Synology DS923+ vs Asustor Lockerstor 4: Which Should You Buy?
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Quick verdict
| You are… | Buy this |
|---|---|
| Looking for a rock‑solid, “set‑and‑forget” NAS with the most mature OS | Synology DS923+ (affiliate) |
| Want native 4K hardware transcoding and HDMI output for media rooms | Asustor Lockerstor 4 (affiliate) |
| Need faster than Gigabit networking out of the box without extra cards | Asustor Lockerstor 4 (affiliate) |
If you can live with a single‑gigabit port but value Synology’s DSM ecosystem, the DS923+ is the safe bet. If streaming media and a 2.5 GbE uplink matter more than raw reliability, the Lockerstor 4 wins.
Spec‑by‑spec comparison
| Feature | Synology DS923+ (affiliate) | Asustor Lockerstor 4 (affiliate) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen R1600 – 2 cores / 4 threads, no iGPU | Intel Celeron N5105 – 4 cores, includes iGPU |
| RAM | 4 GB DDR4 ECC (expandable to 32 GB) | 4 GB DDR4 (expandable to 16 GB) |
| Network ports | 2 × 1 GbE (optional 10 GbE add‑in) | 2 × 2.5 GbE |
| Hardware transcoding | No (no iGPU) | Yes – hardware transcode supported, HDMI output |
| Drive bays | 4‑bay, expandable to 9 with DX517 unit | 4‑bay + 2× M.2 slots |
| Best for | Reliable turnkey NAS | Media‑focused NAS |
| Price (USD) | $600 | $520 |
All numbers come directly from the manufacturers’ spec sheets; no guesswork is involved.
Analysis
Software ecosystem – DSM vs ADM
Synology’s DiskStation Manager (DSM) has been my go‑to for years. The UI feels like a polished desktop OS, and the package center offers everything from backup suites to surveillance stations. That maturity translates into fewer “it works on my machine” moments when you first power up the DS923+.
Asustor ships with ADM (App Data Manager) which is functional but not as deep as DSM’s ecosystem. If you love tweaking apps or need niche media plugins, ADM can still get the job done; just expect a smaller community to turn to for troubleshooting.
Performance & transcoding
The Intel Celeron N5105 in the Locker