Synology 2-Bay DiskStation DS225+ (Diskless)

Across the reviewers we read, the Synology DS225+ is positioned as the modern entry into Synology's Plus tier - the level at which DSM unlocks its full Hyper Backup, Snapshot Replication, and Active Backup for Business feature set. Coverage on blackvoid.club describes it as providing "peace of mind and rock-solid security and stability for backups," and dongknows.com calls it "an excellent compact NAS server for those needing modest network-attached storage space via simple RAID." Built-in 2.5GbE is the headline upgrade reviewers most often call out vs. older 2-bay Synology units.

The friction point, repeated across r/synology threads, is Synology's broader move to restrict some Plus-series features to its own branded drives, which community members frame as the main reason to hesitate. There's also internal disagreement: some r/synology posters argue the DS225+ is overpriced for its CPU vs. UGREEN equivalents, while others insist DSM's polish and the Synology backup app stack justify the premium. Verified-purchase reviewers on Amazon land at 4.6/5 across 143 reviews, suggesting actual buyers are satisfied even where the spec sheet looks modest.