Harish Jonnalagadda is a source.
A network attached storage (NAS) server is an ideal way to back up data from connected phones and other devices, and is the ideal way to stream locally-stored music, movies, and TV shows on your home network.
The best software in this category is behind the reliability of the hardware on the Synology server. The DiskStation DS920+ is one of the best options if you want a home network attached storage device that is primarily for media storage and streaming.
The DS920+ ticks all the right boxes, which is the reason for its continued dominance. There's a choice of adding an additional 4GB module, as well as dual Gigabit Ethernet and two M.2 slots, and you can add up to 64 terabytes of storage in the four drive bays.
The DS920+ has a lot to offer if you need a reliable NAS. I can confidently say that the 4-bay option is the best option in this category, as I have used the NAS for a few months now as my primary server.
If you're looking to set up a Plex media server, the DiskStation DS920+ is the best 4-bay NAS around. It can store up to 64 terabytes of data and handles transcodes without breaking a sweat. Combine that with a lot of software features, and you get a great overall NAS.
It's ideal for 4K streaming.
The eSATA ports can be used for a lot of things.
The software features are class-leading.
There is dual Gigabit of bandwidth.
It was built to last.
There is no 2.5 or 10GbE networking.
M.2 isn't good for storage.
There is 4 gigabytes of memory in the box.
Harish Jonnalagadda is a source.
The DiskStation DS920+ went on sale at the end of June 2020. The price of the NAS is still available. Availability is a bit of a hassle at the moment in markets like the UK, but it's sold in all global markets where Synology has a presence. In North America, you can get the DS920+ from the likes of Amazon, Newegg, and B&H without any issues.
You will need to buy hard drives at the retail price of $550. I'm partial to the IronWolf drives from Seagate as they are built to last for several years. The DS920+ has four drive bays, but you're better off getting high-storage drives from the beginning, as I've learned the hard way in the past where I've bought 4 tb drives and realized a few months later that I'm already running low
The IronWolf is the best choice for the amount of storage you need, since it is aimed at Plex media streaming. If you want more information, I've listed the best NAS hard drives.
DiskStation DS920+ Hardware
Harish Jonnalagadda is a source.
The DS920+ is powered by a computer. The part launched at the end of the year and has four cores going up to 2.0 GHz with a 4MB cache and 10W TDP, with the ability to transcode media on the fly.
There are also two M.2 slots, two dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, an additional memory slot, two USB 3.2 ports, and an eSATA port that can be used to connect an external drive housing. The breakdown of the hardware is here.
The category is called
DiskStation DS920+
The drive bays are internal.
Each bay has a maximum of 16TB.
3.5-inch hard drive.
The HDD is 2.5 inches.
There is a 2.5 inch SSD.
2x M.2 flash drives.
There is 64 terabytes of total storage.
Network interface.
There are 2 x Gigabit Ethernet.
Link aggregation.
There areusb ports.
2 xusb 3.2 Gen 1
The eSATA ports.
1 x eSATA.
It's called PCIe.
No.
It is the most powerful processor in the world.
The quad-core is 2.0 GHz.
64 bit.
It's called Plex.
Yes.
4K transcode.
Yes.
There is RAM.
4 gigabytes of memory
You can upgrade to 8GB.
caching on the SSD
Yes.
There are 2 x M.2 slots.
There is a file system.
Btrfs, EXT4.
It is cooling.
The fan is 92mm.
19.8dB
It is extendable.
Yes.
There could be up to 5 additional drives.
There are dimensions.
166mm x 199mm
The weight.
The weight is 2. 24 kilogram.
Harish Jonnalagadda is a source.
The DiskStation DS920+ has a familiar look, because it hasn't changed the design of its NAS server in a while. The server has a lot of plastic and aluminum, and the black paint job makes sure it doesn't call attention to itself. The build quality is among the best in this category, and the design makes it easy to put the DS920+ in a rack server or entertainment cabinet.
You can install either 3.5 or 2.5 inch HDDs at the four drive bays at the front, or choose to use the 2.5 inch solid state drives if you don't want to use mechanical drives. The drive tray allows for tool-less installation, and I used it to install a few IronWolf drives in the enclosure. The drive bays can be locked via the bundled key.
There is a port at the front for plugging in a thumb drive or portable storage, and you can see the status of the system. The power button is located at the bottom of the server, and the logo is on either side of it. You will have to shut down the NAS once every few months, take out the hard drives, and clean the dust that accumulates within because the vented logos are a good point for dust.
