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Synology DS419slim 2.5″ 4-Bay Mini NAS Review

Pricing

As this review goes live at the same time as the DS419slim is launched, we don’t have Amazon links yet. But we do have an MSRP which is set at €266.86 (ex taxes). Once the sale links go online, you should be able to find them via these links in the US and UK.

Final Thoughts

Today’s review was an unusual one. While I’ve reviewed over a lot of NAS since I’ve started here at eTeknix, the DS419slim is definitely one that stands out. Not so much because of the features, but its size. The tiny NAS will fit into any corner or small space you got. The downside to this is naturally that you can’t install 3.5″ drives in it. The device is actually smaller than such a drive. That said, with currently available drives, it really isn’t a problem. You can easily get your hands on 2TB HDDs or SSDs which will allow you to equip it with 8TB of raw storage. An amount that’s enough for most home users. Shouldn’t it be, well then, 5TB HDDs are available in this form factor too.

While a 2.5″ based NAS probably won’t be the new standard and I see it as a bit of a niche product, it does get more relevant with each day. Both SSD and HDD prices have come down a lot to the point where you get a lot more for a lot less.

A Unique Product

Let us talk a bit about the design now. I really like the DS419slim. In its simplicity, it’s perfect. Not only that, it’s equipped with more than you’ll actually need. Two LAN ports on a device like this weren’t something I would initially expect. It allows more flexibility and better connectivity. Especially when a lot of users access it at the same time. Granted, the CPU isn’t the most powerful one and it isn’t an insane amount of RAM that’s built into it, but it’s plenty for what it needs to be.

Speaking of performance, the DS419slim did well in most of our tests. The only place where the results were a little lower was when we enabled folder encryption. That’s a tough job for a CPU like this, but it still manages to come out of it with good results.

Then there’s, of course, the operating system which is a masterpiece. Synology keeps evolving the OS and adding features – both basic and via extra apps. Just the way you want it.