Introduction
Average 15% boost to computing-intensive applications. 95%-130% performance boost of web PHP response efficiency. Yes, that’s part of Synology 2020 Plus series NAS. A powerful NAS that ensures data integrity with instantaneous snapshots and point-in-time recovery protection. Synology DS920+, DS720+ and DS420+ come with built-in M.2 NVMe SSD slots that permit cache acceleration without occupying storage drive bays. All of them including DS220+ comes with dual 1GbE ports supporting Link Aggregation and network failover. Sound great? Let’s have a closer on DS720+ that I have here…
Special Thanks
This review is possible thanks to below companies. Be sure to check them out too…
- Synology for this Synology DiskStation DS720+ Network Attached Storage
Package Content & Design
Everything comes well-protected as you can see. Nicely packed. Once taken DiskStation DS720+ out, there are other accessories like quick start guide, some screws for 2.5″ SSD, hard drive tray keys, 2 RJ-45 LAN cables, 65W AC power adapter and power cord with correct country plug. That’s it.
Alright, let’s have a look on DS720+ outlook. Build quality is excellent with sturdy plastic housing. Design is almost the same as other Synology 2-bay NAS.
In the front, you have the 2 hard drive trays. LED light indicators on top. Follow by USB 3.0 port and power button.
A large 92 mm x 92 mm system fan, reset button, 2 RJ-45 1GbE LAN ports, eSATA port, USB 3.0 port, Kensington security slot and power input at the back.
2 slots for M.2 2280 NVMe SSD without occupying storage drive bays. And 4 anti-skid pads to provide stability.
This is the hard drive tray with tool-less holder for 3.5″ hard drive.
Synology logo air intake on both left and right body. Air can flow in from the front and bottom as well. Yes, rest assures that your drives will be cooled all the time.
Hardware
Synology DS720+ is their most powerful 2-bay NAS yet. It is powered by Intel Celeron J4125 quad-core, burst up to 2.7 GHz. Loaded with 2GB DDR4 memory, expandable up to 6 GB. Comes with 3 years warranty, extendable to 5 years. Flexibly scalable up to 7 drives with Synology DX517.
Dual 1GbE ports with Link Aggregation and network failover support. Yes, be sure to install dual LAN else you are not getting the best out of DS720+.
SSD cache is the best way to improve random access performance for both read and write. Up to 20 times faster I/O response without using front drive bays.
Software
Powerful hardware without proper software is useless. DiskStation Manager (DSM) is an intuitive web-based operating system for every Synology NAS. And it is working great on DS720+. Using the latest version of DSM 6.2.3 currently. It is very easy and simple to use. And of course, some technical knowledge is required for advanced stuff. Do refer to their guides if you are new to NAS.
Below is the main menu screenshot. You can access all the packages that you have installed there.
Synology has its own packages. A lot of useful tools for you to ease file backup and sharing. Speed up productivity in office work. Or enjoy your favourite movie with those entertainment applications. Take your time to go through them one by one. Install those which benefit to you.
Besides Synology own packages, you can also install third-party ones. Turn DS720+ into a web server with Apache HTTP Server + PHP + MariaDB. The famous WordPress open source blog tool and publishing platform is supported too. Plex Media Server is there as well.
Performance Result
Fast, fast and fast! Excellent performance is what you get from Synology DiskStation DS720+. Intel Celeron J4125 Quad-Core Processor and included 2GB of RAM are more than enough to perform the casual file backup and transfer. You will need to install more RAM if you plan to use install and use a lot of those resource-hungry tools. Else 2GB is good enough.
Around 225 MB/s transfer rate for both read and write! That’s the max rate of dual 1GbE ports. Should be faster when using 2.5GbE USB adapter. Anyway, most of the clients are equipped with 1GbE port nowadays. Therefore, DS720+ is capable to serve 2 clients with full performance at the same time. Great for SOHO no doubt. Up to 32 TB (16 TB drive x 2) maximum capacity support with built-in 2-bay slots. 112 TB with the expansion unit. That’s a lot of storage!
Yes, you can enjoy the powerful private cloud storage with no recurring fees with Synology Drive. Everything is backup automatically. And you can access them easily and wherever you are through web browser, desktop client or mobile app. Totally up to you. You can also sync those files with another Synology NAS. Besides that, multiple team members can work simultaneously on one document through Synology Office. Yes, real-time file collaboration. Also support easy import/export to Microsoft Office or OpenOffice. In addition, you can also share files or folders stored on your Synology NAS quickly and easily. Just use the Share file links feature will do. A lot of tools for you and me. Example, Download Station that I love to use as below. In short, increase productivity!
Again, Synology has a lot of useful tools. Be sure to go through them one by one. Unleash the true potential of DS720+. Another good example, the feature-rich Surveillance Station that protects your business and home. It supports and has integrated over 7600 IP cameras from 130 renowned brands. Just pick the one that suits you will do.
Advantages
- Powerful Intel Celeron J4125 quad-core, burst up to 2.7 GHz
- 2GB DDR4 memory, expandable up to 6 GB
- 2 Built-in M.2 2280 NVMe SSD slots permit cache acceleration
- Dual 1GbE ports supporting Link Aggregation and network failover
- Powerful & feature-rich DSM operating system
- A lot of useful tools for you & me
- Flexibly scalable up to 7 drives with Synology DX517
- 3 years warranty, extendable to 5 years
Limitations
- None from me
Conclusion
The best 2-bay NAS for both home & office! Period. Fast performance with a lot of useful features. Save guard your important files and increase productivity. Don’t forget its security and entertainment features too. What are you waiting for? Get your Synology DiskStation DS720+ at Amazon or Lazada now.
