100% this. I blows my mind the slow weak processors they put in Synology units. Also put two or more 2.5gbe ports instead of 1gbe. They are 5 years behind on their hardware.
@@JoeDonkorI used that several years ago - how is it these days? Have they kept up as far as DSM and compatibility? Didn’t realize development was still going on.
I like this video, I think it’s a cool breakdown. However, I think there are two major points I want to see considered when looking at the two ecosystems. 1) 99.9% of folks considering a UNAS already own a UDM, the two together should be part of the baseline comparison. 2) The size and sound should be a bit more clear, my understanding is the UNAS is half depth, the equivalent synology rack mount 8 bay item is full depth and VERY loud. I think that, overall, Synology seems like the winner for a closet or desktop mounted 4-8 bay for folks looking for heavy storage in their home with the all-in-one ease of use with the ability to run a lot of third party applications. The UNAS seems ideal for folks who JUST need to add mass storage to their existing Unifi network.
I own a Synology 4 Bay. They are spectacular all-in-one boxes! After watching the bombardment of Tech-TH-camr UNAS reviews, I have decided to buy a UNAS to supplement the Synology. I have never liked the “File Server” NAS aspect of my Synology. Synology File Station is not intuitive and the Home/Homes folder and Sharing of Photos logic is difficult to explain to a layperson. The UNAS seems to be designed to move files easily from A to B. Apples to Apples -Value The 4 Bay RS422+ that you compared the UNAS Pro can ONLY have 2GB with an extra $100 for a 10GB card. I think from a hardware perspective $1300 Synology 8 Bay RackStation RS1221+ (4 GB, no 10GB) $499 UNAS Pro 7 Bay 8GB w10GB Does the Synology software platform cost $800? If you want it sure. As others have said, there is definitely a place for a well designed INEXPENSIVE Network Attached Storage device that just moves files.
My thoughts align with this. If you’re already invested in Synology and UniFi (I am), this product appears to be a cost effective backup for your existing NAS. I think folks are overlooking that as a solution.
I'm currently running a UDM SE, so the Unifi NAS is a no brainer. especially at that price point. I've been on the fence for a long while about a NAS solution, Thankfully Ubiquiti has come to the rescue.
I much prefer the Unifi NAS software presentation / UI. Why NAS companies try to recreate a windows feel is beyond me... Once you have mapped drives etc, I rarely log in. The fact that I can see everything on my management interface for Unifi, with immediate performance... It's so much better.
I get what you are saying, but a more graphical GUI and modern OS UX is becoming the desired trend for not techie deep users to control their systems. It's arguably more limiting, and it leads to an over reliance on defaults, but I so see the appeal
As a techie user the Ubiquiti UI is awful. It's for users that don't have a clue. But I hate it in the same way I hate Apple UI's and anything similar.
We have multiple NAS in our company. And we don’t use any further functions/ apps then iscsi or smb shares maybe the UniFi aims at this kind of usecase Yes i know iscsi isn‘t available yet What I want to say on a semi-professional level these apps aren’t used very much. The same here at home I have my NAS and only use it as a storage. If I want apps I would prefer a server or raspi And I think file backups on a second device would be able over the smb-shares
To me the UniFi NAS is targeting different people than Synology. The Synology obviously has better software and hardware. But it is not just a NAS, but an all-in-one solution that a lot of people use for other applications as well (docker, vms, etc). The UniFi UNAS is what it's name implies: A network attached storage. As long as the UNAS Pro serves as a reliable easy to use storage solution than that's fine for me as well. Maybe sometimes the "less is more" mindset, as in purpose built machines (just storage, just computation etc) might be better if things are developed properly. But we have to see how Ubiquiti will develop the UNAS in the coming months and years. I will probably buy the UNAS Pro because my DS420+ died right after warranty ended and I lost all of my data (around 25TB). I will probably look for a power efficient 1U server for other applications like docker/plex etc.
i agree, unifi is providing a pure NAS as in Network attached Storage without any of the bloat. What i do hope for though is the addition of iscsi in the future, which might come as it needs no additional hardware and is merely a software addition so highly feasable
Everyone needs to consider that unifi is dipping it's toes in nas. Using the UNVR Pro chassis allows them to gauge the appetite before committing to creating further chassis types. Personally, I am holding off for a 12 bay device, and then I will go all in. I love their other kit and ui. I only hope this is the beginning of a great journey.
If they follow the UNVR line, a 4 bay and a 16 bay may be in the future, as these two chasis formats already exist in UNVR. I think if the UNAS Pro sells well, they will refine the feature set and bring out a smaller UNAS Standard and a larger UNAS Enterprise. I don't have any insight to Ubiquiti's roadmap in any way, I just think that would be the logical way to apporach it
I like the UniFi software presentation a lot more as so many companies including Synology go for a "Modern aesthetic" last time I checked looking like a knock off Android 4.0 isn't modern. At least UniFi realises what works and sticks with the basics.
As someone who was about to pull the trigger on a RS1221+, I am now feeling more confused than ever. I am deeply invested in Unifi equipment in my home so I am interested in this and I also keep hearing that it's a good idea to separate your NAS from your media server box if possible so you can scale them individually. However, this Unifi NAS doesn't really seem to offer any hardware upgrade paths so in this case it doesn't seem to be a good argument.
I will use my synology as my front line trooper. It will carry my plex and photos and use the Unifi NAS as the back up to it and all the files, like a solid home base
I think a fun video would: Buy the UniFi UNAS Pro paired with a beelink mini PC for Plex and performance around that. Also maybe a nice tutorial on how (lol)
UNAS Pro for the media library, Nvidia Shield TV Pro for Plex Server, and choose your preferred streaming box for the end client. That’s how I’m going about this. Replacing a Synology DS916+ and expansion unit.
Great info! Very nice to see some real world installations. Can’t lie, we’ve been a little hesitant to go full UniFi on very large installations. Thanks again for the candidate info.
My network is Unifi and my NAS and backup NAS is Synology. No need to upgrade now but I do like the idea of integrating my NAS in to my Unifi network once feature set expands. Right now I'm a fan of SHR and Hyper Backup. The price is right. Just waiting for the feature set to evolve.
The three best things about the about the UniFi system at that low $499 price point are ... rack mounted, 7 drive bays, and most of all ... a 10 Gig port.
