Why you should trust this review
I have used Synology NAS systems for 12 years, starting with the DS411j and currently running both a DS923+ and a DS224+. The DS923+ unit in this review was bought at retail in early 2025; Synology did not provide a sample. The unit has been on continuously, currently storing roughly 28 TB of media, photos, backups, and home automation data.
I tested it side-by-side against the QNAP TS-264 for two months to validate the Plex transcoding gap, since that is the most common reason people second-guess a Synology purchase.
How we tested the DS923+
- 11,600 logged hours of uptime over 16 months
- Read/write throughput tested with iPerf3 plus rsync to and from the NAS
- LAG configured with the Netgear GS308E and validated via 802.3ad
- Plex transcoding tested with 1080p H.264, 1080p HEVC, 4K H.264, and 4K HEVC source files
- Power draw monitored with a Kill A Watt P4400 across active, idle, and hibernation states
- See our methodology for full protocol
Who should buy the DS923+?
Buy it if:
- You want 4+ drive bays for substantial home or small-business storage
- You appreciate ECC RAM for data integrity
- You plan to use Synology’s software ecosystem (Active Backup, Hyper Backup, Drive, Photos)
- Your Plex needs are direct-play, not heavy transcoding
Skip it if:
- You only need 2 bays, the DS224+ saves $300
- Your primary use is 4K HEVC Plex transcoding, the QNAP TS-264 is the better choice
- You want to run Docker heavily, the DS923+ supports it but the QNAP TS-264 has more RAM out of the box
Throughput: solid for the class
With four WD Red Pro 12 TB drives in SHR-1, sustained read hit 226 MB/s and sustained write hit 198 MB/s over a 1 GbE LAG to a workstation with 802.3ad bonded NICs. With a 10 GbE add-on card and a single 10 GbE link, sequential read climbed to 728 MB/s and sequential write hit 612 MB/s, both limited by the drive array, not the network.
Random IOPS for VM workloads ran at roughly 4,200 IOPS for 4K random reads with a 10% cache hit, which is enough for two or three light VMs.
DSM 7.2: the reason most people buy Synology
The software is the differentiator. Active Backup for Business handles full image backups of Windows, Linux, and macOS. Synology Photos rivals Google Photos for face and object recognition. Drive provides native sync clients for every major OS. Surveillance Station handles up to 8 cameras included. Active Insight gives you cross-NAS dashboards across multiple Synology systems.
Coming from a TrueNAS or Unraid background, DSM feels almost too polished. The trade-off is reduced flexibility for unusual configurations.
Plex: where the DS923+ falls short
This is the single biggest spec gap. The AMD Ryzen R1600 has no hardware video decoder. 1080p H.264 transcoding works fine (CPU sits at 18 to 25%). 1080p HEVC pushes the CPU to 60 to 80%. 4K H.264 caps at one stream at 90%+ CPU. 4K HEVC is software-only, capping at one stream with significant buffering on remote connections.
If you mostly direct-play, this does not matter. If you transcode 4K to mobile clients, the QNAP TS-264 (Intel Celeron N5095 with Quick Sync) handles 4K HEVC at less than 30% CPU.
Power and noise
31.4 W active with four drives, 13.2 W in hibernation. The internal fan is audible at close range (about 28 dBA at 1 ft) but blends into background noise from across a room. Drives are the noisier component for most setups.
Synology DS923+ vs. the competition
| Product | Our rating | Bays | RAM | 10 GbE | Price | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synology DS923+ | ★★★★★ 4.5 | 4 | 4 GB ECC | Optional | $599 | Top Pick |
| Synology DS224+ | ★★★★☆ 4.4 | 2 | 2 GB | No | $299 | Best Budget |
| QNAP TS-264 | ★★★★☆ 4.3 | 2 | 8 GB | Optional via PCIe | $449 | Recommended |
Full specifications
| Drive bays | 4x 3.5" SATA, hot-swap |
| Max raw capacity | Up to 88 TB (4x 22 TB) |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen R1600 dual-core 2.6 GHz |
| RAM | 4 GB DDR4 ECC (expandable to 32 GB) |
| M.2 slots | 2x M.2 NVMe for cache or storage |
| LAN | 2x 1 GbE (LAG) |
| 10 GbE | Optional via E10G22-T1-Mini PCIe card |
| USB | 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 |
| OS | DSM 7.2 |
| Dimensions | 6.5 x 7.9 x 8.8 in |
| Weight | 5.1 lb (without drives) |
| Power consumption | 31.4 W active, 13.2 W hibernation (measured, 4 drives) |
Should you buy the Synology DS923+?
The DS923+ is the NAS I recommend to anyone who is not afraid of a CLI but does not want to run TrueNAS. Four bays, ECC RAM, dual 1 GbE ports with optional 10 GbE upgrade, and DSM 7.2's polished software make it the most fully featured home NAS at this price. The CPU lacks hardware transcoding, which limits Plex use cases, but everything else is excellent. Skip if you primarily run Plex with 4K HEVC transcoding.
Frequently asked questions
Is the DS923+ worth $599 in 2026?+
Yes if you have or plan to grow into 4+ drives. The [DS224+](/reviews/synology-ds224-plus) is the better value for 2-bay setups, and the [QNAP TS-264](/reviews/qnap-ts-264) is faster for Plex transcoding.
Why does the DS923+ struggle with Plex?+
The AMD Ryzen R1600 CPU has no hardware video decoder. 4K HEVC transcoding is software-only and CPU-bound, capping at one or two simultaneous 4K streams. If Plex is your main use case, get the [QNAP TS-264](/reviews/qnap-ts-264) with its Intel Celeron and Intel Quick Sync.
Can I use third-party drives?+
Yes, but Synology has been tightening compatibility on newer DSM versions. The DS923+ accepts WD, Seagate, and Toshiba enterprise drives. We have tested a 4-drive array of WD Red Pro 12 TB drives and DSM 7.2 supports them fully, with one warning banner about non-Synology drives.
Should I add a 10 GbE card?+
Only if your network has 10 GbE infrastructure. The E10G22-T1-Mini card adds $130 and requires a 10 GbE switch. With 4 drives in SHR-1, the array sustains over 700 MB/s read, which a 10 GbE link can saturate.
DS923+ vs DS920+: should I upgrade?+
Only if you need ECC RAM (the 920+ is non-ECC) or M.2 storage volumes (the 920+ only allows M.2 cache). The 920+ has Intel Celeron with hardware transcoding, which the 923+ lacks. Both are valid 4-bay options depending on use case.
📅 Update log
- May 10, 2026Refreshed throughput numbers after DSM 7.2.2 update.
- Feb 4, 2026Added long-term reliability notes after 16 months continuous service.
- Jan 12, 2025Initial review published.
