The catch
Synology DiskStation DS425+
Less room for SSD expansion comes with two M.2 slots.
Side by side
Synology DiskStation DS425+ vs TerraMaster F2-425 Plus Compared: Synology with four SATA disks, or two disks plus three NVMe slots
Quick verdict
Four SATA drives and the DSM workflow are the reasons to buy the DS425+. If two SATA bays are enough and you want dual 5GbE, three NVMe slots or a larger memory ceiling, buy the F2-425 Plus.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
A four-disk plan shifts with two extra SATA bays
DS425+ takes four SATA disks, which is two bays more than F2-425 Plus has. M.2 slots cannot rescue that plan, since the interfaces and drive formats differ.
Where this comes from
4 SATA drives needed - 2 TerraMaster SATA bays = 2 missing bays. All four are available on Synology.
The catch
TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
The enclosure holds just two SATA drives.
Synology DiskStation DS425+
- Why pick it
- Fit four SATA hard drives into one enclosure
- Stay on a Synology DSM application and backup workflow
- The catch
- Less room for SSD expansion comes with two M.2 slots.
TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
- Why pick it
- Base your build on two SATA drives and three NVMe slots
- Run dual 5GbE, or take supported RAM above 6GB
- The catch
- The enclosure holds just two SATA drives.
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What this page compares
DS425+ and F2-425 Plus compared as four hard drives against a compact hybrid NAS, with concrete differences in Ethernet, NVMe slots and memory.
Four SATA drives and the DSM workflow are the reasons to buy the DS425+. If two SATA bays are enough and you want dual 5GbE, three NVMe slots or a larger memory ceiling, buy the F2-425 Plus.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
I have four SATA drives ready to install
Four matching bays are on DS425+, and F2-425 Plus has two.
- Synology DiskStation DS425+
- Better fit
- TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
- Not suitable
My build needs three internal NVMe SSDs
TerraMaster has three physical M.2 slots, against two on Synology.
- Synology DiskStation DS425+
- Not suitable
- TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
- Better fit
I'm after two native 5GbE connections
Two 5GbE ports come on TerraMaster, while Synology has 2.5GbE and 1GbE.
- Synology DiskStation DS425+
- Not suitable
- TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
- Better fit
DSM is required for the backup workflow I already run
DSM stays with DS425+. Before moving to TOS, check the actual backup jobs and destinations.
- Synology DiskStation DS425+
- Better fit
- TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
- Depends
In practice
Differences you will notice
A four-disk plan shifts with two extra SATA bays
DS425+ takes four SATA disks, which is two bays more than F2-425 Plus has. M.2 slots cannot rescue that plan, since the interfaces and drive formats differ.
How we worked this out
4 SATA drives needed - 2 TerraMaster SATA bays = 2 missing bays. All four are available on Synology.
Installing two NVMe drives leaves each with different expansion room
Once two SSDs are installed, TerraMaster still has one M.2 slot and Synology has none, even with its larger SATA bay count.
How we worked this out
On TerraMaster, 3 - 2 = 1 spare M.2 slot. On Synology, 2 - 2 = 0. Make sure the OS supports the SSD roles you intend.
The smaller enclosure comes out ahead on memory headroom
RAM allowance does not shrink with the SATA chassis. F2-425 Plus includes 8GB, already 2GB past the official 6GB ceiling of DS425+.
How we worked this out
8GB included - 6GB maximum = 2GB. TerraMaster's own 32GB limit leaves more room, though it does not prove applications run faster.
Option A
Synology, DS425+
Synology DiskStation DS425+
A 4-bay chassis whose fastest documented network path is 2.5 Gbps.
- Best for
- keep family photos safe on a four-drive starting setup
Facts we checked
- SATA drive bays: Four
- M.2 NVMe slots: Two
- Native Ethernet: One 2.5GbE plus one 1GbE
- Included and maximum RAM: 2GB included, 6GB maximum
Option B
TerraMaster, F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
Two SATA bays, three M.2 slots and two 5GbE ports come in a compact hybrid NAS. It works for a small SSD workspace alongside a bulk-storage mirror.
- Best for
- Two hard drives alongside a dedicated SSD workspace
Facts we checked
- SATA drive bays: Two
- M.2 NVMe slots: Three
- Native Ethernet: Two 5GbE
- Included and maximum RAM: 8GB included, 32GB maximum
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Synology DiskStation DS425+ | TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| SATA drive bays | Four | Two | Synology suits a plan with four hard drives. A SATA hard drive cannot go into TerraMaster's third M.2 slot. |
| M.2 NVMe slots | Two | Three | An extra physical SSD position is left on TerraMaster for a supported pool or cache plan. |
| Native Ethernet | One 2.5GbE plus one 1GbE | Two 5GbE | Both the higher per-port ceiling and two matching fast ports belong to TerraMaster. Link aggregation is a configuration of its own. |
| Included and maximum RAM | 2GB included, 6GB maximum | 8GB included, 32GB maximum | TerraMaster's starting memory is already above Synology's supported maximum. |
| Management platform | DSM | TOS | Do not treat these platforms as interchangeable. Check the exact application and migration workflow instead. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Synology DiskStation DS425+
- Both its 6GB RAM ceiling and its 2.5GbE fastest port sit lower.
With TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
- A DSM-based workflow calls for reviewing applications and migration.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Four SATA hard drives have to fit inside the NAS
Go with Synology DiskStation DS425+. Four SATA bays come with DS425+.
Two SATA bays do the job, and you require three NVMe slots or dual 5GbE
Go with TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB. Those SSD and network connections come with F2-425 Plus.
Both four SATA drives and three NVMe drives are on your list
Neither model fits. That exact combination of physical slots is not found in either enclosure.
Decision guide
How to decide
Pick the drive format, then count slots
What you are weighing is four SATA bays against two, with different SSD expansion on top. A spare M.2 slot cannot hold a 3.5-inch hard drive. Map out the drives you intend and the supported storage pools before comparing maximum raw capacity claims.
Faster networking comes at a price
TerraMaster's 5GbE ports are useful when paired with matching adapters and switching. A 1GbE computer does not get a 5GbE link just by connecting through a faster NAS. Having two native ports does not guarantee that one file copy uses both at once.
The operating system comes with the hardware purchase
Applications, permissions and backup tools differ between DSM and TOS. A specific DSM dependency can justify Synology even though TerraMaster has more RAM. On the other hand, a memory requirement above 6GB falls outside the DS425+ specification and should be settled before buying.
What this page can’t tell you
- No measurements of transfer speed, application behavior, noise or reliability were performed. Having physical slots does not mean every pool or cache combination is supported.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synology DiskStation DS425+ |
|
| |
| TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB |
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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 DS425+
Fit four SATA hard drives into one enclosure
See price & reviews on AmazonTerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
Base your build on two SATA drives and three NVMe slots
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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