I think people who pick up the Unifi NAS are likely also owners of Unifi network products. I think Ubiquity are likely targeting their pre-built customerbase. Personally I run Protect on my UDM Pro, I'm not interested in the same thing on my NAS. I want it to integrate well and it would be nice to get proper access to my raw video footage via the NAS rather than messing around downloading clips via the frontend (haven't watched you deep dive yet). I also don't want duplicate network functionality in a Unifi product, that would just be bizzare. If NAS manufacturers are moving more towards a NAS just being a NAS as Synology seem to be doing, with increasing numbers of their products being ARM based and support for transcoding being removed, I think maybe users have to consider the possibility of a low powered mini PC to run their docker containers and if that's the direction of travel then maybe Unifi starts to eat at Synologys market share. It's possible that Unifi are ahead of the game in this regard and have set their user expectations early rather than Synology's long history of being great for a multitude of purposes. I think the hardware comparison was bizzare, find a like for like comparison and then conclude that Synology wins based on range of product!?! If I were chosing a new NAS today with the Unifi and Synology products that are currently available, I'd stick with ASUS because I want that flexibility and power in my primary NAS. If I needed a secondary NAS to act purely as a NAS, I might go Unifi because it integrates well with my current set up and I know the Unifi experience. Ask me a couple of years ago and I'd have told you Unifi for networking and Synology for everything else.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE detailed comments like this. Makes me genuinely feel like a video I made has hit a rich seam in terms of interest. Aside from thanking you for watching/engaging, thank for your validity a bit of my brain!!!
I want a rack NAS. Wanted a Synology but it is stupidly expensive for outdated hardware. I am considering getting the unifi nas and adding a 1u server running intel hardware for dockers VMs etc. It still comes to half price of a synology rackmount nas. Do you think this approach makes sense?
Honestly....there are too many variables. Eg how much in the storage integrated into the VM machine (none, some, total?), what else do you want the storage to do, how many clients are backing up and their OS' (i.e native client support), are you happy with effectively doubling your power use. Sorry for being so flakey in my response here. On the face of it, Yes, great idea. But a handful of caveats to keep in mind
If you are price sensitive you are more susceptible to the repercussions of all those "what ifs". What if that UNAS Pro stops and you need to transition to a new one… will that work? What you propose doesn't allow for any hardware redundancy/data replication over 2 hardware devices so be mindful of what you get into. At 7/8+ bays the price differences shouldn't be that meaningful compared to the overall cost once the drives are large enough. Also, is something like SHR important to you?
The current arm cpu is way to underpowered to run docker. I wouldn't be surprised if in another year or two they push out a new "pro max" that had a much more powerful CPU and more ram with support for docker / apps.
Unable to have a phone app for backup pictures and videos is a deal breaker for me on the Ubiquity side. I will just go with 2 20TB HDD and DS224+. 2Gb/S data transfer(SMB3). Phone backup app, UPS USB battery management support, and Docker. Black Friday shopping for $250(hopping) for Synology. 2 years later we will see what happens.
Great comparison but not sure you should compare them as they are for very different people . I doubt unifi will ever put user apps like plex on their nas
I see your point, but people (existing uniFi network owners, cloud migrators, general NAS newbies) are going to make comparisons about these two brands in the same space... Better there is a video for those people to find and get an answer, rather than me saying that "you cannot really compare them" - that won't satisfy anyone. That said, you are right that we are talking about different beasts entirely here
I think if you are use to the way Synology DSM works, it makes it easier. If you are use to Unifi then that is easier. I find I get lost in Synology DSM, where as I don't get so lost in Unifi as I find it more intuitive. This really comes down to what you are use to and I feel people who have used Synology for a long time tend to know where things are in DSM, where as a newer user will not know which app to use for what to the same extent. That makes long term Synology DSM users leaning toward finding DSM easier, like you have done as you are a long term Synology user. :) On the processor side, the 923 may be an x86 processor, but it is a very low power x86 processor, and only dual core. Synology may have the edge on the app ecosystem though, but I don't think Ubiquiti are aiming to make their NAS into a small home server. It does what it says on the box really well. It's a NAS. 🙂 If you want a home server, UI's UNAS is not the device you seek. 😊
I’m definitely interested in the UNAS to replace my Synology but I’m not willing to risk my data on a v1 product. I’ll give it a year or two then switch
Thanks for the kind words bud. As I say in the intro (and in the review a few days ago) it does feel unfair to compare Synology (25yrs in the server industry) versus the first UniFi NAS, but potential buyers ARE going to make this comparison, whether I make this video or not! So it's gratifying to get some kind words bud. Appreciated
I was going to get another Synology NAS and have decided to go with an Ubiquiti UNAS instead as it is much easier to set up files and file shares with the Ubiquiti software. I prefer the UniFi way of showing the information over the Synology interface. Looking forward to getting the new UNAS next month when it finally ships. I am looking for purely a NAS not something that runs a bunch of apps and Docker containers. I will run that stuff on a server.
Question. You told me to wait until today. Underpromised and overdelivered! Always appreciate your work. I couldn't live without Tailscale on that UniFi. For now I'm sticking with my DS920+ w/4 2TB Crucial MX500 HDDs in SHR1. Need an online backup solution using Hyper Backup. Considering C2 Storage. I have a 1.2 TB data cap on my US broadband plan. Any sense how much traffic (data) would be used during an integrity check of a 1 TB backup with average file size of say 1 MB?
Unifi absolutely lets you use 3rd party authentication app. be that google authenticator app (or other authenticator app) or Azure Entra. Synology also allows this. so, they are pretty much equal.
To confirm, 3rd party authentication without a UI.com account? (I.e local account credentials only) As I was unable to do this, but if this was added in the last big OS update 2 weeks ago, I missed it
When it comes to NAS, the fewer apps, the better . Be good at the one thing. That said, the Unifi NAS is lacking in several areas. I’ll buy one once they add in the missing features (NFS & iSCSI).
It really seems like Synology and UniFi Unas pro are really aimed at different markets. Synology is really seems more for home users. The UniFi is really for integration with a UniFi based network. I have seen a lot of UniFi at small business and this would be a simple way to integrate with their existing UniFi hardware and services. I can see this see this being adopted because over time cloud storage starts getting very expensive as companies data storage needs grow. A lot of companies will not use most of the software apps on Synology.
