UGREEN NASync DXP4800 vs Synology DS923+
Buy the UGREEN DXP4800 for modern hardware and a media server, and the Synology DS923+ for data integrity and software you never have to think about. The two facts that decide most of these purchases: the DS923+ has no integrated GPU, so it cannot hardware transcode for Plex or Jellyfin, while the DXP4800's Intel N100 can; and the DXP4800's UGOS Pro software launched via crowdfunding in 2024, so its long-term update and security record is unproven, while DSM is the most polished NAS operating system there is. Around those, the UGREEN ships 8GB of DDR5 and dual 2.5GbE; the Synology answers with ECC memory expandable to 32GB ECC, an optional 10GbE card, a DX517 expansion unit and DSM's Btrfs snapshots and backup suite.
The mistake this comparison exists to prevent: reading the spec sheets and buying on hardware alone. The DXP4800 wins almost every hardware row, and for a media box that is the right way to read it. But the DS923+ is the one built to be a system of record: ECC, a mature backup suite and a vendor with a long track record. Decide what the NAS is for before you decide which one is "better".
Side by side
| Feature | UGREEN NASync DXP4800 | Synology DS923+ |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel N100 quad-core | AMD Ryzen R1600 dual-core |
| Hardware transcoding | Yes, hardware transcoding | None, no hardware transcoding |
| Memory | 8GB DDR5, to 16GB (non-ECC) | 4GB DDR4 ECC, to 32GB ECC |
| Networking | 2× 2.5GbE built in | 2× 1GbE (10GbE via add-in card) |
| NVMe slots | 2× M.2 NVMe | 2× M.2 NVMe (2280) |
| Expansion | Third-party OS supported (TrueNAS etc.) | DX517 expansion unit |
| Operating system | UGOS Pro (launched 2024) | DSM (Btrfs snapshots, backup suite) |
| Price band | Mid tier (enclosure only) | Prosumer / upper-mid tier (enclosure only) |
Transcoding: the UGREEN wins, and it is not close
The DXP4800's Intel N100 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.
Software: the Synology's real advantage, and the UGREEN's real risk
This is the axis the QNAP comparison does not have. DSM is the most polished, best-documented NAS operating system, with the widest first-party app ecosystem, and on the DS923+ it brings Btrfs snapshots and a backup suite that our QNAP comparison already rates as genuinely better than QNAP's equivalents. You are paying for a vendor with a long track record of shipping and patching NAS software.
UGOS Pro is young. UGREEN's NASync line launched via crowdfunding in 2024, so the OS is still maturing and its long-term update and security track record is unproven versus Synology or QNAP. Many buyers treat the DXP4800 primarily as good hardware for TrueNAS, which UGREEN openly supports; if you go that way you get a proven, community-supported OS and ZFS on your terms, at the cost of doing your own integration and updates. Read DIY TrueNAS vs Synology before you decide, because that is really the choice you are making with the UGREEN.
ECC memory: what the extra money on the Synology buys
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. The DXP4800 has more RAM (8GB DDR5 versus 4GB) but none of it is ECC, and its official ceiling is 16GB against the DS923+'s 32GB ECC.
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, and ECC is nice, not mandatory covers the rest.
Networking and upgrade paths
The DXP4800 ships with two 2.5GbE ports; the DS923+ ships with two 1GbE ports and reaches 10GbE only via an optional add-in card. 2.5GbE matters because 1GbE is the real bottleneck in most NAS setups. A 1GbE link tops out around 110–118MB/s of actual throughput — and a single modern hard drive already reads at roughly 180–280MB/s sequentially, so on gigabit you're leaving half the drive's speed on the table, and a RAID array or NVMe cache is throttled even harder. 2.5GbE lifts the ceiling to ~280MB/s, roughly matching one fast HDD and dramatically improving large-file transfers. It's the single most worthwhile 'speed' upgrade for home NAS; 10GbE only pays off with NVMe pools or many-drive arrays. See 2.5GbE vs 1GbE for whether that speed difference will actually show up in your workflow.
