I have the Synology NAS now for about 3 months. It works well for me. Below I listed some pros and cons for Synology from my personal experience.
Pros:
- Hard drive installation was easy and straight forward.
- Initial software setup was easy.
- The Synology website has a lot of information on how to setup your synology. So if you do not know to exactly set things up, just google it and you will find the Synology website with information on it. - Helped me a lot and great work to set this information up and to keep it up to date!!
- Great mobile phone app support. You can find a lot of mobile phone apps from Synology which work well together with your device. I for example use DS File to upload the pictures on my phone to the Synology NAS.
- You have software apps for Synology for a lot of things (more than I need), which is great!
- Great support for Timemachine (MacOS) to backup on the Synology hard drive. Works really well despite a hiccup. One time I needed to kill the time machine user on the Synology device since it had 2 sessions at the same time and couldn't do a backup. Worked fine after killing those sessions from my Synology.
- Great build in functionality to make your Synology secure (2 factor authentication, encryption, etc.).
- You can access your files from the outside world if you want to.
Cons:
- The indexing of video and photo files is starting right away when you copy it on the NAS. When you copy large amount of photos/videos on it, it will take most of the CPU time. It takes than minutes to log into you Synology drive, but you can pause the indexing for some time. I really hoped that was a support for scheduled indexing (index between like midnight to 6am), but couldn't find it so far. That is probably my biggest complaint.
- Antivirus: Not a bit deal in my mind since the info that gets in the NAS was already virus checked in my computer, but you should know that it's not working very well for the following reasons. The antivirus program from Synology does not always work well. I had to install the first virus definition by hand the first time since the antivirus software never finished updating (found that solution on the website and piecing things from other users together). Now its updating just fine most of the time. The scan (according to the antivirus logs) takes from like 2-16 hours for me with my data just being like 400GB (no idea what the virus scanner is actually doing), but it doesn't matter to me when it is done.
General caution:
- If you never worked with a NAS before I strongly recommend you read up on good practices how to make it as secure as possible. I believe Synology provides that information as well.
- Installing this device and setting it up the way I wanted to took me some time. So expect to spend some hours to set it up before considering making it accessible from outside your home network.
All in all a great product. The few things I do not like are small compared to the functionality provided by Synology. I think they did a great job with this device!
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Effortless Data Management: NAS Storage Review
Tyler Talks Tech
From the manufacturer
Your own private cloud
DS220j is an entry-level 2-bay NAS designed for home and personal users to store and share photos, videos, and documents. The private cloud solution is powered by the award-winning DiskStation Manager (DSM) OS, providing an intuitive user interface and safe data protection approaches for easy digital asset backups from computers and mobile devices at no additional cost.
At a glance:
- 64-bit 4-core 1.4 GHz
- More than 112 MB/s reading and writing*
- RAID 1 protection to avoid sudden drive failure
- Anywhere access with mobile apps
- No public-cloud subscription fees
- *Performance figures may vary depending on environment, usage, and configuration.
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Easy file accessAccess files on your Synology NAS over the Internet using QuickConnect. DiskStation allows you to synchronize your files across multiple devices or even across several locations, so you never have to go without your data. |
Personal multimedia serverTurn your DiskStation into a home media hub to store your movies, TV shows, pictures, and MP3s. Centralize and organize your photos and videos in your private cloud for easy sharing and management. |
Bulletproof backupControl your data and keep your files safe. DSM makes it easy to backup files for all your devices and avoid accidental data loss. You can even backup data from your DiskStation to other devices or any major cloud storage provider. |
24/7 security solutionEvery DiskStation comes ready to be configured for home or office security. Just connect your IP cameras and use DiskStation to manage, monitor, and save all of your security footage. All without any monthly fees. |
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| DS220j | DS220+ | DS720+ | |
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| Customer Reviews |
3,301
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7,891
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939
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| Price | $145.50 | $391.91 | — |
| CPU Model | Realtek RTD1296 | Intel Celeron J4025 | Intel Celeron J4125 |
| CPU Frequency | 4-core 1.4 GHz | 2-core 2.0 (base) / 2.9 (burst) GHz | 4-core 2.0 (base) / 2.7 (burst) GHz |
| Memory | 512 MB DDR4 non-ECC | 2 GB DDR4 non-ECC, upgradable to 6MB | 2 GB DDR4 non-ECC, upgradable to 6MB |
| RJ-45 1GbE LAN Port | 1 | 2 (with Link Aggregation / Failover support) | 2 (with Link Aggregation / Failover support) |
| USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| eSATA Port | - | 1 | 1 |
| Internal File System | EXT4 | EXT4 or BTRFS | EXT4 or BTRFS |
From the brand
Synology NAS Drives
Purpose-built for Synology systems
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Designed for Synology systems
Reliable 3.5" SATA hard drives are made for 24x7 use in home and small office Synology NAS systems.
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Rigorously tested NAS drives
Subjected to thorough compatibility and stress testing to ensure smooth 24/7 operation under multi-user workloads.
