Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›
both judged against NAS at a similar priceThe DiskStation DS423 scores 4.8/10 overall, ahead of the Synology DiskStation DS225+ at 4.5/10.
The DiskStation DS423 leads on storage capacity (bays, M.2), CPU and transcoding and openness.
The Synology DiskStation DS225+ leads on networking and software and ecosystem.
They score the same on memory ceiling.
The biggest difference is storage capacity (bays, M.2), where the DiskStation DS423 scores 6/10 to the Synology DiskStation DS225+'s 3/10.
The DS423 is for people who want a four-bay Synology NAS for file storage, shared folders and backups. It suits those who value DSM and Btrfs more than raw hardware power. It is less suited to anyone planning containers, virtual machines or video transcoding.
Typically about £351 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
The DS225+ suits home and small-office buyers who want Synology's DSM software for file sharing, backups, photos and a few cameras on two drives. Its 2.5GbE port and mature app set fit light, dependable storage duties. Media servers that need hardware transcoding, heavy container or VM use, and anyone wanting NVMe cache are poorly served by its 2019-era CPU, 6 GB RAM ceiling and lack of M.2 slots.
Typically about £339.98 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
| Criterion | Weight | DiskStation DS423 | Synology DiskStation DS225+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage capacity (bays, M.2) | 20% | 6/10 | 3/10 |
| CPU and transcoding | 20% | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Networking | 20% | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Memory ceiling | 15% | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Software and ecosystem | 15% | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Openness | 10% | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Overall | 4.8/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Spec | DiskStation DS423 | Synology DiskStation DS225+ |
|---|---|---|
| Drive bays | 4 x 3.5-inch SATA HDD or 2.5-inch SATA SSD, hot-swappable | 2 × 3.5" SATA HDD / 2.5" SATA SSD, hot-swappable |
| CPU | Realtek RTD1619B, 4 cores, 4 threads, 64-bit, 1.7 GHz, with hardware encryption engine | Intel Celeron J4125, 4 cores / 4 threads, 64-bit, 2.0 GHz base / 2.7 GHz turbo, hardware encryption engine |
| Memory | 2 GB DDR4 non-ECC | 2 GB DDR4 non-ECC installed, 1 slot, max 6 GB (2 GB + 4 GB) |
| Networking | 2 x RJ-45 1GbE LAN ports | 1 × 1GbE RJ-45 + 1 × 2.5GbE RJ-45 |
| M.2 slots | not listed | None |
| Expansion | 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports | No expansion unit or PCIe slot; 2 × USB 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Operating system | Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM), Btrfs file system | Synology DSM |
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