Synology 2-Bay DiskStation DS224+ (Diskless)
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AI Verdict
A 2-bay diskless NAS with an Intel Celeron J4125 CPU and dual 1GbE ports, best for basic file storage and backups for small teams or home users.
This NAS is a strong contender for basic home or small office backup and file sharing, especially for users new to the NAS ecosystem due to its user-friendly DSM. However, its two-bay limit and 1GbE networking quickly become restrictive for anyone with growing storage demands or a need for faster network throughput.
If you foresee needing more storage or faster network speeds, look for a NAS with at least four drive bays and 2.5GbE or 10GbE network ports.
Regret Score™
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Pros
- Supports 2.5-inch SATA SSDs and 3.5-inch SATA HDDs, offering flexibility for drive choice.
- Features two 1GbE LAN ports that support link aggregation for increased throughput.
- Includes two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, with one conveniently located on the front for quick external drive backups.
- Runs Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM), which users find generally user-friendly for setup and management.
- Supports Btrfs file system, enabling data snapshots for enhanced data protection.
- Drive sleds are tool-free for 3.5-inch HDDs, simplifying drive installation.
Cons
- Limited to two drive bays, which users often find restrictive for future storage expansion.
- Comes with only 2GB of DDR4 RAM, which many users upgrade to 6GB for smoother operation.
- The Intel Celeron J4125 processor, while quad-core, is considered dated for demanding tasks like 4K media transcoding.
- Lacks multi-gigabit LAN ports, limiting maximum network transfer speeds to 1GbE.
- Does not include M.2 NVMe slots for SSD cache, which could improve performance for frequently accessed data.
Dimension Scores
The dual 1GbE ports with link aggregation provide standard Gigabit speeds, but this is a bottleneck for internal drive speeds, especially with SSDs.
Synology's DSM is known for its stability, and support for RAID 1 and Btrfs snapshots offers robust data redundancy and protection.
With only two drive bays, the DS224+ offers limited expansion potential, leading many users to quickly outgrow its capacity.
It supports both 2.5-inch SATA SSDs and 3.5-inch SATA HDDs, and DSM offers broad application and service compatibility.
Best For
- Centralized backups for personal photos, documents, and small business files.
- Small office environments needing shared network storage and basic data management.
- Users new to network-attached storage seeking an accessible and guided experience with DSM.
- Media streaming for 1080p content or 4K content that does not require real-time transcoding.
Not Recommended For
- Users anticipating significant storage growth beyond two drives in the near future.
- Power users requiring multi-gigabit network speeds for very large file transfers.
- Individuals needing consistent real-time 4K video transcoding for multiple streams.
- Those planning to run numerous demanding virtual machines or complex Docker containers.
Watch Out For
- Many users quickly experience '2-bay regret,' finding the two-drive limit insufficient for long-term storage needs.
- The included 2GB of RAM is frequently cited as a bottleneck, with users often upgrading to 6GB shortly after purchase.
- 4K video transcoding, especially for HEVC, can max out the Intel Celeron J4125 CPU and RAM, leading to inconsistent playback.
- Synology Drive has been reported by at least one user to corrupt change history in git repositories, requiring careful backup strategies.
- The absence of M.2 NVMe slots means no option for SSD cache, which can impact performance for I/O intensive tasks.
Full Specifications
| RAM | 2 GB |
| ASIN | B0C6927XPX |
| Size | DS224+ |
| Brand | Synology |
| Color | Black |
| Series | DS224+ |
| Material | Metal |
| Department | Computers & Accessories |
| Hard Drive | Solid State Drive |
| Item Weight | 2.86 pounds |
| Manufacturer | Synology |
| Item model number | DS224+ |
| Product Dimensions | 9.13 x 4.25 x 6.5 inches |
| Hard Drive Interface | Solid State |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 9.13 x 4.25 x 6.5 inches |
| Hard Drive Rotational Speed | 5400 RPM |
What Buyers Say
Many users quickly express '2-bay regret,' finding the two-drive capacity insufficient for their evolving storage needs shortly after purchase. The included 2GB of RAM is a common point of contention, with numerous owners opting for an immediate upgrade to 6GB to improve performance. While generally praised for its straightforward setup and the intuitive DiskStation Manager software, the Intel Celeron J4125 CPU is frequently noted as a limitation for demanding tasks like 4K video transcoding. The absence of multi-gigabit Ethernet ports also means network transfer speeds are capped at 1GbE, which can be a bottleneck for faster drives.