No its a side show with no support and if it goes bad on you a few months in it will be ages before you get a replacement as they have horrible inventory management skills
If you have unfy network and synology nas. Can't you then mount the unas with smb to the synology for the synology features ? Because it's cheaper then a bigger synology, and with the 10GB fiber it should not make your read and writes slower then an internal disk i guess.
Yes and no. You can definitely make the UNAS visible over SMB, but not all of Synology's services play nice with an off-system drive. QBAP has a fun system called HybridMount that does exactly this (an vJBOD, but that's more proprietary), whereas the Synology one (Hybrid Share) only works with C2. It depends if you want to use the Synology with traditional server/file services, or the proprietary Synology application catalogue
@@nascompares Ok, didn't know that. Sounded like a good idea to take a cheap synology and only use it for VM and docker and use the unas for the storage. I currently have a basic unify network and a minipc with external drive as a mediaplayer (jellyfin and the arr's), i think i could use the unas instead of my external usb hdd. Right ?
Currently a Synology user leveraging surveillance station. Looking to move my network to unifi, including my cameras as well. I've seen you can only effectively move your protect footage to the synology with a third party solution (git). I understand the unas doesnt come with protect natively - dies this literally mean you csnt take Unifi camera footage and store it on the UNAS? I know that is a dense question... but if thats really the case, thats dumb as hell!
So now that their lineup is available at retail (at retail pricing), and their OS has had time to mature, maybe it's time to revisit UGREEN. A comparison between UGREEN's NAS OS and Ubiquiti's would be interesting. UGREEN had to create a NAS OS from scratch in a space where there's a lot of competition. They didn't get much of a pass, as I recall, at the time of their initial release. So, now that UGREEN is no longer the new kid on the block, let's see that comparison.
Its not equivalent to a QNAP or Synology YET, its a brand new product, and it will get better over time with software updates and future iterations of it.
Synology stands as a prominent player in the NAS industry for the time being, but it's nothing more than a “Blackberry of the future.” While Synology has maintained a relaxed and overconfident demeanor, its competitors have gradually introduced innovative and high-quality products. In the next decade, it is plausible that Synology will be acquired at a significantly reduced valuation compared to its current market worth.
It's Ubiquiti. You know their NAS will be a toy for years to come. It's based on the NVR hardware which I already have for Protect and I find it quite disappointing both hardware and software.
Theoretically yeah, but if we start going down the road of SSH play, then that might be handing out more credit that is necessary fair - as the same could be said if the Synology and ssh too, but they also have prebuilt application management for this too. But I see your point and will test this Monday
@@nascompares that’d be awesome. Because I need some additional stuff like Plex/Jellyfin and at least a mobile photo backup solution (currently Synology Photos but can also switch to an open source solution which runs inside Docker). My DS918+ will soon need a replacement, as it’s getting quite old and space is running out soon.
So the probleem with the UNAS is that it’s a NAS? I have a Mac Mini as server that can do way more and better than the synology al-in-one closed system. The UNAS will be a great addition to my network. At one point in time UniFi will introduce al-in-one system that will be more expensive and with faster hardware like they did with the gateways->UDM. But this is a NAS, please compare it with an NAS.
Well, Synology got what it deserved. I have 923+ for backups (spinning rust HDDs), my SSD grade NAS will be UNIFI, as soon as they release PRO MAX or Enterprise grade model. I want 2x 25G SFP28, more CPU cores, and at least NFS service. iSCSI would be also great. I absolutely don't care about docker and VMs in the NAS (I have the server for that). But I expect to see much more settings there to fine tune everything. @NASCompares - please test all SSD array, how it performs?
For refence before someone picks the below apart.... I have been a Synology user for the last 12 years and only a Unifi user for the last 1... these are my own opinions and as my home network grows (CCTV, Media room, IOT integration). There have been no major improvements to the Synology OS for a while, the GUI interface is stale (iOS 6 or Android 5.0 vibes) clunky and just lacking compared to other OS, then you throw into the mix them taking features away, locking the OS to either their own devices (why USB Wi-Fi was taken away I don't know, it was a handy feature when you can't use CAT and the NAS is in another room) or just lack of any real apps (Docker the exception), its just lacking flexibility compared to others. As for backups (time machine for want of a better phrase) don't get me started on how complicated this is and how many times it falls over, then there is surveillance station costs..... hold on I have just spent $$$$$$ on a NAS, had to pay yet more for the 10GbE NIC and now you want me to spend more on licences.... no ta! However that being said, I'm not going to be ditching them just yet besides the cost, the DS1821+ in the media room and the RS422+ do the job, BUT will be replaced once Ubiquiti fix the following short falls, minimum, (1 x 2.5GbE minimum / 2 x 10GbE / Nvme cache) once these are standard, then i'll be one of the first to ditch Synology.
Thank you for the incredibly details and useful reply. I haven't got more I can add, as you've done a great job there of presentation. Cheers for your real world input bud
I haven't looked at the hardware I think ubi will have much nicer and capable software. I have qnap but it seems to be completely overwhelmed by the software and just screwed
tbh Unifi NAS is kinda trashy at the moment. Using almost the same hardware as NVR, but without supporting NVR feature lol.. money grabbing stuff.. no?
I dunno about 'money grabbing' I do think they are targeting the fundamentals, and working upwards. But let's see where they are at in 12-18months of software development
I 100% agree. I love my synology, but I feel like I don't use it to its full potential. When I am looking to upgrade, I wonder where UniFi will be compared to my needs.
I agree, but as I say in the intro - people (new buyers especially) are GOING to compare these, so I have to. This goes double for existing uniFi network users who now wanna get off the cloud
Personally UniFi is to expensive, but on the otherhand i use 2 DELL PowerValt md3220i and a DELL R630 with a 4 sfp+ 10gbit ports and a h730 mini raid controller and 2 compatible Raid controller with SAS 12gbit. i yeah if this stuff would be new, this is properly even more expansive. But i payed for my R630 300€ and got both PowerValt md322i for free because those were damaged, i spend about 130€ for repair. i bought over the last 2 years, 2 xeon e5 2683v4 and replaced my single e5 2609v3 and bought another set of 4 4RX32GB 2133mhz ECC for the second socket and have now 256GB total System memory and 32 cores and 64 threads, instead of only 6 cores and 6 threads. In the end, i spend for all of that 700€ the upgrade included. IF someone asks about the drives, both PowerValts were be filled with 12 1.8tb SAS 10k drives as I got them. Both PowerValts got dropped so they thought the drives are done so they left the drives in the system. Lucky my R630 had already 2 PCIE Raid controller cards in it for PowerValt and a massive 40gbit NIC with 4 10gbit sfp+ ports. I mean, i guess it makes sense if you have only 6 cores and relative massive amount on RAM, using it as a server for storage makes sense in this configuration. My R630 and both PowerValt with the drives run fine, besides the fact Both powervalt don't fit in my 5U rack encloser because i have, there are a bit bend but i don't care they work.
