Synology DS224+ review: affordable two-bay NAS with mature software and modest hardware

Hardware and specifications

The DS224+ pairs an Intel Celeron J4125 quad-core processor from 2019 with 2 GB of soldered DDR4 memory and a single SO-DIMM slot that accepts up to 4 GB, bringing total capacity to the official 6 GB limit. Independent testers report that 8 GB modules function without issue, though Synology does not validate configurations beyond 6 GB and warns that unsupported memory voids warranty coverage. The J4125 runs at 2.0 GHz base and bursts to 2.7 GHz under load, and includes Intel UHD Graphics 600 for Quick Sync hardware transcoding—a key advantage over AMD Ryzen-based models when serving Plex to older clients that require format conversion.

Two tool-free 3.5-inch drive bays accept SATA hard disks or 2.5-inch SSDs, with support for RAID 0, RAID 1, JBOD, and Synology Hybrid RAID. Dual gigabit Ethernet ports can be aggregated for link speeds approaching 220 MB/s in testing, or configured for failover. Reviewers consistently measured 110–120 MB/s over a single 1GbE link and just under 220 MB/s with both ports bonded. Two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports on the rear support external backup drives or USB Copy tasks. The chassis measures 165 × 108 × 232 mm and weighs 1.3 kg, fitting comfortably on a desk with a single 92 mm fan that remains nearly silent under typical file-serving workloads.

Notably absent are M.2 NVMe cache slots and any 2.5GbE or faster networking—omissions that stand out when the QNAP TS-262 at roughly $370–400 includes dual 2.5GbE ports and two M.2 slots, and the TerraMaster F2-223 undercuts the DS224+ by $50 while offering 2.5GbE and NVMe support. The J4125 also lacks AVX instruction extensions, which prevents certain Docker containers—including some builds of Immich, Frigate, and other AI-assisted tools—from running without workarounds.

DiskStation Manager software and ecosystem

DiskStation Manager 7.2 is the headline feature that sets the DS224+ apart from spec-sheet competitors. DSM presents a browser-based desktop metaphor with draggable windows, a package center for first- and third-party applications, and granular permissions that integrate with Windows Active Directory, LDAP, and single sign-on services. Setup is straightforward: navigate to find.synology.com, install DSM from the downloaded image, create a Synology account, and configure QuickConnect for remote access—all within fifteen minutes according to multiple reviewers.

Synology Photos replaces the older Photo Station and Moments apps, offering automatic upload from mobile devices, AI-powered face recognition, and timeline organization. Object recognition requires at least 4 GB of RAM, meaning buyers must budget for a memory upgrade if they want that feature. Synology Drive provides cross-platform file sync similar to Dropbox, with versioning and selective sync, while Active Backup Suite handles agentless backups of Windows PCs, Macs, and virtual machines. Surveillance Station supports two camera licenses out of the box, with additional licenses sold separately. Cloud Sync integrates with Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and other providers, enabling hybrid on-premises and cloud workflows.

Synology's software update policy is less formalized than enterprise vendors, but historical patterns show roughly seven to eight years of full DSM updates for Plus-series models, followed by another three to four years of security-only patches—totaling ten to twelve years of support from launch. The DS224+ ships with DSM 7.2 and will likely receive updates through at least 2030 based on past precedent. Community forums and the official knowledge base are active, and mobile apps for iOS and Android—DS File, DS Photo, Synology Drive—receive consistent praise for usability and feature parity with the web interface.

Real-world performance and use cases

In synthetic and real-world file-transfer tests, the DS224+ delivered 110–120 MB/s read and write over a single gigabit Ethernet connection, saturating the 1GbE link. With link aggregation enabled across both ports, reviewers measured sustained transfers just under 220 MB/s—again hitting the theoretical ceiling of dual gigabit links. Sequential 8K workloads in StorageReview testing with WD Red Pro drives reached 28,400 IOPS read and 26,200 IOPS write over iSCSI, significantly outpacing the entry-level DS223j. Random 4K read performance topped 1,877 IOPS in iSCSI mode, with average latencies of 136 ms read and 364 ms write—adequate for small-office file serving and light database tasks.

Plex Media Server runs smoothly on the J4125, with hardware transcoding supporting two to three simultaneous 1080p streams or one to two 4K transcodes depending on bitrate and codec. The integrated Intel Quick Sync engine offloads video processing from the CPU, keeping utilization below 20 percent during typical playback. Synology Photos face recognition on 2,700 images processed at roughly six images per second with CPU spiking to 80–90 percent, completing the batch in seven and a half minutes. Users report that upgrading to 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM noticeably improves responsiveness when running Photos, Docker containers, and Virtual Machine Manager concurrently.

For home backup and small-office file sharing, the DS224+ handles a few dozen concurrent users without issue, provided expectations align with gigabit throughput limits. Active Backup for Business can snapshot Windows desktops and virtual machines, storing incremental backups on the NAS with deduplication and compression. Hybrid Share and Cloud Sync enable tiering frequently accessed files locally while archiving older data to Amazon S3, Wasabi, or Synology C2. The lack of 2.5GbE becomes apparent when copying large video projects or virtual-machine images; a 100 GB file transfer that takes eight minutes over dual 1GbE would complete in under four minutes on a 2.5GbE connection.

Value and competitive landscape

At $300 MSRP and frequently discounted to $240–260, the DS224+ occupies an awkward middle ground in Synology's own lineup and the broader NAS market. The entry-level DS223j sells for around $190 with a slower Realtek ARM CPU and 1 GB of RAM, while Synology's DS723+ offers an AMD Ryzen R1600, dual 2.5GbE, and PCIe expansion for roughly $450. QNAP's TS-262 at $370–400 includes a faster Intel N4505, 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM, dual 2.5GbE, two M.2 slots, and HDMI output, making it a hardware bargain—though QTS software and QNAP's past security incidents give some buyers pause. The TerraMaster F2-223 undercuts the DS224+ by $50, bundling 2.5GbE and NVMe slots, but its TOS interface lacks the polish and mobile-app ecosystem that justify Synology's premium.

For users prioritizing software experience, mobile-app quality, and long-term update commitments, the DS224+ delivers value that raw specifications do not capture. DSM's snapshot replication, granular permissions, and seamless integration with cloud providers reduce the total cost of ownership when IT expertise is limited. Synology's three-year warranty and historical support lifespan of seven to ten years for Plus models also weigh in favor of longevity, particularly for small businesses averse to hardware churn. Conversely, power users who need fast network transfers, SSD caching, or AVX-compatible Docker hosts will find better hardware value elsewhere, even if they sacrifice some software convenience.

The DS224+ is best understood as a software-first NAS: you pay a premium for DSM, robust mobile clients, and predictable long-term support, accepting that the underlying Intel J4125 and gigabit networking are conservative choices in 2023–2024. That tradeoff makes sense for home users stepping up from cloud-only storage who value set-and-forget reliability, or small offices already invested in Synology's ecosystem. It makes less sense for enthusiasts building home labs who want to experiment with newer container workloads or maximize multi-gigabit LAN performance on a budget.