Synology DS220j
Score: 50/100
Buffalo LinkStation LS710
Score: 61/100Rankings
A compact, single-bay NAS with a built-in 2 TB drive and 2.5 GbE networking, ideal for home users seeking simple backup and media streaming, but limited by lack of encryption, expandability and advanced features.
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 | | |
|---|---|---|
32 TBbest | 2 TB | |
2best | 1 | |
1 Gbps | 2.5 Gbpsbest | |
4 | 6best | |
0.512 GB | 2 GBbest | |
| ↓ lower better | 12.46 Wbest | 46 W |
2 yearsbest | 2 yearsbest | |
| ↓ lower better | 0.88 kgbest | 1.66 kg |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Security(2) | ||
Hardware Encryption | true | false |
OS Compatibility | DSM | Windows, macOS |
Performance(5) | ||
CPU Model | Realtek RTD1296 | Hexa-core 6-core CPU up to 1.3 GHz |
CPU Cores | 4 | 6 |
System Memory (GB) | 0.512 GB | 2 GB |
Ethernet Speed (Gbps) | 1 Gbps | 2.5 Gbps |
Power Consumption (Active) (W) | 12.46 W | 46 W |
Build & Design(2) | ||
Weight (kg) | 0.88 kg | 1.66 kg |
Power Supply Type | External 60W adapter | Internal AC adapter |
Connectivity(2) | ||
Supported Network Protocols | SMB, AFP, NFS, FTP, WebDAV, CalDAV, iSCSI, SSH, SNMP, OpenVPN, L2TP, PPTP | SMB, CIFS, FTP, FTPS, SFTP, NFS, TCP/IP |
USB Ports | 2 | 3 |
Storage & Capacity(4) | ||
Maximum Raw Capacity (TB) | 32 TB | 2 TB |
Drive Bays | 2 | 1 |
RAID Support | SHR, RAID 0, RAID 1, JBOD, Basic | None |
Supported Drive Types | 3.5" or 2.5" SATA HDD/SSD | 3.5" SATA III |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
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.
“Set up in under 15 minutes - just plug in and go.”
“Backups are much faster than my old Buffalo NAS.”
“Perfect for Time Machine - finally works reliably with macOS.”
Professional reviewers view the LinkStation 710 as a no-frills, reliable workhorse that excels at simple backup and media streaming tasks. They commend its 2.5 GbE port and seamless Time Machine support, but criticize the lack of a mobile app, limited expandability, and the closed, non-customizable OS, making it unsuitable for power users.
Everyday users appreciate the quick setup, fast backup speeds, and the peace of mind from the included drive warranty. Common complaints focus on the missing mobile app, inability to SSH, limited storage capacity, and lack of encryption, with many wishing for better documentation and expandability.