UniFi’s UI is terrific, but their equipment is garbage, as is their support, as is their security. I wouldn’t let an enemy use UniFi’s trashy products.
Synology is better, we all know this. As you said, More than 25 years of experience. Ubiquiti should’ve made this a NAS/Protect solution. Looks like a money grab to me that they didn’t. I’ll probably get it just to mess with it and sell it to a client that only needs backups. I need to upgrade my Synology, and the whole hard drive lockdown thing has really pissed me off. Should be illegal to do those things. If Ubiquiti gets better with allowing apps and better hardware I’ll switch over immediately! Needs redundant psu, needs at least 2 SFP ports, needs better CPU and ALOT more RAM! We all know they have a “MAX” version under their sleeves. So let’s see what that has to offer.
You keep harping on about the unas " requiering" aditional unify gear for functionality, sorry but duh thst is the whole point of unify, it's a complete stack and now thay have added a nas offering. On the the fact the unas doesn't run docker, well I know synology does thst, by my question is is that really the job of a nas, or js that mor a combination of a virualisation/container hist and a nas in a box? I know that containers an vm guests need storrage but isn't it better to have less powerhungry storrahe and have the compure separatøt thst cabån be scaled accordibg to need, you might nedd massive compute an modest storrage, or the situation may be reversr. You might want an nvr or not. Stuffing irvall in one nox just intruduces a singel point of faliyr. Ok containers die idåf storrage goes avsy, but the nas does not go down if the cpu in a dedicated nvr koes down
I see your points, but you are coming from an informed POV. Now think of the viewer who is coming to this video (and the review tbh) with a complete blank slate. They want to buy a server solution and want the facts and the details about it.... Would it be better to ignore the details because those "in the know, know"? I'm harping on about it, as alot of the existing resource materials do EXACTLY this. Also, sure, NAS/network storage started as just storage - but it has evolved as much as phone used to just be for calling people. Sorry to hear that this approach hasn't met with your tastes/view, but I hope you see my logic here
The Unify NAS would be a highly viable solution if Unify were to consider upgrading the internal hardware to incorporate a SAS backplane by default. This would maintain compatibility with both SATA and SAS drives, offering the best price-to-performance ratio in refurbished enterprise HDDs per terabyte, including warranty. Whilst understanding that USB ports would introduce security risks, a third 5Gb LAN port would be beneficial, as it would be sufficient for speeds under 500MB/sec. I wouldn't object if they were to replace the 10Gb connection, which can hardly reach its full capacity without an internal SSD cache
As mentioned in the intro. I am aware of this, but people ARE going to compare them (new buyers etc), so better there is a video that actually answers this Q, rather than nothing at all for them to find?
There was no new NAS from Synology for almost 2 years /last one 224+/. Some nonsense Beestations, Active protect enterprise and very very little on App front I think they either switch to Enterprise or will go bankrupt /means downhill to no more usable in SOHO/. Zimaboard, Unifi Drive, Truenas etc. Its sad.
To be fair, the DS224+ was released in August '23. And the DS423+ a few months before that. I would agree through that a refresh of the DS923+, DS723+, RS1221+ and DS1821+ DOES feel overdue
All Synology needs to do is release a few new products with MODERN processing power and there would be no point in comparing them to anything else...
yeah, they need a major hardware refresh
100% this. I blows my mind the slow weak processors they put in Synology units. Also put two or more 2.5gbe ports instead of 1gbe. They are 5 years behind on their hardware.
This is why I went Xpenology years ago, love the ecosystem not the hardware.
@@JoeDonkorI used that several years ago - how is it these days? Have they kept up as far as DSM and compatibility? Didn’t realize development was still going on.
@@NoOperation32 Running DSM 7, started with 4. Same 2 HP microservers (8 core CPUs). All good.
I like this video, I think it’s a cool breakdown. However, I think there are two major points I want to see considered when looking at the two ecosystems. 1) 99.9% of folks considering a UNAS already own a UDM, the two together should be part of the baseline comparison. 2) The size and sound should be a bit more clear, my understanding is the UNAS is half depth, the equivalent synology rack mount 8 bay item is full depth and VERY loud. I think that, overall, Synology seems like the winner for a closet or desktop mounted 4-8 bay for folks looking for heavy storage in their home with the all-in-one ease of use with the ability to run a lot of third party applications. The UNAS seems ideal for folks who JUST need to add mass storage to their existing Unifi network.
I own a Synology 4 Bay. They are spectacular all-in-one boxes!
After watching the bombardment of Tech-TH-camr UNAS reviews, I have decided to buy a UNAS to supplement the Synology. I have never liked the “File Server” NAS aspect of my Synology. Synology File Station is not intuitive and the Home/Homes folder and Sharing of Photos logic is difficult to explain to a layperson.
The UNAS seems to be designed to move files easily from A to B.
Apples to Apples -Value
The 4 Bay RS422+ that you compared the UNAS Pro can ONLY have 2GB with an extra $100 for a 10GB card.
I think from a hardware perspective
$1300 Synology 8 Bay RackStation RS1221+ (4 GB, no 10GB)
$499 UNAS Pro 7 Bay 8GB w10GB
Does the Synology software platform cost $800? If you want it sure. As others have said, there is definitely a place for a well designed INEXPENSIVE Network Attached Storage device that just moves files.
Fairplay. Balanced, objective and to the point. Respect!
My thoughts align with this. If you’re already invested in Synology and UniFi (I am), this product appears to be a cost effective backup for your existing NAS. I think folks are overlooking that as a solution.
Good luck finding one. 😂
I'm currently running a UDM SE, so the Unifi NAS is a no brainer. especially at that price point.
I've been on the fence for a long while about a NAS solution, Thankfully Ubiquiti has come to the rescue.
