Synology DS225+ NAS review: A great NAS for beginners

Synology’s newest 2-bay DS225+ NAS is a stable solution to get began with community connected storage techniques. It presents a streamlined and easy expertise with an affordable-enough worth for individuals who have by no means used a NAS earlier than.

7/10

Model

Synology

CPU

Intel Celeron J4125

Reminiscence

2GB

Drive Bays

2

The Synology DS225+ is a superb newbie storage server. It options two 3.5-inch onerous drive bays and each 2.5Gb Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet. Designed round Synology’s Disk Station Supervisor working system, this NAS presents a simplified expertise that anybody will really feel at dwelling utilizing. 

Execs & Cons

• Simple to make use of
• Good learn/write speeds even with out cache
• Synology’s established ecosystem of apps
• Stable construct high quality

• 7 yr previous processor
• Solely 2GB of RAM inventory, and solely expands to 6GB max
• No NVMe or M.2 assist

Value and availability

The Synology DS225+ 2-bay NAS is on the market to buy from Amazon, Finest Purchase, and B&H for $340.

Synology continues making nice starter NAS techniques

Should you’ve by no means used a NAS earlier than, the DS225+ is without doubt one of the finest locations to start out

Credit score: Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek

I’ve used quite a lot of NAS techniques through the years. From constructing my very own to utilizing pre-made ones, there’s quite a bit to love about lots of the manufacturers. Synology focuses on one factor, they usually get it proper: simplicity.

A Synology NAS is very simple to arrange, and the DS225+ is not any exception. From pulling it out of the field to having it prepared to make use of was only a few minutes. In fact, clearing the drives and constructing the RAID array took some time, however that is not a limitation of the system, however only a perform of RAID itself.

Disk Station Supervisor additionally stays the only NAS working system to make use of. Synology has perfected it through the years, and it actually reveals. If I had a member of the family on the lookout for an entry-level NAS, I might have zero hesitation in recommending that they get the DS225+.

Older {hardware} doesn’t suggest that there isn’t any energy right here

Although I might have favored to see greater than 2GB of RAM

Credit score: Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek

Synology is understood for being fairly stingy within the CPU and RAM division, and the DS225+ is not any exception to that, both.

It ships with a 2019-era Intel Celeron J4125 processor. This 4-core 4-thread CPU is okay for light-weight NAS duties, but it surely would not be my excellent selection for one thing like a Plex server. The J4125 does have Intel’s UHD Graphics 600, which implies it can deal with transcoding, but it surely would possibly battle with newer codecs.

The RAM division on this NAS can be a little bit of a letdown. For starters, it solely ships with 2GB of RAM. Nonetheless, the largest disadvantage is it maxes out at 6GB of RAM. Should you evaluate the DS225+ to different NAS techniques within the worth vary, about $50 extra will get you a Ugreen NAS with a a lot newer Intel N100 processor and 8GB of RAM, although there isn’t any solution to improve it.

Actually, there isn’t any cause that Synology ought to be utilizing a 2019-era processor and 2GB of RAM for a NAS in 2026. There are such a lot of higher choices to decide on than a J4125. I actually do want Synology would have completed higher on this space.

Nonetheless a lot I want Synology would have used extra highly effective {hardware} on this NAS, I’ll say that it runs pretty nicely. The apps I did run on it, like Synology Drive and transferring recordsdata round, all labored simply fantastic. I simply do not actually understand how lengthy the NAS will final performance-wise with these measly specs.

No NVMe drive is a little bit of a letdown

I would wish to see some caching talents

Credit score: Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek

I am an enormous fan of NVMe caching in a NAS, however the DS225+ does not permit that in any respect. The one drive bays on this NAS are the 2 3.5-inch bays on the entrance. There is not any SSD assist wherever, which is a little bit of a letdown.

Whereas that does stink, I used to be capable of see pretty respectable switch charges to the NAS fortunately. On a gigabit connection, I noticed full community saturation each for transferring recordsdata to and from the DS225+. My take a look at file was a 4GB video export from one in all my YouTube movies to simulate an precise workload of what I might be transferring round on the NAS.

Actually, it does not want a NVMe drive, however I’ve extra causes than simply caching for wanting NVMe storage. The aforementioned Ugreen NAS which presents extra energy and RAM for $50 greater than the DS225+ additionally has two M.2 NVMe slots inside.

Having NVMe on a NAS means which you could run native companies off of quicker storage as a substitute of spinning disks. Issues like Plex metadata, Synology Pictures, or some other container or app you would possibly run simply work higher when the info is on a SSD as a substitute of a tough drive.

It looks like not together with NVMe assist is only one extra nook that Synology lower within the DS225+. It isn’t a necessity, however, when different manufacturers are together with these options with out charging a ton extra, it is one thing they simply may have completed and selected to not.

The Synology ecosystem remains to be unmatched

It is onerous to argue with simply how easy Synology makes its ecosystem to make use of

Now, the true cause folks purchase a Synology is not for the horsepower or {hardware} specs, it is for the ecosystem and expertise. In these areas, Synology remains to be unmatched and the DS225+ actually reveals its experience.

Whereas I’m a big fan of NAS platforms from other companies, no one does an ecosystem higher than Synology. There may be nonetheless no rival to Synology Drive on any fashionable NAS. If you would like a NAS that may be a true Google Drive alternative, it is onerous to argue with the worth Synology delivers.

I’ve messed with NextCloud previously, in addition to a number of different Google Drive replacements, they usually all require far an excessive amount of repairs and break too typically for me to truly depend on. Synology Drive is dependable, works on all platforms, and makes use of my very own {hardware} as a cloud storage alternative—which is the principle cause most individuals purchase a NAS within the first place.

Synology Pictures is one other stand-out function right here. It acts as a full Google Pictures or iCloud Pictures alternative and it simply works nicely. Positive, Immich does exist, however Synology Pictures is easier to arrange, simpler to make use of, and requires quite a bit much less upkeep.

Must you purchase the Synology DS225+ NAS?

Credit score: Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek

The Synology ecosystem does quite a lot of heavy lifting for the Synology DS225+. If some other NAS producer had launched a system with the specs and {hardware} options of the DS225+ in 2026, it probably would not succeed in any respect. However, the DS225+ has Synology’s ecosystem, model recognition, and working system to lean on, and that is why this NAS will probably be successful.

Nonetheless, if you wish to purchase a NAS that does all of it, the Synology DS225+ is a superb selection. It may not be the quickest system, and it may not have essentially the most {hardware} options, however the software program expertise is what seals the deal right here, and Synology is aware of it.

The precise expertise of utilizing this NAS is nice for inexperienced persons and I would undoubtedly advocate it if you need a plug-and-play resolution in your dwelling community. At $340, that is about the most effective bang-for-your-buck 2-bay NAS you may get with out encroaching on the $400 mark.

Although, should you can spend a number of extra bucks, and you do not thoughts establishing a number of extra companies your self, there are undoubtedly higher NAS choices on the market.

7/10

Model

Synology

CPU

Intel Celeron J4125

Reminiscence

2GB

Drive Bays

2

The Synology DS225+ is a superb newbie storage server. It options two 3.5-inch onerous drive bays and each 2.5Gb Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet. Designed round Synology’s Disk Station Supervisor working system, this NAS presents a simplified expertise that anybody will really feel at dwelling utilizing.