The catch
Synology DiskStation DS225+
The unit has no M.2 slots.
Side by side
Synology DiskStation DS225+ vs TerraMaster F2-425 Compared: More supplied RAM from the start, or staying with a DSM photo workflow
Quick verdict
Buyers who want Synology Photos, backups and Surveillance Station inside DSM are served by the DS225+. For a TOS storage setup, the F2-425 comes with 4GB supplied memory.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Protected capacity when all drives are 12TB
Before formatting, this example gives 12TB with Synology DiskStation DS225+ and 12TB with F2-425. Moving to a different chassis does not increase protected capacity.
Where this comes from
Suppose each SATA bay holds a supported 12TB disk. A two-bay RAID 1 gives the usable capacity of one disk. With three or more drives, RAID 5 usable TB = (drive count minus 1) × 12. The layout is only an illustration. It is not storage that comes included, and it is not a backup.
The catch
TerraMaster F2-425
You cannot put a third data drive in this chassis, since it has two SATA bays.
Synology DiskStation DS225+
- Why pick it
- You are after DSM photo, backup or camera applications
- supported ram ceiling: you want 6GB
- The catch
- The unit has no M.2 slots.
TerraMaster F2-425
- Why pick it
- You want a 16GB upgrade ceiling on top of 4GB supplied RAM
- supported ram ceiling: you want 16GB
- The catch
- You cannot put a third data drive in this chassis, since it has two SATA bays.
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What this page compares
Which of DS225+ and F2-425 fits depends on protected storage, included networking and the exact SSD or application layout you need.
For a two-drive archive, the choice is between DSM features and extra supplied memory.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Protected archive built from 12 TB disks filling every internal SATA bay
In this example, RAID 1 covers two disks and RAID 5 covers three or more. Before formatting, Synology DiskStation DS225+ gives 12TB and F2-425 gives 12TB. Switching chassis does not raise this protected capacity.
- Synology DiskStation DS225+
- Similar
- TerraMaster F2-425
- Similar
A workstation already at the speed of the faster included Ethernet port
The ports included run at 2.5GbE and 2.5GbE. Read the 100GB calculation together with the real client speed.
- Synology DiskStation DS225+
- Similar
- TerraMaster F2-425
- Similar
Multiple local services dividing up the supplied RAM
Synology DiskStation DS225+ comes with 2 GB RAM and supports 6 GB, while TerraMaster F2-425 comes with 4 GB and supports 16 GB. Before budgeting for an upgrade, hold the stated application memory requirement up against the supplied configuration. RAM capacity by itself says nothing certain about application speed.
- Synology DiskStation DS225+
- Depends
- TerraMaster F2-425
- Better fit
The gap in supplied memory still holds after the upgrade check
F2-425 begins with 2GB more RAM and its supported ceiling is 10GB higher. For DS225+, the argument depends on required DSM applications and not on a bigger memory budget.
- Synology DiskStation DS225+
- Depends
- TerraMaster F2-425
- Depends
In practice
Differences you will notice
Protected capacity when all drives are 12TB
Before formatting, this example gives 12TB with Synology DiskStation DS225+ and 12TB with F2-425. Moving to a different chassis does not increase protected capacity.
How we worked this out
Suppose each SATA bay holds a supported 12TB disk. A two-bay RAID 1 gives the usable capacity of one disk. With three or more drives, RAID 5 usable TB = (drive count minus 1) × 12. The layout is only an illustration. It is not storage that comes included, and it is not a backup.
100GB moved at the speed ceiling of the included port
At line rate, the minimum is 320 seconds for Synology DiskStation DS225+ and 320 seconds for F2-425. Real copies take longer. With a 1GbE client the lower bound becomes 800 seconds for both.
How we worked this out
Decimal 100GB × 8 = 800 gigabits. Take the fastest included port rate, 2.5Gbps or 2.5Gbps, and divide 800 by it. Protocol overhead is ignored here only because this is a lower-bound calculation. Optional adapters and aggregated ports are left out.
