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Beelink ME Pro 2-Bay NAS Mini PC vs Synology DiskStation DS223j

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against NAS at a similar price

The Beelink ME Pro 2-Bay NAS Mini PC scores 6.2/10 overall, ahead of the Synology DiskStation DS223j at 5.0/10.

The Beelink ME Pro 2-Bay NAS Mini PC leads on storage capacity (bays, M.2), CPU and transcoding, networking, memory ceiling and openness.

The Synology DiskStation DS223j leads on software and ecosystem.

The biggest difference is networking, where the Beelink ME Pro 2-Bay NAS Mini PC scores 8/10 to the Synology DiskStation DS223j's 5/10.

Beelink ME Pro 2-Bay Hybrid NAS Mini PC, Intel N95/N150

Beelink ME Pro 2-Bay NAS Mini PC

6.2/10verdict: good, not the best

The Beelink ME Pro suits homelabbers who want a small, quiet Windows-based NAS with fast networking and plenty of M.2 slots. It fits people who plan to run containers or a few services on 16GB of fixed memory. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs upgradeable RAM or a dedicated NAS operating system.

Typically about £419 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

DiskStation DS223j

Synology DiskStation DS223j

5.0/10verdict: good, not the best

The DS223j is for people who want a simple two-bay NAS for file storage and backup. It suits anyone who values easy DSM setup, quiet running and low power draw over raw performance. It is a poor fit for memory-hungry workloads or anyone who needs more than a single 1GbE connection.

Typically about £167 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightBeelink ME Pro 2-Bay NAS Mini PCSynology DiskStation DS223j
Storage capacity (bays, M.2)20%7/105/10
CPU and transcoding20%6/104/10
Networking20%8/105/10
Memory ceiling15%4/103/10
Software and ecosystem15%5/108/10
Openness10%6/105/10
Overall6.2/105.0/10

Specifications

SpecBeelink ME Pro 2-Bay NAS Mini PCSynology DiskStation DS223j
Drive bays2 x SATA bays for 2.5 or 3.5 inch drives2 x 3.5" SATA HDD or 2.5" SATA SSD (2.5" drives need optional Type C drive holder)
CPUIntel N150, quad-core 4 threads, up to 3.6 GHz turbo, 24 EU Intel UHD graphicsRealtek RTD1619B, 1 CPU, 4 cores, 4 threads, 64-bit, 1.7 GHz, with hardware encryption engine
Memory16GB LPDDR5 at 4800 MHz, soldered and not upgradeable1 GB DDR4 non-ECC
Networking5GbE plus 2.5GbE dual ports, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.41 x 1GbE RJ-45 LAN port, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
M.2 slots3 x M.2 2280 NVMe slots: one PCIe 3.0 x2, two PCIe 3.0 x1not listed
Operating systemWindows 11 Home (pre-installed)DiskStation Manager (DSM)

Strengths and weaknesses

Beelink ME Pro 2-Bay NAS Mini PC

  • + Three M.2 NVMe slots plus two SATA bays
  • + 5GbE and 2.5GbE dual ports
  • + Owners report quiet running and a compact, well-built case
  • − 16GB RAM is soldered and cannot be upgraded
  • − Owners report boot, BIOS and power supply concerns
  • − Windows 11 Home is the only OS listed

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want upgradeable RAM for several VMs
  • Anyone wanting a dedicated NAS operating system out of the box
  • Buyers who need four or more drive bays
Read the full Beelink ME Pro 2-Bay NAS Mini PC review ›

Synology DiskStation DS223j

  • + DSM software is easy to set up
  • + Quiet with low listed power figures
  • + Reliable for backup duty according to owners
  • − Single 1GbE port, criticised by owners
  • − 1 GB fixed RAM with no published maximum
  • − 2.5in drives need an optional holder

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need more than a single 1GbE connection
  • Anyone planning containers, VMs or other memory-heavy workloads
  • People who want M.2 cache slots or any expansion options
Read the full Synology DiskStation DS223j review ›

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