Synology DiskStation DS418

VERDICT

A powerful and fast NAS, but it may be a little too expensive for most

- David Ludlow

BACK IN SHOPPER 359, we reviewed the Synology DiskStation DS418j, the company’s entry-level four-bay NAS. Now, we’re back for the full-on, more powerful version.

It’s not just the internals that are different, however, as Synology has also used a different case for this model. Rather than having to remove the main casing, as with the DS418j, the DS418 has drive-bays that are accessible from the front.

Just lift the handle, and you can pull out a drive bay, giving you quick access to either populate or replace a hard disk. For safety, drive bays can be locked into position so you can’t just pull them out. The design is simple and easy to use, and lets you get up and running faster in the event of a disk failure. All drive bays use screwless fixing, making it easy to drop a disk into place securely.

DISK-O-TECH

You can fit up to 48TB of storage in the DS418 if you opt for 12TB 3.5in hard disks. If you’d prefer to go with 2.5in hard disks or SSDs, the drive bays can be fitted with optional adaptors.

Given that the limiting factor of the NAS is the speed of its network connection, fitting hard disks makes a lot of sense as it means you’ll get the most amount of storage. And the maximum limit is plenty even for the busiest small office or busy home.