Synology is aware of what it takes a construct a NAS server that doubles up for domestic and small enterprise use, and the logo’s newest release does an ideal process catering to each units of customers. The DiskStation DS1522+ is a five-bay server that has a well-known design and contours which were same old on this class for some time: you get two M.2 slots for SSD caching, there may be 8GB of DDR4 RAM out of the field having the ability to upload as much as a complete of 32GB, and you’ll set up an extra 10 drives by way of the twin eSATA ports.
Connectivity is equal to the DiskStation DS1520+, with 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports situated on the again. With a large number of NAS servers that includes 2.5 and even 10GbE ports as same old, the DS1522+ is at an obstacle right here, however there is a simple solution to set up a 10GbE module on the again. What is 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 appreciated AMD {hardware} within the final two years, specifically in its business-focused fashions just like the DS1621+.
Anyway, it looks as if this development will proceed going ahead, and what you wish to have to understand in regards to the R1600 is that it does not care for Plex transcoding. The DS1520+ is likely one of the best NAS for Plex as a result of its talent to transcode media at the fly, however having used the DS1522+ widely, I discovered this not to be as large a limitation in day by day use. If you wish to have a five-bay server for domestic or workplace use, this may occasionally simply be the perfect selection for you.
Synology DiskStation DS1522+: Worth, specifications, and availability
Synology unveiled the DiskStation DS1522+ on the finish of June 2022, and the five-bay server is now to be had in maximum international markets the place the logo has a presence. The DS1522+ retails for $699, and in North The us, you’ll to find it at Amazon, B&H, Newegg, and different primary shops. As all the time, that is for the disk-less fashion with none laborious drives, and if you are searching for garage suggestions, I rounded up the best hard drives for NAS servers.
The DS1522+ has a couple of equipment which are sure to turn out to be useful. First up is the 10GbE networking card that may be put in through disposing of two screws behind the unit. And if the 5 power bays are not ok, you’ll get the DX517 and upload an extra 5 drives to the NAS by way of the eSATA port. You’ll be able to connect two of those gadgets to the NAS, so a complete of ten further drives. The DS1522+ comes with a three-year guaranty as same old.
At a primary look, it is simple to peer that no longer a lot has modified at the {hardware} entrance, with the DS1522+ being just about similar to its predecessor, the DS1520+. The massive distinction this time is the transfer to the Ryzen R1600, and the power so as to add a 10GbE networking card simply. Here is a {hardware} rundown:
| Class | Synology DiskStation DS1522+ |
|---|---|
| Inner power bays | 5 (most 18TB every bay), 3.5-inch HDD, 2.5-inch HDD, 2.5-inch SSD, M.2 SSD, 90TB of general garage |
| 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 general |
| SSD caching | Sure, 2 M.2 slots |
| Report gadget | Btrfs, EXT4 |
| Cooling | 2 x 92mm fan, 22.9dB(A) |
| Extensibility | 2 x eSATA ports, 10 further power bays |
| Dimensions | 166 x 230 x 223mm |
| Weight | 5.95lb (2.7kg) |
Synology DiskStation DS1522+: Design and contours
I am not going to speak an excessive amount of in regards to the design, as a result of there is not the rest new right here. The DS1522+ keeps the similar design aesthetic as its siblings, together with a steel chassis that is sturdy, does not name consideration to itself, and the vented design across the logo’s trademarks at all sides guarantees excellent airflow. You additionally get two 92mm lovers on the again that ship ok cooling and ensure the drives do not warmth up an excessive amount of, and the lovers are a smidgen quieter right here than the DS1520+.
The DS1522+ is in large part unchanged from the DS1520+ — you can discover a acquainted design with masses to love.
With the exception of there, there is not any noticeable distinction at the design entrance, with the DS1522+ holding the similar dimensions as its predecessor. The 5 power bays on the entrance make it as simple as imaginable to put in a three.5-inch HDD, and prefer earlier years, you will not want a screwdriver to take action. The person power bays are lockable, you get LED signs for every power, a USB port on the entrance, and an influence button situated on the backside.
