Last updated at 18/07/2026 22:29:04
Synology DiskStation DS1520+ 5-Bay 3.5" Diskless 4xGbE NAS Tower,Intel Celeron J4125 4-core 2.0GHz,8GB RAM,2xUSB3,2x eSATA,3Yrs Wty. NO RAM Upgrade
Free delivery between 24–31 July
DiskStation DS1520+ NAS Server for Business with Celeron CPU, 8GB DDR4 Memory, 10TB HDD, DSM Operating System
Delivery between 25–28 July $29
Synology DiskStation DS1520+ NAS Server for Business with Celeron CPU, 8GB DDR4 Memory, 5TB SSD Storage, DSM Operating System
Delivery between 25–28 July $29
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
This is the 4th Synology NAS I have purchased over the years. IMHO Synology has the best of the NAS systems on the market. But their technical support is only so-so.My intent was to use this NAS on a system that had no Internet access. Of course, I had a great deal of difficulty setting it up. I called Synology technical support, and to their credit they were willing to talk with me even though I had not yet registered the product. (How could I -- the system was isolated from the Internet !)I explained that the system had no Internet access. The Synology rep. said no problem -- people use these systems that way all the time.But what he didn't know ( but certainly should have known ) is that it is impossible to set the system up unless you have Internet access. ... MoreThis is the 4th Synology NAS I have purchased over the years. IMHO Synology has the best of the NAS systems on the market. But their technical support is only so-so.My intent was to use this NAS on a system that had no Internet access. Of course, I had a great deal of difficulty setting it up. I called Synology technical support, and to their credit they were willing to talk with me even though I had not yet registered the product. (How could I -- the system was isolated from the Internet !)I explained that the system had no Internet access. The Synology rep. said no problem -- people use these systems that way all the time.But what he didn't know ( but certainly should have known ) is that it is impossible to set the system up unless you have Internet access. The operating system (DSM) and applications _must_ be downloaded from the Internet !With relatively little help from tech. support, I managed to figure it out, attach the new NAS to a computer with Internet access, and get it set up properly.The GOOD news is, of course, that the new DSM supports the btrfs file system. Thank you Synology! Hopefully Ubuntu will catch up when they release 22.04 in early 2022.
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
Just installed my new DS423 to replace the DS216se I have used for 5 years. Transferred the two (SHR) 4 TB drives from old unit with no data loss simply by moving the drives to bays 1 & 2. Installed an old pair of 1TB drives in bays 3 & 4 as Volume 2 to use as OTA broadcast TV DVR.Gave the new unit the same name I had used for the old one. My Win11 PC, my wife's MacBook Pro, my Android phone, and several TVs all work with the new server with no glitches.Two extra bays, much more memory, much faster processor, same management software I'm used to and painless setup. High expectations. 2023.05.02Ask again in a year.
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
I had to get a replacement unit because my 1815+ died for no reason. I have had it plugged in to an UPS since 2017 and all of a sudden, on December of 2020, it just died.Now, I only had 5 disks inside, so I had to get a 5 bays unit to replace it with. I've got a DS1520+ just to salvage my RAID (which I did through the migration process).But I do not trust this company with my data anymore, so I also purchased a 'QNAP TS-h973AX-32G 9-Bay QuTS Hero NAS with 10GbE/2.5GbE Connectivity' to permanently move my data and then to use the DS1520+ as a redundant form of storage for none important files, like stock video and audio files, local daily backups of my local drives and to store the log footage from my security cameras. Basically all stuff I can lose without much ... MoreI had to get a replacement unit because my 1815+ died for no reason. I have had it plugged in to an UPS since 2017 and all of a sudden, on December of 2020, it just died.Now, I only had 5 disks inside, so I had to get a 5 bays unit to replace it with. I've got a DS1520+ just to salvage my RAID (which I did through the migration process).But I do not trust this company with my data anymore, so I also purchased a 'QNAP TS-h973AX-32G 9-Bay QuTS Hero NAS with 10GbE/2.5GbE Connectivity' to permanently move my data and then to use the DS1520+ as a redundant form of storage for none important files, like stock video and audio files, local daily backups of my local drives and to store the log footage from my security cameras. Basically all stuff I can lose without much trouble.But for my most important files: the QNAP TS-h973AX with 32GB of RAM.Now: a NAS is not a backup, so I always keep a copy of the files I cannot afford to lose on an external hard drive (or two, or three) as well.But man, so disappointed with Synology. Just Google and you will see that hundreds (if not thousands) of users have had trouble with the 1815+.So, the DS1520+ is okay. I still wouldn't be able to recommend it, just because I have no idea when this unit is going to die. From all the research I have done, the 'QNAP TS-h973AX-32G' is the best NAS in the market for $1,149 (today's price). You get 5 mechanical drive bays, plus 4 SSD bays (2 of which are U.2 NVMe PCIe compatible).
