Qnap or Synology or ? for home NAS

Forums › Desktop computing › Qnap or Synology or ? for home NAS

MikeB4

18435 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#214579 18-May-2017 17:27

Hope this is in the correct sub forum. Looking for advice on a NAS unit for home use. The unit is to store photos, music, documents, videos. The NAS will serve four PC's/Laptops, iMac, iPads, TV's Xbox One, Stereo more or less. Qnap and Synology seem very similar so what would the collective here recommend. What other suggestions are there apart from Qnap or Synology?

1 | 2 | 3

9230 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1784369 18-May-2017 17:55

Qnap and Synology are both excellent, and are the market leaders.

I prefer Synology because their software is very good, and is user-friendly.

Disclosure: I run four larger Synology NAS units holding 120 TB of data. I have never had any problems with them.

Sideface

Samsung

Shop now on Samsung phones, tablets, TVs and more (affiliate link).

MikeB4

18435 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1784372 18-May-2017 18:05

May I ask what model Synology units are you running?

Dynamic

3816 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1784382 18-May-2017 18:27

I have had a hand in half a dozen QNAP NAS in the last couple of years and all have run very reliably, and I would recommend them. One has lost its login credentials due to a firmware bug that was later resolved and has to be reset.

I have also had two cheaper NAS units and both had fan failures.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

Referral links to services I use, really like, and may be rewarded if you sign up:
PocketSmith for budgeting and personal finance management. A great Kiwi company.

dt

1152 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1784413 18-May-2017 19:00

Cant go wrong with either. I run one of each at the moment but prefer the synology's OS and app store.

running a DS216+II synology (upgraded to 8gb ram myself!) and which ever the qnap equivalent is (forget the model off the top of my head!)

Word of advice, if you're going to be running one near you beside your desk or whatnot.. get 5400 rpm harddrives, the 7200rpm drives drove me crazy with the extra noise.

michaelmurfy

meow
13181 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1784426 18-May-2017 19:18

I am currently testing out a Synology 216play and it isn't a bad unit. With Synology however you're paying a wee bit more in comparasion with Qnap from what I've seen. Both are excellent units.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R122101E7CV7Q for free setup)

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? Please consider supporting us by subscribing.
Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

MikeB4

18435 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1784431 18-May-2017 19:37

Thanks guys.

What is the noise levels like from these units, could one stand to have them in the lounge or office?

Stu

Hammered
8231 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1784436 18-May-2017 19:46

Am contemplating the Synology 216Play and similar QNAP models also. Lots of things on the wish-list at the moment and the NAS may get moved down the list to make way for other "toys". May end up having to build a PC based unit to tide me over. :-(

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

Referral Links: Sharesies - Backblaze -

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? If so, please consider supporting us by subscribing.

No matter where you go, there you are.

Dynamic

3816 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1784450 18-May-2017 19:50

MikeB4: What is the noise levels like from these units, could one stand to have them in the lounge or office?

I've don't remember ever hearing the fan in the 2 bay QNAP I have, except a burst at startup. I do occasionally hear the drives ticking away.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

Referral links to services I use, really like, and may be rewarded if you sign up:
PocketSmith for budgeting and personal finance management. A great Kiwi company.

shk292

2828 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1784452 18-May-2017 19:58

I've had a Synology DS213J for several years and it has been excellent. Firmware is regularly updated, loads of features, very fast file transfers. It's in a room I rarely use but seems very quiet when I'm there

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#1784453 18-May-2017 20:01

I have also had a good run with an Asustor NAS since late 2013 (the AS-608T). Fairly quiet, and so far completely reliable.

Sideface

9230 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1784459 18-May-2017 20:13

MikeB4:

May I ask what model Synology units are you running?

DS1813+ (8-bay)

DS1515+ (two) (5-bay)

DS716+ (2-bay)

The three units with 6TB WD Red drives are almost silent.

One unit runs 8 x 8TB WD Reds, which are noisier.

It's the hard drives that make noise, not the NAS boxes.

Sideface

networkn

Networkn
32182 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1784490 18-May-2017 21:46

We sell Synology a lot. Almost exclusively in fact. We find them reliable, and well spec'd and well priced.

We looked at QNAP and to be fair, they were comparable, but I think we get excellent support from the local distributor we buy from and I consider that as important.

For Home use I'd suggest a 216J if you just want storage/backup. If you want to do anything else, DS216, and if you want 4 bays, then 416J and 416 respectively.

JaseNZ

2576 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1784541 19-May-2017 07:49

I run the QNAP TS-451+ , 4 bay 8gb with 16tb in it. Works a treat for everything I use it for at home. I would recommend it or a QNAP in general.

Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding : Ice cream man , Ice cream man

darylblake

1157 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1784567 19-May-2017 08:19

I hear both are good units. Quite a few apps available for them. You can have the synology run little mini-servers such as FTP/Plex.

Both brands are great for general network SMB storage.

Both units are terrible for iSCSI. But hey, most people wont buy them for iSCSI.

dt

1152 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1784665 19-May-2017 11:18

MikeB4:

What is the noise levels like from these units, could one stand to have them in the lounge or office?

From my experience, they're tolerable with 5400rpm drives, 7400rpm drives aren't tolerable.

All drives I've used have been western digital reds.

Either are far from silent though and imo are best suited to be stored in a garage if possible.

1 | 2 | 3