I was disappointed that you can not upgrade the ram in this nas. Although it works well and I am still working through getting it all set up. Synology appear to have a good selection of apps to add to it and it was easy to install the nas drives. It automatically set it up in raid 1 which was good too. The overall feeling of the case is plastic and cheap but its going to be hidden away so no big deal.

Anonymous's review of Synology DiskStation DS218play 2-bay NAS designed for multimedia enthusiasts

Pros: Works well once set up. Not overly complex but plenty of options to expand functionality if needed.Cons: Initial setup was a bit hit and miss.

Barrie's review of Synology DiskStation DS218play 2-bay NAS designed for multimedia enthusiasts

Pros: Much faster than the DS115j it replaced. Almost instant access via the network on photos as well as documents and music/viseos etc. (The ds115j always took much longer to access photos etc)Quiet running, slight noise from the hard drives accessing is all I can hear.Cons: Only available in Black!

Great for a first NAS

My first NAS and pleased with it so far. Straightforward to put the disk drives in and plug in. I'm not an IT person, I delve in when I have to, and it took 1-2 hours to work out what to do and install all the accounts and apps to get it working. Most of that time was working out how to set up Time Machine for Macs using High Sierra, without the various on-line forums it would be a real struggle. In operation it's unobtrusive and relatively quiet. Not set up mobile working yet, but it works fine linking to the TV over wifi for films etc.

Great little NAS

I've been using Synology for 7 years and this is my third one. All of them were lower-end models and all worked perfectly.This model will allow you to backup all your data from your PCs, laptops and phones using native apps. It will serve as a great media server as well.You can configure it for many other things. It can even be used in small business applications.I think it has a great price/performance value.

Great unobtrusive little NAS unit. Windows 10 recognition via Explorer could be easier to setup.

Had some difficulty setting it up in Windows 10, took a few days and lots of searching, but in the end managed to get it to go, Setting up could be made much simpler with working examples and how to get past common recognition errors when setting up the Network to use Windows Explorer. Mapping the drives was most difficult to set up, seems it's a universal problem in Windows 10 for NAS devices. Sometimes its device dependent, several Laptops recognized the NAS instantly while desktops were much more difficult to set up. Overall data transfer is fast at around 100MB for my setup, but still learning how to use effectively. Not set up as RAID that's next. My setup is 2 off 2GB drives sufficient for now, but in hindsight should have purchased the 4 bay unit for later ... MoreHad some difficulty setting it up in Windows 10, took a few days and lots of searching, but in the end managed to get it to go, Setting up could be made much simpler with working examples and how to get past common recognition errors when setting up the Network to use Windows Explorer. Mapping the drives was most difficult to set up, seems it's a universal problem in Windows 10 for NAS devices. Sometimes its device dependent, several Laptops recognized the NAS instantly while desktops were much more difficult to set up. Overall data transfer is fast at around 100MB for my setup, but still learning how to use effectively. Not set up as RAID that's next. My setup is 2 off 2GB drives sufficient for now, but in hindsight should have purchased the 4 bay unit for later expansion. Silent operation, takes a few minutes to boot, have not explored the various software packages that come with as I'm primarily interested as a file server and universal backup unit.

James's review of Synology DiskStation DS218play 2-bay NAS designed for multimedia enthusiasts

Pros: Very quiet. DSM provides good browser access and control via downloadable apps.Cons: Be patient when installing the DSM OS on first start up. I had to reinstall.Also do careful research on compatibility of routers if you wish to set up external access to your NAS from the internet. The install wizard failed to do this using a common BT Hub and a Netgear router and despite attempting to follow port forwarding rules you may like me find that basic knowledge is not enough

John's review of Synology DiskStation DS218play 2-bay NAS designed for multimedia enthusiasts

Pros: Easy to set up the basics and get running quickly. Does everything I need it to and more. Can be accessed anywhere you have an internet connection, including mobile via various apps. Reliability should be good from this manufacturer, at time of review only had it one week.Cons: Plastic case but sturdy once put together.

Paul's review of Synology DiskStation DS218play 2-bay NAS designed for multimedia enthusiasts

Pros: Lots of available plugins. Good Plex server which works really well with my Nvidia Shield. Really fast read and write speeds which max out gigabit ethernet connection.Cons: Poor case with horrible plastic rough finish. Struggles when accessing unit and opening any add ons

Synology DS218Play is a good basic NAS for home use

Bought as a replacement of an older Synology 2-Bay NAS. By swapping over the existing hard drives the migration process was a fairly simple process. Although Ive used a NAS for a while Im certainly no IT expert but I find the DS218 play quicker and more responsive than the one it replaces. I use it mainly as a music file store and server and backups and cant vouch its use a video media server but would definitely recommend it for general domestic or home office use.