Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-264

For a new media or application server, the QNAP TS-264-8G is our pick: dual 2.5GbE, 8 GB RAM and separate NVMe slots leave more room to grow. Choose the Synology DS224+ for a DSM backup-and-photo setup when gigabit networking is enough and its complete-kit offer makes sense against the DS225+. If those Synology offers are close, we would buy the DS225+ for its 2.5GbE port instead.

Also consider the UGREEN NASync DXP2800 for a two-bay backup or media setup if you are open to UGOS; check its applications and recovery workflow before choosing it.

Official specifications, drive lists and support status checked November 2, 2026. Recommendations are based on documentation, not physical evaluation; retailer inventory is unconfirmed.

Quick picks

Compare specifications and all conditions

Computer backups and a family photo library in DSM

Our choice

DS224+, if its complete-kit offer is compelling

What decides it

Drive, Photos, Active Backup and Hyper Backup; accept gigabit ports

Media plus containers or a small application server

Our choice

TS-264-8G, confirmed SODIMM revision

What decides it

More installed memory, NVMe slots and PCIe expansion

Faster wired file transfers

Our choice

TS-264-8G

What decides it

Two built-in 2.5GbE ports; the computer and network must support the faster link

Buying a new Synology without a meaningful DS224+ saving

Our choice

DS225+

What decides it

One 2.5GbE port and a longer standard hardware warranty

Already own a working DS224+ and only need backups

Our choice

Keep it unless a specific limitation intervenes

What decides it

Configure recovery before replacing an adequate enclosure

Two-bay backup or media storage with UGOS

Our choice

Also consider UGREEN NASync DXP2800

What decides it

Intel N100, 8 GB DDR5 and a single 2.5GbE port; verify the software fits your needs

Full comparison table ↔

Swipe to compare. Row labels stay visible.

Your job	Our choice	What decides it
Computer backups and a family photo library in DSM	DS224+, if its complete-kit offer is compelling	Drive, Photos, Active Backup and Hyper Backup; accept gigabit ports
Media plus containers or a small application server	TS-264-8G, confirmed SODIMM revision	More installed memory, NVMe slots and PCIe expansion
Faster wired file transfers	TS-264-8G	Two built-in 2.5GbE ports; the computer and network must support the faster link
Buying a new Synology without a meaningful DS224+ saving	DS225+	One 2.5GbE port and a longer standard hardware warranty
Already own a working DS224+ and only need backups	Keep it unless a specific limitation intervenes	Configure recovery before replacing an adequate enclosure
Two-bay backup or media storage with UGOS	Also consider UGREEN NASync DXP2800	Intel N100, 8 GB DDR5 and a single 2.5GbE port; verify the software fits your needs

Your job	Our choice	What decides it
Computer backups and a family photo library in DSM	DS224+, if its complete-kit offer is compelling	Drive, Photos, Active Backup and Hyper Backup; accept gigabit ports
Media plus containers or a small application server	TS-264-8G, confirmed SODIMM revision	More installed memory, NVMe slots and PCIe expansion
Faster wired file transfers	TS-264-8G	Two built-in 2.5GbE ports; the computer and network must support the faster link
Buying a new Synology without a meaningful DS224+ saving	DS225+	One 2.5GbE port and a longer standard hardware warranty
Already own a working DS224+ and only need backups	Keep it unless a specific limitation intervenes	Configure recovery before replacing an adequate enclosure
Two-bay backup or media storage with UGOS	Also consider UGREEN NASync DXP2800	Intel N100, 8 GB DDR5 and a single 2.5GbE port; verify the software fits your needs

Compare the exact enclosures at equal disk capacity

Compare diskless units with the same drives. The Synology specification below is DS224+, not DS225+; QNAP's is the TS-264-8G SODIMM configuration, not an unspecified memory-upgrade bundle.

Sources: Synology's complete hardware/software table, QNAP's current US configuration table, and QNAP's operating-system description. “None listed” reflects Synology's published hardware inventory.

