Buffalo LinkStation 210 2TB
Score: 57/100
Synology DS223 2-bay
Score: 76/100Rankings
The DS223 offers 36 TB of raw capacity, 2 GB RAM and a familiar DSM experience in a compact 2-bay chassis. It's a solid, budget-friendly choice for backups and file sharing, though network speed and lack of SSD cache keep it from high-performance scenarios.
The Buffalo LinkStation 210 2 TB is a budget-friendly, single-bay NAS that offers basic file sharing, media streaming and remote access for home users. It provides gigabit Ethernet and low power draw but lacks RAID, USB 3.0 and modern OS support.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
6 TB | 36 TBbest | |
1 | 2best | |
1 Gbpsbest | 1 Gbpsbest | |
— | 4best | |
0.256 GB | 2 GBbest | |
| ↓ lower better | 18 W | 16.31 Wbest |
| ↓ lower better | — | 18.2 dBbest |
2 yearsbest | 2 yearsbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Security(1) | ||
OS Compatibility | Windows XP and later, macOS up to 10.10, iOS, Android | DSM 7.x |
Performance(3) | ||
CPU Model | Marvell ARMADA 370 | Realtek RTD1619B |
System Memory (GB) | 0.256 GB | 2 GB |
Power Consumption (Active) (W) | 18 W | 16.31 W |
Build & Design(2) | ||
Weight (kg) | 1.102 kg | 0.88 kg |
Power Supply Type | External AC adapter | 60W AC adapter |
Connectivity(2) | ||
Supported Network Protocols | CIFS/SMB, HTTP, HTTPS, AFP, FTP, NTP, BitTorrent | SMB,NFS,AFP,FTP,WebDAV,iSCSI,HTTP/HTTPS,LDAP,CalDAV,SNMP,Kerberos |
USB Ports | 1 | 3 |
Storage & Capacity(4) | ||
Maximum Raw Capacity (TB) | 6 TB | 36 TB |
Drive Bays | 1 | 2 |
RAID Support | None | RAID 0,RAID 1,Basic,SHR |
Supported Drive Types | HDD | 3.5" SATA HDD,2.5" SATA SSD/HDD |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers praise its low price, straightforward setup and reliable DLNA/iTunes streaming, but note the lack of RAID, limited storage ceiling and outdated macOS compatibility as trade-offs.
Everyday users like the simple configuration and cross-platform compatibility, though some complain about network instability and the need to reformat the drive for newer macOS versions.
“Easy to configure”
“Works great with Windows, Linux, and Mac”
“Great for media streaming”
Professional reviewers praise the DS223 as an excellent entry-level NAS that delivers the core Synology experience at a competitive price, but note the single 1 GbE port, lack of SSD caching, and insufficient hardware for transcoding or virtualization.
Everyday users consistently commend the straightforward setup, dependable operation, and quiet fan, while complaints focus on limited network speed, absence of SSD caching, and the cap on maximum drive capacity.
