Best Synology NAS Android Central 2021Synology NAS enclosures can be among the most powerful NAS servers on the market today. You can back up data from Windows, macOS Android, and iOS devices. A NAS also allows you to build a media server that streams audio and video to all devices in your home network. These are the top Synology NAS enclosures.Source: Apoorva Bhardwaj/ Android CentralThe DiskStation DS220+ NAS enclosure is the best choice if you are looking to buy a NAS or upgrade. There are two storage bays in the NAS enclosure, which can hold 32TB of storage. This should provide enough storage for most users. The enclosure also features upgraded internal hardware, including an Intel Celeron J4025 chipset as well as 2GB DDR4 RAM. Two Gigabit Ethernet ports are located at the back. Link Aggregation allows you to combine these ports to increase data transfer rates over your home network. Two USB 3.0 ports are located at the back, as well as a single fan. The DS220+ is capable of transcoding 4K video with ease thanks to its larger hardware. The hardware is only half of what makes Synology NAS so great. DiskStation Manager software by Synology is among the most powerful in the market. The DS220+ has a wide range of unique features that make it stand out. The NAS can be used as a media server, streaming audio and video to all devices in your home network. You can also access the NAS from any location around the globe. You can also back up your data on all your computers and phones via the DS220+. It also has tools that organize your photos into albums. Plex works well with the DS220+ NAS. You can stream content to your TV and other devices with ease thanks to 4K transcoding. To make your storage server more manageable, you will need to purchase NAS hard drives. I recommend two 4TB Seagate IronWolf drives that can be inserted into your NAS. You can choose the 6TB or 8TB models if you require more storage. Pros: Great for media streamingPlex and 4K video transcodingTwo drive bays can store up to 32TBSoftware features that are powerfulTwo Gigabit Ethernet ports. Cons: There is no eSATA port available for expansion.No M.2 SSD caching2. Synology DiskStation 220j: The best budget optionSource: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android CentralYou need a NAS enclosure that is affordable. You'll love the DiskStation DS220j. This 2-bay model can hold 16TB drives, just like the DS220+. The NAS can store up to 32TB. The NAS has 512MB RAM, a Realtek TTD1296 chipset and a Gigabit Ethernet port. There are also two USB 3.0 ports. The DS220+ has all the same amazing software features, including the ability backup data, stream audio and video, as well as streaming audio and video. Although the DS220j is a Plex server it can't transcode 4K videos. If you have content that can be played natively on your home network devices, the DS220j is a good enough media server to stream files over DLNA. I recommend 4TB IronWolf hard drives. You will need two of these drives to make a media server. However, you get 8TB storage for a few hundred dollars. You could also buy one 8TB IronWolf and then pick up another. Pros: Great valueSoftware with excellent featuresRuns quietPort Ethernet gigabitTwo storage bays that can hold up to 32TB.Not great for 4K transcodesBest budget Synology 2 bay NAS DiskStation DS220j The DS220j is a great option if you are looking for a budget NAS enclosure which can also be used as a media server. Amazon: $170$170 at Newegg$170 at B&H Photo3. Synology DiskStation DS120j - Best Value for $100Source: SynologyThe DS120j is a great option if you don't mind spending a little bit more but still want to experience the full range of Synology NAS features. The NAS can be purchased for $100 and allows you to start Synology's web-based DiskStation Manager (DSM). Synology offers fully-featured apps for Android and iOS. These apps allow you to stream locally stored audio, videos, and photos to any device on your home network. You can fit one hard drive into the DS120j's 1-bay design. The DS120j can hold a 16TB drive. A 2TB IronWolf drive will cost you an additional $80. If you need more storage, you can get a 4TB IronWolf drive for $105 and a decent entry-level option for NAS with 4TB for less than $200. This is a great deal considering the hardware available. The DS120j comes with 512MB DDR3L RAM and a Marvell Armada3700 chipset. The NAS has a single Gigabit Ethernet port in the back and two USB 2.0 ports. A 60mm fan keeps it cool when the NAS is under load. The DS120j is a great value at just $100. Pros: The DS120j is the most affordable way to get DSM softwareYou get great value for your moneyStorage capacity up to 16TBGigabit EthernetRuns quiet Cons: Single hard drive means no data protectionPlex doesn't workUSB 2.0 ports are limitedBest Synology DiskStation DS120j Lowering battery to entry. The