The Synology DiskStation DS923+ is a reliable and standard backup and streaming solution that’s well worth considering for anyone looking for an affordable option

PROS

• Easy to install and configure
• Expandable
• Solid file-transfer performance in testing
• Generous app catalog

CONS

• Relatively expensive for the feature set
• Lacks multi-gig LAN ports
• Drives not included

SYNOLOGY DISKSTATION DS923+ SPECS

The Synology DiskStation DS923+ ($599.99) is a powerful four-bay network attached storage (NAS) device that can be used as a backing-up and file-sharing server for small businesses and home offices. It features an AMD Ryzen processor, making it speedy when transferring files. Its DSM operating system makes it easy to configure for various purposes – such as being turned into a multimedia server, surveillance station, or cloud server. Compared to our Editors’ Choice award pick the QNAP TS-464 which costs $50 less, the DS923+ offers slightly faster performance but lacks multi-gig connectivity and HDMI video output.

Design and Features

The DS923+ is a newer version of the DS920+, which was reviewed here back in 2020. It measures 6.5 by 7.8 by 8.7 inches (HWD) and weighs 4.9 pounds, with four hot-swap drive bays on the front that can be locked for added security. There are also LED indicators for system status and drive activity to the right, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port; and a power button off to the right.”

The Back of the PC has 2 Gigabit LAN ports- one Type A, and 1 Gen2; a USB 3.2 Gen1 port; an eSATA port for connecting storage devices external to the computer (like an external hard drive or NAS); two 92mm cooling fans; and a reset button as well as a network upgrade slot.

There are no multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports on this NAS, unlike the QNAP TS-464, but you can install an optional 10Gbps RJ-45 Network Upgrade Module ($149.99). The LAN ports support link aggregation for network failover and load balancing. In addition to two M.2 NVMe solid-state drive slots for installing one or two SSDs for fast caching, there is also a slot available to install an external hard drive (5TB max) using the included 3x3mm screws and brackets.

DS923+ is powered by an AMD Ryzen R1600 CPU paired with 4GB of DDR4 RAM, and it’s compatible with both 2.5- and three.5-inch drives. There is also the option to expand your storage capacity to 72TB (where four 18TB drives are installed). An additional 80TB of capacity is added with a five-bay DX517 expansion unit ($469.99, plus costs for the drives). The OS can create any of almost thirty built-in configuration types, supporting RAID 0, Basic, JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, and RAID 10.

The Synology DS923+ is managed using the company’s Windows-like DSM operating system. This desktop environment contains icons for configuring the NAS, such as Control Panel, File Station, Package Center, and DSM Help. Upon startup, the DSM desktop is populated with several icons including System Info (such as total uptime, CPU usage, and RAM), App Downloads (which are added over time), and Icons on Right Sidebar which shows information such as system info, etc.

The preinstalled Disk Inventory Tour in the clock face section of the DR320 lets you manage volumes as well as RAID, the Storage Manager utility lets you create volumes and configure RAID settings; Active Insight, the wizard in the Navigation bar, will allow you to send your data to Synology to resolve technical issues; Log center, detectable in the lower left-hand part of the screen, show you the system log and notifications; and Security Advisor, the protection setting section.

The Synology Package Center provides access to a catalog of 101 Synology and third-party apps that can be used with the NAS as a cloud server, multimedia server, backup server, or IP camera surveillance center. To configure network and security settings, create user groups and set user privileges, or enable file sharing using a web browser screen you would go to the Control Panel icon. When it comes to managing files in File Station there is an option for creating folders along with enabling file access via web browsers. Finally, tap on the DSM Help icon for help articles if needed.

Installation and Performance

To install the DS923+, you can either use the Synology mobile app or the web console. I chose to use the web console because it was more straightforward. First, I installed four 10TB Seagate IronWolf drives into the NAS. Next, I connected my router to the NAS and powered it on. Using a desktop PC connected to my router, I downloaded and launched the Synology Assistant utility. After several minutes had passed, the NAS restarted automatically.

After renaming the device and creating an administrator account, I launched DSM Desktop and created a storage pool and volume. The pool yielded a total storage capacity of 27.3TB, while the file system was configured with SHR as a RAID option and Btrfs for my data store. After optimizing the volume, it took around 12 hours for the software to be ready for testing purposes.

The DiskStation DS923+ performed well in our file transfer tests, with a throughput of 88MBps when transferring files between the NAS and a host PC. Its write speed was slightly slower than the QNAP TS-464’s 89MBps, but faster than the Asustor AS6704T (87MBps), ioSafe 1520+ (85MBps), and TerraMaster F5-422 (80 MBPS). In our read test, Synology tied TerraMaster and ioSafe at 89 Mb/s. That topped Asustor’s 87 Mb/s but trailed QNAP’s 90 Mb/s.

Verdict: A Solid Four

The Synology DiskStation DS923+ is a four-bay NAS device that offers high performance and the ability to grow as your needs change. It’s powered by Synology’s popular DSM operating system, making it a versatile choice for both backup and server use. Setting up this device is relatively easy, too, making it an ideal choice for those looking for straightforward management.

Rephrase Despite being slightly faster, the QNAP TS-464 remains our Editors’ Choice for multi-bay NAS units. It offers two 2.5Gbps LAN ports as well as an HDMI video output and four USB ports instead of two, leading to lower overall costs.

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Title: The Synology DiskStation DS923+ is a reliable and standard backup and streaming solution that’s well worth considering for anyone looking for an affordable option