Synology DS923+ vs QNAP TS-464
Buy the QNAP TS-464 for a media server, and the Synology DS923+ for data integrity. The single fact that decides most of these purchases: the DS923+ has no integrated GPU, so it cannot hardware transcode — its AMD Ryzen R1600 is a poor choice for Plex or Emby unless everything direct-plays. The TS-464's Intel Celeron N5095 does transcode in hardware, ships with dual 2.5GbE rather than 1GbE, and has a PCIe Gen3 slot for a 10GbE card later. The DS923+ answers back with the thing QNAP does not offer at this size: ECC memory, expandable to 32GB ECC, plus DSM's Btrfs snapshots and backup suite.
The mistake this comparison exists to prevent: buying the more expensive, more "prosumer" Synology to run Plex. ECC memory and a Ryzen CPU read as the serious choice, but without an integrated GPU there is no hardware transcoding — and transcoding is the single most common reason people buy a 4-bay NAS in the first place.
Side by side
| Feature | Synology DS923+ | QNAP TS-464 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen R1600 dual-core | Intel Celeron N5095 quad-core |
| Hardware transcoding | None — no hardware transcoding | Yes — hardware transcoding |
| Memory | 4GB DDR4 ECC, to 32GB ECC | 4GB DDR4, to 16GB (non-ECC) |
| Networking | 2× 1GbE (10GbE via add-in card) | 2× 2.5GbE built in |
| NVMe slots | 2× M.2 NVMe | 2× M.2 PCIe Gen3 NVMe |
| Expansion | DX517 expansion unit | PCIe Gen3 slot (10GbE card, M.2 carrier) |
| Operating system | DSM (Btrfs snapshots, backup suite) | QTS / QuTS hero |
Transcoding: the QNAP wins, and it is not close
The TS-464's Intel Celeron N5095 includes an integrated GPU, which is what does the work when a media server converts a file on the fly for a device that cannot play the original. The DS923+'s AMD Ryzen R1600 has no iGPU at all. That is not a small performance gap — it is a missing capability.
This only matters if you actually transcode. If your library is already in formats your TVs, phones and tablets play natively, the NAS just serves the file and the CPU barely notices. Our best NAS for a home media server guide covers how to tell which situation you are in before you spend.
ECC memory: the Synology's real advantage
ECC memory detects and corrects single-bit errors before they reach disk. It matters because RAID does not protect you from bad data — RAID protects you from a drive dying. If memory corrupts a byte on its way to being written, RAID faithfully writes the corrupted byte to every drive in the array. ECC is the layer that catches that, and finding it in a 4-bay desktop NAS is genuinely unusual.
Keep it in proportion, though. ECC is not a substitute for backups, and a non-ECC NAS with a real 3-2-1 backup is in better shape than an ECC NAS without one. If you have not read why RAID is not a backup, start there.
Networking and upgrade paths
The TS-464 ships with two 2.5GbE ports; the DS923+ ships with two 1GbE ports and reaches 10GbE only via an optional add-in card. If you already run 2.5GbE, the QNAP uses it on day one with no extra spend — see 2.5GbE vs 1GbE for whether that speed difference will actually show up in your workflow.
Longer term the two expand differently. The QNAP's PCIe Gen3 slot takes a 10GbE card or an extra M.2 carrier. The Synology expands in a different direction — the DX517 unit adds bays, not bandwidth. Decide which axis you are likely to run out of first: ports or drive slots.
What to watch out for on each
Synology — the drive compatibility policy. On the Plus line, NVMe storage pools and some HDD features officially expect Synology-branded drives. Check the compatibility list before you buy disks, because it can quietly change the real cost of the build. We cover this in Synology drive compatibility explained.
QNAP — security. Never expose a QNAP directly to the internet, and keep it patched. QNAP devices have been repeatedly targeted, and the failure mode is losing the data you bought the NAS to protect. Access it over a VPN rather than by port-forwarding.
Both — the 4GB base RAM is modest if you plan to run several containers or a VM. Budget an upgrade; see how much RAM a NAS needs.
Verdict
Choose the QNAP TS-464 if you want a media server, faster networking without extra spend, or the flexibility of a PCIe slot. It is the better general-purpose home box for most people.
Choose the Synology DS923+ if the NAS is your system of record and you want ECC memory, 32GB of headroom, and DSM's snapshot and backup tooling — accepting that media transcoding is not its job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buy the QNAP TS-464 if you want a media server or an upgrade path: it has an Intel Celeron N5095 with an integrated GPU for hardware transcoding, ships with dual 2.5GbE, and has a PCIe slot you can put a 10GbE card in. Buy the Synology DS923+ if data integrity and the DSM software matter more: it is the only one of the two with ECC memory, expandable to 32GB ECC, and DSM's Btrfs snapshots and backup suite are genuinely better than QNAP's equivalents.
Not for transcoding. Its AMD Ryzen R1600 has no integrated GPU, so there is no hardware transcoding — you are relying on direct play, where the client plays the file as-is, or on a separate transcoding box. If your library is already in formats your devices play natively, that is fine. If you expect the NAS to convert 4K files on the fly for phones and older TVs, the DS923+ is the wrong tool and the TS-464's Intel chip is the reason to pick it.
It matters most if the NAS is the only copy of something you cannot recreate. ECC detects and corrects single-bit memory errors before they are written to disk, which protects against silent corruption that no RAID level catches — RAID protects against a drive dying, not against bad data being written correctly to every drive. The DS923+ having ECC at this size is genuinely unusual. That said, ECC is not a substitute for backups, and a non-ECC NAS with a real 3-2-1 backup is safer than an ECC NAS without one.
The QNAP TS-464, clearly. It ships with two 2.5GbE ports, so you get faster-than-gigabit transfers with nothing more than a 2.5GbE switch. The DS923+ ships with two 1GbE ports and reaches 10GbE only through an optional add-in card, which is a separate purchase. If you already have 2.5GbE networking, the QNAP uses it on day one.
On the Synology, the drive-compatibility policy: NVMe storage pools and some HDD features officially expect Synology-branded drives on the Plus line, so check the compatibility list before buying disks. On the QNAP, security: never expose a QNAP directly to the internet and keep it patched — QNAP devices have been targeted by ransomware campaigns. Also budget a RAM upgrade on either if you plan to run many containers or VMs, since 4GB is modest for that.