| General | |
| Device Type | NAS server |
| Host Connectivity | Gigabit Ethernet |
| Total Storage Capacity | 0 GB |
| Installed Devices / Modules Qty | 0 (installed) / 5 (max) |
Synology DiskStation DS1520+ 5-Bay 3.5" Diskless 4xGbE NAS Tower,Intel Celeron J4125 4-core 2.0GHz,8GB RAM,2xUSB3,2x eSATA,3Yrs Wty. NO RAM Upgrade
Free delivery between 24–31 July
DiskStation DS1520+ NAS Server for Business with Celeron CPU, 8GB DDR4 Memory, 10TB HDD, DSM Operating System
Delivery between 25–28 July $29
Synology DiskStation DS1520+ NAS Server for Business with Celeron CPU, 8GB DDR4 Memory, 5TB SSD Storage, DSM Operating System
Delivery between 25–28 July $29
This is the 4th Synology NAS I have purchased over the years. IMHO Synology has the best of the NAS systems on the market. But their technical support is only so-so.My intent was to use this NAS on a system that had no Internet access. Of course, I had a great deal of difficulty setting it up. I called Synology technical support, and to their credit they were willing to talk with me even though I had not yet registered the product. (How could I -- the system was isolated from the Internet !)I explained that the system had no Internet access. The Synology rep. said no problem -- people use these systems that way all the time.But what he didn't know ( but certainly should have known ) is that it is impossible to set the system up unless you have Internet access. ... MoreThis is the 4th Synology NAS I have purchased over the years. IMHO Synology has the best of the NAS systems on the market. But their technical support is only so-so.My intent was to use this NAS on a system that had no Internet access. Of course, I had a great deal of difficulty setting it up. I called Synology technical support, and to their credit they were willing to talk with me even though I had not yet registered the product. (How could I -- the system was isolated from the Internet !)I explained that the system had no Internet access. The Synology rep. said no problem -- people use these systems that way all the time.But what he didn't know ( but certainly should have known ) is that it is impossible to set the system up unless you have Internet access. The operating system (DSM) and applications _must_ be downloaded from the Internet !With relatively little help from tech. support, I managed to figure it out, attach the new NAS to a computer with Internet access, and get it set up properly.The GOOD news is, of course, that the new DSM supports the btrfs file system. Thank you Synology! Hopefully Ubuntu will catch up when they release 22.04 in early 2022.
Just installed my new DS423 to replace the DS216se I have used for 5 years. Transferred the two (SHR) 4 TB drives from old unit with no data loss simply by moving the drives to bays 1 & 2. Installed an old pair of 1TB drives in bays 3 & 4 as Volume 2 to use as OTA broadcast TV DVR.Gave the new unit the same name I had used for the old one. My Win11 PC, my wife's MacBook Pro, my Android phone, and several TVs all work with the new server with no glitches.Two extra bays, much more memory, much faster processor, same management software I'm used to and painless setup. High expectations. 2023.05.02Ask again in a year.
