rd party device support. I mean from a NAS perspective it literally does just that and anything else can be added later.

        Also, do we know anything about the file system or did I miss it in the video? Is it BTRFS or EXT4?

        Also, more information about the backups would be awesome! Like is this sort of like hyper backup?
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      90. Great and very timely review Thanks! Did I understand you correctly, can you uses different sized drives in the raid array (like Synology Hybrid raid) or do all drives the array need to be the same size?
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      91. I have nevered owned a NAS…just an OWC Thunderbay 4 nut need a NAS u now. So now that this item is released I’m wondering whether for my first NAS I should still stick to getting the Synology DS1522+ as a SOLO videographer and editor using 10TB per year?
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      92. Genuinely worried about this as ive been using a UNVR Pro for a while as a nas using SSH to install samba. I hope they dont artificially block people using the UNVR Pro now that there is an official NAS offering
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      93. They could’ve gone with an Intel N100 or N200 which would’ve been so much better, even if they tack on an added $100-200 dollars to the price tag, unfortunately I’ll not be considering it. It’s nice tho, maybe they’ll release something with an Intel/AMD chip in the future…
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      94. It’s one strange NAS.
        Strange layout. Strange software. Strange hardware. Thermals are dubious. Rackable but lacking features standard for rack hw such as modular redundant PSUs.
        Good for undemanding brand fanboys only.
        When b- and c-tier brands and even nonames have started pumping out decent NAS devices, seeing such a device from a respectable brand is utterly perplexing. I’d love to get into the product development team’s heads and learn their thought processes that led to the appearance of this bucktoothed inbred monstrosity…
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      95. Phenomenal review and THANK YOU for the well labeled chapter marks in the video. Wanted to jump around to just my highest importance spots first in the video before watching end to end.
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      96. I think you hit it on the head at the end Robbie. I’m defo going to be replacing my onsite backup ext. drives with one of these (going by how stuff sells out on their site though, that’s probably going to be around 4/3 2025!). But it won’t be replacing the Synology for day to day work stuff that’s for sure.
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      97. So is this the unvr but with new software. How are the temps.. 70?? . Can it transcode .. sorry soo excited, disappointed and confused at the same time by this nas
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      98. Their thinking on the 1G port is probably to use that on a management network for config management and use the 10G for data only. At least that’s usually how appliances set up like that are intended to be used. Would be nice to have more ports for flexibility though if you’re trying to do something like directly attaching vm hosts.
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      99. Looks like your last video comments for opening CCTV and NAS has been addressed? I have just purchased the UCG_Max (F*kn brilliant!) and adopted 2 ONVIF camera (out of 3 in my setup) Awesome! And now I can also bin my sh!ty Google Doorbell and get the G4 doorbell! Oh.. and a Unify NAS? I hope i can connect that extra storage to my UCG Max!
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      100. I have my NAS set up nicely and I even have it getting backed up to a remote location via a Tailscale application. However, I am confused on what application I need for backing up, and syncing a few folders from my PC to the NAS. I am currently using Microsoft Synctoy. I have read about Active Sync for business, as well as Synology Drive. Which is the best to go with?? If I simply want an automated backup of my computer folders to my NAS, what is the best way to go?? Thank you !!!
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      101. I’m a super brand new NAS user; I just got my first machine (Synology DS1821+; thanks for recommending this unit for video creation). Super great videos!!! I started on your 2024 Setup Guides. I’m on a MacBook Pro, and I’m starting to get lost in this video because you’re using Windows (beginning at the 7:45 timestamp). Do you recommend I watch some other tutorials that cater to Macs? I’ve been learning a lot from your channel, but now I’m second-guessing whether this is the right move for me because of the learning curve on a Mac. Your thoughts and/or suggestions. Thank you!
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      102. Just got my DS1821+ and populated 5 bays with 22TB Seagate Ironwolf pro drives. Also added 2 TB WD SN850 NVMe for cache and 10 Gbe pci card.
        I’m debating what to do with the last 3 bays: either go 3 SSD or just put another 3X 22TB Seagate ironwolf pros.
        Can’t wait to watch all the videos in this series to learn more about my new NAS.
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      103. I’m definitely interested in a backup NAS for my current QNAP NAS but specifically with the capability to backup to a remote location. I see that Synology NAS software does support backing up a QNAP NAS to a remote Synology NAS but I’m unimpressed by the hardware Synology offers for the price. I guess with Synology it’s more about their software suite for the price. Does QNAP have same capabilities specifically regarding remote NAS backup/sync?
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      104. a nas to nas back up utilizing synology or rsync wouldnt give us usable folders would it? it would give us a hyperbackup style file .hbk that contains everything within it? i want to backup my nas to a remote offsite nas weekly/monthly but allow the files to be used on that nas as they would on the local one. something akin to sync i guess
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