The catch
QNAP TS-264-8G-US
Hard-drive growth is limited by having two SATA bays.
Side by side
QNAP TS-264 vs Synology DS425+ Compared: QNAP leaves a route for a network card, while Synology adds HDD bays
Quick verdict
If two hard drives are enough and you want more installed RAM or a PCIe network-upgrade route, the TS-264-8G is the fit. For a larger internal hard-drive array and DSM backups, go with the DS425+. Two NVMe slots come on both, so the main decision is storage growth against hardware flexibility around a smaller drive pair.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
In the same drive-size example, four bays can give 24 TB more
Using equal compatible 12 TB drives, a two-drive mirror in QNAP gives 12 TB before overhead, while a four-drive RAID 5 array in DS425+ gives 36 TB. The extra 24 TB comes from buying two more drives and using a different RAID layout, and not from the enclosure alone.
Where this comes from
RAID 1 on QNAP gives 12 TB. RAID 5 on Synology gives (4 - 1) × 12 = 36 TB. 36 - 12 = 24 TB of additional nominal usable capacity.
The catch
Synology DiskStation DS425+
Supplied RAM is just 2 GB, and the official maximum is 6 GB.
QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- Why pick it
- Start with 8 GB RAM in place and two hard drives
- Leave a compatible PCIe route open for a networking upgrade
- The catch
- Hard-drive growth is limited by having two SATA bays.
Synology DiskStation DS425+
- Why pick it
- Scale up to three or four internal hard drives
- Combine the DSM workflow with RAID 6 on four drives
- The catch
- Supplied RAM is just 2 GB, and the official maximum is 6 GB.
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What this page compares
A diskless NAS purchase, QNAP TS-264 vs Synology DS425+, weighed on storage growth, home apps, protected hard-drive capacity, RAM and networking.
If two hard drives are enough and you want more installed RAM or a PCIe network-upgrade route, the TS-264-8G is the fit. For a larger internal hard-drive array and DSM backups, go with the DS425+. Two NVMe slots come on both, so the main decision is storage growth against hardware flexibility around a smaller drive pair.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
My long-term storage need is covered by two mirrored hard drives
That starting layout works on both, and QNAP comes with more memory.
- QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- Good
- Synology DiskStation DS425+
- Good
I plan on a single internal array of four hard drives
There are four SATA bays on DS425+.
- QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- Not suitable
- Synology DiskStation DS425+
- Better fit
The applications I run call for 8 GB of RAM
That memory comes with the QNAP 8G model, whereas Synology officially supports up to 6 GB.
- QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- Good
- Synology DiskStation DS425+
- Not suitable
I want two NVMe positions in addition to the hard drives
Two slots are on each, and each platform has its own drive and storage-mode requirements.
- QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- Good
- Synology DiskStation DS425+
- Good
In practice
Differences you will notice
In the same drive-size example, four bays can give 24 TB more
Using equal compatible 12 TB drives, a two-drive mirror in QNAP gives 12 TB before overhead, while a four-drive RAID 5 array in DS425+ gives 36 TB. The extra 24 TB comes from buying two more drives and using a different RAID layout, and not from the enclosure alone.
How we worked this out
RAID 1 on QNAP gives 12 TB. RAID 5 on Synology gives (4 - 1) × 12 = 36 TB. 36 - 12 = 24 TB of additional nominal usable capacity.
Synology's official RAM ceiling sits below where the smaller chassis starts
The selected TS-264-8G arrives with 8 GB, but DS425+ officially supports up to 6 GB, even after expansion. If your chosen applications require 8 GB, the extra hard-drive bays on Synology do not fix that memory requirement.
How we worked this out
QNAP comes with 8 GB and Synology tops out at 6 GB. 8 - 6 = 2 GB over the official Synology ceiling.
The right hard-drive layout is needed for two-drive fault tolerance
In Synology RAID 6, four equal 12 TB drives give 24 TB before overhead and tolerate two drive failures, while a two-drive mirror in QNAP tolerates one. QNAP does not become a four-hard-drive chassis because of two NVMe slots.