I had to get a replacement unit because my 1815+ died for no reason. I have had it plugged in to an UPS since 2017 and all of a sudden, on December of 2020, it just died.Now, I only had 5 disks inside, so I had to get a 5 bays unit to replace it with. I've got a DS1520+ just to salvage my RAID (which I did through the migration process).But I do not trust this company with my data anymore, so I also purchased a 'QNAP TS-h973AX-32G 9-Bay QuTS Hero NAS with 10GbE/2.5GbE Connectivity' to permanently move my data and then to use the DS1520+ as a redundant form of storage for none important files, like stock video and audio files, local daily backups of my local drives and to store the log footage from my security cameras. Basically all stuff I can lose without much ... MoreI had to get a replacement unit because my 1815+ died for no reason. I have had it plugged in to an UPS since 2017 and all of a sudden, on December of 2020, it just died.Now, I only had 5 disks inside, so I had to get a 5 bays unit to replace it with. I've got a DS1520+ just to salvage my RAID (which I did through the migration process).But I do not trust this company with my data anymore, so I also purchased a 'QNAP TS-h973AX-32G 9-Bay QuTS Hero NAS with 10GbE/2.5GbE Connectivity' to permanently move my data and then to use the DS1520+ as a redundant form of storage for none important files, like stock video and audio files, local daily backups of my local drives and to store the log footage from my security cameras. Basically all stuff I can lose without much trouble.But for my most important files: the QNAP TS-h973AX with 32GB of RAM.Now: a NAS is not a backup, so I always keep a copy of the files I cannot afford to lose on an external hard drive (or two, or three) as well.But man, so disappointed with Synology. Just Google and you will see that hundreds (if not thousands) of users have had trouble with the 1815+.So, the DS1520+ is okay. I still wouldn't be able to recommend it, just because I have no idea when this unit is going to die. From all the research I have done, the 'QNAP TS-h973AX-32G' is the best NAS in the market for $1,149 (today's price). You get 5 mechanical drive bays, plus 4 SSD bays (2 of which are U.2 NVMe PCIe compatible).
I'm thoroughly impressed. I'm not going to get into the weeds, as there are plenty of reviews and videos you can wade through if you're looking for technical detail.It just works. DiskStation manager is easy to understand, use, and modify through adding packages as needed. I was buying this to use for storage and Plex, but found many more useful packages to use through Package manager to basically turn it into a baby home lab environment. Great sort of entry point into a slightly more powerful unit with 4 bays and expandability through RAM upgrades and NVMe. If you're on the fence, my recommendation is go for it.
I am not saying this is enterprise ready but for a home NAS under a thousand dollars it is hard to beat. I ended up putting two NVMe drives in it (storage and cache) and maxed out its ram which drove the overall ownership cost up but still worth it. Note: that to use an NVMe drive as a fast storage (and not cache) then you have to buy the Synology NVMe which is a bit pricier. For the cache NVMe I was able to buy a much cheaper drive that was listed as compatible (WD Black SN770) and offered a good price/performance ratio. The DS423+ has the Intel CPU in which has hardware accelerated transcoding that other models with AMD CPUs do not. The hardware transcoding makes it a much better option when using a NAS for anytype of media conversions or servers. Anyway, for some ... MoreI am not saying this is enterprise ready but for a home NAS under a thousand dollars it is hard to beat. I ended up putting two NVMe drives in it (storage and cache) and maxed out its ram which drove the overall ownership cost up but still worth it. Note: that to use an NVMe drive as a fast storage (and not cache) then you have to buy the Synology NVMe which is a bit pricier. For the cache NVMe I was able to buy a much cheaper drive that was listed as compatible (WD Black SN770) and offered a good price/performance ratio. The DS423+ has the Intel CPU in which has hardware accelerated transcoding that other models with AMD CPUs do not. The hardware transcoding makes it a much better option when using a NAS for anytype of media conversions or servers. Anyway, for some reason Synology is moving away from Intel chips to AMD and this is one of the few offerings they currently release that has that. It made purchasing this model a very easy decision for me. The older model was great too and had others features this one doesn't but I wanted the ability to use NVMe as storage so I opted for the DS423+.
I use the 1520+ for media storage including photo and video backups, Mac and Windows backups including for Time Machine and a windows based separate solution. I also use the synology backup solution for a Linux server. I'm running several docker containers and have had nothing but excellent results. I bought it in a bundle with 14TB drives and despite some concerns about possible drive compatibility there has been no I'll effects. I added NVMe cache storage but for my use cases that doesn't really do much for me. I've been impressed with the versatility over all and the power to run docker containers is pretty impressive. It works very, very well.
