Both two bay network attached systems enable users to create a private cloud database that can be used to fulfill the networking needs of a small business or as a multimedia center at the home. Their Marvell processors are credited for quick data transfers and optimized multimedia streaming.
Some things that are common in both NAS Devices include:
- These are 2 bay devices specifying the same design, size, and weight.
- Both tools are equipped with the same processing unit.
- Both devices have the same warranty period.
- Backup mechanisms and cloud interface are also the same for both devices.
Here the Synology DS216J:
- operates with low power consumption than the competitor.
- Allows better file sharing in comparison.
The device looks identical to the other NAS but contains a high frequency CPU. Hence, it provides the benefit of greater processing efficiency and faster read-write speeds.
Moreover, this device can hold data from many IP cameras, providing optimized surveillance support.
And the Synology DS218J:
- Works at a comparatively higher processing frequency.
- Presents faster read-write speed in comparison.
- Supports backup facility for larger data volumes.
The DS218J specifies a vertical storage device equipped with a dual-core processing unit and DDR3 installed memory unit.
This tool provides enhanced networking facilities by supporting a large number of file transfers and collaborative connections.
Compatibility with several commercial cloud services further increases its sharing efficiency.
Table of Contents
Comparing Both Devices:
In comparison, Synology DS218j operates with a higher frequency, shows faster speed, and backs up more surveillance data while DS216j offers enhanced sharing capability, consumes lesser power, and works with older OS and browser versions.
| DS218j | DS216j | |
| Processor | Marvell Armada 385 88F6820 dual-core | Marvell Armada 385 88F6820 dual-core |
| Integrated memory | DDR3 512MB | DDR3 512MB |
| Drives included | No | No |
| Drive types | 3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD/HDD | 3.5″ SATA HDD 2.5″ SATA SSD/HDD |
| Warranty time | 2 years | 2 Years |
| Supported Protocols | SMB, AFP, NFS, FTP, WebDAV, CalDAV, Telnet, SSH, SNMP, VPN, PPTP, OpenVPN , L2TP | CIFS, AFP, NFS, FTP, WebDAV, CalDAV, iSCSI, Telnet, SSH, SNMP, VPN, PPTP, OpenVPN™, L2TP |
| Hardware Encryption | Yes | Yes |
Design and Software
These cloud devices resemble each other in size dimensions and design layout.
Both are two-bay, greyish, tower-form systems that weigh lesser than 2 lbs.
Drives are not swappable and can be accessed only after removing the outer casing of the device.
The front portion characterizes a minimalistic design showing a marginal bar with LED indicators and the power button.
On the back side, there is a fan exhaust, two USB ports, a LAN GbE port, a Kensington security slot, and a power inlet.
Both gadgets have a system fan to dissipate heat and cool down the device but this also leads to the production of mechanical noise reaching 18.2 decibels.
Likewise, the temperature and humidity endurance ranges of both tools are similarly wide.
However, these tools differ concerning power consumption, Synology DS218j consumes relatively more power than its competitor which renders it less eco-friendly as well as less budget-friendly.
| DS218j | DS216j | |
| Color Scheme | Greyish | Greyish |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 165 x 100 x 225.5 mm | 165 x 100 x 225.5 mm |
| Weight | 0.87 kg | 0.88kg |
| No. of the drive bays | Two | Two |
| External ports | 2 x USB 3.0 ports 1 x Rj-45 1 GbE port | 2 x USB 3.0 ports 1 x Rj-45 1 GbE port |
| Operational temperature | 40°F to 104°F | 40°F to 104°F |
| Storage Temperature | -5°F to 140°F | -5°F to 140°F |
| Operative humidity | 5% – 95% RH | 5% – 95% RH |
| Noise rating | 18.2 dB | 18.2 dB |
| Power consumption | 17.48 watts (access) 7.03 watts (HDD hibernation) | 14.85 watts (access) 6.95 watts (HDD hibernation) |
Speed
Though these devices specify the same processor, RAM, and RAID configuration, their working efficiencies vary due to different processing frequencies.
Synology DS216j stands below the competitor with slower read-write speeds.
Reading speed is only a few bytes lesser than the contestant.
However, it collects and saves new information quite slowly due to minor writing speed even with sequential throughput.
In contrast, Synology DS218j presents a faster encoding performance than the competitor, showing a high writing speed under the RAID 1 configuration.
