Synology is aware of what it takes a construct a NAS server that doubles up for dwelling and small enterprise use, and the model’s newest launch does a terrific job catering to each units of customers. The DiskStation DS1522+ is a five-bay server that has a well-known design and options which have been normal on this class for some time: you get two M.2 slots for SSD caching, there’s 8GB of DDR4 RAM out of the field with the power so as to add as much as a complete of 32GB, and you may set up an extra 10 drives through the twin eSATA ports.
Connectivity is identical because the DiskStation DS1520+, with 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports positioned on the again. With quite a lot of NAS servers that includes 2.5 and even 10GbE ports as normal, the DS1522+ is at an obstacle right here, however there’s a straightforward strategy to set up a 10GbE module on the again. What’s modified this yr is a shift to AMD Ryzen {hardware}, with the DS1522+ that includes the dual-core R1600. The DS1520+ got here with a quad-core Intel Celeron J4125 as a substitute, however Synology has favored AMD {hardware} within the final two years, significantly in its business-focused fashions just like the DS1621+.
Anyway, it appears like this development will proceed going ahead, and what you could know in regards to the R1600 is that it would not deal with Plex transcoding. The DS1520+ is among the many finest NAS for Plex due to its means to transcode media on the fly, however having used the DS1522+ extensively, I discovered this to not be as massive a limitation in every day use. If you happen to want a five-bay server for dwelling or workplace use, this will likely simply be the best alternative for you.
Synology DiskStation DS1522+: Worth, specs, and availability
Synology unveiled the DiskStation DS1522+ on the finish of June 2022, and the five-bay server is now accessible in most world markets the place the model has a presence. The DS1522+ retails for $699, and in North America, you’ll find it at Amazon, B&H, Newegg, and different main retailers. As all the time, that is for the disk-less mannequin with none exhausting drives, and in case you’re searching for storage suggestions, I rounded up the finest exhausting drives for NAS servers.
The DS1522+ has just a few equipment which might be certain to turn out to be useful. First up is the 10GbE networking card that may be put in by eradicating two screws in the back of the unit. And if the 5 drive bays aren’t satisfactory, you may get the DX517 and add an extra 5 drives to the NAS through the eSATA port. You’ll be able to connect two of those models to the NAS, so a complete of ten further drives. The DS1522+ comes with a three-year guarantee as normal.
At a primary look, it is easy to see that not a lot has modified on the {hardware} entrance, with the DS1522+ being almost similar to its predecessor, the DS1520+. The large distinction this time is the swap to the Ryzen R1600, and the power so as to add a 10GbE networking card simply. This is a {hardware} rundown:
| Class | Synology DiskStation DS1522+ |
|---|---|
| Inner drive bays | 5 (most 18TB every bay), 3.5-inch HDD, 2.5-inch HDD, 2.5-inch SSD, M.2 SSD, 90TB of complete storage |
| Community interface | 4 x Gigabit Ethernet, Hyperlink Aggregation |
| USB ports | 2 x USB 3.1 Gen2 |
| eSATA ports | 2 |
| PCIe | 1 x Gen3 x2 community slot |
| CPU | Twin-core 2.6GHz AMD Ryzen R1600, 64-bit |
| Plex transcoding | No |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 ECC, two SODIMM slots, as much as 32GB complete |
| SSD caching | Sure, 2 M.2 slots |
| File system | Btrfs, EXT4 |
| Cooling | 2 x 92mm fan, 22.9dB(A) |
| Extensibility | 2 x eSATA ports, 10 further drive bays |
| Dimensions | 166 x 230 x 223mm |
| Weight | 5.95lb (2.7kg) |
Synology DiskStation DS1522+: Design and options
I am not going to speak an excessive amount of in regards to the design, as a result of there is not something new right here. The DS1522+ retains the identical design aesthetic as its siblings, together with a steel chassis that is sturdy, would not name consideration to itself, and the vented design across the model’s logos at both facet ensures good airflow. You additionally get two 92mm followers on the again that ship satisfactory cooling and ensure the drives do not warmth up an excessive amount of, and the followers are a smidgen quieter right here than the DS1520+.
The DS1522+ is basically unchanged from the DS1520+ — you may discover a acquainted design with lots to love.
