Specifications

Synology used one of the stronger Rangeley SoCs that costs well over $100 (as I write this), so you shouldn't be perplexed by the DS415+'s price tag of nearly $600. The CPU is compatible with the Advanced Encryption Standard New Instructions (AES-NI) technology, but doesn't support QuickAssist, which can speed networking and security applications up significantly. Only the more expensive Rangeley SoCs support QuickAssist and Synology obviously didn't want to increase the cost of this NAS server any further.

The DS415+ comes with 2 GB of DDR3 RAM, and while you can upgrade, doing so is very difficult because you would have to completely dismantle the NAS and find a compatible module to replace the one inside. However, 2GB are enough for its custom-tailored Linux operating system. The NAS can take up to four HDDs for a total of 24 TB if you buy 6 TB disks, which would be enough to cover even the most demanding scenario. However, note that you will loose one HDD in RAID 5 and two HDDs in RAID 6.

Although the C2538 supports four 2.5 GbE interfaces, other hardware components limit the bandwidth to 1 GbE, which is still pretty fast. You can also opt to pair the Ethernet ports up by utilizing the Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) for a 2 GbE line. However, you need a network switch that is compatible with LACP. The other I/O ports are comprised of a single USB 2.0 port, two USB 3.0 ports, and an eSATA port to which you can attach a compatible Synology expansion. It, however, cannot expand the capacity of an existing volume (the unit's HDDs).

The DS415+ isn't very large as its size is basically defined by the four 3.5" HDDs it can accommodate. Synology also says the unit to consume very little power. We will conduct our own tests to verify the provided data. The NAS' power brick is strong, so it will easily handle the unit's needs.

A pair of 92 mm diameter fans moves hot air out of the server to keep HDD temperatures low. In a NAS that will most likely operate around the clock, it is of great importance to have the HDDs operate at below 35°C if you want to avoid RMAs and data loss.

The warranty is only two years long, which we don't approve of with such an expensive product, so we would advice Synology to increase it to at least three years. Synology could also claim that these devices are meant to operate around the clock, which makes a two-year warranty the equivalent to a warranty for a regular device that is many times as long since a normal PC will only operate for around 6-8 hours per day. The price is stiff, but this NAS is mostly for SMB environments where cost isn't considered a top priority while reliability and performance are.