• Synology DS224+1Gbps
• QNAP TS-264-8G2.5Gbps

Source: Synology specifications and QNAP specifications

For QNAP's network advantage, connect the NAS and a capable computer through a suitable multi-gig switch. A gigabit computer or switch remains a bottleneck. Start by checking that path; a faster internet subscription is not the requirement for a local NAS-to-PC transfer. The bars describe port link rates, not a promise that hard disks or applications will sustain them.

Synology DS224+: our pick for a DSM backup workflow

Choose this model because you want its applications. Synology documents Drive for file access, sharing and versioning, Photos for photo backup and organization, Active Backup for endpoint backups, and Hyper Backup for backing up the NAS to external, remote or cloud destinations. That combination is why we favor it for a backup-focused household, rather than declaring DSM universally easier to administer.

A useful configuration detail: Synology says Photos object recognition needs at least 4 GB RAM. The stock enclosure has 2 GB; its supported 4 GB expansion module brings the total to 6 GB. Include that upgrade in your comparison if object recognition is part of the purchase, rather than judging the bare enclosure alone. The module currently listed is D4NS01-4G. Source: DS224+ memory, accessories and Photos specifications.

Containers are not exclusive to QNAP: Synology lists DS224+ under Container Manager's applied models. We would nevertheless choose QNAP when memory capacity or separate SSD storage is central to the application plan.

See the DS224+ on Synology's US site. Confirm the enclosure model, diskless contents, condition and warranty eligibility on the actual offer.

QNAP TS-264-8G: our pick for media and applications

QNAP's TS-264 page documents Qsync for computer file synchronization, QuMagie photo management, Qfile automatic phone-photo backup, and Hybrid Backup Sync for remote NAS and cloud backup. Its Container Station supports container workloads. Choose it for that workflow and the hardware options, not a claimed backup capability absent from Synology.

The M.2 slots can serve caching or SSD storage pools without occupying the SATA bays. QNAP recommends SSD heatsinks. We would start with the HDD mirror and add SSDs only for an identified workload. A network card and other expansion cards must also compete for the single PCIe slot; check compatible expansion units and required cards before budgeting a larger storage setup.

Memory revisions matter. The current US table lists 8 GB SODIMM, two slots and a 16 GB ceiling, with the memory footnote “Since 2024/01.” The older family manual describes TS-264-8G memory as non-expandable. Confirm removable memory on the actual unit; the model suffix alone does not resolve the conflicting documents.

Those documents also disagree on HDMI 2.1 versus HDMI 2.0, respectively. Both document an output; verify the revision and intended local-display application if HDMI matters.

For Plex, the official requirements specify an active Plex Pass for hardware acceleration and direct buyers to the NAS compatibility sheet. Do not translate a CPU or HDMI label into a guaranteed stream count. Check your codec, subtitles, HDR handling and playback client; our Plex and Jellyfin hardware guide explains that buying decision.

See the TS-264 on QNAP's US site. Match the factory memory revision and diskless contents before ordering.

Synology DS225+: check this before buying older-generation stock

The DS225+ keeps the J4125 processor and 2 GB installed/6 GB maximum memory, but changes networking to one 2.5GbE port plus one 1GbE port. Its standard hardware warranty is three years, compared with two for DS224+. Those are concrete reasons to prefer it when the complete offers are close. Source: DS225+ specifications.

Avoid outdated drive-policy advice: Synology's DSM 7.3 announcement allows third-party-drive installation and storage pools on its 2025 DiskStation Plus models running that software. That is not certification of every drive; check the exact model's compatibility notes. We would not replace a satisfactory DS224+ solely for its model year.

See the DS225+ on Synology's US site.

WD Red Plus WD80EFPX: the same disk set for either NAS

For an equal-capacity comparison, our example order is two WD Red Plus 8 TB WD80EFPX drives. WD's datasheet identifies that model as a CMR SATA NAS drive; do not substitute another capacity or WD80EFZZ because the family name matches.

