Performance Analysis
The speeds on offer here are remarkable for such a cheap NAS box. However, we weren't too surprised by the fact the fact the DS214SE is one of the fastest models we've tested for the simple reason that big OS upgrades have seen seismic shifts in speed before (both up and down). However, here it's a huge plus, with the DS214SE topping many of our graphs and handling small files particularly well.
The large file read and write speeds are pretty close to Synology's claimed maximums of 102MB/sec and 58MB/sec respectively, with the DS214SE managing 89MB/sec and 54MB/sec. the latter is the only mid-table result here, with top scorers pushing 100MB/sec. As usual the torturous small file test saw much slower speeds but the DS214SE topped both tests, albeit by just a few megabytes a second in the file transfers. We measured 22W peak power consumption and the 92mm fan was blissfully quiet throughout, although having it in the open could still prove intrusive for the hardcore home theatre fans out there.
Conclusion
Apart from writing large files, the DS214SE is a speedy NAS box indeed, no doubt helped by a tweaked operating system, which also adds to the appeal. It's one of the easiest we've come across to use and apart from a little knowledge of port forwarding (you may even find your router is supported for an automatic setup anyway), there's little else to trip you up and the help section is good too should you ever get stuck.
The price is the killer deal here, though, and at £120/$150, it is absolutely worth the extra outlay over cheaper NAS boxes, which are usually noisier and offer far fewer features, particularly in the personal cloud, media server and mobile device support areas. If you just need a RAID 0 box with iTunes Server, DLNA and BitTorrent support then something like the TRENDnet TN-200 is still a better option. However, the DS214SE is the NAS box to get if you'll make use of the extra features.
The speeds on offer here are remarkable for such a cheap NAS box. However, we weren't too surprised by the fact the fact the DS214SE is one of the fastest models we've tested for the simple reason that big OS upgrades have seen seismic shifts in speed before (both up and down). However, here it's a huge plus, with the DS214SE topping many of our graphs and handling small files particularly well.
Click to enlarge
The large file read and write speeds are pretty close to Synology's claimed maximums of 102MB/sec and 58MB/sec respectively, with the DS214SE managing 89MB/sec and 54MB/sec. the latter is the only mid-table result here, with top scorers pushing 100MB/sec. As usual the torturous small file test saw much slower speeds but the DS214SE topped both tests, albeit by just a few megabytes a second in the file transfers. We measured 22W peak power consumption and the 92mm fan was blissfully quiet throughout, although having it in the open could still prove intrusive for the hardcore home theatre fans out there.
Click to enlarge
Conclusion
Apart from writing large files, the DS214SE is a speedy NAS box indeed, no doubt helped by a tweaked operating system, which also adds to the appeal. It's one of the easiest we've come across to use and apart from a little knowledge of port forwarding (you may even find your router is supported for an automatic setup anyway), there's little else to trip you up and the help section is good too should you ever get stuck.
The price is the killer deal here, though, and at £120/$150, it is absolutely worth the extra outlay over cheaper NAS boxes, which are usually noisier and offer far fewer features, particularly in the personal cloud, media server and mobile device support areas. If you just need a RAID 0 box with iTunes Server, DLNA and BitTorrent support then something like the TRENDnet TN-200 is still a better option. However, the DS214SE is the NAS box to get if you'll make use of the extra features.
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Speed32 / 35
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Features30 / 35
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Value28 / 30
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