Synology’s DiskStation DS920+ has been the favorite NAS of many for running Plex Media Server. It has a powerful Intel CPU, four drive bays, M.2 slots, and an excellent OS. The company came out with the Synology DiskStation DS923+ for 2022, but which is better? Here’s our look at the DS923+ vs. DS920+.
Synology DiskStation DS923+
Newer NAS
- AMD Ryzen R1600 processor
- The same excellent DSM OS
- Four drive bays
- Two M.2 slots
- Optional 10Gb LAN
- Expansion support
- No integrated GPU
- More expensive
The Synology DiskStation DS923+ is the newer four-bay NAS from Synology with an AMD Ryzen processor. This wouldn’t typically be an issue but the CPU hasn’t been configured with its own integrated GPU, making it a weaker choice for Plex transcoding but it’s overall the better NAS.
Synology DiskStation DS920+
Best for Plex
- Intel Celeron J4125 processor
- The same excellent DSM OS
- Four drive bays
- Integrated GPU
- Expansion support
- Cheaper
- No 2.5Gb or 10Gb LAN ports
- M.2 slots for SSD cache only
This NAS may be showing its age now and is the predecessor to the newer DS923+ but the DS920+ has a GPU. This is it if you need a NAS with more than enough power to handle some 4K transcoding through Plex. It’s just a shame there’s no option for 10GbE or M.2 SSD storage.
We’re huge fans of the DS920+ and the DS923+ is the evolution of this excellent four-bay NAS. It may not have an integrated GPU for running Plex, but there’s plenty to appreciate with this latest enclosure. If you want the latest and greatest, go with the DS923+ as it’s the best NAS out of the two.
Should you have Plex in mind or wish to save some money, the older DS920+ may be a better choice. It has an older Intel Celeron processor, but this is a reliable CPU with excellent performance for handling 4K media transcoding.
Synology DiskStation DS923+ is the newer NAS
The Synology DiskStation DS923+ was released in November 2022 to replace the outgoing DS920+. Synology is completely changing its NAS platforms for consumers with the switch from Intel to AMD. Long have Synology NAS owners been able to appreciate the power offered by Intel Celeron and its integrated GPU.
With this refresh, Synology opted not to include a GPU with the new processor. It has two cores and is able to boost up to 3.1GHz, but if you’re after a new Plex platform, another NAS may be a better fit for streaming (and transcoding) 4K media.
| Synology DiskStation DS923+ | Synology DiskStation DS920+ | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen R1600 (2 cores, 3.1GHz) | Intel Celeron J4125 (4 cores, 2.7GHz) |
| GPU | – | Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
| RAM | 4GB DDR4 (max 32GB) | 4GB DDR4 (max 8GB) |
| Drive bays | 4x (SSD/HDD) 2x M.2 NVMe | 4x (SSD/HDD) 2x M.2 NVMe |
| Capacity | 80TB | 80TB |
| Expansion support | 1x DX517 1x PCIe | 1x DX517 |
| Cooling | 2x 92mm fan | 2x 92mm fan |
| Ports | 2x 1GbE 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 1x eSATA | 2x 1GbE 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 1x eSATA |
| Power draw | ~35.51W | ~32.17W |
| Dimensions | 166 x 199 x 223mm | 166 x 199 x 223 mm |
| Weight | 2.24 kg | 2.24 kg |
| Price | $599 | $550 |
Interestingly, the rest of the specifications are similar between the two enclosures. Four drive bays, two M.2 slots, two 92mm fans, and the same physical port layout. The DS923+ does introduce a PCIe 3.0 slot for the installation of a proprietary 10Gb LAN connection, just like the Synology DiskStation DS1522+.
There’s also support for 32GB of RAM with the Ds923+. Synology only supported up to 8GB with the DS920+. This won’t be a huge upgrade for most people since 8Gb is usually more than enough. Even the 4GB that comes installed on both enclosures is plenty, but having the official support for 32GB is a nice touch.
This NAS is a good step forward for the DS920+ but we can see how many existing owners could be disappointed by the specs of the newer DS923+.
Synology DiskStation DS920+ is better for Plex
We rated the Synology DiskStation DS920+ as one of the best NAS for Plex, but there have been recent launches from Synology’s competitors that dethroned the enclosure. It’s still a brilliant choice for anyone looking to configure their own media server, however.
As we move into 2023, it seems Synology is set on using AMD processors, which wouldn’t be an issue if a GPU was at hand to offload some of the more intensive tasks like transcoding. The QNAP TVS-H674-i3 is a truly brilliant NAS with an Intel Core i3 processor.
It’s $1,699, which is substantially more than both the DS923+ and DS920+ but utterly decimates the two Synology enclosures in performance results. The ASUSTOR LOCKERSTOR 4 Gen2 (AS6704T) is more affordable and comes with an Intel Celeron processor.
Out of the two Synology NAS we’re comparing today, the DiskStation DS920+ may be worth considering today if you’re wanting to run Plex Media Server and can find it on sale.
Should you upgrade from the DS920+?
If you already own a Synology DiskStation DS923+, we’d recommend caution when looking to upgrade. If Plex is a priority, you may be better off sticking with the Intel-powered NAS. It’s also highly unlikely you require more than 8GB (as officially supported in the DS920+).
Then there’s the optional 10Gb LAN card, which is well … optional. Do you honestly utilize more than the available bandwidth through two 1Gb ports? The DS923+ is a hard sell and an almost impossible upgrade choice for those enjoying the streaming performance of its predecessor.
Synology DiskStation DS923+
The Synology DiskStation DS923+ is the newer NAS to replace the DS920+. Synology opted for an AMD Ryzen processor over Intel, which is good for performance but lacks a GPU.
Synology DiskStation DS920+
The DiskStation DS920+ is one of Synology’s most powerful NAS enclosures for consumers, making it ideal for running Plex Media Server, even if it’s a little old now.