DS120j can be used to get your NAS up and running. This is a great deal at $100 Amazon: $100$100 at Newegg$100 on B&H Photo4. Synology DiskStation+ DS920+: Best For PlexSource: SynologyDiskStation DS920+ is a NAS for Plex that has everything you need. Upgraded internal hardware. The NAS enclosure now has an Intel Celeron J4125 processor and 4GB RAM. Another DIMM slot allows for the addition of a 4GB memory module. The DS920+ has four drive bays that can hold 16TB drives. You can store 64TB on it. The DS918+ was my home server for many years. It performed flawlessly streaming Plex from all my devices. This is the DS920+, which builds on it with more powerful hardware. Two Gigabit Ethernet ports include Link Aggregation and two USB 3.0 ports. An eSATA port allows you to hook up a DX517 expansion device, giving you the option to add five more drives or 80TB to your NAS. DiskStation manager provides full access to all software features on the Synology NAS boxes. The DS920+ is ideally suited for media servers. I recommend two 8TB IronWolf drives as a starting point and adding more as you need. The pros: Improved internalsIdeal for 4K transcoding or PlexSoftware that is powerfulStorage space up to 64TBM.2 slots for SSD caching. Cons: Less DRAM slots than the predecessorNo ports for 10GbE (10 Gigabit Internet)Plex Synology 4 bay NAS DiskStation DS920+ Best media server The DS920+ is the ideal media server. With 4K video transcoding, four drive bays and 64TB storage, it's everything you need in a media server. Amazon: $550$550 at Newegg$550 on B&H Photo5. 5.Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android CentralDiskStation DS1520+ NAS enclosure is the best you can buy. The powerful Celeron J4125 chipset powers it. It has 8GB RAM, doubles the DS920+'s RAM, and four Gigabit Ethernet ports. There are five storage bays on the NAS that can hold 80TB. You can also add 10 more bays using two eSATA ports. The DS1520+ also has three USB 3.0 ports and all the connectivity options that you would expect from a NAS. Two M.2 slots are also available, but you cannot use them for storage, unlike other NAS enclosures. Although the NAS does not have an HDMI port, it is still possible to use Plex or DLNA to stream media to your TV. The DS1520+ is a great option if your goal is to have a powerful Plex media server. The DS1520+ can handle 4K transcodes with no issues and you will not have problems streaming media to multiple devices simultaneously. The DS1520+ also offers many features for businesses such as a virtual machine manager and a collaborative office suite. The DS1520+ enclosure is a great choice if you are looking for a high-end enclosure. The DS1520+ is a great Plex server.Many business-focused featuresFour Gigabit Ethernet ports8GB RAM in the boxExtendable via two eSATA ports Cons: No HDMI portOnly M.2 slots for cachingBest for enthusiasts Synology NAS DiskStation DS1520+ This ultimate homelab has everything you need to run a media server. It also doubles up as a great NAS solution for businesses. Amazon: $700$700 at Newegg6. Synology DiskStation D420j: More for LessSource: SynologyThe DiskStation DS420j is a 4-bay NAS that costs $300. The NAS is slightly different than other Synology models due to the plastic front cover. This makes it slightly more difficult to reach the drive bays. The design is distinctive and you won't be required to access hard drives after you have inserted them. This compromise is not too bad. You get 1GB RAM and the Realtek RTD1296 chip on the DS420j. Although there is no way to increase the memory, the DS420j will do most multimedia tasks well. Plex runs on it and allows you to back up data from all devices in your home network. DiskStation manager offers a wide range of features, including apps that allow audio and video streaming from your NAS. Each bay can hold 16TB drives, giving you 64TB total across all four drive bays. If you are looking to create a multimedia home server, there is a single Gigabit Ethernet connection at the back as well as two USB 3.0 ports. The DS420j is a reliable 4-bay NAS. You can start with just a few 6TB IronWolf drives, and then add more as you need. The Pros: Up to 64TB storageGigabit EthernetRuns quietSoftware with excellent featuresOneGB of memory is a great valueSSD caching is not possible with an M.2 slotSynology DiskStation DS420j More storage for less Synology DiskStation DS420j Maximize storage with four drive bays, Plex support and the ability to launch Plex. The DS420j is a great option to jumpstart a multimedia home server. Amazon: $300$300 at Newegg$300 on B&H Photo7. Synology DiskStation DS418: Best valueSource: SynologyDiskStation is a well-known NAS enclosure that costs less than $400. The NAS can hold up to 64TB and is powered by a Realtek TTD1296, which also has 2GB RAM, two Gigabit Ethernet ports and two USB 3.0 