Synology DS225+ vs QNAP TS-264 - Best 2-Bay NAS for Australia

Verdict: The Synology DS225+ suits most households, while the QNAP TS-264 earns its higher price only when media conversion, faster networking or hardware expansion is genuinely required. A NAS (network-attached storage: an always-on storage box that connects to your router) lets computers, phones and TVs use one shared place for files and backups. Synology (a Taiwanese maker of network storage devices) and QNAP (another Taiwanese maker of network storage devices) build both models compared here. Think of it as a private digital filing cabinet that every approved device can reach.

Choose the DS225+ if simplicity and value matter most. Choose the TS-264 if at least one of its specific hardware advantages solves a workload you already have.

Specifications Side by Side

DSM (DiskStation Manager, Synology's operating system) and QTS (QNAP's operating system) are the software each NAS runs. Each is the control dashboard used to configure storage, users, backups and apps, much like the dashboard and controls inside a car.

A 2.5GbE connection carries network traffic at up to 2.5 gigabits per second, like a wider pipe than standard Gigabit Ethernet. M.2 is a compact internal slot, while NVMe is a fast solid-state drive format that fits into such slots, like adding a small high-speed drawer beside a larger filing cabinet.

An SSD cache keeps frequently requested data on fast solid-state storage, like a front counter holding popular items so staff do not repeatedly visit the warehouse. PCIe is an expansion connection for add-on cards, like a spare socket that can give a computer a new capability.

Transcoding means converting video into another format while it is playing so an incompatible device can display it. It works like a live interpreter translating a conversation as it happens.

Need to Know IT compared the two vendors' published specifications and Plex's compatibility list. The power figures retain each vendor's label because Synology's Access test and QNAP's Operating Mode, Typical test are not directly comparable.

The Real Difference: Media, Expansion and Price

The decision is not about ARM versus x86, because both machines use 64-bit x86 Intel Celeron processors. Both can run standard x86 applications and Docker (software that runs apps in isolated containers) without changing the core operating system, like giving each app its own sealed room.

The meaningful differences are the TS-264's media engine, installed memory and expansion hardware. It starts with 8 GB of RAM and can reach 16 GB, while the DS225+ starts at 2 GB and reaches 6 GB. That extra headroom matters when several containers, indexing tasks or services must run together.

The software experience points the other way. DSM is generally the more approachable choice for a first NAS, while QTS exposes more hardware and configuration options. Buyers deciding whether that trade-off suits them can also read the broader Synology versus QNAP comparison.

The TS-264's higher price therefore buys identifiable capabilities, not simply a different badge. If none of its Plex, networking, memory, cache, HDMI or PCIe features will be used, the extra hardware provides little practical value.

Where the DS225+ Wins

The DS225+ wins on simplicity and sufficient capability for an ordinary household storage workload. Its combination of DSM, two drive bays and one 2.5GbE port covers central file storage, phone photo copies, computer backups and a small number of light containers without asking the buyer to fund unused expansion hardware.

RAID is a method of spreading data across drives so the stored set can survive a drive failure. With two drives in RAID 1, it resembles keeping matching copies in two drawers so one broken drawer does not remove the working set, although RAID is not a separate backup.

The DS225+ also supports SHR (Synology Hybrid RAID, Synology's own method of managing RAID layouts). Think of SHR as an automatic organiser helping arrange the two storage drawers, while Basic, JBOD, RAID 0 and RAID 1 remain available for buyers who want a specific layout.

The single 2.5GbE port provides a faster local-network path without requiring expansion. There is also a separate 1GbE port, which gives the enclosure two network connections even though they are not matching 2.5GbE links.

Do not choose the DS225+ merely because its processor includes Intel video technology. Plex's model-specific result is the relevant evidence for Plex buyers, and it currently lists this NAS as lacking hardware-accelerated transcoding. The detailed DS225+ review covers its broader workload fit.

Where the TS-264 Wins

The TS-264 wins when expansion and concurrent workloads matter. Its 8 GB of installed RAM is four times the DS225+'s starting allocation, and its 16 GB ceiling leaves substantially more room for containers and other memory-hungry services.

Its two M.2 NVMe slots can provide SSD cache for frequently accessed data. That is most relevant to repeated small-file activity and busy applications, not automatically to every household copying large media files once. The SSD cache guide explains when this fast front counter is likely to help.

The TS-264 also has two 2.5GbE ports. QNAP publishes a read and write figure of 589 MB/s with both ports trunked, meaning the links are combined like traffic lanes, but that is QNAP's laboratory result using two SSDs in RAID 1 and QTS 5.0.0, not a Need to Know IT measurement.

A PCIe Gen 3 x2 slot allows a compatible expansion card, including a later 10GbE network option. The DS225+ has no PCIe slot, so its network hardware cannot be upgraded that way.

