Today, Synology officially announced the availability of the BeeStation Plus, its second attempt at a simple NAS-based personal cloud. The new hardware is an upgrade to the BeeStation that came out a year ago.
As the “Plus” notion suggests, the new network storage device has a lot more to offer than the older model. In fact, it’s substantially more.
Synology BeeStation Plus: A bit closer to a real NAS server
For those unfamiliar, Synology started the “Bee” family in mid-2023 with the BeeDrive. After that, it released the original BeeStation NAS server in 2024, and now the BeeStation Plus is the continuation of the ecosystem.
Similar to Synology NAS servers, called DiskStation, the BeeStation is a network-attached storage (NAS) that can handle multiple users at a time. However, it’s much simpler, working more like a “personal” cloud storage.
Running a new BeeStation Manager (BSM) operation system, which is a stripped-down version of DSM, the hardware has limited capability.
The original BeeStation can only do file sharing, backup, and photo management. In terms of storage, there’s only a single 4TB hard drive on the inside, so there’s no chance of RAID support, though there are USB ports for added external storage.
Same design, now with more capabilities
The new BeeStation Plus remains a simple single-drive network storage device. However, it now features double the storage space with an 8TB on the inside.
In terms of application, it now supports Plex Server, which is a significant improvement. The app allows for hosting videos locally and over the Internet, as well as a Netflix-like streaming service.
Additionally, for data protection, the BeeStation Plus now features Snapshot and comes with a free three-month BeeProtect cloud backup subscription. It’s unclear, though, if this feature will work with a plugged-in USB external drive.
Still, for those with simple storage needs, the BeeStation Plus is indeed a major upgrade to the previous model. The table below shows the detailed hardware specifications of the two.
Synology BeeStation Plus vs. BeeStation: Hardware specifications
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|
| BeeStation Plus | BeeStation | |
| Model | BST170-8T | BST150-4T |
| Capacity | 8TB | 4TB |
| CPU | Intel Celeron J4125 | Realtek RTD1619B |
| Memory | 4GB DDR4 | 1GB DDR4 |
| Dimentions | 148.0 x 62.6 x 196.3 mm | |
| Weight | 1.3 kg | 820 gram |
| LAN Port | 1 x 1GbE RJ-45 | |
| USB Port | 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 |
|
| Power Input | 100V to 240V AC | |
| Package Content | 1 x BeeStation main unit 1 x AC power adapter 1 x RJ-45 Ethernet cable 1 x Quick start guide |
|
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari 14 and above | |
| Platform Support | Windows 10 64-bit newer, macOS 12.3 or newer, iOS 15 or newer, Android 8 or newer |
|
| Warranty | 3 years | |
| US Launch Price (Check street prices!) |
$409.99 | $220 |
As you might have noted from the table above, other than the exact physical dimensions, the BeeStation Plus is a much more powerful hardware unit with double the storage and processing power. It doesn’t mean it’s a real NAS server like Synology’s DiskStation hardware, but it has enough to give users more in terms of what they can do with it.
Availability and pricing
Synology says the new BeeStation Plus is available in the US (and worldwide) today, with the suggested retail price of $410, which, well, almost doubles that of the previous model. Looking for a simple NAS solution? Consider the BeeStation Plus today! Or check back to see how it performs in real-world usage.
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