Introduction

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


The DS718+ is a high-end NAS featuring two bays, which looks like very little when it comes to its capacity; however, this NAS is compatible with Synology's DX517 expansion unit, so you can turn it into a NAS with seven bays if more storage is required. The only problem is that the DX517 isn't cheap since it actually costs more than the DS718+, but what matters is that this NAS server's storage space can be expanded upon when the need to do so arises.

Thanks to its quad-core CPU, the DS718+ supports real-time 4K video transcoding, which makes it ideal for users wanting a NAS for high quality multimedia content streaming. Priced at $400 as I write this review, it surely isn't an affordable 2-bay NAS server, but its feature set is rich and among others includes support for both Btrfs and ext4. The Btrfs filesystem offers better data protection than ext4, so Synology recommends formatting the server's drives to Btrfs instead of ext4. Btrfs also supports a maximum file size of 16 EiB instead of the 1 EiB in ext4 and includes other interesting features, like snapshots, pooling, and checksums.

Throughout all of our tests for evaluation, we will use ext4 to ensure our results are comparable to those of other NAS servers in our database.

Specifications

The DS718+ uses the same CPU as the DS918+ we reviewed a while ago. However, the DS718+ does not support M.2 drives and can only take two disks, which you can expand to seven with an expansion unit. Along with the NAS, you will receive licenses for two camera channels; up to forty cameras are supported, which means the DS718+ can be the center of an advanced surveillance system.

The provided power adapter has a maximum capacity of 65 W, which easily meets the needs of the NAS. By using a power brick, the server's dimensions are kept compact, and it is easy to replace if it happens to break down. Finally, this is an expensive 2-bay NAS, but the DS718+ is also a high-end model since it supports an expansion unit.

Packaging

The NAS comes in a plain cardboard box with no hints of it being as expensive as it is.

Contents And Bundle

The protection inside the box is adequate.


A smaller box contains all the accessories. These consist of the power brick, AC cord, a quick installation guide, two Ethernet cables, a set of screws, and a pair of plastic keys for the locks on the trays.


The power adapter is provided by Edacpower Electronics, and its model number is EA10681Y-120. It can deliver up to 65 W of power with 12 V output.