A full review of the new DS224+ can be found here:
DS224+ hands-on review
Just a few weeks ago Synology released their latest refreshed J-series model, the DS223J. While small compact units such as that one, can offer a lot for its price point, most were expecting another 2-bay NAS refreshed from the +-series.
Well, today we have good news. Following in the footsteps of its larger 4-bay brother that arrived in February of this year (DS423+), the new DS224+ is the first NAS from the new 2024 lineup.
Review of the 4-bay version, DS423+. A larger version of the new DS224+
As expected the new DS224+ is also equipt with an Intel-based Celeron CPU, J4125. This quad-core is running at 2.7GHz and is backed up with 2GB of DDR4 memory (up to 6GB). Considering that it is in every way identical to the 4-bay version, apart from the number of bays, it also comes with dual 1Gbe network ports on the back and two USB 3.2 Gen 1.
The NAS other than having two HDD slots (for both HDD or SSD drives) to house the disks, does not come with NVMe ports for either cache or usable storage. This should be no surprise as DS224+ is a direct successor of DS220+ NAS from four years ago.
DS220+ overview
Similar to its predecessor, it does allow for a memory upgrade using the slot located inside the main disk bay area. From the design standpoint, the enclosure is identical to the DS220+ that includes a single large 92mm vent on the back, as well as the before-mentioned USB ports, one on each side.
Probably one of the bigger questions on everyone's mind is disk compatibility. With Synology's campaign to enforce their own branded drives, either SATA, SAS, or SSD/NVMe, and the fact that certain lineups are only limited to those types of drives, will the same be with DS224+?
Considering that DS224+ is identical to the DS423+ in almost every way, apart from the number of drives, we can safely say that the drive support will be close if not identical.
Synology HAT5300, HAT3300, or SAT5200 series are supported, but also a decent number of Toshiba, Seagate, and Western Digital drives as well. For the exact model, it is always best to consult the drive compatibility page on Synology's website.
While this NAS is following in the steps of the DS423+ as well as its predecessor, apart from a moderate CPU upgrade, the good news is also that while most were worried that Synology will go full AMD range for the x23 and x24 models, it looks like that is not going to be the case.
What this means is that we get a very versatile NAS unit that can do a lot, including video transcoding with ease, unlike some of the more expensive and more powerful AMD models. This will indeed be good news for users that want a low-power device that can handle video and audio transcoding while using media platforms such as Plex or Jellyfin.
Finally, as with all other +-series models, the DS224+ will support the entire range of Synology's official packages, including Hyper Backup, Active Backup, or Synology Drive and Photos. Along those, Docker is also supported under a new marketing name, the Container Manager.
The DS224+ will arrive soon with a price point similar to the DS220+, around €320 + VAT, and with 2y warranty that can be extended to a total of 4 years. Hopefully, when the NAS becomes available I will have some time with it to make a review and some testing as part of a separate article.