Except for there, there is no noticeable distinction on the design entrance, with the DS1522+ retaining the identical dimensions as its predecessor. The 5 drive bays on the entrance make it as simple as attainable to put in a 3.5-inch HDD, and like earlier years, you will not want a screwdriver to take action. The person drive bays are lockable, you get LED indicators for every drive, a USB port on the entrance, and an influence button positioned on the backside.
The underside holds the 2 M.2 slots, and you should utilize it for SSD caching however not storage — the limitation is because of the warmth generated by M.2 SSDs. If you could use an SSD with the NAS, you possibly can simply slot in a 2.5-inch SATA possibility as a substitute. Around the again, you may discover 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports, two eSATA ports that allow you to add an extra ten drives to the DS1522+, and a second USB 3.1 port.
There is no multi-Gigabit connectivity out of the field, however you possibly can add a 10GbE networking card for an extra $149.
That is all fairly normal and similar to the DS1520+, however what’s new this time is a PCIe slot that allows you to add a ten Gigabit networking card. It is irritating that the DS1522+ would not have any 2.5 or 10 Gigabit ports out of the field — most NAS servers on this class present multi-Gigabit connectivity as normal — but when you could, there’s now a straightforward manner so as to add a 10GbE slot.
The model has launched a brand new E10G22-T1-Mini (opens in new tab) 10GbE networking card that may be slotted in by eradicating the 2 screws on the again, and it’s significantly simpler than opening up the case. The cardboard prices an extra $149, so that you’re a complete of $850 in case you’re within the DS1522+ and wish 10GbE networking.
For what it is price, the 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports have Hyperlink Aggregation and might be bridged, and that ought to serve the wants of most dwelling customers eyeing the DS1522+ for leisure wants.
Synology DiskStation DS1522+: Efficiency
The important thing distinction with the DS1522+ is the swap to AMD Ryzen, with the NAS powered by a dual-core R1600 with 4 threads that goes as much as 2.60GHz and three.1GHz for increase frequencies. The R1600 does an unimaginable job in every day use, and it’s a good different to the Celeron J4125 that has been a mainstay on this class for a very long time.
The swap to AMD {hardware} brings quite a lot of positives, however you miss out on Plex transcoding.
The primary draw back with the transfer to AMD is that the Ryzen R1600 would not have an built-in GPU, in contrast to the Celeron J4125’s UHD 600. It is a key requirement for Plex transcoding, and the DS1522+ misses out because of this. Nevertheless, whereas the NAS is not in a position to transcode content material on the fly, it does a terrific job enjoying a number of 4K streams concurrently. I did not have any points with Plex’s direct play function, and the DS1522+ did an admirable job streaming high-bitrate video to the lounge TV.
If you happen to’re utilizing a current TV, telephone, or pill, you will not want to make use of transcoding because the requisite container will already be put in in your system by default. However in case you’re utilizing an esoteric codec or operating Plex on an older system that lacks the container wanted for playback, you’ll have to flip to transcoding. If you happen to want the function, you are higher off going with the DS1520+.
However aside from that, the DS1522+ does an outstanding job in nearly each dwelling use case. It has 8GB of DDR4 ECC reminiscence as normal, and you may add as much as 32GB of reminiscence. The 8GB RAM takes up a single module, so there’s one free in case you intend to make use of the NAS for enterprise use and wish extra reminiscence.
DSM continues to be one of the best NAS software program round.
Coming to the feature-set, the DS1522+ runs DSM 7.1 out of the field, and it continues to be one of the best NAS software program round. You may discover packages for all of the stuff you want, together with knowledge storage, multimedia streaming, productiveness software program, and far more. You might be paying a premium for the DS1522+, however that is justified by the robustness of the software program.
DSM 7.1 additionally has a ton of utility for business-focused customers, and you will find personal options to a mail shopper, workplace suite, helpful VM software program, means to again up knowledge to the cloud, and an entire lot extra. Surveillance is a giant a part of DSM, and the DS1522+ comes with two digital camera licenses as normal, permitting you to document footage and monitor exercise straight through the NAS.
I slotted in two 12TB HAT5300 drives for testing the DS1522+, and received knowledge transfers of nicely over 240MB/s over Gigabit Ethernet. I will do a devoted put up speaking in regards to the 10GbE networking and what kind of a distinction that makes, however for many dwelling and even workplace customers, the Gigabit ports must be satisfactory for now.
