D
espite a relentless upgrade schedule a
few years ago, we haven’t seen a new
entry-level two-bay NAS from Synology
for a while. The DS218j was the last NAS from the
company we reviewed, which was released in early- Currently retailing for around £150 inc VAT, it’s
still a fantastic NAS and noticeably quicker than the DS216j
in a couple of tests, although they shared a very similar
specification. The DS218j also has a fair bit in common with
its new successor, the DS220j, which we’re reviewing here.
The new model still has 512MB of RAM, which is
perhaps a bit on the small side for heavy users wishing to
simultaneously dish out 4K video while dealing with multiple
surveillance streams. This is the reason why most four-
bay models have at least 1GB of RAM. On the plus side, the
DS220j also sees Synology moving from DDR3 to DDR4, so
there is at least an upgrade in memory bandwidth.
However, that’s not the most significant change to its popular
J-series two-bay NAS. The big one is that CPU now has four
cores, stepping up from the Marvell Armada 385 88F6820
32-bit dual-core CPU in the DS218j to an ARM-based Realtek
RTD1296 quad-core 1.4GHz CPU, which is also 64-bit.
The DS220j is otherwise practically identical to the
DS218j. There are two rear USB 3 ports, which can
accommodate USB storage, or even USB
speakers, making use of the on-board
Audio Station app. These ports can
also be used to connect Wi-Fi dongles
for storing the NAS in places without a
wired Internet connection.
The front of the NAS is devoid of ports
too, with just a power button and indicator
lights. Inside, you’ll find the usual quiet
92mm fan and anti-vibration hard disk
mounts, with a couple of screws securing
the slide-off case, with only slight clicks
audible from the hard disks inside.
The NAS also supports Synology’s
latest DSM 6.2 operating system, which is
blissfully easy to use and set up from the
start. We can confirm that, despite using
a new CPU, the DS220j does already
support Plex Media Server, which can
often be a sticking point with new NAS
SUPPLIER span.comSYNOLOGY DISKSTATION
DS220J /£149 inc VAT
NAS BOX
models. There’s Logitech and iTunes media server support
too, and the operating system can provide Synology’s own
photo, video, audio and surveillance servers too.
Meanwhile, the ability to create a Dropbox-like personal cloud
is one of Synology’s trump cards, and you can also synchronise
your actual cloud storage services such as Dropbox and Google
Drive with your NAS, potentially saving storage space on your
PC. Sadly, there’s no on-board video transcoding support – you’ll
need to step up to more expensive models for that feature.
In terms of performance, we saw a peak read speed in
the quad HD video stream playback test of 114MB/sec,
which was nearly 25MB/sec quicker than the with the
DS218j. The file directory read speed of 19MB/sec was
a touch slower than the 23MB/sec we saw with the old
model, but the write speed of 24MB/sec was more than
double the 11.6MB/sec we saw with the DS218j.Conclusion
With a quad-core 64-bit CPU at the helm, the DS220j feels
snappier, especially when flitting through its operating
system while carrying out other tasks, which bodes well if
you’re a moderate to heavy NAS user. The comparatively
low amount of memory may limit
some very demanding users, but the
DS220j is still an entry-level NAS.
Indeed, for under £150, the DS220j
offers excellent value for a two-bay
NAS with this feature set, and it has a
wealth of tools at its disposal to back
up and dish out your data.
ANTONY LEATHERREVIEWS / NETWORKING
VERDICT
A big CPU upgrade makes Synology’s
already solid design feel snappier,
making for a great-value two-bay NAS.SYNOLOGY
+ Quad-core CPU
+ Simple setup
+ Excellent array
of appsPHRENOLOGY- No other major
upgrades - No on-board
video transcoding - RAM amount
may hinder
some tasks
OVERALL SCORE
88 %
PERFORMANCE
32 / 35
FEATURES
32 / 35
VALUE
24 / 30c
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D
espitea relentlessupgradeschedulea
fewyearsago,wehaven’tseena new
entry-leveltwo-bayNASfromSynology
fora while.TheDS218jwasthelastNASfromthe
companywereviewed,whichwasreleasedinearly
2018.Currentlyretailingforaround£150incVAT,it’s
stilla fantasticNASandnoticeablyquickerthantheDS216j
ina coupleoftests,althoughtheyshareda verysimilar
specification.TheDS218jalsohasa fairbitincommonwith
itsnewsuccessor,theDS220j,whichwe’rereviewinghere.