Two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, two additional USB 2.0 ports and HDMI 2.1 further separate the QNAP. These connections suit buyers who already know they need fast external transfers or local display output, rather than buyers seeking only shared storage. The full TS-264 review examines those trade-offs in more detail.

Plex and Video Transcoding

The TS-264 is the safer choice when a Plex library must convert video during playback. Plex lists hardware-accelerated transcoding for the TS-264, including H.264 output from HEVC source files, while every hardware-accelerated column for the DS225+ is marked No.

Intel Quick Sync is video-processing circuitry built into some Intel processors. Think of it as a specialist kitchen assistant dedicated to preparing video, but Plex must support that assistant on the particular NAS model before it can be used.

The DS225+'s Intel Celeron J4125 includes Quick Sync capability at the chip level, yet Plex's list still says the NAS cannot use hardware acceleration. Plex noted on 31 July 2025 that the DS225+ should be compatible but was not, and that it was investigating. Until Plex changes its compatibility result, this comparison treats the DS225+ as a software-transcoding model.

Software transcoding asks the general CPU to perform the live conversion. That can be demanding, so the DS225+ is better suited to direct play, where the viewing device handles the original file without conversion, like reading a document in its original language rather than requesting a live translation.

Direct play works on both models when the file, playback app and device are compatible. Buyers with mixed televisions, phones, subtitles or remote viewers should plan for possible conversion and read the Plex hardware-transcoding guide before choosing the cheaper enclosure.

Who Should Buy the DS225+?

The DS225+ suits a household or home office that wants an approachable first NAS for shared files, photos and computer backups. It is also the better fit when Docker use means one or two light services rather than a growing collection of memory-heavy applications.

Choose it when one 2.5GbE connection is sufficient and there is no plan for M.2 cache, HDMI or a PCIe network upgrade. Its 6 GB memory ceiling is a limitation, but it is unlikely to matter to a buyer keeping the workload focused on storage and backup.

Do not choose it for Plex hardware transcoding or for an expansion plan that depends on 10GbE. Buyers still working out drive capacity and protection can use the NAS sizing wizard before purchasing drives.

Who Should Buy the TS-264?

The TS-264 suits the buyer who can name at least one workload that requires its additional hardware. Strong reasons include Plex hardware transcoding, several containers, more than 6 GB of memory, dual 2.5GbE, M.2 SSD cache, HDMI or a future PCIe network card.

It also suits a small home office expecting its services to grow. The higher memory ceiling and expansion slot offer more room to change the workload without replacing the enclosure, while the two M.2 slots create an SSD acceleration path that the DS225+ lacks.

Do not choose it simply because its specification list is longer. For file storage, phone photos and routine backups, unused expansion hardware does not improve the result enough to justify a much higher purchase price.

Australian Buyers: What You Need to Know

The Synology DS225+ has a market price of about $599. The QNAP TS-264 has a market price of about $1,014. Check the retailer before you buy, because prices move.

Both models carry a three-year manufacturer warranty, while Synology sells the EW201 extension that takes eligible DS225+ coverage to five years. Your first step for a faulty product is usually the retailer that sold it. The ACCC explains your rights under the Australian Consumer Law at accc.gov.au.

A 2.5GbE port is far faster than any home NBN upload, so remote access will normally be limited by the internet plan's upload speed rather than either NAS. Some providers use CGNAT (Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation), a cost-saving arrangement that blocks direct inbound connections to a home network. It is like several apartments sharing one street address without visitors being told which door to use.

Synology QuickConnect and QNAP myQNAPcloud Link can relay remote connections when a direct route is unavailable. The Australian NAS remote-access guide explains the safer connection choices and their limitations.

Both models are rated for operation from 0 to 40°C ambient temperature, so keep them inside that range in a hot Australian room or garage. The NAS placement guide covers practical location choices.

Do not calculate a running-cost difference directly from the vendors' published power numbers because their test labels and conditions differ. Enter a realistic measured wattage and local electricity tariff into the power-cost calculator for a more useful household estimate.

Verdict

The Synology DS225+ suits most households because about $599 buys the easier software path, two SATA bays, a 2.5GbE port and enough capability for central storage, photos, computer backup and light Docker use. Its limits are equally clear: no M.2 slots, no PCIe, no HDMI, a 6 GB memory ceiling and no Plex hardware transcoding according to Plex's current list.

The QNAP TS-264 at about $999 is justified when at least one of its distinguishing features will be used. Plex conversion, two M.2 slots, dual 2.5GbE, PCIe expansion, HDMI, 8 GB of installed RAM or the 16 GB ceiling can each solve a real workload constraint.

This is therefore a segmented decision rather than a universal winner. Buy the DS225+ for focused household storage and backup; buy the TS-264 for media conversion, heavier apps or planned expansion.

See also: our complete QNAP ecosystem guide.

Related reading: our NAS buyer's guide and our Synology brand guide.