Introduction

We would like to thank Synology for supplying the review sample.



The Synology DS1815+ is a high-end NAS that can take up to eight HDDs for a total of 48 TB if you use 6 TB disks, and it comes with a quad-core CPU with an integrated hardware-encryption engine and is compatible with Synology's DX513 expansion unit should you want to increase its storage capacity even further. A home user, even if an incredible enthusiast, most likely won't need such a large NAS; the DS1815+ definitely seems to address business environments and nothing else. Its four Ethernet ports and lockable trays are also proof enough of the above.

Connect two DX513s to the DS1815+ and it can take up to 18 HDDs! Its storage capacity would be huge, and you would have to spend more on the HDDs than the NAS itself, especially if you go with 6 TB or 8 TB disks. So much storage space even covers the needs of large companies without spending lots of money on a rack. The DS1815+ is also backed by Synology's excellent operating system, DiskStation Manager, or DSM for short. Easy-to use and intuitive, it even allows less experienced users to easily configure the NAS to their needs. And although it is mostly for business use, it comes with a lot of multimedia-specific capabilities that might prove useful in even such an environment. After all, even companies need to keep such multimedia files as photos or videos on file.

With a price barely exceeding $1000, the DS1815+ looks like a very promising NAS for its category. Its only weak spot based on its specifications is its low RAM total of 2 GB. While 2 GB will suffice in most cases, a NAS with as much storage capacity and the ability to otherwise handle multiple users and applications at the same time needs at least 4 GB of RAM to put us at ease. With DDR3 RAM prices being low, we believe there is no excuse not to include another 2 GB.