Conclusion:

It is clear from the test results that this unit is great at serving files big or small, but definitely lags a bit in the writing categories. This is likely a two-fold problem. First the unit came preconfigured in Synology’s Hybrid RAID. While this does give you lots of flexibility and data security it is typically slower than using a more traditional RAID 5 setup because it utilizes the CPU more. This CPU utilization is the second problem; since this unit uses a single core 1.2GHz it is easily overwhelmed. This is especially evident when compared to the bigger players in this test, some of which are running quad core processors.



The updated DSM 5.2 interface is the latest (as of the date this review was published) and as with previous incarnations it makes set up of various modules very easy and intuitive. This is important as I think this unit is geared towards first time/novice users.

Overall your interpretation of the performance of this unit may vary depending on your particular use. As mentioned, this unit appears to be designed for entry level users that are just looking for a secure place to keep some family photos, videos, and some other random files. For this purpose, this unit is a fantastic device since the read speeds are among the best we have tested. But if you are a hard core user looking to do any transcoding on the fly you are out of luck. Also, with the slower write speeds regular back-ups may become cumbersome.

Current pricing for a bare unit is right around $300. As configured with (4) 1TB drives you would be typically adding another $280, if you wanted to max out the unit with (4) 2TB drives you would be adding $400. This puts the overall cost per TB to be $87.50 vs. $110 for the DS415+ (based on 8TB). Obviously the DS415+ has several advantages for power users, but this unit provides much of what many people need; ease of use, fast and easy retrieval of files, data security and lower cost.

In the end, the Synology Diskstation DS414slim 4-Bay NAS server earns the Bigbruin.com "Recommended" and "Whisper Quiet" awards.



Pros:

» Very fast read speeds
» Super energy efficient
» Quiet
» DSM 5.2 is very user friendly

Cons:

» Write speeds are on the slow side
» No ability to transcode

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