Synology DS425+: New NAS supports four HDDs, two SSDs and comes with an old processor

Synology is a notably active manufacturer and has now unveiled another new system alongside the BeeStation Plus and the DS925+. The DiskStation DS425+ is a new NAS, though its performance is unlikely to set the bar any higher. More specifically, it’s equipped with an Intel Celeron J4125, which is a rather outdated processor. However, the performance requirements for a NAS heavily depend on the specific use case and are hardly comparable to those of regular computers. The DS425+ also comes with a very small amount of RAM with just 2GB of capacity. On the bright side, the memory can be easily expanded.

The product name already indicates that the new Synology NAS supports four 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch hard drives. As usual, various RAID configurations are supported, allowing for optimization of speed, capacity, or data protection. However, it's important to remember that a NAS should never be the sole solution to secure one’s data.

That said, the DS425+ also comes with two M.2 slots, so compatible SSDs can be used for caching. This can boost data transfer rates by storing frequently accessed files on the quicker SSD. However, these data transfer rates can also be limited by the connectivity. In this case, two Ethernet ports are available, but only one of them has a higher bandwidth of 2.5Gbit/s, while the other maxes out at 1Gbit/s. Furthermore, there are two USB 3.0 ports, which can be used to connect external drives or other USB storage solutions. Last but not least, the new Synology NAS has been listed in Germany for €450, but the device is not available at most major retailers just yet.

Possible alternative: Check out the Ugreen NASync DXP4800 Plus on Amazon