I picked up the 70TB bundle with 14TB drives. These showed up as 12.7TB. Built a single storage pool with SHR, yielding a ~52.5TB space. I am breaking this out into multiple purpose built shared folders and so far am only using btrfs. I have Plex running using the official Plex build for synology intel 64 bit. I also have some backup shares for local machines, one of which is backing time machine on a MacBook Pro.I am super happy with the general function of the device. It seems quick and responsive, and the ability to run packages greatly increases how awesome things are. I imagined needing to configure LACP to aggregate multiple connections to my network for capacity and speed, and I plan on it, but it is very fast even with a single uplink. My data migration ... MoreI picked up the 70TB bundle with 14TB drives. These showed up as 12.7TB. Built a single storage pool with SHR, yielding a ~52.5TB space. I am breaking this out into multiple purpose built shared folders and so far am only using btrfs. I have Plex running using the official Plex build for synology intel 64 bit. I also have some backup shares for local machines, one of which is backing time machine on a MacBook Pro.I am super happy with the general function of the device. It seems quick and responsive, and the ability to run packages greatly increases how awesome things are. I imagined needing to configure LACP to aggregate multiple connections to my network for capacity and speed, and I plan on it, but it is very fast even with a single uplink. My data migration was flying along quite nicely.One thing i didn't count on is the unit complained the hard drives included by B&H were not listed on the hardware compatibility list by Synology. I do not yet know how or if this fact impacts anything. I can see the unit claiming to see the drives SMART status, and everything seems perfectly normal all around. So I suspect this is won't hurt anything unless it gives synology an out if I have trouble and ask them for help, but I don't know.
This is the best personal use/light business NAS for your dollar that you can buy today. Synology makes a fantastic products that are easy to use and configure and compatible with any of the mainstream software makers that you may deploy on it. This NAS SPECIFICALLY has advantages over even the updated versions that Synology has made. Things like cache storage capacity, default RAM amount, processor speed and process handling. Very easy to use and clean looking GUI and a surprisingly low profile in case you have it on your desktop. Not sure what your need for a NAS may be but if you want one to run a Plex/Media server I can assure you this will be all you will every need for a long time. This will take care of many and most of your home entertainment media. With a ... MoreThis is the best personal use/light business NAS for your dollar that you can buy today. Synology makes a fantastic products that are easy to use and configure and compatible with any of the mainstream software makers that you may deploy on it. This NAS SPECIFICALLY has advantages over even the updated versions that Synology has made. Things like cache storage capacity, default RAM amount, processor speed and process handling. Very easy to use and clean looking GUI and a surprisingly low profile in case you have it on your desktop. Not sure what your need for a NAS may be but if you want one to run a Plex/Media server I can assure you this will be all you will every need for a long time. This will take care of many and most of your home entertainment media. With a proper setup using Docker and container builds for your programs that monitor your shows, music and movies, this NAS will operate flawlessly and allow you to go almost completely hands off when it comes to obtaining, sorting and displaying your media. Some of you may find the drive bay locking feature helpful if you have curious children or you are in an environment where a little bit of added physical security is needed. The front USB port makes transferring media that you already possess a lot faster than using the browser transfer method. You will be pleased at the rubber supports that curtail the unit from sliding and furthermore since not everyone can afford fast, large capacity HDD's all at once to fill the 5 bays, this NAS is able to be upgraded to accept another array of drives via an supplemental external bay. That way you could improve the quality of your drives on a time frame that better suits you and transfer/swap the data later. Lastly don't be fooled by the mimicked version of this NAS that has the AMD processor in it. It's trash and not compatible with some of the software architecture and processing threads needed to run a successful and problem free NAS media server.
