Synology clearly understands what customers want from a home server, and while the brand doesn’t offer the best hardware suites, the combination of polished software and ease of use makes its NAS products stand out. This is especially true when it comes to the budget part. The DiskStation DS220j has been one of the best-selling servers of the past three years, mainly due to its affordability.
The DS220j lowers the barrier for those who want to try a pre-built NAS server. The 2-bay NAS is priced at $189, making it a great value. Synology launched the long-awaited update to the DS220j last year, and the DiskStation DS223j is also priced at $189. This is a big deal because it allows Synology to maintain its dominance in the budget category.
The DS223j has the same design as its predecessor, and you wouldn’t be able to tell the two NAS servers apart if the names were obscured. But the server has 1GB of RAM — twice as much as the DS220j — which makes a difference in day-to-day use. You also get some extra features, so if you’re looking to switch to a private cloud server and are considering buying a home NAS, the DS223j will give you the following features.
Synology DiskStation DS223j: Pricing and Availability
Synology launched the DiskStation DS223j in July 2023. This 2-bay NAS sells for $189 on Amazon. The server can also be purchased in North America at major retailers such as Newegg and B&H, and is available in all markets where the brand is present.
Most DiskStation NAS servers usually come with a three-year warranty, but since the DS223j is aimed at the budget market, it comes with a two-year warranty as standard.
| category | Synology DiskStation DS223j |
|---|---|
| Internal drive bay | Two (16TB per bay), 3.5″ HDD, 2.5″ SSD |
| Network Interface | 1 Gigabit Ethernet |
| USB port | 2 USB 3.1 Gen1 |
| eSATA port | ❌ |
| PCIe | ❌ |
| CPU | 1.7GHz 64-bit quad-core Realtek RTD1619B |
| Compound transcoding | ❌ |
| Memory | 1GB DDR4 non-ECC, soldered |
| M.2 slot | ❌ |
| File system | EXT4, Btrfs |
| cool down | 1 x 92mm fan, 18.2dBA |
| Scalability | ❌ |
| aspect | 165×100×225.5mm |
| weight | 1.94 lbs, 0.88 kg |
Synology DiskStation DS223j: Design and features
Most DiskStation models share the same aesthetic, with an all-black design and slide-out drive bays, but the entry-level J-Series is slightly different. The DS223j retains the same design as the DS220j, with a white casing with a shroud covering one side. The main difference is that unlike other servers, you don’t have slide-out drive bays; Instead, you need to remove the casing to insert the drive into the server, which is inconvenient.
That said, you’re unlikely to access the drive bay on a regular basis, so this isn’t too much of a hassle. The chassis itself is made of plastic, and you get the same vented sides to provide passive airflow. There’s a 92mm fan on the back, active cooling is great, and while the design is a bit basic, the build quality is great and the DS223j doesn’t take up a lot of space.
You get status lights for the hard drive and network connections, as well as full system LEDs. There are no USB ports on the front, but there are two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports on the back, allowing you to connect an external drive and transfer its data to the DS223j with relative ease.
Switching to the back, you don’t get anything other than dual USB-A ports and a Gigabit Ethernet port. There’s no link aggregation here, and you don’t have any upgrade options. That said, what I like about this generation is that the DS223j comes with 1GB of DDR4 memory out of the box, which makes a pretty big difference in day-to-day use. The DS220j is quite limited in this regard, while the extra memory gives the DS223j some headroom, which is nice to see.
There’s not much to talk about in terms of connectivity. The DS223j is designed to be a basic home server that lets you store your data in a centralized location, and given the segment it’s aimed at, it misses out on the advanced features you get in other models.
Synology DiskStation DS223j: Performance
The DS223j isn’t much different from its predecessor, but the key change is 1GB of RAM. This allows the NAS to run multiple software packages without issue, and is a welcome addition considering the RAM modules cannot be upgraded.
The DS223j also features the newer Realtek RTD1619B chip, clocked at up to 1.7GHz, and it’s more powerful than last year’s chip. You don’t get Plex hardware transcoding, and the NAS isn’t designed to be a Plex server; yes, you can install the native Plex client and stream to connected devices, but it hits its limits with high bitrate content.
That said, the DS223j offers one of the most affordable ways to get great DiskStation Manager software. You get a powerful set of utilities that let you easily back up data from your phone and other devices, set up a host of custom services, and generally reduce your reliance on public cloud storage services.
In my article detailing what NAS is and who needs one, I touched on the idea that private clouds are the biggest draw for setting up a home server, and products like the DS223j are designed to lower the barrier to entry. If you have limited storage requirements and aren’t sure you need a pre-built NAS, this is a great way to test the waters and see what the software has to offer.
While you miss out on some more advanced features (containerization and virtual machines), the DS223j has all the necessary software for home users, and you can use Synology’s excellent mobile apps. What I like about the DS223j is that it doesn’t feel slow; it’s very fast. The web-based DSM works well on the NAS and does a good job of providing basic functionality.
Synology DiskStation DS223j: Competition
If you want a better value, TerraMaster’s F2-212 is a good choice. It’s only $169, and you get the same Realtek platform, 1GB of RAM, and two drive bays. The software is not as polished as the DS223j, but TerraMaster has made good progress in this area.
If you want more power, look no further than the DiskStation DS224+. It’s more expensive at $295, but you get 2GB of RAM, dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, and all the software utilities the brand offers. Yes, you pay more, but you get a better product in return.
Synology DiskStation DS223j: Should you buy it?
You should purchase this product if:
- You want a home server to store your data
- You need reliable hardware
- You want a beautiful software interface
- You need a NAS with two drive bays
You should not purchase this product if:
- You need Plex Media Server
- You need to choose to upgrade
Finally, if you’re just getting started with a home server and want to see how it might suit your needs, the DiskStation DS223j is a great place to start. Its affordability makes it a strong contender, and you get quality hardware with proven reliability, great software features, and good value.
The DS223j doesn’t have the same feature count as the Plus model, but there’s still a lot to like in terms of software, and DiskStation Manager has the most polished interface of the bunch. This alone makes the DS223j an enticing choice; you’re not buying a NAS for its hardware, you’re buying it to use the great software. This is the key differentiator of the DS223j and why I think it remains the most affordable home NAS.
Synology DiskStation DS223j
If you’re interested in setting up a home server, the DiskStation DS223j is a great place to start. It has the best software in its class and has reliable hardware that will last for years.