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DS1825+ 8-Bay NAS Review: Ryzen Power for Windows SMBs

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The Synology DiskStation DS1825+ is a compact, versatile 8‑bay NAS that neatly bridges the gap between prosumer ambition and small‑business practicality — packing an AMD Ryzen V1500B CPU, ECC memory, dual 2.5GbE out‑of‑the‑box networking and an optional upgrade path to 10/25GbE while supporting up to 18 drives with expansion — a combination that makes it a serious contender for Windows‑centric households, creative studios, and SMBs seeking on‑prem performance and data control.

A Synology NAS server with multiple drive bays and blue LEDs on a desk.Background​

Synology’s “Plus” series has long been positioned for users who need more than a basic, file‑sharing box — offering features such as ECC memory support, heavier virtualization and backup workloads, and richer RAID/volume flexibility. The DS1825+ continues that lineage by marrying an embedded Ryzen SoC to an 8‑bay chassis with M.2 NVMe cache slots, PCIe expansion, and Synology’s mature DiskStation Manager (DSM) ecosystem. Synology advertises sequential performance up to 2,239 MB/s read and 1,573 MB/s write, and supports raw capacities up to 160 TB in the base chassis with expansion to 360 TB when paired with DX525 expansion units.
This article examines the DS1825+ from a Windows enthusiast and small‑business perspective: what the hardware actually offers, how DSM integrates with Windows environments, realistic performance expectations, deployment recommendations, and the trade‑offs you should weigh before buying.

Hardware overview​

CPU and memory​

  • Processor: AMD Ryzen V1500B, quad‑core 2.2 GHz (embedded). This CPU provides strong integer throughput for NAS workloads — file serving, database light loads, virtualization appliances and containerized services — while balancing thermal and power efficiency.
  • Memory: Ships with 8 GB ECC DDR4 SODIMM (one 8 GB module) and two slots support up to 32 GB (2×16 GB). ECC support is a significant plus for data integrity under sustained, high‑load use.
Synology’s design choice here targets reliability and multi‑tasking rather than raw single‑thread frequency. For most Windows backup, file‑sharing, and virtualization use cases (e.g., running a few Docker containers or a light Hyper‑V backup target), this is a sensible balance.

Storage bays and NVMe​

  • Drive bays: 8 x 3.5"/2.5" SATA (hot‑swap capable).
  • M.2 slots: Two M.2 2280 NVMe for SSD caching or creating SSD pools (not boot‑only).
  • Expansion: Add up to two DX525 expansion units to reach 18 bays / 360 TB raw using 20 TB media.
The presence of two M.2 slots means you can accelerate random I/O (metadata, VM image access) without sacrificing front bays — a practical configuration for Windows VM hosts, VDI image caches, or high‑IOPS databases.

Networking and expansion​

  • Built‑in NICs: Dual 2.5GbE ports (great step up from 1GbE).
  • PCIe expansion: Single PCIe 3.0 x8 (x4 electrical) slot allows adding 10GbE or 25GbE NICs (Synology’s E10 series and E25 series are supported), enabling a futureproofed network upgrade path.
Out‑of‑the‑box 2.5GbE gives a real throughput improvement for multi‑client Windows environments without the cost of immediate 10GbE infrastructure. If you plan heavy multi‑user editing of large media or frequent VM migrations, add‑in 10/25GbE is the logical next step.

Power, cooling and noise​

  • PSU: 250 W internal.
  • Power draw: Typical access ~60.1 W; HDD hibernation ~18.34 W.
  • Noise: Quoted 23.8 dB(A) in idle conditions (Synology test environment).
The DS1825+ is engineered for office and home office environments where noise and energy usage matter. Actual acoustic performance will depend on installed drives and ambient conditions.

DSM, Windows integration and backup​

DiskStation Manager (DSM)​

DSM remains Synology’s key value proposition: a polished, browser‑based OS with apps for backup, virtualization integration, file services, surveillance, and collaboration. Synology’s backup suite includes:
  • Hyper Backup for image‑style backups to local/remote targets and cloud services.
  • Active Backup for Business for agentless backups of Windows servers, Hyper‑V/VMware VMs, and Windows 10/11 PCs.
  • Synology Drive for file sync and versioned file restoration across Windows clients.
For Windows administrators, the Active Backup stack is particularly compelling because it allows centralized, deduplicated backups of endpoints without per‑client licensing fees in many deployments — enabling fast restores and efficient retention policies. Synology’s ecosystem also supports SMB, NFS and iSCSI targets for Windows servers and Hyper‑V.

On‑prem collaboration and compliance​

Beyond raw storage, Synology’s on‑prem Office and collaboration tools (Drive, MailPlus, Calendar, Chat) are increasingly attractive for organizations wary of SaaS lock‑in or data residency risks. Several institutions and administrators have adopted Synology’s on‑prem suites to reduce recurring cloud costs and retain direct control over sensitive student and staff data; this context underlines how Synology positions devices like the DS1825+ as private cloud hubs for Windows‑heavy environments. Note that migrating entirely away from cloud services requires attention to integrations (email, authentication, mobile client access) and backup strategies.

Performance: what to expect​

Manufacturer figures and real‑world caveats​

Synology quotes sequential throughput of up to 2,239 MB/s read and 1,573 MB/s write — figures obtained in Synology’s internal lab with specific SSD/HDD configurations and test conditions. These are useful upper bounds but should be treated as best case numbers: real world performance varies with RAID level, disk types, network topology, client concurrency, and background services. Synology explicitly warns that results are lab‑based and will differ in practice.
Independent resellers and reviewers corroborate the DS1825+’s positioning: it delivers robust throughput for mixed read/write loads and benefits notably from NVMe caching and faster network links (2.5GbE or higher). For multi‑user Windows file serving or backup targets, expect significant improvements over 1GbE NAS boxes, but be mindful of random I/O workloads (many small writes) which are influenced heavily by the drive mix and caching strategy.

Practical measurement tips​

  • Use Gigabit‑plus client NICs: 2.5GbE clients or link aggregation significantly affect perceived speed.
  • Choose drives by workload: large sequential media favors HDDs; virtualization and databases favor NVMe/SSDs.
  • Monitor CPU and latency during stress tests: the Ryzen V1500B has good throughput but can saturate under sustained random write storms if drives are not suited to the load.

Recommended configurations for Windows users​

Home studio / creative pros​

  • 8 x high‑capacity SATA HDDs (e.g., 10–16 TB) in RAID6 for redundancy and storage density.
  • Two NVMe SSDs in RAID1 (or as dedicated cache) for project scratch and metadata acceleration.
  • Add a 10GbE NIC if you routinely edit multi‑stream 4K or collaborate with several editors simultaneously.

Small office with virtualization/backup requirements​

  • 8 x enterprise SATA HDDs with one or two hot spare drives.
  • ECC memory expanded to 16–32 GB if running multiple containers and Active Backup tasks concurrently.
  • Use iSCSI targets for Hyper‑V or clustered VMs and monitor latency; consider 25GbE if you host many VMs or large databases.

Windows workstation offload and local cloud​

  • Synology Drive for file sync, with versioning and selective sync on Windows clients.
  • Active Backup for Business to centralize client and server backups.
  • Ensure AD integration or SSO with your Windows domain for consistent permissions and authentication.

Setup checklist — step by step​

  • Physically install drives and connect to a management LAN (use a separate network for initial setup if possible).
  • Power up and complete the DSM installation wizard via your browser.
  • Install DSM updates, then configure storage pools and volumes (consider RAID6 for 8‑bay redundancy).
  • Populate M.2 slots for SSD cache if you need improved random I/O.
  • Enable SMB and configure NTFS‑compatible permissions; join the NAS to your Active Directory domain for unified user management.
  • Install Active Backup for Business and schedule full + incremental backups of Windows PCs and servers.
  • Set up snapshot schedules and retention using Snapshot Replication for fast file restores.
  • Monitor system health and drive SMART data and configure alerting for drive degradation.
  • If required, add a PCIe NIC for 10/25GbE and validate drivers and compatibility per Synology’s compatibility lists.

Security and data protection​

  • Snapshots & replication: DSM supports point‑in‑time snapshots which dramatically speed file restores compared to traditional backups.
  • WORM / immutability: For compliance scenarios, Synology supports immutability features when used with certain packages and cloud targets.
  • Encryption & AES‑NI: Hardware‑accelerated encryption protects volumes with reduced CPU overhead (AES‑NI).
  • MFA and account hardening: DSM supports 2‑factor authentication and granular account control — important in mixed Windows environments.
Even so, remember that a NAS is a privileged network node; harden it like any server: keep DSM patched, disable unnecessary services, configure firewall rules, and maintain off‑site backups or immutable cloud copies for catastrophic scenarios.

Strengths: Why the DS1825+ stands out​

  • Balanced compute and reliability: Ryzen V1500B plus ECC memory makes the DS1825+ a dependable host for multi‑service workloads without overspending on server‑class hardware.
  • Realistic upgrade path: Native 2.5GbE with PCIe expansion to 10/25GbE lets you scale network performance as budgets allow.
  • DSM ecosystem: Mature apps for Windows backup, file sync, surveillance, and collaboration add real operational value beyond storage capacity.
  • Density plus expansion: Start with 8 bays and grow to 18 without ripping out the platform — useful for growing studios or offices.

Potential risks and downsides​

  • Performance vs. enterprise boxes: While capable, the DS1825+ is not a full rackmount enterprise server. It’s ideal for SMB and prosumer uses, not for extremely high‑concurrency database clusters.
  • Vendor test numbers: Synology’s throughput figures come from controlled environments; real‑world performance will generally be lower. Budget your expectations accordingly.
  • PCIe slot limitations: The single PCIe slot (x8 physical, x4 electrical) imposes some constraints on expansion card choices; not all high‑end NICs will fully saturate without checking electrical lane configuration and Synology compatibility lists.
  • Cost of enterprise drives and expansions: To reach the peak advertised raw capacities and performance, you’ll pay a premium for high‑capacity NAS‑rated HDDs, enterprise NVMe, and fast NICs.
  • Operational complexity: Running Active Backup, VM hosting, snapshots, and heavy deduplication concurrently benefits from extra RAM and careful configuration; under‑provisioned units may experience higher latency.
For readers comparing alternatives, compact rack or other entry‑server NAS such as offerings from QNAP may provide different trade‑offs (e.g., ZFS variants, different CPU choices, or more aggressive PCIe allocations). Community reviews and forum threads highlight that QNAP’s rack solutions aim at different niches, and real deployments often come down to software preference and long‑term support expectations.

Practical recommendations and buying advice​

  • If your priority is Windows client/server backups, media editing, and on‑prem collaboration, the DS1825+ is a well‑rounded choice that minimizes future forklift upgrades.
  • Upgrade RAM to at least 16 GB if you plan to run Active Backup with many concurrent jobs, multiple Docker containers, or several VMs.
  • Consider an NVMe cache if your workload is dominated by small random I/O (VMs, databases).
  • If you expect heavy concurrent access from many users or VMs, plan a 10GbE or 25GbE upgrade and validate switch and NIC compatibility before purchase.
  • Purchase NAS‑rated drives and consult Synology’s compatibility lists to ensure warranty and predictable performance.

Final verdict​

The Synology DiskStation DS1825+ is a thoughtful, pragmatic NAS that suits the needs of Windows‑oriented power users and SMBs: it offers a durable hardware base (AMD Ryzen V1500B + ECC), modern networking (2.5GbE and PCIe upgradeability), and a feature‑rich OS that directly addresses backup, collaboration, and data protection needs. For those consolidating backups, hosting on‑prem collaboration tools, or supporting creative workflows that require a balance of capacity and responsiveness, the DS1825+ represents strong value — provided you temper expectations against vendor lab numbers and plan upgrades (RAM, NVMe, NICs) for heavier workloads.
The device’s most compelling promise is flexibility: start as a private cloud and grow into a high‑throughput workstation and VM host as needs evolve. For Windows administrators who favour on‑prem control over cloud subscriptions, or creators who need reliable local storage and fast file access, the DS1825+ is a pragmatic platform worth serious consideration.
Source: Readly | All magazines - one magazine app subscription Synology diskstation ds1825+ - 2 Oct 2025 - PC Pro Magazine - Readly
 

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