I much prefer the Unifi NAS software presentation / UI. Why NAS companies try to recreate a windows feel is beyond me... Once you have mapped drives etc, I rarely log in. The fact that I can see everything on my management interface for Unifi, with immediate performance... It's so much better.
I get what you are saying, but a more graphical GUI and modern OS UX is becoming the desired trend for not techie deep users to control their systems. It's arguably more limiting, and it leads to an over reliance on defaults, but I so see the appeal
@@nascompares if you have a NAS you're likely a techie user
@@TheCircuitJunkie you can be s Software dev and not be a specialist in network nas etc.
@@TheCircuitJunkie I don't buy it. I have a number of friends who love their NAS but don't really understand much of it from the setup / techie side.
As a techie user the Ubiquiti UI is awful. It's for users that don't have a clue. But I hate it in the same way I hate Apple UI's and anything similar.
We have multiple NAS in our company.
And we don’t use any further functions/ apps then iscsi or smb shares maybe the UniFi aims at this kind of usecase
Yes i know iscsi isn‘t available yet
What I want to say on a semi-professional level these apps aren’t used very much.
The same here at home I have my NAS and only use it as a storage.
If I want apps I would prefer a server or raspi
And I think file backups on a second device would be able over the smb-shares
To me the UniFi NAS is targeting different people than Synology. The Synology obviously has better software and hardware. But it is not just a NAS, but an all-in-one solution that a lot of people use for other applications as well (docker, vms, etc). The UniFi UNAS is what it's name implies: A network attached storage. As long as the UNAS Pro serves as a reliable easy to use storage solution than that's fine for me as well.
Maybe sometimes the "less is more" mindset, as in purpose built machines (just storage, just computation etc) might be better if things are developed properly. But we have to see how Ubiquiti will develop the UNAS in the coming months and years.
I will probably buy the UNAS Pro because my DS420+ died right after warranty ended and I lost all of my data (around 25TB). I will probably look for a power efficient 1U server for other applications like docker/plex etc.
i agree, unifi is providing a pure NAS as in Network attached Storage without any of the bloat. What i do hope for though is the addition of iscsi in the future, which might come as it needs no additional hardware and is merely a software addition so highly feasable
Everyone needs to consider that unifi is dipping it's toes in nas. Using the UNVR Pro chassis allows them to gauge the appetite before committing to creating further chassis types. Personally, I am holding off for a 12 bay device, and then I will go all in. I love their other kit and ui. I only hope this is the beginning of a great journey.
If they follow the UNVR line, a 4 bay and a 16 bay may be in the future, as these two chasis formats already exist in UNVR. I think if the UNAS Pro sells well, they will refine the feature set and bring out a smaller UNAS Standard and a larger UNAS Enterprise. I don't have any insight to Ubiquiti's roadmap in any way, I just think that would be the logical way to apporach it
I'm thinking to switch from my Synologys 1621+ to two UNAS Pro. The integration in Unifi is great.
Cheers for sharing man
I like the UniFi software presentation a lot more as so many companies including Synology go for a "Modern aesthetic" last time I checked looking like a knock off Android 4.0 isn't modern. At least UniFi realises what works and sticks with the basics.
Fresh POV! Thank you
As someone who was about to pull the trigger on a RS1221+, I am now feeling more confused than ever. I am deeply invested in Unifi equipment in my home so I am interested in this and I also keep hearing that it's a good idea to separate your NAS from your media server box if possible so you can scale them individually. However, this Unifi NAS doesn't really seem to offer any hardware upgrade paths so in this case it doesn't seem to be a good argument.
I will use my synology as my front line trooper. It will carry my plex and photos and use the Unifi NAS as the back up to it and all the files, like a solid home base
THIS!!!! BLOODY THIS!!!!
I think a fun video would: Buy the UniFi UNAS Pro paired with a beelink mini PC for Plex and performance around that. Also maybe a nice tutorial on how (lol)
Already got something near identical to this on the to-do list, but also with Plex
yes incorporate plex with unifi unas,
UNAS Pro for the media library, Nvidia Shield TV Pro for Plex Server, and choose your preferred streaming box for the end client.
That’s how I’m going about this. Replacing a Synology DS916+ and expansion unit.
@@nascomparesI would really appreciate that video before black friday 🙏
Great info! Very nice to see some real world installations. Can’t lie, we’ve been a little hesitant to go full UniFi on very large installations. Thanks again for the candidate info.
My network is Unifi and my NAS and backup NAS is Synology. No need to upgrade now but I do like the idea of integrating my NAS in to my Unifi network once feature set expands. Right now I'm a fan of SHR and Hyper Backup. The price is right. Just waiting for the feature set to evolve.
The three best things about the about the UniFi system at that low $499 price point are ... rack mounted, 7 drive bays, and most of all ... a 10 Gig port.
True dat
I think people who pick up the Unifi NAS are likely also owners of Unifi network products. I think Ubiquity are likely targeting their pre-built customerbase. Personally I run Protect on my UDM Pro, I'm not interested in the same thing on my NAS. I want it to integrate well and it would be nice to get proper access to my raw video footage via the NAS rather than messing around downloading clips via the frontend (haven't watched you deep dive yet). I also don't want duplicate network functionality in a Unifi product, that would just be bizzare.
If NAS manufacturers are moving more towards a NAS just being a NAS as Synology seem to be doing, with increasing numbers of their products being ARM based and support for transcoding being removed, I think maybe users have to consider the possibility of a low powered mini PC to run their docker containers and if that's the direction of travel then maybe Unifi starts to eat at Synologys market share. It's possible that Unifi are ahead of the game in this regard and have set their user expectations early rather than Synology's long history of being great for a multitude of purposes.
I think the hardware comparison was bizzare, find a like for like comparison and then conclude that Synology wins based on range of product!?!
If I were chosing a new NAS today with the Unifi and Synology products that are currently available, I'd stick with ASUS because I want that flexibility and power in my primary NAS. If I needed a secondary NAS to act purely as a NAS, I might go Unifi because it integrates well with my current set up and I know the Unifi experience.
Ask me a couple of years ago and I'd have told you Unifi for networking and Synology for everything else.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE detailed comments like this. Makes me genuinely feel like a video I made has hit a rich seam in terms of interest. Aside from thanking you for watching/engaging, thank for your validity a bit of my brain!!!
i already moved my containers and vms off to a nuc cluster, i don't ever see myself running most of these on a NAS.
