Western Digital My Book Live
Score: 68/100
Synology DS223j
Score: 66/100Rankings
The WD My Book Live 3TB is a personal-cloud NAS offering built-in media streaming, Time Machine backup and gigabit Ethernet performance. Its single-drive design means no RAID protection and the modest hardware caps overall speed. Ideal for home users who need simple media sharing and Mac backup without the need for redundancy.
The Synology DiskStation DS223j is an entry-level 2-bay NAS that offers ultra-quiet operation, low power draw, and an easy-to-use DSM interface for basic backups and media streaming. Its limitations include modest 1 GB RAM, a single gigabit Ethernet port, and non-hot-swap drive bays. It is best for home users or beginners needing simple, energy-efficient storage.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
3 TB | 108 TBbest | |
1 | 2best | |
— | 4best | |
— | 1.7 GHzbest | |
0.256 GB | 1 GBbest | |
61.2 MB/sbest | — | |
45.5 MB/sbest | — | |
— | 2best |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Storage(3) | ||
Storage Capacity (TB) | 3 TB | 108 TB |
Drive Bays | 1 | 2 |
RAID Support | false | true |
Performance(2) | ||
CPU Model | APM82181 CPU | Realtek RTD1619B |
Memory (RAM) (GB) | 0.256 GB | 1 GB |
Build & Design(2) | ||
Weight (kg) | 1.09 kg | 0.87 kg |
Dimensions (H×W×D) (cm) | 13.97×5.08×16.76 cm cm | 10.0×22.6×16.5 cm cm |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers commend the My Book Live for its straightforward setup, solid gigabit Ethernet performance, and useful media streaming capabilities, but they criticize its lack of redundancy, modest hardware, and performance ceiling compared to more robust NAS offerings.
Everyday users value the ease of installation, automatic network discovery, and remote access, especially for sharing media and backing up Macs, while many express concern over the single-drive design and limited speed for larger file transfers.
Professional reviewers describe the DS223j as a budget-friendly entry into Synology's lineup, commending its energy-efficient design, ultra-quiet operation, and the robust DSM software suite. However, they criticize the modest 1 GB of RAM, the single 1 GbE network port, and the entry-level CPU as constraints that limit the device to basic file serving and backup tasks.
Everyday users appreciate the DS223j for its straightforward setup, near-silent operation, and low power draw, often highlighting its reliability for personal backups and modest media streaming. Recurring complaints focus on slow network transfer speeds, limited RAM causing sluggishness under load, and occasional fan noise when the unit is busy.
