Testing
The following system was used to test the NAS:
– Processor: Intel i9 9900K @ 5GHz
– Motherboard: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming X
– RAM: Ballistix Tactical Tracer 16GB DDR4 @ 2666MHz
– GPU: MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming X Trio
– SSD: Crucial MX500
– Mass Storage: Neo Forza NFP075 2 TB
– CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid 240
– PSU: Seasonic Snow Silent 750W Platinum
– Case: be quiet! Silent Base 802 White
File Copy Test
The above file copy test serves as an example of the performance you might get with the DS223 NAS. However, the speed will vary based on what hard drive or SSD you use and what network solution you have around your house.
Final thoughts
The Synology DS223 is an interesting NAS, especially nowadays. With a price of 250 USD & EUR, the DS223 is not the cheapest NAS on the market but it does have some features that are exclusive to Synology. First, the build quality of the DS223 both internally and externally is on the same level as the higher end Synology NAS systems. Second the Synology DiskStation Manager is one of the best standalone software systems for NAS units. As it offers a good way to not only use and manage your NAS but diagnose your storage device too.
Unfortunately, this NAS has no options to improve its performance, such as adding more RAM or an M.2 SSD for the cache. The DS223 is truly a standalone entry level solution for a beginner. It works straight from the box with no added hassle, however this might be an issue in the future if you want to expand your NAS setup, as the DS223 is not flexible in that regard.
The performance of the NAS will vary based on what storage device you use with it. If you have SATA SSDs then the file copy and write performance will be better than when using hard drives. The transfer speed will also depend on what network you have in your house, the router and so on.
The biggest disadvantage of this NAS is the lack of expandability of the RAM and cache size. In addition, the hardware inside the NAS is entry level at best and this limitation is being shown on the software level too. By this I mean that some Synology apps will not work with this NAS because the hardware is either not compatible or just not powerful enough to handle such apps.
In conclusion, the Synology DS223 is a good entry level NAS that offers a good solution for a home backup system. It has two bays so you can start with one hard drive and then expand to two or use SATA SSDs for a higher speed. The main advantage of this little NAS is the low price when compared to other Synology NAS units and the easy access to Synology DiskStation Manager.