Coming to exhausting drives, the official record is a bit of lean, and it’s lacking a lot of the best-selling NAS exhausting drives. The one 18TB drive that is listed is the model’s HAT5300, with no point out of Seagate or Western Digital. Whereas there is a 16TB Seagate drive listed, that is the SkyHawk mannequin aimed toward surveillance and never the IronWolf sequence. Switching all the way down to 14TB, you may discover just a few Western Digital Pink Plus (however no Pink Professional) and Toshiba N300 drives on the record, and the 12TB IronWolf will get a point out.
The exhausting drive record would not embrace any point out of IronWolf Professional or Pink Professional drives, a obtrusive omission.
You may discover a minimum of one Pink Plus or IronWolf drive listed for 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, and 4TB, however the lack of any IronWolf Professional or Pink Professional fashions right here is worrisome. There is no such limitation with the DS1520+ — which lists quite a lot of IronWolf Professional and Pink Professional fashions — and though Synology has mentioned that it’s going to not mandate the usage of its HAT5300 with home-focused DiskStation NAS servers, the paltry compatibility record suggests in any other case. If you happen to’re wanting to make use of a 16TB possibility or larger with the DS1522+, your best option is the model’s HAT5300 drives.
Now, this does not imply you possibly can’t use an IronWolf Professional or Pink Professional drive with the DS1522+; they work simply in addition to the drives talked about within the record, and I have not had any points to date. The largest draw back is that will not get technical help ought to one thing go awry.
Synology DiskStation DS1522+: The competitors
If you happen to’re searching for a five-bay NAS and wish Plex transcodes, the DS1520+ continues to be a standout alternative. It has an analogous feature-set to the DS1522+, and aside from the truth that you possibly can’t set up a 10GbE card to it, you are not lacking out on something right here. The DS1520+ is already unavailable at just a few retailers, and it’s unlikely to be restocked, so get your arms on it whereas it is nonetheless on cabinets.
If you happen to want a five-bay NAS with 10GbE networking, TerraMaster’s F5-422 is a stellar different to think about. The NAS options Intel’s Apollo J3455 platform, has 5 drive bays, a full-fledged 10 Gigabit port alongside two Gigabit ports, and coming in at $599, it’s extra inexpensive. The software program is not as polished and you aren’t getting as many options, but it surely does Plex 4K transcodes simply high quality, and is good for dwelling customers.
Synology DiskStation DS1522+: Must you purchase it?
You should purchase this if:
- You need a five-bay NAS with the power to connect 10 further bays
- You want dependable and safe software program with loads of options
- You need a NAS with 8GB RAM and M.2 slots for SSD caching
- You want 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports
You should not purchase this if:
- You want Plex 4K transcoding
- You need to use high-storage IronWolf Professional or Pink Professional drives
- You want multi-Gigabit connectivity out of the field
The DS1522+ would not have an excessive amount of to supply over the DS1520+, however that is not a nasty factor. The swap to the Ryzen R1600 delivers a noticeable acquire in vitality effectivity, and that makes the DS1522+ that rather more attractive. The draw back is that you just miss out on Plex transcodes, however that is not as massive as omission as I assumed it could be, and for many dwelling customers eyeing a NAS for leisure use, the direct play possibility must be greater than satisfactory. And in that state of affairs, the DS1522+ completely shines.
The DS1522+ would not have one of the best {hardware} bundle; the truth that you need to pay an extra $149 for 10GbE networking looks like a money seize. In an analogous vein, not having best-selling IronWolf Professional and Pink Professional NAS drives on the official exhausting drive record is a letdown contemplating the target market for this server.
However the largest differentiator for the DS1522+ continues to be DSM 7.1. I used quite a lot of NAS servers this yr, and whereas ASUSTOR and TerraMaster are making constructive strides on the software program entrance, their efforts aren’t wherever as polished as what you are getting right here. So in case you want a five-bay NAS with loads of storage and a sturdy software program feature-set, the DS1522+ remains to be your best option.
Synology DiskStation DS1522+
The DiskStation DS1522+ retains the basics that made the DS1520+ stand out, and also you get new AMD {hardware} that does a improbable job in every day use. Throw within the means so as to add a 10GbE networking card and intensive software program options, and also you get one of the best five-bay NAS round.