The gap in supplied memory still holds after the upgrade check
F2-425 begins with 2GB more RAM and its supported ceiling is 10GB higher. For DS225+, the argument depends on required DSM applications and not on a bigger memory budget.
How we worked this out
Gap in installed memory = 4 minus 2 = 2GB. Gap in manufacturer ceiling = 16 minus 6 = 10GB. Nothing about VMs or the number of applications is inferred.
Option A
Synology, DS225+
Synology DiskStation DS225+
A 2-bay chassis whose fastest documented network path is 2.5 Gbps.
- Best for
- keep family photos safe on a two-drive starting setup
Facts we checked
- Storage comes in a 2-bay chassis.
- The fastest network path documented for it runs at 2.5 Gbps.
- It supports serving media through Plex.
- Camera recording works, though how many channels you can license depends on the software and plan you choose.
Option B
TerraMaster, F2-425
F2-425
With 2.5GbE and 4GB memory, this is a two-drive server for photos and backups. It fits when a mirrored pair is enough and you do not need M.2 storage.
- Best for
- A small home archive on two drives
Facts we checked
- 0 M.2 slots alongside 2 SATA drive bays
- Fastest network port included: 2.5GbE
- Comes with 4GB of RAM, expandable to 16GB
- Intel x86 quad-core processor in a diskless NAS
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Synology DiskStation DS225+ | TerraMaster F2-425 | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplied RAM | 2GB | 4GB | This figure is the memory already installed, before any upgrade modules are bought. |
| Supported RAM ceiling | 6GB | 16GB | The manufacturer-supported upgrade ceiling for concurrent services is set by this. |
| Processor | Intel Celeron J4125 | Intel x86 quad-core | The platform determines the media engines, the application architecture and the concurrency. |
| Software and expansion route | DSM | TOS | Pick the applications and supported add-ons the job calls for. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Synology DiskStation DS225+
- Confirm that your disks are compatible before buying.
With TerraMaster F2-425
- Storage drives are sold separately, and the chassis has no M.2 slots.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
You are after DSM photo, backup or camera applications
Go with Synology DiskStation DS225+. DS225+ is the choice when a confirmed DSM application is what you need. Its 2 GB of supplied memory and 6 GB supported ceiling are still separate limits to check.
You want a 16GB upgrade ceiling on top of 4GB supplied RAM
Go with TerraMaster F2-425. DS225+ has 2 GB and 6 GB, whereas F2-425 supplies 4 GB and supports 16 GB, which is a larger supported memory budget for compatible applications.
Decision guide
How to decide
First, pin down the storage layout you need
Buyers who want Synology Photos, backups and Surveillance Station inside DSM are served by the DS225+. For a TOS storage setup, the F2-425 comes with 4GB supplied memory.
Count what the drive budget allows
Before formatting, a 12TB mirror is 12TB in either chassis. Neither gains capacity from a third SATA drive, so the first drive-size choice carries real weight.
Look at the client and apps you will really use
Starting at 2GB, the DS225+ officially expands to 6GB. Starting at 4GB, the F2-425 supports 16GB. Before you put a value on that RAM gap, compare the applications you will run, camera licenses included.
What this page can’t tell you
- Capacity examples assume equal 12TB drives, counted before formatting, snapshots and filesystem overhead.
- Treat Ethernet calculations as lower bounds, since disk performance, network protocol and other traffic add time.
- Neither application speed nor a VM count follows from memory capacity alone.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the NAS devices we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
How many fit
Only 10 of the 32 models checked meet every need here: “Two drives to begin with” and “Keep going after one drive fails”.
10 models fit, out of 32 checkedShow the facts and the math
How we countedThe count uses each product's current fit ratings for “Two drives to begin with” and “Keep going after one drive fails”. A need with no documented match is not counted.
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synology DiskStation DS225+ |
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| TerraMaster F2-425 |
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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.
Synology DiskStation DS225+
You are after DSM photo, backup or camera applications
See price & reviews on AmazonTerraMaster F2-425
You want a 16GB upgrade ceiling on top of 4GB supplied RAM
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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