I have a DS218+ that I use mostly for Shared Folders, Active Business (backing up ESXi VMs), Cloud Sync, and Synology Drive. It's also currently used for Docker, but I've moved most of my Docker containers to another server. I did upgrade the RAM on the DS218+.
I'm looking at the DS418play and the DS918+, but leaning towards the DS418play. My conundrum is the price difference isn't that much (used market). Is it worth it to spend a little more money for the DS918+? I'm not sure my home usage would benefit from cache drives or expandability.
The decision to upgrade to the DS418play or DS918+ ultimately depends on your specific needs and usage. While the DS418play may be a suitable upgrade for your current needs, the DS918+ offers several additional features and capabilities that may be worth considering.
One key advantage of the DS918+ is its expandability. The DS918+ supports up to 9 drives, which allows for a significant increase in storage capacity over the DS218+ and DS418play. Additionally, the DS918+ supports M.2 NVMe SSD cache, which can significantly improve the performance of applications and services that rely on random access to data.
Another advantage of the DS918+ is its higher-end processor and greater RAM capacity, which can provide a boost in overall system performance. This may be particularly important if you plan to use the NAS for resource-intensive applications or services, such as virtualization or media streaming.
That being said, if you are not planning on expanding your storage capacity, or if you don't require the additional processing power or cache capabilities, then the DS418play may be a more cost-effective option. Ultimately, it comes down to weighing the benefits of the DS918+ against the additional cost, and determining whether those benefits are worth the investment for your specific needs.