Good.

Really happy with both this unit and PB tech. Have it loaded with 8TB seagate iron-wolfs and it worked seamlessly first time (unlike the other brand NAS I bought first and returned).

While casual NAS users may be better-served by a more affordable model, those with heavy video needs will find the DS418play combines a bevy of useful features to create a very capable multimedia NAS.

Integrated 4K video server; Powerful media transcoding abilities; Many apps available to expand featureset

Pricey; No direct HDMI output; No PCIe slot for upgrades

Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices have definitely evolved over the past few years. Yes they are there to give you a reliable data backup for your files, with easy access to these files over the network, or even over the internet.

– Easy setup and configuration; – Synology Hybrid RAID; – Can add more RAM if needed; – Hardware accelerated 4K video transcoding; – Newer Synology Drive app is great; – Lots of "Packages" to add to the functionality; – 2 LAN ports w/ link aggregation and failover support

– Hardware acceleration only seems to work with DS Video app

This review has been a long time coming. Launched in September last year, Synology's DiskStation DS418play NAS (network attached storage), is geared towards consumers interested in delivering high-definition media to multiple devices in their home. You may ask "why

Sturdy; unassuming build and aesthetics; Synology's DSM OS is excellent; Packages for a bevy of use cases

Drive sleds and tabs are finicky; Fan noise louder than expected on low speed; Arrived with a UK plug

Here's a powerful network attached storage solution that takes up little room and grows with you.

Quick setup; 4 bays for maximum storage; Expandable memory

Don't lose the keys; No eSATA port

Great hardware with 4K transcoding support, on top of easy-to-use management software. If you need a reliable NAS with Plex support, buy this one.

Recently we had an opportunity to review one of the newest Network Attached Storage devices by Synology, DS418j. The DS 418j is a very well designed NAS and has plenty of options and features. But, one of the things that it couldn't do with ease is streaming.

Whether you want to access important documents, pictures from your latest holiday or one of the movies from your collection, the Synology DS418Play will work perfectly as your own personal cloud.

Easy to set up; Fast and robust system; Offers access from computers and mobile devices; Easy to manage; Can act as back or storage or both

Has quite a large footprint; Doesn't come with HDDs - requires additional expense

It took me five minutes to really like Synology's DiskStation . Why so quick, you may ask Because the installation of two SATA hard drives into the unit took just that long. Snapping a new drive into the bay was a breeze, requiring neither a screwdriver nor screws.

Easy installation; Plethora of useful apps; Terrific capacity

Expensive; Drive not included