Thanks, been following all your UNAS videos. I’ll gonna buy one this side of Christmas and will definitely use your links.
Thank you buddy, genuinely and wholeheartedly appreciated. You rock and I hope you have a bloody great weekend
I want a rack NAS. Wanted a Synology but it is stupidly expensive for outdated hardware. I am considering getting the unifi nas and adding a 1u server running intel hardware for dockers VMs etc. It still comes to half price of a synology rackmount nas. Do you think this approach makes sense?
Honestly....there are too many variables. Eg how much in the storage integrated into the VM machine (none, some, total?), what else do you want the storage to do, how many clients are backing up and their OS' (i.e native client support), are you happy with effectively doubling your power use. Sorry for being so flakey in my response here. On the face of it, Yes, great idea. But a handful of caveats to keep in mind
If you are price sensitive you are more susceptible to the repercussions of all those "what ifs". What if that UNAS Pro stops and you need to transition to a new one… will that work? What you propose doesn't allow for any hardware redundancy/data replication over 2 hardware devices so be mindful of what you get into. At 7/8+ bays the price differences shouldn't be that meaningful compared to the overall cost once the drives are large enough. Also, is something like SHR important to you?
Been considering doing exactly what you mentioned or do I just get a Silverstone rack case and build my own and just run unraid.
@@doctorno3912 I considered this as well but I am depth constrained in my rack space to 350mm :(
I also considered this and just bought a shelf!
I think you will really like the 16-bay Enterprise NAS when it comes out.
I wish this had docker support, it would make it an amazing deal.
The current arm cpu is way to underpowered to run docker. I wouldn't be surprised if in another year or two they push out a new "pro max" that had a much more powerful CPU and more ram with support for docker / apps.
All I need is a dumb bullet proof NAS with a good UI. Unifi seems to fit that bill.
Unable to have a phone app for backup pictures and videos is a deal breaker for me on the Ubiquity side. I will just go with 2 20TB HDD and DS224+. 2Gb/S data transfer(SMB3). Phone backup app, UPS USB battery management support, and Docker. Black Friday shopping for $250(hopping) for Synology. 2 years later we will see what happens.
Great comparison but not sure you should compare them as they are for very different people . I doubt unifi will ever put user apps like plex on their nas
I see your point, but people (existing uniFi network owners, cloud migrators, general NAS newbies) are going to make comparisons about these two brands in the same space... Better there is a video for those people to find and get an answer, rather than me saying that "you cannot really compare them" - that won't satisfy anyone. That said, you are right that we are talking about different beasts entirely here
I think if you are use to the way Synology DSM works, it makes it easier. If you are use to Unifi then that is easier. I find I get lost in Synology DSM, where as I don't get so lost in Unifi as I find it more intuitive. This really comes down to what you are use to and I feel people who have used Synology for a long time tend to know where things are in DSM, where as a newer user will not know which app to use for what to the same extent. That makes long term Synology DSM users leaning toward finding DSM easier, like you have done as you are a long term Synology user. :)
On the processor side, the 923 may be an x86 processor, but it is a very low power x86 processor, and only dual core.
Synology may have the edge on the app ecosystem though, but I don't think Ubiquiti are aiming to make their NAS into a small home server. It does what it says on the box really well. It's a NAS. 🙂
If you want a home server, UI's UNAS is not the device you seek. 😊
Genuinely wonderfully out sir!
As a video editor, what’s your recommendation? Would I get fast enough write/read speeds on this?
I’m definitely interested in the UNAS to replace my Synology but I’m not willing to risk my data on a v1 product. I’ll give it a year or two then switch
Great video, thanks for putting this together. For me, the big gap is the missing nvme cache
Thanks for the kind words bud. As I say in the intro (and in the review a few days ago) it does feel unfair to compare Synology (25yrs in the server industry) versus the first UniFi NAS, but potential buyers ARE going to make this comparison, whether I make this video or not! So it's gratifying to get some kind words bud. Appreciated
I was going to get another Synology NAS and have decided to go with an Ubiquiti UNAS instead as it is much easier to set up files and file shares with the Ubiquiti software. I prefer the UniFi way of showing the information over the Synology interface. Looking forward to getting the new UNAS next month when it finally ships.
I am looking for purely a NAS not something that runs a bunch of apps and Docker containers. I will run that stuff on a server.
Question. You told me to wait until today. Underpromised and overdelivered! Always appreciate your work. I couldn't live without Tailscale on that UniFi. For now I'm sticking with my DS920+ w/4 2TB Crucial MX500 HDDs in SHR1. Need an online backup solution using Hyper Backup. Considering C2 Storage. I have a 1.2 TB data cap on my US broadband plan. Any sense how much traffic (data) would be used during an integrity check of a 1 TB backup with average file size of say 1 MB?
The Synology backup software for vm’s makes it a no brainer for our company…
after seeing this im glad i havent got one , qnap and Synology are just the gold
How easy is it to backup Synology to Unas?
Unifi absolutely lets you use 3rd party authentication app. be that google authenticator app (or other authenticator app) or Azure Entra. Synology also allows this. so, they are pretty much equal.
To confirm, 3rd party authentication without a UI.com account? (I.e local account credentials only) As I was unable to do this, but if this was added in the last big OS update 2 weeks ago, I missed it
When it comes to NAS, the fewer apps, the better . Be good at the one thing. That said, the Unifi NAS is lacking in several areas. I’ll buy one once they add in the missing features (NFS & iSCSI).
It really seems like Synology and UniFi Unas pro are really aimed at different markets. Synology is really seems more for home users. The UniFi is really for integration with a UniFi based network. I have seen a lot of UniFi at small business and this would be a simple way to integrate with their existing UniFi hardware and services. I can see this see this being adopted because over time cloud storage starts getting very expensive as companies data storage needs grow. A lot of companies will not use most of the software apps on Synology.
the Unify is a beginners low end NAS, in a fancy wrapper
Small acorns man, gotta start somewhere
No its a side show with no support and if it goes bad on you a few months in it will be ages before you get a replacement as they have horrible inventory management skills
People, people. We are buying Synology not for the hardware, but because of the software.
I wish they implement the hibernate option for hdds in a future update
I think that there will be a max version and a lite version later
100%.