How we worked this out
For RAID 6, (4 - 2) × 12 = 24 TB, with two-drive fault tolerance. Two-drive RAID 1 keeps the capacity of one drive and tolerates one drive failure.
Option A
QNAP, TS-264-8G-US
QNAP TS-264-8G-US
This two-bay NAS has two built-in NVMe slots, dual 2.5GbE and a PCIe slot that takes supported SSD or network expansion. The current 8G configuration selected here comes with 8 GB RAM.
- Best for
- Start with 8 GB RAM in place and two hard drives
Facts we checked
- SATA drive bays: 2
- NVMe slots: 2
- Installed memory: 8 GB
- Official maximum memory: 16 GB on the current SODIMM revision
Option B
Synology, DS425+
Synology DiskStation DS425+
A 4-bay chassis whose fastest documented network path is 2.5 Gbps.
- Best for
- Scale up to three or four internal hard drives
Facts we checked
- SATA drive bays: 4
- NVMe slots: 2
- Installed memory: 2 GB
- Official maximum memory: 6 GB
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | QNAP TS-264-8G-US | Synology DiskStation DS425+ | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| SATA drive bays | 2 | 4 | A larger internal hard-drive array is supported by Synology. |
| NVMe slots | 2 | 2 | For a two-NVMe plan, neither one leads on slot count. |
| Installed memory | 8 GB | 2 GB | Despite its smaller hard-drive chassis, QNAP includes more RAM. |
| Official maximum memory | 16 GB on the current SODIMM revision | 6 GB | Before upgrading, confirm the QNAP revision and supported modules. |
| Built-in Ethernet | Two 2.5GbE | One 2.5GbE and one 1GbE | A single 2.5GbE client path works on both. |
| PCIe network expansion | One slot with compatible card options | No internal PCIe card slot | Supported faster networking can be added to QNAP, at extra cost. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- Using its single PCIe slot, optional network expansion also costs extra.
With Synology DiskStation DS425+
- No upgrade path for an internal PCIe card.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
I am moving up to three or four internal hard drives next
Go with Synology DiskStation DS425+. The additional SATA positions are on DS425+.
Two hard drives are enough and 8 GB RAM is needed right away
Go with QNAP TS-264-8G-US. That memory comes with the selected QNAP 8G model.
I want four SATA bays together with officially supported RAM above 6 GB
Neither model fits. Another model is needed for this combination.
Decision guide
How to decide
Keep the storage plan and the app plan apart
Four bays do not automatically make a NAS the more capable application server. The DS425+ has more SATA positions, whereas the TS-264-8G has more supplied memory and a PCIe slot. Estimate protected storage capacity first, and only then check the CPU and memory requirements of the applications you plan to run.
Count the drives in your four-bay budget
Four purchased drives are assumed in the larger RAID examples. Starting a four-bay enclosure with only two drives does not give you four-drive RAID 5 or RAID 6 capacity right away. Before changing an array later, check the supported migration path and keep a verified backup.
Having NVMe slots is not unrestricted SSD support
Two M.2 positions come on both. Synology permits M.2 storage pools under its verified SSD requirements, and QNAP likewise calls for checking drive compatibility and the chosen storage mode. A matching physical drive size does not show that an SSD will work as planned on both systems.
What this page can’t tell you
- Storage figures assume compatible drives of equal capacity and decimal TB, counted before formatting, system space and metadata. RAID covers the drive failures it is specified for, but it does not replace a separate backup.
- Treat network figures as link rates. They are not measured file-transfer speeds. For the exact model you buy, check software support, memory revision, drive compatibility and the rest of the network.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the NAS devices we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| QNAP TS-264-8G-US |
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| Synology DiskStation DS425+ |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
QNAP TS-264-8G-US
Start with 8 GB RAM in place and two hard drives
See price & reviews on AmazonSynology DiskStation DS425+
Scale up to three or four internal hard drives
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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