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Synology DiskStation DS223j vs UGREEN NASync DH2300

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

all judged against NAS at a similar price

The Synology DiskStation DS223j scores 5.0/10 overall, ahead of the UGREEN NASync DH2300 at 4.4/10.

The Synology DiskStation DS223j leads on networking and software and ecosystem.

The UGREEN NASync DH2300 leads on CPU and transcoding.

They score the same on storage capacity (bays, M.2), memory ceiling and openness.

The biggest difference is software and ecosystem, where the Synology DiskStation DS223j scores 8/10 to the UGREEN NASync DH2300's 4/10.

DiskStation DS223j

Synology DiskStation DS223j

5.0/10verdict: wait for deal

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

UGREEN NASync DH2300

UGREEN NASync DH2300

4.4/10verdict: skip

The UGREEN NASync DH2300 is for people who want a simple, low-power two-bay box for backups, photos and file storage. It suits a first NAS buyer who will use UGREEN's own UGOS Pro apps and doesn't need containers or virtual machines. Homelabbers who want Docker, more memory or faster than 1GbE networking should look at something else.

Typically about £174.95 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

CriterionWeightSynology DiskStation DS223jUGREEN NASync DH2300
Storage capacity (bays, M.2)20%5/105/10
CPU and transcoding20%4/105/10
Networking20%5/104/10
Memory ceiling15%3/103/10
Software and ecosystem15%8/104/10
Openness10%5/105/10
Overall5.0/104.4/10

Specifications

SpecSynology DiskStation DS223jUGREEN NASync DH2300
Drive bays2 x 3.5" SATA HDD or 2.5" SATA SSD (2.5" drives need optional Type C drive holder)2 SATA bays (3.5"/2.5"), up to 64TB (2× 32TB)
CPURealtek RTD1619B, 1 CPU, 4 cores, 4 threads, 64-bit, 1.7 GHz, with hardware encryption engineRockchip RK3576, 8 cores 2.2GHz (4× Cortex-A72 2.2GHz + 4× Cortex-A53 1.8GHz)
Memory1 GB DDR4 non-ECC4GB LPDDR4X (fixed, not upgradeable)
Networking1 x 1GbE RJ-45 LAN port, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports1× 1GbE
M.2 slotsnot listedNone
Expansionnot listed2× USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1× USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, HDMI (4K 60Hz); no PCIe slot or expansion unit published
Operating systemDiskStation Manager (DSM)UGOS Pro (on 32GB eMMC)

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

UGREEN NASync DH2300

  • + Very low power: 0.2W standby, 3.1W idle measured
  • + Owners describe it as quiet in use
  • + Eight-core ARM chip with Mali-G52 GPU and 6 TOPS NPU
  • − UGREEN states no Docker or virtual machine support
  • − 4GB RAM fixed, not upgradeable
  • − Single 1GbE port; design rules out 2.5GbE

Skip it if:

  • Homelabbers who want to run Docker containers or virtual machines
  • Anyone who needs 2.5GbE or faster networking, or M.2 cache
  • Plex or Jellyfin users who need confirmed Quick Sync transcoding
Read the full UGREEN NASync DH2300 review ›

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