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If you had to choose! - Enquiries - 12-05-2024
If you had to choose between the Synology 923+ and the Flashstor Gen 2, what would be your choice.
Server is used for Plex, photos and videos (editing), NVR backup.
You guys do a great job! Thanks in advanced for any reply.
Nick
RE: If you had to choose! - ed - 12-06-2024
Thank you for the kind words! Based on your use case for Plex, photo and video editing, and NVR backup, here's my take on the two NAS options:
Synology DS923+
Pros:
DSM Interface: Synology’s DSM is extremely user-friendly, with a polished interface and a robust app ecosystem, making it ideal for managing Plex, backups, and media.
Scalability: The DS923+ offers expansion options (up to 9 drives with an expansion unit), so it’s easy to grow your storage as your media library expands.
App Support: Synology’s Surveillance Station is a solid NVR solution, and you’ll find other apps like Moments and Synology Photos for seamless photo management and editing.
Hardware: It features an AMD Ryzen CPU, which doesn’t have an integrated graphics chip. However, it is still capable of 1080p transcoding for Plex, and it can stream original 4K content without transcoding as long as the player supports it.
Cons:
Price: The DS923+ tends to be on the pricier side, especially when you factor in additional drives or expansion units.
Limited PCIe Expansion: While it has one PCIe slot, it’s not as flexible for adding high-performance expansion cards compared to other NAS options.
Asustor Flashstor Gen 2
Pros:
Speed and Noise: The Flashstor Gen 2 is a great choice if you want a silent NAS with SSD storage for fast performance. It's ideal for media editing and fast access to large files.
Modern Design: The sleek, compact design and faster performance thanks to SSDs are major selling points.
Power Efficiency: It’s more power-efficient compared to traditional HDD-based NAS systems.
NVMe Caching: Great for performance boosts, especially for media editing.
Cons:
Software Ecosystem: While Asustor's ADM OS is solid, it may not have the same level of polish or breadth of apps as Synology’s DSM. For instance, NVR software is not as feature-rich as Synology's Surveillance Station.
Expansion: Flashstor Gen 2 is limited in expansion options, especially compared to Synology’s more scalable offerings.
My Recommendation
Synology DS923+ would be my top pick if you prioritize a polished software experience, ease of use, scalability, and a great app ecosystem (especially for NVR and photo management). The extra processing power, especially for Plex, would make a big difference for media-heavy tasks.
Asustor Flashstor Gen 2 is a great choice if speed (via SSDs) and silent operation are your main priorities. However, you’ll likely sacrifice some software features and scalability in the long run.
Considering you need reliable backup, media editing, and Plex, I would lean toward the Synology DS923+, as it provides more flexibility and features to grow with your needs.