The Synology DS223j makes sense for a Malaysian household that wants shared files and scheduled backups in one place. NB Plaza lists it at RM879 for the enclosure, but drives and a separate backup destination still need a budget. If that fits your plan, check the buying verdict and purchase checklist before choosing a disk bundle.
Research-based review, checked 4 October 2026. We have not personally tested this NAS; recommendations below interpret published specifications and Malaysian retailer information.
What the RM879 price includes
The NB Plaza listing showed RM879 and “In Stock” when checked. Its package list includes the main unit, power adapter, power cord, LAN cable and accessories, with no storage drives listed. Treat this as a diskless enclosure price, not a working multi-terabyte system or a delivered total. Reconfirm stock, shipping and the exact bundle at checkout; no voucher or membership condition was shown for this displayed price.
Hardware that suits a modest workload
Synology’s specifications list a Realtek RTD1619B quad-core 1.7GHz processor, 1GB DDR4 non-ECC memory, two drive bays, one 1GbE Ethernet port and two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports. NB Plaza identifies the memory as non-upgradable. The practical buying implication is to choose it for focused storage duties, not an expanding collection of demanding server workloads.
The bays take 3.5-inch SATA hard drives or 2.5-inch SATA SSDs; SSD installation requires the separately sold Type C holder. Drives are not hot-swappable. Check the exact drive model against Synology’s current compatibility list before ordering. A SATA connector alone does not establish validated compatibility.
Connect the NAS to your router or switch by Ethernet. A faster laptop or 2.5GbE router cannot turn its single 1GbE port into a faster connection. For shared documents and scheduled copies, that is a reasonable compromise; for frequent large transfers or editing directly from network storage, compare faster NAS hardware first.
Useful backup tools, with a separate safety net
Synology Drive supports file access across computers and mobile devices, while Synology Photos can upload phone photos. Btrfs and Snapshot Replication are supported from DSM 7.2-64570. These features give this entry-level enclosure a useful role beyond simply exposing a shared folder.
With two equal-size drives, RAID 1 or two-drive SHR with one-drive fault tolerance provides roughly one drive’s capacity before filesystem overhead. For example, two 4TB drives give roughly 4TB rather than 8TB in that arrangement. Mirroring helps with a drive failure; it does not replace an independent backup against deletion, theft or a disaster affecting the whole NAS.
Hyper Backup supports external storage and remote destinations. Include a separate backup drive or an appropriate cloud plan in your ownership cost, alongside the NAS, internal drives, electricity and any SSD holders. Cloud storage may add recurring charges. Test a restore before relying on the arrangement.
Pros and compromises
- Strengths: two bays, Btrfs support, Synology’s file/photo tools and several backup destinations.
- Compromises: 1GB memory, a single gigabit network port, no hot-swap bays and extra spending beyond the enclosure.
Buying verdict and warranty checks
Shortlist the DS223j for home documents, family photos and a small number of light users. Skip it if you need multi-gigabit networking, expandable memory or substantial application multitasking. Its appeal is a manageable storage role with a backup plan already budgeted.
NB Plaza advertises a two-year Synology hardware warranty. Synology’s terms cover eligible original purchases through authorized channels, with receipt-based coverage and country-of-purchase conditions; data recovery is excluded. Confirm the seller’s Malaysian warranty route and keep the invoice. Compare the complete diskless or bundled total before buying.
Sources and price check
Checked 4 October 2026: Synology DS223j specifications; NB Plaza price, package and warranty listing; Synology drive compatibility; Hyper Backup destinations; Synology off-site backup guidance; Synology limited warranty. Prices and availability can change.