Even for encrypted transmissions, it provides an optimized speed of 58 MB/s.
| DS218j | DS216j | |
| Processing frequency | 1.3GHz | 1.0GHz |
| Reading speed | 113 Mb/s (RAID 1 configuration) 105 Mb/s (Hardware encryption) | 112.75 Mb/s (RAID 1 configuration) |
| Writing speed | 112 Mb/s (RAID 1 configuration) 58 Mb/s (Hardware encryption) | 97.6 Mb/s (RAID 1 configuration) |
Cloud storage
Synology Drive is the remote cloud service associated with these systems, allowing easy storage, sharing, and cross-platform access to your NAS data.
Synology Cloud Sync Suite tools allow you to create a personalized cloud network, stream multimedia content, and download your NAS files remotely without the hassle of carrying a physical storage device with you.
This system also retains historical versions of your deleted files to ensure complete data safety.
Moreover, these tools enable mutual sharing and synchronization with a variety of public cloud platforms using the Cloud Sync service.
Comparatively speaking, Synology DS216j allows more efficient cloud networking as it supports more file transfers at a time than the competitor.
In contrast, DS218j enables fewer concurrent file transfers and ranks below for its cloud transmission ability.
| DS218j | DS216j | |
| Cloud synchronization | Amazon S3, Amazon Drive, Box, Baidu, Google Cloud Storage, Dropbox, Google Drive, hubiC, MegaDisk, WebDAV, Microsoft OneDrive, OpenStack Swift, , Yandex Disk | Amazon S3, Amazon Drive, Box, Baiduyun, Google Cloud Storage, Dropbox, Google Drive, hubiC, MegaDisk, WebDAV, Microsoft OneDrive, OpenStack Swift, , Yandex Disk |
| Concurrent file transfer | 100 | 128 |
| Retain historical versions | Yes | Yes |
| Max. concurrent download tasks | 30 | 30 |
OS and Internet browsers
Synology DS216j supports relatively older versions of operating systems and web browsers. It is compatible with Windows XP, macOS X 10.7, Ubuntu 12, and their later variants.
Plus, you can use it with iOS iPads, and Android smartphones.
Similarly, it shows compatibility with older versions of Internet Explorer, Safari, and Android.
On the other side, DS218j can also be used with Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems but you would need higher versions of these OS.
Likewise, its browser requirements include relatively upgraded versions than the competitor.
| DS218j | DS216j | |
| Operating Systems | Windows 7 and 10, Mac OS X 10.11 onwards, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows XP onwards, Mac OS X 10.7 onwards, Ubuntu 12 onwards, iOS, Android |
| Web browsers | Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer 10 onwards, Safari 10 onwards, Safari iOS 10 onwards, Android 6.0 onwards | Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer 8 onwards, Safari 7 onwards, Safari iOS 7 onwards, Android 4.0 onwards |
Backup
Both these DiskStations utilize the multi-tier backup system of Synology.
This Hyper Backup Suite uses multiple destinations for keeping the copies of the NAS data.
These locations include hard drives, shared folders, public cloud platforms, and rsync servers.
Hybrid RAID mode, incremental blockchain, and deduplication technology improve the efficiency of DS data backups, ensuring error-free retrieval of all files if any mishap occurs.
However, Synology DS218j takes the lead over its competitor by offering a better backup for surveillance purposes as it can handle input from more IP cameras in comparison.
Conversely, DS216j matches the competitor for most backup features but supports data backup for relatively fewer cameras.
| DS218j | DS216j | |
| RAID levels | Basic, Synology Hybrid RAID, JBOD, RAID 0, 1 | Basic, Synology Hybrid RAID, JBOD, RAID 0, 1 |
| IP camera support | 14 | 10 |
Sharing ability
Both these Synology tools allow users to share files and collaborate easily.
You can add user accounts to share NAS data individually and can also create local groups to give exclusive access to all project members simultaneously.
Admin can also control the number of shared files, folders, and storage volume available to different users and groups.
However, Synology DS216j takes the lead over its competitor as it allows more concurrent FTP/SMB connections than the competitor.
Thus, its collaboration ability is relatively higher.
DS218j scores lesser points for collaborative networking because it allows less number of connections for simultaneous file sharing.
| DS218j | DS216j | |
| Local users accounts | 1024 | 1024 |
| Local groups | 256 | 256 |
| Maximum shared folders | 256 | 256 |
| Concurrent NFS/SMB/FTP/AFP connections | 100 | 128 |
| VPN server connections | 5 | 5 |
| Shared folder sync tasks | 2 | 2 |
Durability and Warranty
Synology uses efficient CPU/ RAM chips and tough casing materials to assemble these DiskStations.
Due to this robust construction, these devices provide optimized cloud storage for many years.
Besides that, their lasting performance is backed by the company for up to 24 months after the purchase date.