“I got this for backups and it's fine, but seriously, I should've just spent a little more for a 4-bay, now I'm already thinking about upgrading and it's only been a year.”
Common Praise
- Initial setup is straightforward and user-friendly.
- Synology's DiskStation Manager (DSM) software is intuitive and easy to navigate.
- Effective for consolidating and backing up photos and files.
- Operates quietly, making it suitable for home environments.
- Supports Btrfs for advanced data protection features like snapshots.
Common Complaints
- The two-drive bay limit becomes restrictive for storage expansion sooner than expected.
- The 2GB of installed RAM often necessitates an upgrade for better performance.
- The Intel Celeron J4125 CPU struggles with real-time 4K video transcoding.
- Lack of multi-gigabit Ethernet ports limits network transfer speeds.
- No M.2 NVMe slots for SSD cache, which could boost performance.
Ownership Tips
- Many users find themselves upgrading the RAM from 2GB to 6GB almost immediately to improve responsiveness.
- Noise levels are subjective; some find it quiet, while others notice fan noise under load.
- Plex performance for 4K content is inconsistent; it works best if transcoding isn't required.
- Synology Drive, while useful, has been reported to have issues with certain file types like git repositories.
- The 1GbE network speed is often the limiting factor for file transfer performance, even with fast drives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of drives does the DS224+ support?
The DS224+ supports both 2.5-inch SATA solid-state drives (SSDs) and 3.5-inch SATA hard disk drives (HDDs). You'll need to purchase these separately as it's a diskless unit.
Can I upgrade the RAM in the DS224+?
Yes, the DS224+ comes with 2GB of DDR4 RAM, but it can be expanded up to 6GB by adding a 4GB DIMM.
Is the DS224+ suitable for a Plex media server, especially for 4K content?
It can function as a Plex server, but 4K video transcoding, particularly for HEVC, can be problematic and may max out the CPU and RAM, affecting performance. If you're not transcoding, it generally performs fine.
Does the DS224+ have multi-gigabit Ethernet ports?
No, the DS224+ is equipped with two 1GbE (Gigabit Ethernet) LAN ports, which can be aggregated for increased bandwidth but do not offer multi-gig speeds.
What RAID configurations does it support?
The DS224+ supports Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR), Basic, JBOD, RAID 0, and RAID 1 configurations.
Buying Guide
When looking at a NAS like this, you need to think about how much data you have now and how much you expect to have in a few years. The number of drive bays dictates your maximum storage and redundancy options. Also, consider what you'll actually do with it – simple file storage is different from running a media server or multiple applications, which demand more from the CPU and RAM.
Drive Bays
This is how many hard drives or SSDs you can put inside. More bays mean more total storage capacity and better options for data redundancy (like RAID 5 or 6) to protect against drive failures, similar to having more shelves in a pantry.
CPU (Processor)
The CPU is the 'brain' of the NAS. A more powerful CPU handles tasks like file transfers, running apps (like Plex), and managing multiple users more smoothly, just like a faster computer processor makes your PC feel snappier.
RAM (Memory)
RAM is where the NAS temporarily stores data it's actively working on. More RAM allows the NAS to run more applications simultaneously and handle larger tasks without slowing down, much like having more open tabs in your web browser without lag.
Network Ports (e.g., 1GbE, 2.5GbE)
This determines how fast data can move between your NAS and other devices on your network. A 1GbE port is standard, but 2.5GbE or 10GbE ports allow for much quicker transfers of large files, like upgrading from a narrow garden hose to a fire hose for data.
Alternatives
If this model doesn't quite fit, look for a NAS with at least four drive bays for better scalability, 2.5GbE or 10GbE network interfaces for faster data transfer, and a more powerful Intel Celeron or AMD Ryzen processor for demanding applications.
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