I have been using Synology NAS products since 2012 when I tried my first 2 disk NAS (still working). This particular model works very well for file backup, local file server, and as Synology continues evolving its DSM operating system, it provides other features that can prove useful for people with needs such as running containers (with Docker) or having a personal VPN to use with open source protocols or the Synology private VPN service.I find this 2020 version quite powerful by allowing you to add a solid state cache to accelerate commonly used files; and also adding RAM to the NAS in order to run multiple services simultaneously.I would recommend this unit to someone that needs a simple NAS implementation with 2 disks configured for redundancy.
I'm only using this for backups for my primary NAS unit, but it's working out great so far. I use a custom ssh script to to the backups and it was fairly straightforward to set up ssh keys and such so rsync could work passwordless from my primary NAS for it's backups.The speed seems great, the UI is responsive, and the apps and features seem like they'll be useful in the future if I change my primary NAS to a Synology as well.I'm using WD RED drives (5400rpm) and the copy speeds are slightly faster than what I got with my old Qnap, which had a drive bay fail. That's why I replaced it with this one. My setup is in a RAID 5 configuration. With four 8TB drives it took about a day and a half to build it's initial raid setup.The company I work for has always used ... MoreI'm only using this for backups for my primary NAS unit, but it's working out great so far. I use a custom ssh script to to the backups and it was fairly straightforward to set up ssh keys and such so rsync could work passwordless from my primary NAS for it's backups.The speed seems great, the UI is responsive, and the apps and features seem like they'll be useful in the future if I change my primary NAS to a Synology as well.I'm using WD RED drives (5400rpm) and the copy speeds are slightly faster than what I got with my old Qnap, which had a drive bay fail. That's why I replaced it with this one. My setup is in a RAID 5 configuration. With four 8TB drives it took about a day and a half to build it's initial raid setup.The company I work for has always used Synology in their labs and I've helped them set them up. The first one was almost 10 years ago and it's still running strong for them (that instance is using the 8 bay model).Great stuff!
| General | |
| Device Type | NAS server |
| Host Connectivity | Gigabit Ethernet |
| Total Storage Capacity | 0 GB |
| Installed Devices / Modules Qty | 0 (installed) / 5 (max) |
Synology DiskStation DS1520+ 5-Bay 3.5" Diskless NAS
Scalable NAS with SSD cache acceleration capability Synology DiskStation DS1520 is an ideal network-attached storage solution suitable for small office and IT enthusiasts. Two built-in M.2 SSD slots and Synology SSD Cache technology allow you to boost system IO and application performance. The scalable storage design of DS1520 lets you start small and expand storage capacity with Synology DX517 as your data grows. Optimize performance and capacity DS1520 provides two built-in M.2 SSD slots so that you can take full advantage of Synology SSD Cache functionality. Add SSD cache for up to 20 times faster IO response without using front drive bays. You can add 10 more drives with two Synology DX517 to expand storage capacity. Accelerate demanding applications A more powerful CPU speeds up computing-intensive applications. The new 4-core processor boosts photo indexing database response times and web PHP response efficiency. Easily categorize your photo memories smoothly manage files across computers and mobile devices and enjoy blazing fast web applications. Access and sync your files seamlessly Synology Drive provides a built-in universal portal to access your data anytime and anywhere and synchronize all your files across platforms including Windows macOS Linux Android and iOS. Learn more Sync files on demand Save the storage space and network bandwidth of your PC. Go back in time Easily retrieve previous versions of your shared files. Back up your data Protect your files with scheduled backups or in real-time. Real-time collaboration on your private cloud Synology Office is a collaboration package combining the convenience and usability of the public cloud with private cloud privacy and security. It enables seamless collaboration on documents and spreadsheets in a protected environment.