Thenewmodelstillhas512MBofRAM,whichis
perhapsa bitonthesmallsideforheavyuserswishingto
simultaneouslydishout4Kvideowhiledealingwithmultiple
surveillancestreams.Thisis thereasonwhymostfour-
baymodelshaveatleast1GBofRAM.Ontheplusside,the
DS220jalsoseesSynologymovingfromDDR3toDDR4,so
thereis atleastanupgradeinmemorybandwidth.
However,that’snotthemostsignificantchangetoitspopular
J-seriestwo-bayNAS.Thebigoneis thatCPUnowhasfour
cores,steppingupfromtheMarvellArmada 385 88F6820
32-bitdual-coreCPUin theDS218jtoanARM-basedRealtek
RTD1296quad-core1.4GHzCPU,whichis also64-bit.
TheDS220jisotherwisepracticallyidenticaltothe
DS218j.TherearetworearUSB3 ports,whichcan
accommodateUSBstorage,orevenUSB
speakers,makinguseoftheon-board
AudioStationapp.Theseportscan
alsobeusedtoconnectWi-Fidongles
forstoringtheNASinplaceswithouta
wiredInternetconnection.
ThefrontoftheNASis devoidofports
too,withjusta power buttonandindicator
lights.Inside,you’llfindtheusualquiet
92mmfanandanti-vibrationharddisk
mounts,witha coupleofscrewssecuring
theslide-offcase,withonlyslightclicks
audiblefromtheharddisksinside.
TheNASalsosupportsSynology’s
latestDSM6.2operatingsystem,whichis
blissfullyeasytouseandsetupfromthe
start.Wecanconfirmthat,despiteusing
a newCPU,theDS220jdoesalready
supportPlexMediaServer,whichcan
oftenbea stickingpointwithnewNASSUPPLIERspan.comSYNOLOGYDISKSTATION
DS220J/£149incVAT
NASBOX
models.There’sLogitechandiTunesmediaserversupport
too,andtheoperatingsystemcanprovideSynology’s own
photo,video,audioandsurveillanceservers too.
Meanwhile,theabilitytocreatea Dropbox-like personal cloud
is oneofSynology’strumpcards,andyoucan also synchronise
youractualcloudstorageservicessuchasDropbox and Google
DrivewithyourNAS,potentiallysavingstorage space on your
PC.Sadly,there’snoon-boardvideotranscoding support – you’ll
needtostepuptomoreexpensivemodelsfor that feature.
Intermsofperformance,wesawa peak read speed in
thequadHDvideostreamplaybacktestof 114MB/sec,
whichwasnearly25MB/secquickerthanthe with the
DS218j.Thefiledirectoryreadspeedof19MB/sec was
a touchslowerthanthe23MB/secwesaw with the old
model,butthewritespeedof24MB/secwas more than
doublethe11.6MB/secwesawwiththeDS218j.Conclusion
Witha quad-core64-bitCPUatthehelm,the DS220j feels
snappier,especiallywhenflittingthroughits operating
systemwhilecarryingoutothertasks,which bodes well if
you’rea moderatetoheavyNASuser.The comparatively
lowamountofmemorymaylimit
someverydemandingusers,butthe
DS220jisstillanentry-levelNAS.
Indeed,forunder£150,theDS220j
offersexcellentvaluefora two-bay
NASwiththisfeatureset,andit hasa
wealthoftoolsatitsdisposaltoback
upanddishoutyourdata.
ANTONYLEATHERREVIEWS / NETWORKING
VERDICT
A big CPU upgrade makes Synology’s
already solid design feel snappier,
making for a great-value two-bay NAS.SYNOLOGY
+ Quad-core CPU
+ Simple setup
+ Excellent array
of appsPHRENOLOGY- No other major
upgrades - No on-board
video transcoding - RAM amount
may hinder
some tasks
OVERALLSCORE
88 %
PERFORMANCE
32 / 35
FEATURES
32 / 35
VALUE
24 / 30cc
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sstommPP
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