ports. There are dual fans at the back. Although the DS418 doesn't do 4K video transcoding well, it's a good option if you only need a media server that streams content to all devices on your home network via DLNA. DiskStation Manager is included with all its features, including audio and video media servers, backups of all devices on your network, note-taking, mail clients, and more. The 8TB IronWolf is the ideal hard drive for the DS418. These can be purchased as you need them, and your NAS enclosure will last for many years. The pros: It can store up to 64TBReliable performanceGreat valueDual Gigabit EthernetPros of robust software: Not great to transcode 4K videoMissing out on the Btrfs File SystemThe best value Synology DiskStation DS418 - Still a great choice in 2020 If you only need a four-bay NAS that is robust and has a wide feature-set, this is it. Amazon: $370$370 at Newegg$370 at B&H Photo8. Synology DiskStation D218play: Excellent for MultimediaSource: SynologyThe DS218play value-focused model is designed for those who want to build a multimedia server. This 2-bay NAS is a great starting point. It comes with a Realtek RTD1296 chip and 1GB RAM. There are also two USB 3.0 ports and one Gigabit Ethernet port. The DS218play has two drive bays that can hold 32TB total storage. It is a good option if you are looking for a reliable media server to play locally saved files from all devices in your home network. The NAS is compatible with DiskStation Manager like all Synology models. This software gives you access to a variety of useful features including audio and video streaming clients as well as fast reading and writing speeds and strong security. You get a lot for your money. The 4TB and 8TB IronWolf hard drives are the best. You'd be better off buying one 8TB drive now and adding another later, as there are only two drives bays. Pros: Decent valueReliable media server with 4K streamingPorts for gigabit EthernetSoftware features that are usefulStorage Capacity: Up to 32TBNot extensibleThe DS218play is a great multimedia Synology DiskStation DS218play media server. If you are looking for an affordable way for you to get started with a NAS to host your media server, the DS218play may be for you. Amazon: $230$230 at B&H Photo9. Synology DiskStation Slim DS620slim - Compact workhorseSource: SynologyDiskStation DS620slim differs from all other NAS enclosures on this list. It cannot hold 3.5-inch hard drives. It will only accept 2.5-inch drives, or SSDs. This makes it a very attractive option. The hardware is powerful. The DS620slim has an Intel Celeron J3355 processor, 2GB RAM that can be increased to 6GB, two Gigabit Ethernet port with Link Aggregation and two USB 3.0 ports. Six drive bays are available, each with a capacity of 7.68TB. Total storage can reach 46TB. The DS620slim NAS enclosure is a smaller version of a 6-bay enclosure such as the DS1618+. It's approximately half the size. The NAS is also significantly cheaper than a regular 6-bay unit. You can pair the NAS with drives by purchasing the 1TB WD Red and 4TB BarraCuda drives from Seagate. Pros: Slim form factorSolid performanceOutstanding valueSimilar great software featuresDual Gigabit Ethernet ports. Cons: Limits to 2.5-inch drivesThe DS620slim compact NAS is the perfect choice if you are looking for a NAS that can perform well but doesn't take up too much space. $450 at B&H Photo$450 at Newegg10. Synology DiskStation D2419+: The ultimate NNASSource: SynologyThe DiskStation DiskStation 2419+ is huge in every way. There are 12 bays that can store a 16TB drive. This gives you a total of 192TB storage. You can also add a 12-bay expansion unit such as the DX1215 to increase storage capacity to 384TB. This NAS is intended for small businesses and networking enthusiasts. The DS2419+ comes with 4GB RAM and can be upgraded to 32GB via the 2 DIMM slots. You get excellent sequential reads, writes, SSD caching, and the option of adding a 10GbE (10 Gigabit Internet) network card. Although the DS2419+ is too big for streaming media, it still has all of the DiskStation Manager's features. It offers a comprehensive set of tools and features that help businesses automatically back up all devices on a network. Additionally, it can run virtual machines and Docker easily. The DS2419+ is available in the following options: the 16TB IronWolf Pro and the 14TB WD Gold, which can be inserted into the NAS enclosure. Pros: Storage capacity up to 192TBOutstanding performanceSoftware with excellent featuresIt is possible to extendFour Gigabit Ethernet ports cons: High costThe ultimate NAS Synology DiskStation DS2419+ Create your private cloud server. With exceptional performance and backed up by a host powerful tools, the DS2419+ NAS is the best NAS for small businesses. B&H Photo: $1,500$1,500 at NeweggWhich Synology NAS is the best you can get in 2021?