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Seriously dependable drives
100% conventional magnetic recording (CMR) technology ensures consistent write performance throughout their lifespans.
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Easy firmware updates
Firmware updates can be performed directly through DSM, ensuring the latest patches while eliminating the need for disk removal.
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Readers' Choice Award - 12 in a row in 2023
Among PCMag readers, Synology scored a 9.2 out of 10 in overall satisfaction and a 9.3 in the likelihood to recommend, Synology far outpaced its competitors in these categories.
Business Choice Award - 9 in a row in 2023
Synology won both Home-Office NAS and IT Manager's Choice. Synology earned an 9.4 rating for likelihood to recommend and a 9.2 in overall satisfaction from PCMag business respondents.
Compare with similar items
This Item  DiskStation DS220J SAN/NAS Storage System |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $145.50 | $249.99 | $185.99 | $296.99 | -19% $144.99 List: $179.99 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 21 | Get it as soon as Monday, May 20 | Get it as soon as Monday, May 20 | Get it as soon as Monday, May 20 | — |
| Customer Ratings | |||||
| Storage Capacity | |||||
| User interface | |||||
| Tech Support | |||||
| Value for money | |||||
| Easy to use | |||||
| Sold By | Amazon Warehouse | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
| size | Enclosure | DS223 | DS223j | DS224+ | DS124 |
| hardware interface | — | — | — | esata, pci, solid state drive | esata, pci, solid state drive |
| compatible devices | Server | Desktop, Laptop, Server, Smart Phone | Desktop, Laptop, iPhone, Android | Laptop, Smart Phone, Desktop | Laptop, Smart Phone, Desktop, Server |
| assembly required | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| weight | 3.31 pounds | 1280 grams | 0.87 kilograms | 1.3 kilograms | 1247 grams |
Reviews with images
220J and 420J Very Fast, Easy Setup, Reliable and Quiet
Since Amazon groups the 220J and the 420J together I cannot review the 420j separately so I am revising my 220J review to include the 420J. I got the 420j 15 months after the 220j and as expected the 420j is also excellent. I actually got a great bargain on the 420j from the Amazon Warehouse for a returned items whose package indistinguishable from new.I use the Synology 220J and 420j in a very simple way, to set it as the destination for the download of torrent files, backups, and for storing other large files I don't want to use up space on my solid-state drive. The PC is a Windows 10 and wired to a 1G LAN. Both NAS's are cabled directly to the 1G port of a Netgear r6700V3 router. AS long as I used wired (not wireless) the connection to both NAS is very fast even approaching the data limit of the 1G Ethernet interface. See the attached graph showing a speed test to both NASs from my laptop to each of the Synology units. Very fast indeed at the max capability of the 1Gb network.THE GOOD:-- EASY TO INSTALL: Doing very little more than installing the hard drives, letting the units run their initial installation, and then setting up a shared folder, and was quickly able to see the NAS's from both of my Windows 10 laptops. Very little to do to start using the NAS.-- FAST TORRENT SAVES: Saving torrent files over an ethernet cabled connection the speed was as fast as the torrent downloads themselves. Very pleased.-- GOOD STREAMING: I was able to play a 4K video from the 220J over the 1G LAN to an NVIDIA Shield with excellent results. No pausing or jerkiness. The 220j and the 1G LAN were not at all stressed by this. -- GOOD SUPPORT: I was impressed with the tech support. They were always available and reasonably knowledgeable but were unable to offer a reason for the slow torrents. -- QUIET: The fan in both units is surprisingly quiet and with adjustable speed. -- FAST FILE TRANSFER: When I copy a file from the PC (where Ive saved a torrented file) to the file it's very fast. I see speeds of 115 MBps on a 1G LAN. See the attached speed test for both units. -- VERY RELIABLE: Over 15 months of use the 220j NAS has been available 100% of the time, connecting to the network and operating over its web-based interface. I've had the 420j for only a week but I expect the same remarkable reliability from it. -- CAREFUL WITH DRIVE SELECTION: I only say this because I initially installed some good value Hitachi 4TB drives that turned out to be noisy as heck. They made a loud thumping sound as the heads moved, so much so I had to change the location of the 220j to another room where I would not hear it. -- QUIET HARD DRIVES: For the 420J I used 4ea Seagate Barracuda 4TB drives and I don't hear them at all. In fact, the fan is louder than any noise the drives make.The Bad: Not a thing.CONCLUSION: Both the 420j and the 220j do a lot of things and is probably much more sophisticated than I need and for the simple task of saving files from my PC over a LAN, but it's a great easy to setup and a supremely reliable solution.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2020
I use the Synology 220J and 420j in a very simple way, to set it as the destination for the download of torrent files, backups, and for storing other large files I don't want to use up space on my solid-state drive. The PC is a Windows 10 and wired to a 1G LAN. Both NAS's are cabled directly to the 1G port of a Netgear r6700V3 router. AS long as I used wired (not wireless) the connection to both NAS is very fast even approaching the data limit of the 1G Ethernet interface. See the attached graph showing a speed test to both NASs from my laptop to each of the Synology units. Very fast indeed at the max capability of the 1Gb network.