The bottom holds the 2 M.2 slots, and you’ll use it for SSD caching however no longer garage — the limitation is because of the warmth generated through M.2 SSDs. If you wish to have to make use of an SSD with the NAS, you’ll simply fit in a 2.5-inch SATA possibility as a substitute. Around the again, you can to find 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports, two eSATA ports that help you upload an extra ten drives to the DS1522+, and a 2d USB 3.1 port.
There is no multi-Gigabit connectivity out of the field, however you’ll upload a 10GbE networking card for an extra $149.
That is all lovely same old and similar to the DS1520+, however what is new this time is a PCIe slot that allows you to upload a ten Gigabit networking card. It is irritating that the DS1522+ does not have any 2.5 or 10 Gigabit ports out of the field — maximum NAS servers on this class supply multi-Gigabit connectivity as same old — but when you wish to have to, there may be now a very simple means so as to add a 10GbE slot.
The logo has presented a brand new E10G22-T1-Mini (opens in new tab) 10GbE networking card that may be slotted in through disposing of the 2 screws on the again, and it’s significantly more straightforward than opening up the case. The cardboard prices an extra $149, so you are looking at a complete of $850 if you are within the DS1522+ and want 10GbE networking.
For what it is value, the 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports have Hyperlink Aggregation and will also be bridged, and that are supposed to serve the wishes of maximum domestic customers eyeing the DS1522+ for leisure wishes.
Synology DiskStation DS1522+: Efficiency
The important thing distinction with the DS1522+ is the transfer to AMD Ryzen, with the NAS powered through a dual-core R1600 with 4 threads that is going as much as 2.60GHz and three.1GHz for spice up frequencies. The R1600 does an unbelievable process in day by day use, and this can be a excellent choice to the Celeron J4125 that has been a mainstay on this class for a very long time.
The transfer to AMD {hardware} brings a large number of positives, however you fail to spot Plex transcoding.
The principle drawback with the transfer to AMD is that the Ryzen R1600 does not have an built-in GPU, not like the Celeron J4125’s UHD 600. It is a key requirement for Plex transcoding, and the DS1522+ misses out consequently. On the other hand, whilst the NAS is not in a position to transcode content material at the fly, it does an ideal process enjoying a number of 4K streams concurrently. I did not have any problems with Plex’s direct play function, and the DS1522+ did an admirable process streaming high-bitrate video to the lounge TV.
In case you are the use of a contemporary TV, telephone, or pill, you will not wish to use transcoding because the needful container will already be put in for your instrument through default. However if you are the use of an esoteric codec or working Plex on an older instrument that lacks the container wanted for playback, you’ll have to flip to transcoding. If you wish to have the function, you are at an advantage going with the DS1520+.
However rather than that, the DS1522+ does a fantastic process in near to each domestic use case. It has 8GB of DDR4 ECC reminiscence as same old, and you’ll upload as much as 32GB of reminiscence. The 8GB RAM takes up a unmarried module, so there may be one loose when you intend to make use of the NAS for enterprise use and want extra reminiscence.
DSM is still the most productive NAS tool round.
Coming to the feature-set, the DS1522+ runs DSM 7.1 out of the field, and it is still the most productive NAS tool round. You can to find applications for all of the issues you wish to have, together with information garage, multimedia streaming, productiveness tool, and a lot more. You’re paying a top class for the DS1522+, however that is justified through the robustness of the tool.
DSM 7.1 additionally has a ton of application for business-focused customers, and you can to find non-public possible choices to a mail consumer, workplace suite, helpful VM tool, talent to again up information to the cloud, and an entire lot extra. Surveillance is a large a part of DSM, and the DS1522+ comes with two digicam licenses as same old, permitting you to report photos and track task immediately by way of the NAS.
I slotted in two 12TB HAT5300 drives for trying out the DS1522+, and were given information transfers of smartly 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 domestic or even workplace customers, the Gigabit ports will have to be ok for now.