If you have unfy network and synology nas. Can't you then mount the unas with smb to the synology for the synology features ? Because it's cheaper then a bigger synology, and with the 10GB fiber it should not make your read and writes slower then an internal disk i guess.
Yes and no. You can definitely make the UNAS visible over SMB, but not all of Synology's services play nice with an off-system drive. QBAP has a fun system called HybridMount that does exactly this (an vJBOD, but that's more proprietary), whereas the Synology one (Hybrid Share) only works with C2. It depends if you want to use the Synology with traditional server/file services, or the proprietary Synology application catalogue
@@nascompares Ok, didn't know that. Sounded like a good idea to take a cheap synology and only use it for VM and docker and use the unas for the storage.
I currently have a basic unify network and a minipc with external drive as a mediaplayer (jellyfin and the arr's), i think i could use the unas instead of my external usb hdd. Right ?
Ubiquiti has its own protect system to handle cameras and it does it well. Just let folks run actual piHole and call it a day. Great storage unit.
Unifi Nas
Hot swap drives?
add new disk when system is live?
Currently a Synology user leveraging surveillance station. Looking to move my network to unifi, including my cameras as well. I've seen you can only effectively move your protect footage to the synology with a third party solution (git). I understand the unas doesnt come with protect natively - dies this literally mean you csnt take Unifi camera footage and store it on the UNAS? I know that is a dense question... but if thats really the case, thats dumb as hell!
could you try "apt update && apt install unfi-protect unifi-talk" from SSH to see if you can install protect and talk?
Will 100% try this Monday!
@@nascompares did you manage to try it? 🙂
So now that their lineup is available at retail (at retail pricing), and their OS has had time to mature, maybe it's time to revisit UGREEN. A comparison between UGREEN's NAS OS and Ubiquiti's would be interesting. UGREEN had to create a NAS OS from scratch in a space where there's a lot of competition. They didn't get much of a pass, as I recall, at the time of their initial release. So, now that UGREEN is no longer the new kid on the block, let's see that comparison.
Its not equivalent to a QNAP or Synology YET, its a brand new product, and it will get better over time with software updates and future iterations of it.
Can the unifi nas be used as a nvr storage instead of going for the unifi cloud max gateway with storage?
I believe it can be used as an smb target, yeah. But I'm not sure it can be used as a recording target (just an offsysyem sync). I'll check
any conclusion?
I am confused if those backups are incremental or not, and what the retention period is if they are?
The backups are adjustable. Also, those are off-site/system backups, so not retention handled by the UNAS system. Snapshots are however
Synology stands as a prominent player in the NAS industry for the time being, but it's nothing more than a “Blackberry of the future.” While Synology has maintained a relaxed and overconfident demeanor, its competitors have gradually introduced innovative and high-quality products. In the next decade, it is plausible that Synology will be acquired at a significantly reduced valuation compared to its current market worth.
Bye Synology and Helllooo Teramaster i5-1235U (10c -12trd).. TOS 6.. Nice ..
It's Ubiquiti. You know their NAS will be a toy for years to come. It's based on the NVR hardware which I already have for Protect and I find it quite disappointing both hardware and software.
Not fully through the video but if the UNAS Pro supports SSH, can’t you install docker on it?
Theoretically yeah, but if we start going down the road of SSH play, then that might be handing out more credit that is necessary fair - as the same could be said if the Synology and ssh too, but they also have prebuilt application management for this too. But I see your point and will test this Monday
@@nascompares that’d be awesome. Because I need some additional stuff like Plex/Jellyfin and at least a mobile photo backup solution (currently Synology Photos but can also switch to an open source solution which runs inside Docker).
My DS918+ will soon need a replacement, as it’s getting quite old and space is running out soon.
The best NAS is the quietest NAS. ;-)
Yeah. If they updated the 620slim, I'd bite for the smaller form factor. Currently running 2.5" SSD drives in a 920+. True love! 🤣
Your comparing apples and oranges there no data center using qnap
Unifi Nas is way too limited at the moment.
Harsh, but fair!
So the probleem with the UNAS is that it’s a NAS? I have a Mac Mini as server that can do way more and better than the synology al-in-one closed system. The UNAS will be a great addition to my network. At one point in time UniFi will introduce al-in-one system that will be more expensive and with faster hardware like they did with the gateways->UDM. But this is a NAS, please compare it with an NAS.
I personally think it's like comparing apples and pears
Well, Synology got what it deserved. I have 923+ for backups (spinning rust HDDs), my SSD grade NAS will be UNIFI, as soon as they release PRO MAX or Enterprise grade model.
I want 2x 25G SFP28, more CPU cores, and at least NFS service. iSCSI would be also great. I absolutely don't care about docker and VMs in the NAS (I have the server for that).
But I expect to see much more settings there to fine tune everything.
@NASCompares - please test all SSD array, how it performs?
Still arranging SSDs for this one!
For refence before someone picks the below apart.... I have been a Synology user for the last 12 years and only a Unifi user for the last 1... these are my own opinions and as my home network grows (CCTV, Media room, IOT integration).
There have been no major improvements to the Synology OS for a while, the GUI interface is stale (iOS 6 or Android 5.0 vibes) clunky and just lacking compared to other OS, then you throw into the mix them taking features away, locking the OS to either their own devices (why USB Wi-Fi was taken away I don't know, it was a handy feature when you can't use CAT and the NAS is in another room) or just lack of any real apps (Docker the exception), its just lacking flexibility compared to others.
As for backups (time machine for want of a better phrase) don't get me started on how complicated this is and how many times it falls over, then there is surveillance station costs..... hold on I have just spent $$$$$$ on a NAS, had to pay yet more for the 10GbE NIC and now you want me to spend more on licences.... no ta!
However that being said, I'm not going to be ditching them just yet besides the cost, the DS1821+ in the media room and the RS422+ do the job, BUT will be replaced once Ubiquiti fix the following short falls, minimum, (1 x 2.5GbE minimum / 2 x 10GbE / Nvme cache) once these are standard, then i'll be one of the first to ditch Synology.
Thank you for the incredibly details and useful reply. I haven't got more I can add, as you've done a great job there of presentation. Cheers for your real world input bud
Wouldn’t touch a UniFi NAS at all. Synology All the Way!
They could do the same Nas with unifi 's 4 bay NVR. Instead of their 7 bay unit.
7bay rack mountable for $500 is a good price
Insane that this isn’t capable of running Protect.
