Okay, so I’ve been meaning to upgrade my home storage setup for a while now. I was rocking a really old single-bay NAS, and it was just…painfully slow. Plus, I was constantly worried about losing all my data if that one drive decided to kick the bucket.
I narrowed it down to two options from Synology: the DS223j and the DS223. Both are 2-bay NAS devices, which is exactly what I wanted for some redundancy. More bays felt like overkill for my needs (and my wallet!). The big question was: is the extra cost of the DS223 worth it?
The Research Phase (aka Googling a Lot)
First, I spent way too much time reading reviews and comparing specs. I’m not gonna lie, it was a bit overwhelming. I learned that the “j” in DS223j stands for “junior,” meaning it’s the more budget-friendly option. Makes sense.
The main differences I could find were:
- Processor: The DS223j has a Realtek RTD1619B, while the DS223 has a Realtek RTD1619B. Seem like the same one.
- RAM: The DS223j comes with 1GB of DDR4 RAM (not upgradeable, bummer!), and the DS223 has 2GB DDR4, also fixed.
- Price: The DS223j is significantly cheaper. I’m talking, like, a noticeable difference.
Making the Decision (aka Flipping a Coin… Almost)
Honestly, after all the research, I was still a bit torn. The extra RAM on the DS223 sounded nice, but I wasn’t sure I’d actually need it. I’m mostly using this thing for:
- Storing photos and videos.
- Backing up my computers.
- Maybe streaming some movies to my TV occasionally.
I’m not running any crazy applications or virtual machines or anything. So, I decided to go with my gut (and my budget) and chose the DS223j.
Setting it Up (aka Plugging Things In)
Getting the DS223j up and running was surprisingly easy. I popped in two 4TB hard drives (I went with WD Reds, because I heard good things), plugged in the power and network cables, and turned it on.
Then, I went to Synology’s website on my computer and used their web assistant to find the NAS on my network. It walked me through the setup process, which involved:
- Creating a Synology account.
- Setting up a volume (I chose SHR, Synology Hybrid RAID, for some flexibility).
- Creating shared folders.
- Setting up user accounts.
The whole thing took maybe 30 minutes, tops. The Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) software is super user-friendly, even for someone like me who’s not a networking expert.
The Results (aka Is It Fast Enough?)
So far, I’m really happy with the DS223j. It’s way faster than my old NAS. Transferring files is a breeze, and backing up my computers is much quicker.
I’ve also tested streaming movies to my TV, and it works perfectly. No buffering or stuttering, even with 1080p videos.
I haven’t noticed any performance issues related to the 1GB of RAM. Maybe if I were running more demanding applications, I’d feel differently, but for my basic home use, it’s been totally fine.
Final Thoughts (aka Would I Recommend It?)
If you’re looking for a simple, affordable, and reliable 2-bay NAS for home use, I’d definitely recommend checking out the DS223j. It’s a great value for the money, and it’s been a huge upgrade for my storage setup. If you are looking for a bit more in ram, go for the DS223.
Just keep in mind that the RAM is not upgradeable, so if you think you might need more than 1GB down the road, you might want to consider the DS223 or another model. But for basic file storage, backups, and media streaming, the DS223j is a solid choice.