Scalable NAS with SSD cache acceleration capability Synology DiskStation DS1520 is an ideal network-attached storage solution suitable for small office and IT enthusiasts. Two built-in M.2 SSD slots and Synology SSD Cache technology allow you to boost system IO and application performance. The scalable storage design of DS1520 lets you start small and expand storage capacity with Synology DX517 as your data grows. Optimize performance and capacity DS1520 provides two built-in M.2 SSD slots so that you can take full advantage of Synology SSD Cache functionality. Add SSD cache for up to 20 times faster IO response without using front drive bays. You can add 10 more drives with two Synology DX517 to expand storage capacity. Accelerate demanding applications A more powerful CPU speeds up computing-intensive applications. The new 4-core processor boosts photo indexing database response times and web PHP response efficiency. Easily categorize your photo memories smoothly manage files across computers and mobile devices and enjoy blazing fast web applications. Access and sync your files seamlessly Synology Drive provides a built-in universal portal to access your data anytime and anywhere and synchronize all your files across platforms including Windows macOS Linux Android and iOS. Learn more Sync files on demand Save the storage space and network bandwidth of your PC. Go back in time Easily retrieve previous versions of your shared files. Back up your data Protect your files with scheduled backups or in real-time. Real-time collaboration on your private cloud Synology Office is a collaboration package combining the convenience and usability of the public cloud with private cloud privacy and security. It enables seamless collaboration on documents and spreadsheets in a protected environment.
Scalable NAS with SSD cache acceleration capability Synology DiskStation DS1520 is an ideal network-attached storage solution suitable for small office and IT enthusiasts. Two built-in M.2 SSD slots and Synology SSD Cache technology allow you to boost system IO and application performance. The scalable storage design of DS1520 lets you start small and expand storage capacity with Synology DX517 as your data grows. Optimize performance and capacity DS1520 provides two built-in M.2 SSD slots so that you can take full advantage of Synology SSD Cache functionality. Add SSD cache for up to 20 times faster IO response without using front drive bays. You can add 10 more drives with two Synology DX517 to expand storage capacity. Accelerate demanding applications A more powerful CPU speeds up computing-intensive applications. The new 4-core processor boosts photo indexing database response times and web PHP response efficiency. Easily categorize your photo memories smoothly manage files across computers and mobile devices and enjoy blazing fast web applications. Access and sync your files seamlessly Synology Drive provides a built-in universal portal to access your data anytime and anywhere and synchronize all your files across platforms including Windows macOS Linux Android and iOS. Learn more Sync files on demand Save the storage space and network bandwidth of your PC. Go back in time Easily retrieve previous versions of your shared files. Back up your data Protect your files with scheduled backups or in real-time. Real-time collaboration on your private cloud Synology Office is a collaboration package combining the convenience and usability of the public cloud with private cloud privacy and security. It enables seamless collaboration on documents and spreadsheets in a protected environment.
Scalable NAS with SSD cache acceleration capability Synology DiskStation DS1520 is an ideal network-attached storage solution suitable for small office and IT enthusiasts. Two built-in M.2 SSD slots and Synology SSD Cache technology allow you to boost system IO and application performance. The scalable storage design of DS1520 lets you start small and expand storage capacity with Synology DX517 as your data grows. Optimize performance and capacity DS1520 provides two built-in M.2 SSD slots so that you can take full advantage of Synology SSD Cache functionality. Add SSD cache for up to 20 times faster IO response without using front drive bays. You can add 10 more drives with two Synology DX517 to expand storage capacity. Accelerate demanding applications A more powerful CPU speeds up computing-intensive applications. The new 4-core processor boosts photo indexing database response times and web PHP response efficiency. Easily categorize your photo memories smoothly manage files across computers and mobile devices and enjoy blazing fast web applications. Access and sync your files seamlessly Synology Drive provides a built-in universal portal to access your data anytime and anywhere and synchronize all your files across platforms including Windows macOS Linux Android and iOS. Learn more Sync files on demand Save the storage space and network bandwidth of your PC. Go back in time Easily retrieve previous versions of your shared files. Back up your data Protect your files with scheduled backups or in real-time. Real-time collaboration on your private cloud Synology Office is a collaboration package combining the convenience and usability of the public cloud with private cloud privacy and security. It enables seamless collaboration on documents and spreadsheets in a protected environment.
in 3 offers
The lowest price for Synology DiskStation DS1520+ 5-Bay 3.5" Diskless NAS right now is $1,513.99 at AUSTiC SHOP, compared across 2 retailers.
The all-time low was $1,295.04 on 4 May 2026 — today's price is 17% above the lowest ever. That's a little above the best price we've seen.
Prices last updated 18 July 2026.
