Synology is aware of learn how to make an ideal NAS server, and its greatest differentiator is not the {hardware} — its merchandise do not normally have the most effective {hardware} on this section — however the software program. The model’s DiskStation Supervisor (DSM) has the most effective interface mixed with a terrific set of utilities, and its this degree of polish and refinement that makes Synology the most effective NAS producer.
However what in case you do not wish to get a full-fledged NAS, and are keen on a fundamental server simply to retailer your information, pictures, and movies? Beforehand, your possibility was to get one thing just like the DiskStation DS220j or the DS223j, add a tough drive, and set it up in your house community.
There’s now a better method, due to the introduction of the BeeStation. Just like the BeeDrive that debuted final yr, the BeeStation is a centralized storage resolution that is aimed toward customers that do not wish to take care of the complexity of establishing a NAS. It’s much like WD’s My Cloud sequence in that regard; the BeeStation is actually an enclosure that homes a 4TB HDD, you join it by way of Ethernet to your router, and it then backs up information from varied units in your house.
The truth that it has an built-in HDD is a giant deal, and the BeeStation could be very reasonably priced — the 4TB mannequin is obtainable for simply $199. I have been utilizing the BeeStation alongside my typical NAS servers — the DiskStation DS1522+ and the large DiskStation DS3622xs+.
There are a number of limitations with the BeeStation; it is clearly not a full-fledged NAS, however in case you want a fundamental resolution to retailer information, it could simply be what you are searching for.
Synology BeeStation: Worth and launch date
Synology launched the BeeStation in choose Asian markets on January 31, and the product shall be obtainable globally beginning March 6. At launch, the BeeStation is offered in a single variant with a 4TB HDD that retails for $199. Contemplating it has a HAT3300 drive that retails for $99 by itself, you are principally getting an ideal worth right here.
Customers in India can get their palms on the BeeStation proper now, with the server debuting for ₹21,000 ($253).
Synology BeeStation: Specs
The BeeStation is exclusive in that it has a tough drive built-in, however in any other case it shares a whole lot of the identical {hardware} as its full-fledged NAS siblings. That is what you are getting:
| Class | Synology BeeStation |
|---|---|
| CPU | Realtek RTD1619B |
| Storage | Synology HAT3300-4T 4TB HDD, 5,400rpm |
| RAM | 1GB DDR4, soldered |
| Ethernet | 1 x Gigabit Ethernet |
| Ports | 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 |
| System necessities | Home windows 10 (Construct 17063 or above), Home windows 11, macOS 12.3 or above, iOS 15 or above, Android 8 or above |
| Dimensions | 148 x 63 x 196mm |
| Weight | 820g |
Synology BeeStation: Design
The BeeStation has an unobtrusive design that does not entice a whole lot of consideration — simply accurately. The design aesthetic is completely different to that of most DiskStation NAS fashions; there are not any vents on the facet, and aside from a stylized BeeStation brand, you do not get any branding in anyway. The unit has passive airflow that is delivered by vents on the high, and there is no energetic cooling.
What you get right here is an enclosure to deal with a 3.5-inch NAS onerous drive, and since there is no want for detachable drives, it’s considerably smaller in dimension than most full-fledged NAS fashions. The design itself is glossy, and also you get a single LED that serves as a visible indicator to system standing.
The plastic chassis has good construct high quality, and there are rubber ft on the backside to make sure the BeeStation stays planted on a desk. There is not a lot else to speak about on this space, and whereas WD has fashionable fashions within the My Cloud sequence that stand out, that is not the case right here, and I just like the subdued design.
Synology BeeStation: Options and configuration
The BeeStation is all about ease-of-use, so that you get a restricted set of options, and never a lot in the best way of customizability. The server has a Gigabit Ethernet port on the again together with a USB-C and USB-A port, and similar to the model’s NAS servers, you may simply switch information from an exterior drive to the BeeStation with relative ease. You additionally get the power to make use of an exterior drive as a secondary information supply, however you may’t use it to increase the storage of the BeeStation.
The BeeStation makes use of a quad-core Realtek RTD1619B chip — the identical because the DiskStation DS223 — and also you get 1GB of DDR4 reminiscence. The onerous drive is the Synology Plus Sequence HAT3300-4T, and the 4TB drive connects over the same old SATA 6Gb/s interface and spins at 5,400rpm. It tends to get a bit noisy below load, nevertheless it is not rather more so than equal IronWolf or WD Purple drives.
Establishing the BeeStation is about as easy because it will get. All it’s good to do is scan the QR code that is included within the bundle (it is also positioned on the underside of the product), check in with a Synology account, and join the Ethernet cable to your router. You may want to carry down the facility button for 4 seconds to instantiate the software program, and it is a great way to make sure that nobody can take management of the BeeStation remotely.
As quickly as that is accomplished, you may give your BeeStation a reputation, and get began with the product. There are cellular apps that will let you view the info saved on the BeeStation from wherever, and you may entry the net interface by going to portal.bee.synology.com. You may want the net interface to ask members of the family to make use of the BeeStation — you may have as much as 9 complete customers — arrange integration with public cloud providers, and extra.
Inviting customers is extraordinarily simple, and the BeeStation creates a novel hyperlink that may be shared with your loved ones. There’s additionally the availability to create a neighborhood account that is solely obtainable by way of LAN, and once more, it is a good transfer. There is not a lot else in the best way of settings, and going to the Superior settings tab permits you to arrange e-mail notifications for system alerts.
