Bellevue, WA (May 17, 2023) - Synology today launched the 4-bay DiskStation DS423, its newest addition to the Value Series, designed as a multipurpose storage solution for homes and small businesses. Synology Office – Create documents, spreadsheets, and slides in a multi-user environment. Real-time synchronization and saving make collaboration a breeze.

Taipei, Taiwan—15 March 2023—Synology today announced the release of the 4-bay Synology DiskStation DS423+, the latest in its lineup of all-in-one storage solutions for home office and small business use. There are two ways we need to look at the Synology DS423+ NAS. In one way, the Synology DS423+ DOES support all of the features and services that users demanded in a fully-featured home/prosumer solution. It features an Intel Quad Core processor with embedded graphics, DDR4 memory, multiple gigabit ports, wide HDD/SSD compatibility and m.2 NVMe SSD support. These are all things popular and most certainly what users would want/expect in a fully featured home/prosumer solution (aka SOHO). Then, when you roll in DSM 7 and it’s enormous range of software and services, the DS423+ is an excellent NAS solution that counters a broad range of criticisms that were leveled at the DS923+ at launch. However, there is, of course, the unavoidable way that most long-term Synology users and those looking to upgrade an existing 2016/2018 Diskstation are going to look at the DS423+ – a Synology DS920+ with less memory and no expandability! For those that skipped the DSx20+ generation, the DS423+ is going to feel decidedly underwhelming at best and hugely disappointing at worst! Synology has made no bones that they prioritize their software and services, with hardware being an important but nevertheless secondary concern. The main criticism is that CPU being the same processor used in the 3 years previous generation. Intel has moved production away from the J4125 themselves several times (with most other NAS brands using the N5105 or J6412 right now) and although Synology has been known to move CPU architecture down through the generations previously, this is a particularly egregious example. If they had just scaled something up on this device, such as the network ports from 1GbE to 2.5GbE, add the option of a 10GbE upgrade or more over upgrade the base level memory from 2GB or 4GB. The Synology DS423+ IS a good NAS system and serves as a great means to enjoy the wide-ranging features of DSM privately or professionally! It just feels like more of a stop-gap system in some places and one that existing DS920+ or DS420+ owners will skip. From the server side, Plex is more refined. That is to be expected from a paid app, but it is surprising how good Jellyfin is. Transcoding is easier to set up in Plex, but if you have the space you can do the transcoding in advance for the devices you intend to use and that’s no longer an issue (which is what I do). Plex is also more tolerant when setting up Metadata.. if you inadvertently name a folder “Season Two” instead of “Season 2” Plex didn’t seem to notice, but Jellyfin absolutely got lost and I had to correct a lot of those kinds of errors. I didn’t find either of the servers difficult to manage, but you definitely need to be more aware and intentional when setting up Jellyfin. I also ran into a situation where I had no internet, but plex required an internet connection before I could start the server. I switched to Jellyfin later that week. If you like plex, and you paid for it, and you’re happy with it, then there’s no reason to leave. However if you value running a service that’s actually yours (one of the main reasons many of us got into home networking) with no asterisks, then its Jellyfin; every day. With Synology Drive, DS423 users can manage, share, sync, and access data via PCs, Macs, and mobile devices, wherever they are. Businesses with remote employees or geographically spread-out operations can leverage Drive ShareSync to synchronize data between Synology devices scattered across locations to keep teams aligned.The DS423+ NAS was used in the default CPU+Memory state that the base model arrives in (no upgraded memory or upgraded caching media) Surveillance Station makes it easy to set up and manage up to 40 cameras on the DS423+ with a modern and configurable interface. For deployments spread out over large areas or multiple buildings, floor plans and Google Maps or OpenStreetMap maps can be overlayed to maximize situational awareness. I would like to set this up as a place where I can access the entire collection in all one place, similar to a media server like spotify or youtube, but just with my own content. I will also be purchasing a Plex pass. Personally I am running a 918+. Even though I am not worried at all about this 7.2 update or any update soon after that from being able to be updated on my NAS … when can I assume I will be unable to install an update? What’s Synology’s history here. H.264, HEVC, H.265: The compression techniques H.264, HEVC, and H.265 are used to make large media presentations suitable for viewing on home devices. While H.264 is widely supported by all devices, not all have permission or a license to play H.265/HEVC, as the licensing and patents for H.265/HEVC are complex, expensive, and spread across multiple providers. This can lead to the need for automatic conversion/transcoding of H.265/HEVC media into H.264, which consumes more system resources. The Synology NAS drive, like the rest of the Synology NAS range, does not come with HEVC support by default.

Bitrate:Bitrate refers to the quantity of data that is processed per unit of time, typically expressed in megabits per second (Mbps) for video and kilobits per second (kbps) for audio. The higher the bitrate, the better the quality and resolution of the media tends to be. I don’t think either one is difficult to set up or manage. I honestly expected less from Jellyfin, being an open source project, but was very pleasantly surprised. There are a few services it doesn’t offer or do as well, such as music management and streaming, but I didn’t really take advantage of those in Plex so their loss wasn’t a big deal to me. If all you want to do is stream your personal video collection on your own network Jellyfin is the way to go in my opinion. A RAID 5 or 6 (from my understanding, the major differences are the amount or drives that can fail at once). If my understanding is correct, then the cinfig will be RAID 6. As a better, more secure solution.This means that you can only officially upgrade the DS423+ via the single SODIMM slot towards 6GB with a single extra 4GB SODIMM module in the available bay. Aside from 6GB being an odd amount, people are most certainly going to make comparisons with the DS920+ having 4GB on Day 1 and 8GB max. Synology does not allow upgrading that memory beyond 6GB in this configuration (so, you cannot work around the 6GB limit by installing a 8GB in the SODIMM slot and hitting 10GB with 8GB+2GB), stating that using the system in an unsupported fashion can lead to weakened/invalidated support by the brand when you need it (as you are using the device in a configuration they did not verify and/or cannot replicate). This also includes using 3rd party memory, instead of their own branded modules I can partially see their point – they want to run a smooth, reliable and stable platform. Just a shame that Synology Memory modules are a noticeable degree more expensive than alternatives from Crucial and Kingston. Next, we need to discuss the CPU inside the DS423+ NAS – something of a hot point for some. Usable capacity for each volume will be lower than the maximum volume size and is dependent on the filesystem and the amount of system metadata stored.