Longer term the two expand differently. The Synology's DX517 unit adds bays, and its add-in card adds bandwidth. The UGREEN's growth path is its four bays plus two M.2 slots and the freedom to change operating system. Decide which you are likely to run out of first: ports, drive slots, or patience with the bundled software.
RAM and self-hosting headroom
Whether a NAS can run Docker containers and virtual machines is set mostly by its CPU class and RAM, not the marketing. The Intel Celeron/N-series and low-power AMD chips in these boxes handle a handful of lightweight Docker containers (Pi-hole, a *arr stack, small databases) comfortably with 4–8GB RAM; running full virtual machines, or many heavy containers at once, wants a stronger CPU and 8–16GB+. ARM-based budget NAS units and some entry models don't support VMs or full container platforms at all. If self-hosting is your goal, prioritize an x86 (Intel/AMD) NAS with expandable RAM. On paper the DXP4800's 8GB of DDR5 is the more comfortable starting point for a handful of containers, and the DS923+'s 4GB is modest, but the Synology's 32GB ECC ceiling is the one with real headroom if the stack grows. See how much RAM a NAS needs and the Docker and VM guide.
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. UGREEN, by contrast, accepts standard third-party NAS drives without a vendor-lock policy.
UGREEN: the software track record. UGOS Pro is new, its long-term update and security history is still being written, and the DXP4800's main appeal for many buyers is as capable hardware to run TrueNAS on, not the bundled OS. Weigh that against the hardware value, and keep it off the open internet like any NAS.
Both: the drives. Each ships as an empty enclosure. Use CMR NAS-rated drives, never SMR in an array; see CMR vs SMR.
Verdict
Choose the UGREEN NASync DXP4800 if you want a media server, the most modern hardware for the money, dual 2.5GbE on day one, and you are comfortable with a young software ecosystem or plan to run TrueNAS. It is the better general-purpose home box for most people who are not wedded to DSM.
Choose the Synology DS923+ if the NAS is your system of record and you want ECC memory, 32GB of headroom, a 10GbE upgrade path and DSM's snapshot and backup tooling, accepting that media transcoding is not its job and that Synology's drive policy needs checking first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buy the UGREEN NASync DXP4800 if you want a media server or the most modern hardware for the money: its Intel N100 has an integrated GPU for hardware transcoding, it ships with 8GB of DDR5 and dual 2.5GbE, and it openly runs a third-party OS such as TrueNAS. Buy the Synology DS923+ if the NAS is your system of record: it is the only one of the two with ECC memory, expandable to 32GB ECC, it has an optional 10GbE add-in card and a DX517 expansion unit, and DSM's Btrfs snapshots and backup suite are the most polished in the category. The price bands differ too: our data lists the DXP4800 as mid tier and the DS923+ as prosumer / upper-mid tier, enclosure only.
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 files on the fly for phones and older TVs, the DS923+ is the wrong tool and the DXP4800's Intel N100 is the reason to pick it.
It is the honest weak point. UGREEN's NASync line and UGOS Pro launched via crowdfunding in 2024, so the operating system is still maturing and its long-term update and security track record is unproven versus Synology or QNAP. Many buyers treat the DXP4800 primarily as good hardware for TrueNAS, which UGREEN openly supports. If you want a proven, community-supported OS on it, plan on that from day one; if you want an appliance that just works, that is the DS923+'s argument.
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 UGREEN DXP4800, 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. A 1GbE link tops out around 110 to 118MB/s, which a single modern hard drive already exceeds; 2.5GbE lifts the ceiling to roughly 280MB/s.
It is the DS923+'s other watch-out. On the Plus line, NVMe storage pools and some HDD features officially expect Synology-branded drives, and with the 2025 Plus generation Synology moved to enforce a verified-drive list for full functionality. Older Plus models like the DS923+ are more permissive but still publish a compatibility list, so check it before buying disks. UGREEN, like QNAP, TerraMaster and Asustor, accepts standard third-party NAS drives such as WD Red Plus and Seagate IronWolf without a vendor-lock policy.