Synology the best
I haven't looked at the hardware I think ubi will have much nicer and capable software.
I have qnap but it seems to be completely overwhelmed by the software and just screwed
tbh Unifi NAS is kinda trashy at the moment. Using almost the same hardware as NVR, but without supporting NVR feature lol.. money grabbing stuff.. no?
I dunno about 'money grabbing' I do think they are targeting the fundamentals, and working upwards. But let's see where they are at in 12-18months of software development
I 100% agree. I love my synology, but I feel like I don't use it to its full potential. When I am looking to upgrade, I wonder where UniFi will be compared to my needs.
lets wait till Unifi has more software for their NAS. for now its more like a normal server thing, to put files on.
I agree, but as I say in the intro - people (new buyers especially) are GOING to compare these, so I have to. This goes double for existing uniFi network users who now wanna get off the cloud
So a NAS then.
Personally UniFi is to expensive, but on the otherhand i use 2 DELL PowerValt md3220i and a DELL R630 with a 4 sfp+ 10gbit ports and a h730 mini raid controller and 2 compatible Raid controller with SAS 12gbit.
i yeah if this stuff would be new, this is properly even more expansive. But i payed for my R630 300€ and got both PowerValt md322i for free because those were damaged, i spend about 130€ for repair. i bought over the last 2 years, 2 xeon e5 2683v4 and replaced my single e5 2609v3 and bought another set of 4 4RX32GB 2133mhz ECC for the second socket and have now 256GB total System memory and 32 cores and 64 threads, instead of only 6 cores and 6 threads.
In the end, i spend for all of that 700€ the upgrade included.
IF someone asks about the drives, both PowerValts were be filled with 12 1.8tb SAS 10k drives as I got them. Both PowerValts got dropped so they thought the drives are done so they left the drives in the system. Lucky my R630 had already 2 PCIE Raid controller cards in it for PowerValt and a massive 40gbit NIC with 4 10gbit sfp+ ports. I mean, i guess it makes sense if you have only 6 cores and relative massive amount on RAM, using it as a server for storage makes sense in this configuration.
My R630 and both PowerValt with the drives run fine, besides the fact Both powervalt don't fit in my 5U rack encloser because i have, there are a bit bend but i don't care they work.
UniFi’s UI is terrific, but their equipment is garbage, as is their support, as is their security. I wouldn’t let an enemy use UniFi’s trashy products.
Would be nice if it actually came out though...
I know it's been delayed till Nov 4th, but it's definitely coming
It's listed on their store so should be out soon.
Synology is better, we all know this. As you said, More than 25 years of experience. Ubiquiti should’ve made this a NAS/Protect solution. Looks like a money grab to me that they didn’t. I’ll probably get it just to mess with it and sell it to a client that only needs backups. I need to upgrade my Synology, and the whole hard drive lockdown thing has really pissed me off. Should be illegal to do those things. If Ubiquiti gets better with allowing apps and better hardware I’ll switch over immediately! Needs redundant psu, needs at least 2 SFP ports, needs better CPU and ALOT more RAM! We all know they have a “MAX” version under their sleeves. So let’s see what that has to offer.
Cheers for sharing your thoughts bud!
Cant compare the 2.
You keep harping on about the unas " requiering" aditional unify gear for functionality, sorry but duh thst is the whole point of unify, it's a complete stack and now thay have added a nas offering. On the the fact the unas doesn't run docker, well I know synology does thst, by my question is is that really the job of a nas, or js that mor a combination of a virualisation/container hist and a nas in a box? I know that containers an vm guests need storrage but isn't it better to have less powerhungry storrahe and have the compure separatøt thst cabån be scaled accordibg to need, you might nedd massive compute an modest storrage, or the situation may be reversr. You might want an nvr or not. Stuffing irvall in one nox just intruduces a singel point of faliyr. Ok containers die idåf storrage goes avsy, but the nas does not go down if the cpu in a dedicated nvr koes down
I see your points, but you are coming from an informed POV. Now think of the viewer who is coming to this video (and the review tbh) with a complete blank slate. They want to buy a server solution and want the facts and the details about it.... Would it be better to ignore the details because those "in the know, know"? I'm harping on about it, as alot of the existing resource materials do EXACTLY this. Also, sure, NAS/network storage started as just storage - but it has evolved as much as phone used to just be for calling people. Sorry to hear that this approach hasn't met with your tastes/view, but I hope you see my logic here
The Unify NAS would be a highly viable solution if Unify were to consider upgrading the internal hardware to incorporate a SAS backplane by default. This would maintain compatibility with both SATA and SAS drives, offering the best price-to-performance ratio in refurbished enterprise HDDs per terabyte, including warranty. Whilst understanding that USB ports would introduce security risks, a third 5Gb LAN port would be beneficial, as it would be sufficient for speeds under 500MB/sec. I wouldn't object if they were to replace the 10Gb connection, which can hardly reach its full capacity without an internal SSD cache
Guy sounds like a paid Synology reviewer. Synology is decent but when things go wrong, boy do they go wrong.
Had to be the bad news bear, but never been paid a penny by them! These opinions, shakey as you might find them, are my own. Sorry bud!
this isn't a serious question, the UNAS Pro is a toy as of right now
3rd comment !!!
I have a HORRENDOUS joke about coming 3rd place, but I don't think I should..... (Damn, I'm immature). Thanks for watching
@@nascompares i can take it ! go on
exposing the NAS to the internet is a really bad idea, ether it being Synology, Ubi or whatever
the best way is to use VPN or some reverse proxy setup
I bit off a stupid comparison as your not comparing apples for apples with UniFi
As mentioned in the intro. I am aware of this, but people ARE going to compare them (new buyers etc), so better there is a video that actually answers this Q, rather than nothing at all for them to find?
There was no new NAS from Synology for almost 2 years /last one 224+/. Some nonsense Beestations, Active protect enterprise and very very little on App front I think they either switch to Enterprise or will go bankrupt /means downhill to no more usable in SOHO/. Zimaboard, Unifi Drive, Truenas etc. Its sad.
To be fair, the DS224+ was released in August '23. And the DS423+ a few months before that. I would agree through that a refresh of the DS923+, DS723+, RS1221+ and DS1821+ DOES feel overdue
I am still using a Synology 1812+, and it’s still great for home use, after all those years. Waiting a 1821 refresh to replace it.