Over the last few years, we’ve reviewed a couple of network-attached storage (NAS) devices from Synology. We first got our hands on the entry-level DS215j, one of the predecessors of the modern-day DS218j[1], and then we tested the enterprise-focused DS716+II[2], which has since been succeeded by the DS718+[3]. Synology is one of the leading manufacturers of NAS devices, providing versatile boxes that will find favour with enthusiasts as well as small- to medium-sized businesses.
We’ve used one of our previous reviews to describe at length what a NAS is and who might need one, so if you aren’t sure whether you need one, we suggest you read up[4] before proceeding further. The model that we will be reviewing today is the Synology DiskStation DS218+, which sits in between the two models that we’ve reviewed earlier.
The DS218+ is a two-bay NAS that’s powered by an Intel Celeron J3355 dual-core processor capable of speeds up to 2.5 GHz. It has 2GB of DDR3L RAM that, Synology[5] says, can be expanded by 4GB by utilising the second available memory slot. Like other Synology units, you can put 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch SATA drives (hard disk or SSD) into each bay. The DS218+ supports drives of up to 14TB each, giving you a maximum internal raw capacity of 28TB.
You get three USB 3.0 ports, 1 Gigabit Ethernet port, 1 eSATA port, and a copy button that can be used to quickly copy data from an external drive, as we’ve described earlier[6].
The Synology DS218+ looks like the DS716+II/ DS718+ at a glance, but this one has a front cover that has a tendency to come loose rather easily.t least this...