Buffalo LinkStation 210 4TB
Score: 56/100
Synology DS220j
Score: 50/100Rankings
The Buffalo LinkStation 210 4 TB offers a ready-to-go 4 TB drive, gigabit networking and basic cloud-like features in a compact, low-power package. It's ideal for home users needing simple backup and media streaming, but lacks RAID, USB 3.0 and modern macOS compatibility.
The DS220j is an entry-level two-bay NAS delivering a full DSM experience, solid performance for its price, and a broad app ecosystem, ideal for home users and small offices.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
6 TB | 32 TBbest | |
1 | 2best | |
1 Gbpsbest | 1 Gbpsbest | |
— | 4best | |
0.256 GB | 0.512 GBbest | |
| ↓ lower better | 24 W | 12.46 Wbest |
2 yearsbest | 2 yearsbest | |
| ↓ lower better | 1.1 kg | 0.88 kgbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Security(1) | ||
OS Compatibility | Windows XP‑11, macOS up to 10.10, iOS, Android | DSM |
Performance(3) | ||
CPU Model | Marvell ARMADA 370 | Realtek RTD1296 |
System Memory (GB) | 0.256 GB | 0.512 GB |
Power Consumption (Active) (W) | 24 W | 12.46 W |
Build & Design(2) | ||
Weight (kg) | 1.1 kg | 0.88 kg |
Power Supply Type | External AC adapter | External 60W adapter |
Connectivity(2) | ||
Supported Network Protocols | TCP/IP, CIFS/SMB, HTTP, HTTPS, AFP, FTP, NTP, BitTorrent | SMB, AFP, NFS, FTP, WebDAV, CalDAV, iSCSI, SSH, SNMP, OpenVPN, L2TP, PPTP |
USB Ports | 1 | 2 |
Storage & Capacity(4) | ||
Maximum Raw Capacity (TB) | 6 TB | 32 TB |
Drive Bays | 1 | 2 |
RAID Support | None | SHR, RAID 0, RAID 1, JBOD, Basic |
Supported Drive Types | HDD | 3.5" or 2.5" SATA HDD/SSD |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Reviewers highlight its plug-and-play nature, media streaming, and energy efficiency, while criticizing the absence of RAID, USB 2.0 limitation, and lack of advanced features.
Users appreciate quick setup, quiet operation and the included 4 TB drive, though some encounter Windows 10 mapping issues and wish for easier HDD upgrades.
“Practically sets itself up - very fast transfer speeds”
“Replaced my old Lenovo NAS - much better and easier to use”
“Could not be mapped as a shared drive from Windows 10”
Professional reviewers praised the DS220j for its polished DSM operating system, impressive read/write speeds for a budget unit, straightforward setup, and comprehensive app ecosystem, while noting its hardware limitations such as a single LAN port, modest 512 MB RAM, and lack of HDMI or multi-gigabit networking.
Everyday users appreciate the DS220j's ease of use, low power consumption, and ability to serve as a reliable home cloud and media server, but many echo concerns about limited RAM, lack of HDMI, and the need to purchase drives separately.
