Yesterday, 02:00 PM
Thanks for the message. You’re right that the DS220+ is being phased out in many regions, and its direct replacements — the DS223, DS224+, and DS225+ — have caused some confusion.
Here’s the short version:
• The DS223 is entry-level and uses an ARM processor, so it’s fine for backups and light file sharing but weak for media or Plex.
• The DS224+ and DS225+ are the true successors to the DS220+. Both use Intel CPUs and support DSM 7.3, but the DS225+ has one 2.5GbE port instead of two 1GbE ports on the DS224+. Otherwise, they are identical in performance.
• You can still use these for media, photo management, and personal backups — just avoid updating to DSM 7.3 if you plan to use Plex, because it removes the built-in hardware transcoding engine. If you do update, there’s a workaround using a command line script to reinstall the transcoder.
If you can find the DS224+ or DS225+ at a good price locally, either will give you the same experience and features as the DS220+.
Here’s the short version:
• The DS223 is entry-level and uses an ARM processor, so it’s fine for backups and light file sharing but weak for media or Plex.
• The DS224+ and DS225+ are the true successors to the DS220+. Both use Intel CPUs and support DSM 7.3, but the DS225+ has one 2.5GbE port instead of two 1GbE ports on the DS224+. Otherwise, they are identical in performance.
• You can still use these for media, photo management, and personal backups — just avoid updating to DSM 7.3 if you plan to use Plex, because it removes the built-in hardware transcoding engine. If you do update, there’s a workaround using a command line script to reinstall the transcoder.
If you can find the DS224+ or DS225+ at a good price locally, either will give you the same experience and features as the DS220+.