The back is where you'll find all the options. You get a second port for attaching an external drive unit, a Link Aggregation port, and dual Gigabit Ethernet ports. If you need more ports for load balancing, you need to look at the DiskStation DS1520+. The DS920+ has the same internal hardware as the DS920+, but it comes with 8 gigabytes of RAM out of the box, and four Gigabit Ethernet ports.
The TerraMaster F5-422 is a 2.5 or 10GbE networking server that is in this category, but you won't find it with Synology. The dual Gigabit ports are adequate for most of the intended audience, but it would have been nice to add a second port. It's likely we'll see multi-gigabit networking in Synology's media-focused server in 2022, so there's that to look forward to.
When the DS918+ was launched back in 2018, it was bundled with 4GB of RAM, but this is half of that. In my use case, I didn't find it to be a limitation, because Synology should have provided more memory as standard.
There are two M.2 slots at the bottom of the enclosure. There is no way to use these slots for storage. If you've read up on what's going on with PS5 with internal and M.2 slots, you'll know that managing heat is a big issue.
The M.2 slots in the DS920+ are used for the less-intensive SSD caching, because of the limited thermal management space.
The DiskStation DS920+ is performing well.
Harish Jonnalagadda is a source.
I want to highlight how I used the DS920+ over the last two months as this review is focused on long-term usage notes. I transferred a lot of data from an existing diskStation DS1019+ to fill it and use it as my main Plex server.
The DS920+ doesn't break a sweat while handling two direct play streams with high bitrates. I share my library with my sister, who is halfway around the world, and she didn't have any issues with streaming the content stored on the server.
For this use case, the DS920+ is a great choice because it is a fantastic tool for managing your media library and streaming content to local and remote devices. Other server in this category offer the same caliber of hardware. The DS920+ stands out because it has the most refined software you can find on a storage server, with plenty of useful features and a modern design.
The ability to back up data is particularly useful. I use the DS920+ for this use case because I use the cloud for high-quality photos, but I also keep the original photos on a local server. I downloaded the mobile app from the Play Store and set up Synology Photos. My wife and I take photos and videos on our devices, so I started a task to back up our devices so that all of our photos and videos can be found on the NAS.
It's easy to set this up within DSM, and I also back up the data that's stored on the NAS to Google Drive, using a built-in utility. I use the DS920+ as a media server and general storage instead of using it to back up my Windows or Mac, because the DS920+ also lets you easily back up your Windows or Mac.
The DS920+ has a lot of flexibility when it comes to the software side of things, and that's why it's in best-seller lists. DSM 7.0 is far and above the leader, and I don't think that will change soon.
The DS920+ is a DiskStation.
Harish Jonnalagadda is a source.
If you want a 4-bay NAS for streaming, the QNAP is a good choice. It is powered by the Celeron J4025 and has 2GB of RAM. The DS920+ is more expensive than the $430 version, but it has a decent set of software features.
The TerraMaster F5-422 is the best hardware in this category. The 5-bay NAS retails for $600 and comes with a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port as standard. You also get a quad-core Apollo chip that can go up to 1.5 GHz. TerraMaster's software isn't as refined and you don't get as many utilities, but the F5-422 has a lot going for it.
Should you buy a DiskStation?
Harish Jonnalagadda is a source.
You want a large amount of storage for your computer.
The DS920+ is a good choice for a Plex media server. You can build your media server in under five minutes with the help of Plex.
You need robust software features.
DSM 7.0 has the best software features in this category, with a host of services available that allow you to back up photos and videos, run a dedicated mail server or collaborative productivity suite, and so much more.
You are looking for reliable hardware.
The DS920+ has the best internal hardware in its category, and you get a generous selection of ports and options. These server are built to last and should hold up for a long time.
If you buy this, you should not.
2.5 or 10GbE networking is required.
There are enclosures in this category that offer 2.5 or 10 Gigabit as standard, but the DS920+ is limited to Gigabit Ethernet. If you need multi-Gig connection, you will have to look at the TerraMaster F5-422 or another model.
The DiskStation DS920+ is a good choice for home NAS use. With four drive bays and the ability to attach five more via the eSATA docking station, you get room for all the storage you could ask for. The Celeron J4125 is ideal for Plex 4K streaming.
The DS920+ has been one of Amazon's best-sellers since it was released in June 2020. It has the ideal balance of hardware and value, and you get all the features you need in a Plex media server for home use. This is my recommendation for a 4-bay server for general home use.
The DiskStation DS920+ is a good choice for a Plex media server. It has the best internal hardware in its category, has all the options you're looking for, and DSM 7.0 is the best software you'll find on a NAS server. This is the best-selling 4-bay NAS on Amazon.
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