The best Synology enclosures are usually the best. You can build a robust media server for streaming audio and video to all devices on your home network with the help of a NAS. These are the best enclosures for Synology.
The DiskStation DS 220+ is the ideal choice if you are buying a first time NAS or looking to upgrade. The enclosure can hold a total of 32 terabytes of storage. You get upgraded internal hardware in the form of an Intel Celeron J4025 chip and 2 gigabytes of RAM, if you choose to.
Thanks to Link Aggregation, you can combine the two ports at the back to get a boost in data transfer rates. There are three things at the back, a single fan and two ports. The DS 220+ can handle 4K video.
Half of what makes a Synology NAS great is hardware. The DiskStation Manager software is the best in the industry, and DSM 7.0 brings a visual refresh with a slew of exciting new features.
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You can use the NAS as a media server and stream audio and video from it to all devices on your home network and even access it from anywhere in the world. The DS220+ has built-in tools to organize your photos into albums, as well as powerful tools to back up data across all computers and phones in your home network.
If you want to turn the DS 220+ into a media server, you should know that the NAS works with Plex. You will be able to stream content to your TV or other devices with 4K transcoding.
The second part of buying a storage server is picking up hard drives for the network attached storage system. If you need more storage, you can always choose between the 6 and 8 terabytes models.
Need a budget-friendly enclosure? You will like what the DiskStation DS 220j has to offer. It is a 2-bay model, and you can slot 16TB drives in each bay, just like the DS 220+. You can add up to 32 terabytes of storage in the NAS. It has 512MB of RAM, a Realtek RTD1289 chip, and two ports.
You get the same great software features as the DS220+, including the ability to back up data from all devices on your network, and so much more. The DS220j works well as a server, but it has issues with 4K videos. If you already have content that will play on devices across your home network, you can use it as a media server to stream files over DLNA.
I would go with IronWolf drives for hard drive recommendations. If you want to build a media server, you should be able to get 8 terabytes of storage with two of those drives. You could always pick up a single IronWolf to get things started.
The DS 120j is the ideal option if you don't want to spend a lot of money but still get a taste of what a Synology NAS has to offer. The easiest way to get started with the DiskStation Manager is with the $100 NAS. You can stream locally stored audio, video, and photos to all of your devices on your home network with the fully-featured apps available for both iOS and Android.
The DS 120j has a single hard drive. It can accommodate a drive up to 16 terabytes in size, and I would recommend a 2 terabytes IronWolf drive, which will set you back another $80. If you want more storage, you can pick up a 4TB IronWolf for $105, which will give you a decent entry-level option with 4TB of storage for just over $200. The hardware on offer here is pretty good value.
The DS 120j has 512MB of RAM and is powered by a Marvell Armada 3700 chip. There is a 60mm fan at the back to make sure the NAS stays cool under load. The DS 120j is a steal at $100.
The DiskStation DS920+ has everything you need for a good NAS. The internal hardware has been upgraded, the enclosure is powered by an Intel Celeron J4125 chip with 4GB of RAM and another DIMM slot.
The DS920+ has four drive bays that can hold up to 16 terabytes of storage. I used the DS918+ for several years as my home server, and it worked well for streaming Plex on all my devices. The DS920+ is the one to get if you want to set up a home server for 4K and Plex.
You get two Gigabit Ethernet ports with Link Aggregation, two USB 3.0 ports, and an eSATA port that lets you add five additional drives, giving you the ability to add 80 terabytes of storage.
You can get a full slate of software features via DiskStation Manager. The DS920+ is ideal for a media server, so I would suggest picking up two IronWolf drives to start.
The DiskStation DS1520+ is one of the best NAS enclosures out there. It is powered by the Celeron J4125 and has 8 gigabytes of RAM out of the box, double that of the DS920+, and comes with four Gigabit Ethernet ports at the back.
You can add up to 10 additional bays via two eSATA ports if you choose to do so. The DS1520+ has all of the options you are looking for in a storage device. You can use the two M.2 slots for caching, but not for storage. You can always use DLNA or Plex to stream media to your TV even though the NAS lacks an HDMI port.
If you want a high-end Plex media server, the DS1520+ is an outstanding option. It handles 4K transcodes without any issues, and the power on offer means you should not have any issues streaming media to multiple devices at the same time. It has many features for businesses, including a virtual machine manager, a collaborative office suite, and much more. If you are looking for a high-end enclosure, there is plenty to like in the DS1520+.
The DiskStation DS420j is a great option if you are looking for a 4-bay NAS for $300. The plastic cover at the front makes it harder to get to the drive bays. The design does stand out, and you won't need to access the hard drives once you slot them in anyway, so it isn't too big of a trade-off.
The DS420j is powered by a chip that has 1GB of RAM. The DS420j is great for most multimedia tasks, but there is no way to add more memory. You can back up the data on all your devices across your home network with it, and it has a lot of features with DiskStation Manager, including apps for audio and video streaming.
You can add up the drives in each bay and get a total of 64TB across the four drive bays. If you want to build a multimedia home server, the DS420j is a good choice because it has a single Gigabit Ethernet port at the back and two USB 3.0 ports. Start with a few IronWolf drives.
The DiskStation is one of the best options if you are looking for a 4-bay enclosure for under $400. You can slot in up to 64 terabytes of storage over four drive bays, and it comes with dual fans at the back, as well as 2GB of RAM, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, and two USB 3.0 ports.
If you want to stream content to all the devices on your home network over DLNA, the DS418 is a great option. You get DiskStation Manager and all the features it has to offer, including an audio and video media server, the ability to back up all the devices on your network, robust note-taking and mail clients, and so much more.
The IronWolf is the ideal hard drive for the DS418. You will have a NAS enclosure that will serve you well for several years if you get these as needed.
Those looking to build a multimedia server can use the DS218play. You can get a decent hardware in the form of a chip, 1GB of RAM, and one Gigabit Ethernet port, if you choose to use the 2-bay NAS.
If you just want a reliable media server for playing locally stored files on all devices on your home network, the DS218play is a decent option.
The DiskStation Manager gives you access to a host of useful software features, including dedicated audio and video streaming clients, fast reading and writing performance, and robust security. You are getting a lot of value for your money.
The IronWolf drives are the best for hard drives. If you want to add another drive later, you should pick up a single 8TB drive and add another later.
The DiskStation DS620slim is different from every other NAS enclosure because it cannot hold 3.5-inch hard drives. It's an interesting option because you will have to use hard drives or SSDs.
If you want to invest in the best NAS for home for the first time or want to make the switch to a more powerful model, there are plenty of great options at all price points. Right now, the DiskStation DS 220+ is the best choice. It has powerful hardware, the latest software features, and two drive bays. If you want to build a media server, you have more than enough room here.
The DiskStation DS 220j is a budget-focused model. It is the ideal starting point if you want to store media and back up data.
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