Replacement for a Synology DS118

[Enquiries]

I have about 300 gb of photos, 130 gb of videofiles and 100 gb of other files. I want all these files stored at a systeem that is accessible form MacBook, iPad, Android-smartphones and the internet. And I want it to be fast! The current DS118 works, but the loading time is too long. The network and internet connection aren't slowing me down, it's the memory and harddisk.

The other must haves are:
- An easy and reliable app for photo sync between the phones and the new NAS.
- Suitable for Apple Time Machine

I'm thinking of a small NAS with SSD (1 or 2 TB) for the files that I want to access fast. And a HDD (4 TB) for the Time Machine and temporally file storage.

Is an Asustor AS5402T the best option or are there better options?

[ed]

The Asustor AS5402T is a solid choice, offering good performance for your needs with its support for both SSDs and HDDs. However, if you're looking for even better performance and future-proofing, the Synology DS723+ could be a better option, especially if you're planning to use SSDs for cache. The DS723+ offers support for NVMe or SATA SSDs as cache drives, which can significantly improve the overall speed and responsiveness of your NAS, especially for tasks like file access and syncing photos.

Key Differences:
Performance: The DS723+ with NVMe cache support will likely give you faster speeds, especially for accessing frequently used files. It also has a more powerful CPU, making it better suited for multitasking and handling more demanding apps.
Software & Ecosystem: Synology's DSM software is well-known for its reliability and ease of use, including seamless Time Machine support and great mobile apps for photo syncing.
Scalability: The DS723+ also supports expandability with an additional 2-bay expansion unit if you ever need more storage in the future.