Both makers list this drive, with qualifications: Synology's DS224+ list identifies WD80EFPX-68C4ZN0, firmware 81.00A81; QNAP's TS-264 list lists WD80EFPX, firmware 81.00A81. Synology's attached note limits its assurance to listed firmware. Check the actual drive label and firmware before installation.

With RAID 1, two 8 TB drives give 8 TB nominal mirrored capacity, before system, filesystem and snapshot overhead. This is capacity arithmetic, not a measurement: Synology defines RAID 1 capacity as the smallest drive's size. Buy larger compatible drives now if that would leave too little growth space; a two-bay mirror has no unused HDD bay.

The example needs two single drives. See our NAS drive guide for other capacity decisions.

Also consider: UGREEN NASync DXP2800

The DXP2800 fits the same two-bay home-storage job with an Intel N100, 8 GB DDR5 expandable to 16 GB, one 2.5GbE port and two M.2 NVMe slots for cache or a separate SSD pool. It runs UGOS. UGREEN's DXP2800 specifications.

Consider it if its software fits your backup and media needs. Check required applications and rehearse recovery before migrating. Choose the standard DXP2800 diskless enclosure, with drives bought separately; the DXP2800 GT is a different model. The WD compatibility checks above apply to the Synology and QNAP: check UGREEN's own drive list separately.

Buying guide: order the backup path and rehearse recovery

For either enclosure, budget for the matched HDD pair, a separate USB or remote/cloud backup destination sized for protected data and retained versions, and suitable Ethernet connections. Add Synology memory for the stated Photos requirement, or a multi-gig computer adapter and switch for QNAP only when needed. Consider a compatible UPS alongside the recovery plan.

On Synology, Hyper Backup supports scheduled, versioned backups, integrity checks and file recovery. Its multi-version archives use .hbk format and require Hyper Backup, Hyper Backup Explorer or Hyper Backup Vault; encrypted restores need the password or encryption key. Keep the recovery tool and key accessible away from the NAS. Official restore instructions.

On QNAP, configure Hybrid Backup Sync to the separate destination and rehearse its restore workflow. Choose the operating system before importing data: QNAP documents QTS as the default and supports QuTS hero, but switching requires backing up data and removing disks. It is not an in-place filesystem conversion. Source: QNAP's OS-switch instructions.

1. 1

   Write the restore plan

   Record the backup destination, recovery application, credentials and encryption-key location.

2. 2

   Restore a sample

   Recover a folder to another location and open its documents and photos; include application data in the rehearsal.

3. 3

   Migrate, then verify

   Copy files to the new NAS and check permissions and application exports before erasing the original storage.

For a brand change, plan a file copy or restore rather than assuming the old disk set imports. For later DS224+ expansion, Synology's replacement procedure calls for replacing drives and repairing the pool in sequence. Include backup capacity during that process, not just the replacement HDDs.

Administration is part of either purchase: assign someone to review updates, disk alerts and backup failures. At this check, Synology lists DS224+ as Generally Available with Full firmware and technical support. QNAP's status data lists TS-264 with Full OS/application maintenance and Active technical/security support. These are current status labels, not dated lifetime guarantees. Synology distinguishes Full updates from security-only Limited support; QNAP similarly distinguishes full OS updates from its later security-support status. Recheck those labels before buying older stock.

How we choose

We compared official US specifications, QNAP's revision footnote and conflicting family manual, maker drive lists, software documentation and support status. The disk example holds capacity constant; the recommendations weigh application workflow, network requirements, expansion and recovery. We have no physical performance, acoustic or power measurements, and make no retailer-stock claim. Our broader home NAS guide covers other enclosure sizes.

Verdict

Buy the TS-264-8G with the confirmed SODIMM revision for media, applications or a multi-gig network. Buy the DS224+ for its DSM workflow when the entire enclosure, memory and backup order offers a convincing reason over DS225+. Otherwise, choose DS225+ for a new Synology setup, add the compatible matched drive pair, and fund the independent backup before optional SSDs.

Also consider UGREEN NASync DXP2800 for the same two-bay storage job when UGOS meets your application and recovery needs.