Synology DiskStation DS223 2-Bay NAS Enclosure Unit

Explore the Synology DS223 2‑Bay NAS enclosure with Realtek RT1619B quad-core CPU, 2 GB DDR4 RAM, Btrfs support, and easy RAID setup. Perfect for storage, backup, and light media use with a 2-year warranty.

Product Overview

Synology DiskStation DS223 is a home and small office‑focused two-bay NAS unit powered by a Realtek RTD1619B quad-core 1.7 GHz processor and 2 GB DDR4 non‑ECC memory. It supports two hot-swappable storage bays (3.5″ or 2.5″ SATA HDD/SSD), offers gigabit LAN, and three USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports for extended connectivity. Built to deliver Synology’s DSM experience in a compact format, it excels at centralized storage, backups, and personal cloud applications.

Key Features & Benefits

• Robust Hardware for Entry-Level NAS
  Powered by a Realtek RTD1619B quad-core 1.7 GHz CPU, the DS223 comes equipped with 2 GB DDR4 RAM, striking a balance between efficiency and performance for data storage and basic multitasking.

• Flexible Dual Drive Bays
  Supports 2 × 3.5″ SATA HDD or 2.5″ SATA SSD, hot-swappable with native support for Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR), RAID 0, RAID 1, JBOD, and Basic. Storage capacity can reach up to 108 TB across two drives.

• Comprehensive Connectivity
  Includes a single 1 GbE LAN port, plus three USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports—one designed for convenient data copying at the front of the unit.
• Quiet, Efficient Design
  Operates quietly (≈14.6 dB(A)) using a 92 mm cooling fan with selectable modes (Cool, Quiet, Full), consuming just 17.3 W during active use and 4.1 W while idle.
• Advanced Software – DSM & Btrfs Filesystem
  Utilizes Synology’s operating system (DSM) with support for Btrfs snapshots, version control, encryption, cloud sync, and license-free surveillance systems.

Pros & Cons

 Pros

• Intuitive DSM interface for personal or one-user use

• Easy installation with tool-free drive trays

• Quiet and energy-efficient design

• Btrfs support with snapshot protection

• Generous backup and remote access software

Cons

• Limited to single Gigabit Ethernet—no multi-Gig support

• CPU is underpowered for live transcoding or heavy Docker workloads

• Memory is fixed at 2 GB, non-upgradable

• Slower random I/O on small files compared to higher-tier Synology models

FAQs

Q1: Can I upgrade the RAM?
No, the DS223 uses soldered RAM and does not support memory upgrades. It’s fixed at 2 GB non-ECC DDR4.

Q2: Is it suitable for Plex or Docker?
It runs Plex natively but lacks hardware transcoding—performance may be insufficient for high-resolution streams or multiple simultaneous workloads. Docker performance is limited.

Q3: How much storage can it hold?
Supports up to 2 drives with a combined maximum of 108 TB, based on DSM volume limits and drive capacities.

Q4: What file systems are supported?
Internal volumes support Btrfs and EXT4, while external storage supports Btrfs, EXT4, EXT3, FAT, NTFS, HFS+, and exFAT.

Q5: Is it noisy during operation?
Nope—rated at around 14.6 dB(A) in normal operation, thanks to its quiet single fan design.

Q6: Which RAID modes are available?
Supports Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR), RAID 0, RAID 1, JBOD, and Basic configurations.