THE GOOD:
-- EASY TO INSTALL: Doing very little more than installing the hard drives, letting the units run their initial installation, and then setting up a shared folder, and was quickly able to see the NAS's from both of my Windows 10 laptops. Very little to do to start using the NAS.
-- FAST TORRENT SAVES: Saving torrent files over an ethernet cabled connection the speed was as fast as the torrent downloads themselves. Very pleased.
-- GOOD STREAMING: I was able to play a 4K video from the 220J over the 1G LAN to an NVIDIA Shield with excellent results. No pausing or jerkiness. The 220j and the 1G LAN were not at all stressed by this.
-- GOOD SUPPORT: I was impressed with the tech support. They were always available and reasonably knowledgeable but were unable to offer a reason for the slow torrents.
-- QUIET: The fan in both units is surprisingly quiet and with adjustable speed.
-- FAST FILE TRANSFER: When I copy a file from the PC (where Ive saved a torrented file) to the file it's very fast. I see speeds of 115 MBps on a 1G LAN. See the attached speed test for both units.
-- VERY RELIABLE: Over 15 months of use the 220j NAS has been available 100% of the time, connecting to the network and operating over its web-based interface. I've had the 420j for only a week but I expect the same remarkable reliability from it.
-- CAREFUL WITH DRIVE SELECTION: I only say this because I initially installed some good value Hitachi 4TB drives that turned out to be noisy as heck. They made a loud thumping sound as the heads moved, so much so I had to change the location of the 220j to another room where I would not hear it.
-- QUIET HARD DRIVES: For the 420J I used 4ea Seagate Barracuda 4TB drives and I don't hear them at all. In fact, the fan is louder than any noise the drives make.
The Bad: Not a thing.
CONCLUSION: Both the 420j and the 220j do a lot of things and is probably much more sophisticated than I need and for the simple task of saving files from my PC over a LAN, but it's a great easy to setup and a supremely reliable solution.
Size: EnclosureColor: EnclosureVerified Purchase
220J and 420J Very Fast, Easy Setup, Reliable and Quiet
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2020
Since Amazon groups the 220J and the 420J together I cannot review the 420j separately so I am revising my 220J review to include the 420J. I got the 420j 15 months after the 220j and as expected the 420j is also excellent. I actually got a great bargain on the 420j from the Amazon Warehouse for a returned items whose package indistinguishable from new.Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2020
I use the Synology 220J and 420j in a very simple way, to set it as the destination for the download of torrent files, backups, and for storing other large files I don't want to use up space on my solid-state drive. The PC is a Windows 10 and wired to a 1G LAN. Both NAS's are cabled directly to the 1G port of a Netgear r6700V3 router. AS long as I used wired (not wireless) the connection to both NAS is very fast even approaching the data limit of the 1G Ethernet interface. See the attached graph showing a speed test to both NASs from my laptop to each of the Synology units. Very fast indeed at the max capability of the 1Gb network.
THE GOOD:
-- EASY TO INSTALL: Doing very little more than installing the hard drives, letting the units run their initial installation, and then setting up a shared folder, and was quickly able to see the NAS's from both of my Windows 10 laptops. Very little to do to start using the NAS.
-- FAST TORRENT SAVES: Saving torrent files over an ethernet cabled connection the speed was as fast as the torrent downloads themselves. Very pleased.
-- GOOD STREAMING: I was able to play a 4K video from the 220J over the 1G LAN to an NVIDIA Shield with excellent results. No pausing or jerkiness. The 220j and the 1G LAN were not at all stressed by this.
-- GOOD SUPPORT: I was impressed with the tech support. They were always available and reasonably knowledgeable but were unable to offer a reason for the slow torrents.
-- QUIET: The fan in both units is surprisingly quiet and with adjustable speed.
-- FAST FILE TRANSFER: When I copy a file from the PC (where Ive saved a torrented file) to the file it's very fast. I see speeds of 115 MBps on a 1G LAN. See the attached speed test for both units.
-- VERY RELIABLE: Over 15 months of use the 220j NAS has been available 100% of the time, connecting to the network and operating over its web-based interface. I've had the 420j for only a week but I expect the same remarkable reliability from it.
-- CAREFUL WITH DRIVE SELECTION: I only say this because I initially installed some good value Hitachi 4TB drives that turned out to be noisy as heck. They made a loud thumping sound as the heads moved, so much so I had to change the location of the 220j to another room where I would not hear it.
-- QUIET HARD DRIVES: For the 420J I used 4ea Seagate Barracuda 4TB drives and I don't hear them at all. In fact, the fan is louder than any noise the drives make.
The Bad: Not a thing.
CONCLUSION: Both the 420j and the 220j do a lot of things and is probably much more sophisticated than I need and for the simple task of saving files from my PC over a LAN, but it's a great easy to setup and a supremely reliable solution.
Images in this review
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