Coming to laborious drives, the reliable listing is somewhat lean, and it’s lacking many of the best-selling NAS laborious drives. The one 18TB power that is indexed is the logo’s HAT5300, with out a point out of Seagate or Western Virtual. Whilst there is a 16TB Seagate power indexed, that is the SkyHawk fashion geared toward surveillance and no longer the IronWolf collection. Switching all the way down to 14TB, you can to find a couple of Western Virtual Purple Plus (however no Purple Professional) and Toshiba N300 drives at the listing, and the 12TB IronWolf will get a point out.
The laborious power listing does not come with any point out of IronWolf Professional or Purple Professional drives, a evident omission.
You can to find a minimum of one Purple Plus or IronWolf power indexed for 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, and 4TB, however the loss of any IronWolf Professional or Purple Professional fashions this is worrisome. There is no such limitation with the DS1520+ — which lists a large number of IronWolf Professional and Purple Professional fashions — and even supposing Synology has mentioned that it’ll no longer mandate the usage of its HAT5300 with home-focused DiskStation NAS servers, the paltry compatibility listing suggests in a different way. In case you are having a look to make use of a 16TB possibility or upper with the DS1522+, your best option is the logo’s HAT5300 drives.
Now, this doesn’t suggest you’ll’t use an IronWolf Professional or Purple Professional power with the DS1522+; they paintings simply in addition to the drives discussed within the listing, and I have not had any problems up to now. The most important drawback is that won’t get technical help will have to one thing cross awry.
Synology DiskStation DS1522+: The contest
In case you are searching for a five-bay NAS and want Plex transcodes, the DS1520+ is still a standout selection. It has a identical feature-set to the DS1522+, and rather than the truth that you’ll’t set up a 10GbE card to it, you are no longer lacking out on the rest right here. The DS1520+ is already unavailable at a couple of shops, and it’s not likely to be restocked, so get your palms on it whilst it is nonetheless on cabinets.
If you wish to have a five-bay NAS with 10GbE networking, TerraMaster’s F5-422 is a stellar choice to believe. The NAS options Intel’s Apollo J3455 platform, has 5 power bays, a full-fledged 10 Gigabit port along two Gigabit ports, and coming in at $599, it’s extra inexpensive. The tool is not as polished and you do not get as many options, but it surely does Plex 4K transcodes simply nice, and is perfect for domestic customers.
Synology DiskStation DS1522+: Will have to you purchase it?
You will have to purchase this if:
- You wish to have a five-bay NAS having the ability to connect 10 further bays
- You wish to have dependable and safe tool with various options
- You wish to have a NAS with 8GB RAM and M.2 slots for SSD caching
- You wish to have 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports
You should not purchase this if:
- You wish to have Plex 4K transcoding
- You wish to have to make use of high-storage IronWolf Professional or Purple Professional drives
- You wish to have multi-Gigabit connectivity out of the field
The DS1522+ does not have an excessive amount of to supply over the DS1520+, however that isn’t a nasty factor. The transfer to the Ryzen R1600 delivers a noticeable achieve in power potency, and that makes the DS1522+ that a lot more attractive. The drawback is that you just fail to spot Plex transcodes, however that’s not as large as omission as I assumed it might be, and for many domestic customers eyeing a NAS for leisure use, the direct play possibility will have to be greater than ok. And in that situation, the DS1522+ completely shines.
The DS1522+ does not have the most productive {hardware} package deal; the truth that you must pay an extra $149 for 10GbE networking seems like a money take hold of. In a identical vein, no longer having best-selling IronWolf Professional and Purple Professional NAS drives at the reliable laborious power listing is a letdown taking into account the objective target market for this server.
However the largest differentiator for the DS1522+ is still DSM 7.1. I used a large number of NAS servers this yr, and whilst ASUSTOR and TerraMaster are making sure strides at the tool entrance, their efforts are not anyplace as polished as what you are getting right here. So if you wish to have a five-bay NAS with various garage and a powerful tool feature-set, the DS1522+ remains to be your only option.
Synology DiskStation DS1522+
The DiskStation DS1522+ keeps the basics that made the DS1520+ stand out, and also you get new AMD {hardware} that does an implausible process in day by day use. Throw within the talent so as to add a 10GbE networking card and intensive tool options, and also you get the most productive five-bay NAS round.
