# Synology DiskStation DS224+

- Source: https://stierproducts.com/products/synology-diskstation-ds224
- Category board: https://stierproducts.com/categories/nas-devices
- Placement: #17 of 22 in NAS Devices, D tier
- Brand: Synology
- LP on this board: 231
- Last researched: 2026-09-23T21:56:12.030Z
- Method: https://stierproducts.com/methodology
- Dataset: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22062813 - every board at once, one dated snapshot per release, same licence, prices and photographs left out
- Reuse: Text, rankings, tier assignments, LP values and verdicts are free to quote and reuse with attribution to stierproducts and a link to the source URL (CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence.

## Verdict

Still a mainstream recommendation: r/HomeNAS advice for 2025/2026 buyers points newcomers at "entry-level 2-bay NAS units like the Synology DS224+ or QNAP TS-233 - they're compact, beginner-friendly." It is the previous generation of Wirecutter's pick and has since been superseded by the DS225+, which is the only reason it ranks sixth rather than first. Everything about its ownership experience - DSM updates, support, build - is proven over years.

## For

- Proven ownership experience with DSM updates and support
- Compact and beginner-friendly form factor
- Better hardware than the DS223j
- Mature firmware with huge install base
- Synology support reputation intact

## Against

- Superseded by DS225+, making it less top-ranked
- Older CPU, less RAM and no 2.5 GbE compared to DS225+
- Superseded model offers better specs for little extra cost
- Superseded by its direct successor, the DS225+
- Older platform with the same software as the newer model

## Flagged as one to avoid

This product entered 5 of 9 runs as one buyers cross-shop but should not buy, rather than as a pick. It is published here rather than dropped.

## Evidence

Consolidated from 3 independent outlets

| Outlet | Said by | Stance | Link | Link status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| r/HomeNAS | - | - | https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeNAS/comments/1nv3wyk/best_nas_to_buy_on_2025/ | outlet blocks automated checks |
| Wirecutter | - | - | https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-network-attached-storage/ | outlet blocks automated checks |
| Android Central | - | - | https://www.androidcentral.com/best-nas-home | fetched and confirmed |

## Nearest alternatives on this board

| Rank | Product | Tier | Page |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 12 | UniFi UNAS 2 | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/unifi-unas-2 |
| 13 | Asustor Drivestor 2 Gen2 (AS1202T) | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/asustor-drivestor-2-gen2-as1202t |
| 14 | Synology DiskStation DS423+ | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/synology-diskstation-ds423 |
| 15 | TerraMaster F2-223 | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/terramaster-f2-223 |
| 16 | Synology BeeStation | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/synology-beestation |
| 18 | UnifyDrive UT2 | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/unifydrive-ut2 |
| 19 | QNAP TS-464 | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/qnap-ts-464 |
| 20 | Synology DiskStation DS223 | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/synology-diskstation-ds223 |
| 21 | Synology DS223j | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/synology-ds223j |
| 22 | Synology DiskStation DS223j | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/synology-diskstation-ds223j |

The full board is at https://stierproducts.com/categories/nas-devices.

## What this tier means

- D: Weak. Hard to recommend when better options cost similar money.

## How to read this

- Each category is researched in four independent runs, one per lens (expert consensus, value, reliability, community pulse). Every run ranks a board of candidates that deliberately includes products buyers cross-shop but should avoid. Placements score on a ranked ladder (LP), and tiers are derived from LP, so no tier is ever assigned by hand.
- LP is this product's points on its own category ladder. It is comparable within a category and not across categories.
- Link status reports what our pre-publication link check found when it fetched the cited URL. It says nothing about the quality of the review.
- A citation with no usable link is listed rather than dropped, and is excluded from the counted total above.

## Image

https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/synology-diskstation-ds224.webp

Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence.