Synology had a particularly quiet 2024; we didn't get any new launches, and the brand has been content to sell its existing portfolio. By contrast, TerraMaster and ASUSTOR rolled out several new products, and UGREEN made its debut in the category with the DXP4800 Plus, with the NAS touting terrific hardware.
As a result, the DiskStation DS923+ is starting to show its age. The NAS was unveiled two years ago, and while it didn't have the best hardware back then — you just get Gigabit Ethernet connectivity — where it differentiated itself was the software, and that continues to be true today as well. Most of the 4-bay servers I tested this year had much better hardware, but when it comes to ease-of-use and a strong software foundation, the DS923+ still has a definite edge.
So it's no wonder that the NAS is still the best-selling model in this category, and for Black Friday, it is available for $509 at Newegg — a $90 discount from its retail price. If it goes out of availability at Newegg, you can try B&H instead — the retailer is selling the NAS for the same price. The Amazon deal is sold out already, so if you've been eyeing this NAS, you should act right now.
✅Recommended if: You need a 4-bay NAS server for Plex. The DS923+ has the best software in this segment, and the Ryzen R1600 is fast enough in daily use that there are no issues.
❌Skip this deal if: You want multi-Gigabit connectivity. The DS923+ lets you slot in a 10GbE card, but it's an additional $100, and all other NAS servers in this category now come with at least 2.5GbE as standard.
There isn't much to say about the DiskStation DS923+; the NAS has been around for two years, and is a known quantity by this point. It is powered by the Ryzen R1600, has 4GB of RAM out of the box, and you get dual Gigabit Ethernet ports at the back. There's a way to upgrade to a 10GbE port, but it costs an additional $100, so you have to consider that if you're thinking about switching to the NAS.
While the hardware isn't the best, the DiskStation Manager software is what gives the DS923+ the edge in this category. You get a clean interface with native clients for most utilities, and it does a terrific job backing up data from connected phones and other devices. A few brands still struggle with the basics, but that isn't a problem here, and that's one of the reasons why the DS923+ continues to outsell just about every other model.
It's also a great choice if you're looking to set up a Plex server. It can easily stream high-bitrate content without breaking a sweat, and while transcoding isn't available on this model, that hasn't proved to be an issue when I tested the DS923+. Ultimately, the $90 discount makes the NAS an easy recommendation, so if you're mulling an upgrade, you should get the DS923+ while it's still available for $509. The brand usually reserves select quantities during deals, so best act fast.
