Synology today announced the availability of the DS923+ 4-bay NAS server in the US.
You can order one today for $599.99 (diskless). But, similar to the case of the DS1522+, you might want to spend a bit more than that, thanks to the server’s new capabilities.
Let’s find out.
Note the Network Upgrade Slot that hosts a 10GbE Synology E10G22-T1-Mini module.
Synology DS923+: An all-new member of the 4-bay single-expansion family
The DS923+ is part of Synology’s family of 4-bay servers that can handle up to 9 internal drives.
The server can host four internal drives by itself, but it comes with eSATA ports to host a 5-bay DX517 expansion unit, so it has 9 bays in total, which explains the DS923+ in the model name, per Synology’s naming convention.
That aside, the DS923+ has a few things that differentiate it from previous 4-bay servers, such as the DS920+ of the 2020 model year.
First Synology NAS server that supports NVMe SSD as general storage
The DS923+ is the first from Synology that allows users to create an NVMe M.2 SSD storage pool.
Consequently, for the first time, it’s possible to use this type of super-fast storage as general storage rather than just caching. That’s excellent and practical news for all NAS enthusiasts out there.
The previous server that supports NVMe SSDs — most server model year 2019 and new have via built-in M.2 slot or PCIe add-on card slot — can only use these drives as caching, which is only helpful in limited applications.
NVMe as general storage will extend the server’s storage capacity and enable the server to have a high-speed general storage pool to host a high-performance volume, such as the one used to host apps or virtual machines.
It would be great if Synology expanded this capability to existing servers. We’ll have to wait and see.
Synology DS923+: Hardware specifcations
| Synology DiskSation DS923+ | |
|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen R1600 Dual-core 2-core 2.6GHz / 3.1 GHz (turbo) |
| System Memory | 1x 4GB DDR4 ECC (installed) |
| Max Memory | 32GB via two memory slots (16GB x 2) |
| Dimensions | 6.53 x 7.83 x 8.78 in (166 x 199 x 223 mm) |
| Weight | 4.93 lbs (2.24 kg) |
| Drive Bays | 4 |
| Expansion Support | Yes (1x DX517) |
| Drive Interface | SATA 6Gbps/3Gbps; Hot-swappable |
| Built-in M.2 Slots | Two |
| Drive Support | 3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD M.2 2280 NVMe SSD (cache and storage pool) |
| RAID Types | SHR, Basic, JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10 |
| Ports | 2x RJ-45 1GbE LAN, 2x USB 3.0, 1x eSATA |
| PCIe Expansion | None |
| Add-in-card Support (not included) | 10GbE E10G22-T1-Mini module |
| Operating System | DSM 7 |
| File System (Internal / External) | Btrfs, EXT4 / Btrfs, EXT4, EXT3, FAT, NTFS, HFS+, exFAT (via app) |
| MSRP (Diskless) | $599.99 |
| Warranty | 3 years |
DSM 7, AMD CPU, and 10GbE upgrade module
Other than the NVMe M.2 storage support, the DS923+ has the following that separates itself from previous models in the 4-bay family:
- It runs DSM 7 right out of the box. You won’t be able to run DSM 6 on it, not that there are many reasons you want to do that.
- The new server is the first of the family and the second from Synology, besides the DS1522+, which comes with a quick slot for 10GbE upgrade via the $150 Synology E10G22-T1-Mini module.
- It’s the first in the DS9xx family that moves from an Intel CPU to an AMD one. Specifically, the new DS923+ runs on an AMD Ryzen R1600 dual-core CPU.
In my experience, the transition to AMD CPUs generally means better overall performance at the expense of media transcoding. Overall this is a welcome trend since media transcoding has become less significant considering the new generation of front-end streamers that can transcode on the fly.
The new 10GbE upgrade module is welcome news. However, it also means Synology has made the native support for Multi-Gig a low priority.
The DS923+ still has two Gigabit ports — you have to spend another $150 to add Multi-Gig to this server, which you should do if you’re serious about network storage.
Ideally, the new server should have at least a Multi-Gig port built-in. To put things in perspective, TerraMaster’s low-cost F2-223 server comes with two 2.5GbE ports.
Other than that, the DS923+ shares the same advanced operating system, valuable features, and many apps to expand its functionality, including the ability to run virtual machines, host a robust security system, and much more.
Available to order today
The new DS923+ is available to order immediately in the US. However, it’ll take a few days, if not longer, before you’ll get it.
Considering the support for the NVMe storage pool and 10GbE upgrade, I’d recommend getting the E10G22-T1-Mini module, and a couple of NVMe drives with it.
In any case, if you’re looking for a 4-bay robust server, the DS923+ seems an excellent choice.