You can too again up the info on the BeeStation to an exterior drive or the model’s personal C2 cloud service, and equally restore information in case you’ve beforehand saved information inside C2.
Synology BeeStation: Software program and efficiency
The BeeStation runs a light-weight OS referred to as BeeStation Supervisor (BSM), and it has a restricted feature-set. The principle use case with the BeeStation is to again up information and pictures, and to that impact, you get two utilities: BeePhotos and BeeFiles. In contrast to the model’s NAS servers, there is no Package deal Middle, so you may’t obtain any further apps.
The largest draw back is that there is no strategy to stream media, and also you miss out on the likes of Plex. Once I requested Synology in regards to the potential for this characteristic to be added down the road, the model mentioned that the BeeStation is designed to be an “entry-level preconfigured storage resolution” that does not have all of the options of a NAS, and that media playback or streaming will not be coming to this mannequin.
If that is one thing you want, then you have to to contemplate one of many model’s price range NAS servers, and there is loads of choices obtainable in that space — the DiskStation DS223 and DS224+ instantly come to thoughts.
In relation to backing up information, the BeeStation holds up simply in addition to a full-fledged NAS. There is a BeeStation utility for Home windows that permits you to again up folders with ease, and the most effective half is you can arrange a two-way sync between the BeeStation and that folder. After you have chosen a folder, the info is backed up routinely, and the utility is simply as dependable as Synology Drive on this regard.
It is also extraordinarily simple to again up information from a cloud service supplier like Google Drive to the BeeStation. Simply enter your credentials, arrange what folders you wish to again up, and the BeeStation does the remaining. I already do that with my NAS servers, and it is nice to see this characteristic make its method into the BeeStation.
Whereas I used to be initially fearful in regards to the safety of the BeeStation on condition that there is not a lot in the best way of safety controls on the machine, it has a whole lot of safeguards baked in. BSM makes use of Synology’s QuickConnect relay service to ascertain a connection, and it principally creates a safe tunnel, so you may simply entry your information from wherever with out having to fret about privateness points. I might have appreciated the power to put in Tailscale on the product, however that is not the case.
As we’re speaking about distant connectivity, the most effective a part of the BeeStation is the truth that you may entry your information on the go. There are cellular apps for BeePhotos and BeeFiles, and BeePhotos is simply Synology Images below a distinct identify. Identical to that app, BeePhotos does a terrific job backing up pictures and movies out of your telephones, and it has the identical interface. You even get the power to solid pictures and movies to TVs and different Forged-enabled units.
I talked about how Synology Images is a viable different to Google Images due to the same consumer interface and the power to kind pictures by faces, and also you get all of these options in BeePhotos as properly. BeeFiles does the identical factor, however with information — it’s positioned as a substitute for Google Drive, and also you get an interface that is practically an identical to what Google provides.
In a month of testing, the BeeStation did a implausible job backing up folders from my Home windows gaming machine, in addition to pictures and movies from the dozen or so units I examined — together with the likes of the Vivo X100 Professional, iQOO 12, and some telephones I am unable to discuss simply but. I might have appreciated extra configuration choices and the power to stream media, however the BeeStation is aimed toward customers that need an easy-to-use storage resolution, and it hits that temporary completely.
Synology BeeStation: The competitors
If it’s good to stream media or need the power to put in further utilities, it’s best to think about getting a full-fledged NAS. The DiskStation DS224+ is my advice, and it’s a nice starter mannequin that has loads to supply. You get two drive bays, highly effective {hardware}, a flexible software program platform with a ton of helpful utilities, and twin Gigabit Ethernet ports. You must add your personal HDDs, and the barebones NAS itself prices $299, so it’s significantly costlier than the BeeStation. That mentioned, you additionally get rather more extensibility.
If you would like a extra budget-focused resolution, the DiskStation DS223 is a superb alternative. It would not fairly have the identical caliber of {hardware} because the DS224+, nevertheless it nonetheless does an honest job in day by day use, and it holds up properly as a media streaming server.
Synology BeeStation: Must you purchase it?
You should purchase this if:
- You want a centralized storage machine to retailer pictures and movies
- You need a straightforward strategy to entry your information wherever
- You want an all-in-one resolution that is simple to handle
You should not purchase this if:
- You want a storage server to stream media
- You want a couple of onerous drive
I actually appreciated the thought of the BeeDrive, and used the product fairly a bit over the past six months. The largest draw back was that it might solely work when my machine was energetic, because it wanted to be plugged in to a USB port. I wished Synology to make a devoted resolution that would work over Ethernet, and the BeeStation is that machine.
The BeeStation is not a full-fledged NAS, and it is not designed to be one; you do not get a lot extensibility or media streaming capabilities, so in case you’re after a NAS server for Plex streaming, it’s best to get the DiskStation DS224+ or DS223 as an alternative. The BeeStation is as an alternative aimed toward those who need an easy-to-use centralized storage resolution to again up information, pictures, and movies, and it excels at these use instances.
There’s additionally the worth to contemplate, and retailing for simply $199, the BeeStation has quite a bit going for it. So in case you need not stream media to linked units in your house and are as an alternative taking a look at an all-in-one storage server to again up information, you may’t go flawed with the BeeStation.
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