The ports and connections available on the Synology DS423+ NAS are not a huge leap from those found on the DS420+ and DS920+ that came before it (in fact, they are pretty much identical to the DS420+) and the rear is largely dominated by the 2x 92mm fans Despite the Synology hardware portfolio in the last year or so slowing moving towards more ‘file server’ and ‘high transfer speed’ processors, the Synology DS423+ NAS is the first release diskstation release from the brand in almost 2 years to arrive with an Intel Integrated graphics processor! Now, WHY is that a big deal for Plex, Emby and Jellyfin media servers? Don’t all the Synology NAS systems play 1080p and 4K media? Well, yes they do! But there is a certain contingent % of users who need their multimedia servers to convert (AKA transcode / encode/decode) their multimedia collection on the fly. In brief, must users have multimedia NAS needs that fall into the following categories: Synology Surveillance Station – Safeguard your business, home, and other valuable assets with reliable video surveillance tools. With improved AI services being accessible thanks to Synology BC500 and TC500 Cameras arriving in 2023. Additionally, you can connect this platform with Synology’s cloud platform to use ‘C2 Surveillance’ and bolster the odds of recordings being maintained in the event of accidental/malicious damage to your surveillance system.The DS423+ arrives with the accessories you would expect. The NAS unit itself, an external 90W PSU, Screws for 2.5″ media (3.5″ media installation is toolless), RJ45 Cat 5e ethernet cables, keys for the storage bays, first-time setup document and information on your warranty. All fairly standard stuff, though I am always surprised by the fact that Synology never include heatsinks for the M.2 NVMe SSD bays, given the high priority of the brand towards caching on these storage bays – something that can get those M.2 SSDs pretty hot. With support for a maximum 72 TB of raw storage, the DS423's size and capacity make it perfect for remote employees or small businesses looking to consolidate data onto a centralized platform and gain access to Synology's essential data management applications. I have roughly 75 tb of music & videos combined (both are in the MP3 & MP4 formats) . I’ve been doing a lot of research over the past year or so. Do you have any recommendations on which model you’d recommend? Hybrid cloud capabilities provided by Synology Hybrid Share allow users to merge the benefits of on-premises and cloud by storing cold data in the cloud while keeping frequently accessed files cached on the local device for access at LAN speeds.

You can see above just how much of the area of the HDD bays are going to be covered in ventilation from the rear cooling fans whilst this device is cooperation. Heat is the enemy of most technology and storage media devices are no different on this score. Also in this area is the expandable memory bay. Now, again, this is an area of disagreement! The CPU inside the DS423+ has an officially support memory maximum of 8GB of DDR4, however the DS423+ arrives with 2GB of Memory by default, which arrives pre-soldered to the main board (i.e cannot be removed in any way).

Now, Synology does not allow upgrading that memory beyond 6GB in this configuration (Intel Max limit on this CPU is 8GB), stating that using the system in an unsupported fashion can lead to weakened/invalidated support by the brand when you need it (as you are using the device in a configuration they did not verify and/or cannot replicate). This also includes using 3rd party memory, instead of their own branded modules I can partially see their point – they want to run a smooth, reliable and stable platform. Just a shame that Synology Memory modules are a noticeable degree more expensive than alternatives from Crucial and Kingston. Next we need to discuss the CPU inside the DS423+ NAS – something of a hot point for some. Transcoding, Encoding, Decoding: Transcoding, encoding, and decoding are various terms used when a media file needs to be transformed to be better suited for a specific device, internet connection, or hardware. When accessing media locally, transcoding may not be necessary, unless your files are mainly H.265/HEVC based. However, when accessing media from remote locations with limited bandwidth, weaker internet connection, or smaller devices, you may want to access the media in lower quality. This is where transcoding, or real-time encoding, comes in handy. Keep in mind that transcoding is one of the most demanding tasks for a NAS. To utilize the full resources of the NAS CPU, including its embedded graphics, you may need to enable the “Make My CPU Hurt” option in the encoder menu of the Plex NAS settings menu, which may require a Plex Pass subscription depending on the NAS. Important Terms to Understand in Plex/NAS/Multimedia that will make the DS423+ NAS Plex Tests Easier to Understand. The Synology DS423+ NAS drive is structurally similar to most personal computers and laptops, as it features a CPU, memory, and storage. However, it boasts components that are designed to be more energy-efficient and provide optimal performance for 24/7 usage, with a greater emphasis on storage-related applications. On the other hand, the hardware in a PC or laptop is geared towards running general applications, with storage services being relatively basic. The DS423+ NAS is equipped with a popular mid-range server CPU, DDR4 memory, and can accommodate both Hard Drives and SSDs using SATA connections. Although the specifications of Synology NAS drives are not directly linked to Plex, it is important to understand the hardware specifications relevant to Plex when considering the DS423+ NAS. Below, I have compiled a list of the hardware specifications of the DS423+ that play a significant role in its compatibility and performance with Plex: