Introduction

We would like to thank Synology for supplying the review sample.

Synology, without any doubt, is one of the key players in the NAS server market and all Synology products we have reviewed so far managed to achieve high price/performance ratios. So, naturally we expect the same from the DS713+, the test subject of today’s review.

According to Synology, the DiskStation 713+ is a robust, scalable NAS server for business environments. Don’t let its only two available bays fool you—it can easily be upgraded with the Synology DX513 expansion unit connecting to the DS713+ via the eSATA interface for seven bays and up to 28 TB in total. Only acquire the NAS initially, but obtain the DX513 or DX213 to then add either five or two more HDD bays.

The DS713+'s other characteristics are high-end as far as NAS server standards go since it is equipped with a dual-core Atom processor, dual Gigabit Ethernet ports that support Link Aggregation, two USB 3.0 ports, and 1 GB DDR3 RAM. The box also runs Synology’s DSM (DiskStation Manager) operating system featuring a windowed and intuitive interface that is very easy to use by even novice users. DSM offers an endless list of features, and we are going to analyze most of them during this review. You can run through this live demo to check DSM out on your own. It will show you why Synology NAS servers are so popular not only amongst administrators but also regular users.

Specifications

The NAS features a dual-core Atom CPU clocked at 2.13 GHz and 1 GB of RAM. The two provide a very well-performing package with the propriety Linux operating system to even a small business environments, with dozen of clients accessing the server at the same time. The only downside here is that the RAM cannot be upgraded easily, which would surely enhance the NAS server's performance under heavy loads.

Only SATA II is supported by the DS713+, not the newer and faster SATA III protocol. That said, NAS servers predominantly use mechanical HDDs, so its lack of SATA II is not a significant con, since only fast SSDs can actually make use of the faster SATA III connectivity. To avoid compatibility problems, make sure to check Synology's HDD compatibility list before buying any HDDs for the NAS.

Two Gigabit Ethernet NICs equip the NAS, and the other I/O ports include two USB 3.0, one USB 2.0, and an eSATA port. The latter, is also used by the two expansion units this NAS supports.

The DS713+'s dimensions are really compact because it only has two bays and uses an external power brick that can deliver up to 72 W, which is about twice as much as the NAS will consume with even a heavy load—its power consumption is kept very low.

The NAS comes with a three-year-long warranty, giving it an edge over the competition offering a year less. Its price is quite stiff, but the NAS targets business environments where cost comes third, after performance and reliability.

Packaging

The NAS comes in a plain cardboard box with only Synology's name on the front. It is a very simple package for such an expensive product. We don't care for a fully colored, detailed package but only for the product inside and the, in this case, adequate protection it provides.

Contents & Bundle

Two thick pieces of packing foam protect the small DS731+ quiet well. It is also wrapped in a white bag.


The accessories box hosts the quick start guide, a software/installation disc, two Ethernet cables, a set of keys for the trays, fixing bolts for HDD mounting, and the power brick.


The external PSU of the unit is provided by EDACPOWER, and its model number is EA10721-A-120. It can deliver up to 72 W of power, which will suffice for the needs of the DS713+.

Exterior

The NAS's construction quality is very high, and this time, Synology used a metallic top and side cover. The front and rear are still made of plastic, and the black finish of the case is light matte and fairly resistant to fingerprints. The HDD caddies are at the front, and dots on top of those are used for numbering. Although the slots are numbered, there is unfortunately no identification or numbering on the trays themselves. The front's right side has three LED indicators and the power on/off and copy buttons. The latter also feature LED indicators. There is also a USB 2.0 port—we would much prefer a 3.0 port instead.


Synology's logo also doubles up as the exhaust grill on one of two sides.


At the rear are the 92 mm fan that removes hot air from the internals, two USB 3.0,an eSATA, and two Gigabit Ethernet ports, a security lock slot, and the power input plug.


The bottom of the NAS features four removable plastic stands, and there is a small label depicting the product's model number and its power requirements. The same label tells us that this unit is manufactured in Taiwan.


The NAS we had in our hands included two Seagate Barracuda (ST1000DM003) disks. We removed them to provide a shot of its internals with the trays removed. We will fully dismantle the NAS after we finish our testing to check on what is hiding under its metallic top and side cover.


The tray's securing mechanism is very simple. You simply have to push the bottom to release/secure these. They also feature locks essential to a business environment and can host 3.5" and 2.5" disks. Their only problem is that they are not numbered, although their slots are, so you must first, to keep track of which HDD goes with which tray, mark them before removing them. All the screws have been provided with the bundle


All buttons, slots, indicators, and ports on the front and rear of the DS713+ are described above, along with all LED designations.

A Look Inside

It's now time to strip the NAS down to discover what components it hides inside.


Taking apart this unit wasn't the easiest thing in world. Lots of screws had to be removed, and only after we took the front and rear side out could the center cover be detached. We, as you can see by the above photos, fully dismantled the small but expensive NAS.


This is the front LED board of the NAS.


The mainboard is very small because it only hosts the essential components. It is equipped with two PCIe slots.


Gigabit Ethernet controllers which are provided by Intel (82574L). These support port trunking and Jumbo frames.


This small PCIe expansion card houses both SATA ports.


In the second PCIe slot sits the card that holds the two USB 3.0 and single eSATA port. The USB 3.0 controller is an EtronTech EJ168A.


The dual-core Atom CPU (D2700) is cooled by a small aluminum heatsink. Since its TDP is low (10W max), only passive cooling is used, boosting reliability and reducing noise output.


The chipset that supports the DS713+ is probably the Intel ICH10 southbridge and, more specifically, the ICH10R or 82801JIR I/O controller that supports up to twelve USB 2.0 and six SATA II ports along with Intel's Matrix Storage Technology. The latter offers all popular RAID levels and has JBOD support.


There is only one RAM slot, so you have to switch the stock 1 GB DIMM out for a higher capacity one to upgrade the RAM total, but you have to fully dismantle the NAS first, something easier said than done.


The monitoring IC is an ITE IT8728F.


This small PCB, attached to the main one through a 10-pin connector, hosts a chip of Samsung flash memory (K9F1G08U0D-SCB0) and a UT165-L46 controller. The flash memory stores a part of the DSM operating system used for booting up the system. The main part of the DSM is installed on the HDDs.


A Silicon Image Sil3531, a single-lane PCI Express to single port Serial ATA (SATA) II host controller is soldered to the mainboard. This controller is used to connect an expansion unit to the NAS (e.g. DX513) through the eSATA port.


We also found a PIC16F883 8-bit microcontroller on the mainboard.


The buzzer/speaker of the NAS.


The PLL Clock Generator is a 9DB403DGLF IC. The clock generator IC is an SL28EB742ALC.


The 2-Phase CPU controller, an NCP6131 IC.


The single 92mm diameter fan is made by Y.S. Tech, and its model number is FD129225LL-N (12V, 0.12A, 1900RPM, 36.3CFM). Its speed is kept at low RPMs during normal operational loads to minimize noise output. It uses, according to Y.S Tech, Sintetico bearings looking to be of high quality. These should last longer than sleeve or double-ball bearings.