Verdict
The DS423 delivers exactly what it promises: a 4-bay Synology NAS at the lowest available entry price in Australia, running DSM with a model-specific selection of packages on modest ARM hardware. The RTD1619B processor is capable for the workloads this device is designed for. File sharing, backup, basic Docker containers, and light surveillance. It is not capable of hardware transcoding, and the absence of M.2 slots and a PCIe port means there is no upgrade path to SSD caching or faster networking.
That fixed ceiling is the DS423's central trade-off. If you know you'll want SSD caching, the DS425+ adds M.2 slots; if you need 10GbE, choose a model with a documented 10GbE upgrade path. If your use case is firmly in the home backup and file sharing space. Which describes the majority of home NAS buyers. The DS423 saves you real money and delivers the DSM experience that makes Synology the default recommendation.
At $635 from Scorptec, the DS423 suits buyers who:
- Need four bays for meaningful drive redundancy
- Want DSM's full software ecosystem without paying DS425+ pricing
- Are not running Plex with transcoding
- Are on a standard 1GbE home network
- Don't need M.2 SSD caching
The DS425+ suits buyers who need even one of the things the DS423 can't deliver. Both are legitimate choices depending on where your requirements sit.
Ready to buy the Synology DS423? This is our tracked Amazon AU affiliate link -- buying through it costs you nothing extra and supports independent, ad-free testing.
The Synology DS423 is the most affordable 4-bay NAS in Synology's current Australian lineup, and it earns that position honestly. Powered by the Realtek RTD1619B quad-core processor. The same ARM-based chip found in the DS124 and DS223. It offers four drive bays, 2GB of RAM, two 1GbE ports, and DSM's full software suite at a price that undercuts the DS425+ by roughly $220 depending on where you shop. What it doesn't offer is equally important: there are no M.2 NVMe slots, no PCIe expansion for 10GbE, and no hardware transcoding. For buyers who don't need those features, the DS423 is a capable and cost-effective choice. For buyers who think they might want them later, the DS425+ is worth the premium.
In short: The DS423 suits home users and small home offices who want reliable 4-bay NAS storage with DSM's full software ecosystem at the lowest possible entry price. Don't buy it if you want SSD caching, 10GbE, or hardware Plex transcoding. The DS425+ supports M.2 SSD caching and built-in 2.5GbE, but it has no 10GbE expansion path and does not officially support Plex hardware transcoding. Current AU pricing: $635 at Scorptec; Mwave lists $729 but is sold out (checked 16 September 2026).
DS423 Specifications
| CPU | Realtek RTD1619B quad-core ARM Cortex-A55, 1.7GHz |
|---|---|
| RAM | 2GB DDR4 (non-ECC, not expandable) |
| Drive Bays | 4 × 3.5"/2.5" SATA (HDD/SSD) |
| M.2 Slots | Not included |
| LAN | 2 × 1GbE RJ-45 (no 10GbE expansion path). |
| USB Ports | 2 × USB 3.2 Gen 1 |
| PCIe Slot | Not included |
| Max Raw Capacity | Up to 80TB (4 × 20TB drives) |
| Hardware Transcoding | Not supported (Realtek ARM CPU) |
| Supported RAID | SHR, JBOD, RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 |
| Operating System | Synology DSM 7.2+ |
| Power Consumption | 32.41W during access and 4.97W during HDD hibernation under Synology's test conditions. |
| Fan | 2 × 80mm system fans. |
| Dimensions | 184 × 168 × 230 mm. |
| Weight | 2.21 kg (diskless). |
| Warranty | 2-year manufacturer hardware warranty; Australian Consumer Law rights apply in addition. |
| Diskless | Yes. Drives sold separately |
| AU Price (Scorptec) | $635 |
| AU Market Price (avg) | AU prices vary by retailer; check current live listings before purchase. |
Pros
- Lowest AU entry price for a 4-bay Synology NAS ($635 at Scorptec)
- DSM applications include Hyper Backup, Synology Drive and Surveillance Station; Active Backup for Business is not supported on the DS423.
- Four bays allows SHR/RAID 5/RAID 6 for meaningful redundancy
- Two 80mm system fans; Synology rates noise at 20.6 dB(A) under its test conditions.
- Low HDD-hibernation power (4.97W under Synology's test conditions) keeps running costs down
- The DS423 predates Synology's 2025 drive-policy changes. Third-party HDDs can be used, but check the exact model and firmware against Synology's compatibility list.
Cons
- No M.2 NVMe slots. SSD caching is not possible
- Two 1GbE ports, but no 10GbE expansion path
- Realtek RTD1619B has no hardware transcoding. Plex/Emby rely on CPU transcoding only
- 2GB RAM is non-expandable. Limits VM and Docker workloads
- ARM processor limits compute-heavy tasks (encryption throughput, VM hosting, intensive packages)
- No PCIe slot. Cannot add 10GbE card, additional NICs, or expansion modules
Who the DS423 Is For
The DS423 targets a specific buyer: someone who needs four bays, wants Synology's software, and doesn't have a use case that demands the extra capabilities of the DS425+. That description fits a large portion of home NAS buyers.
A typical DS423 deployment looks like this: four NAS-grade hard drives in SHR or RAID 5, running Hyper Backup to a USB drive or cloud destination, Synology Drive for file access across devices, and maybe Surveillance Station with one or two cameras. This NAS handles all of those tasks without difficulty. The RTD1619B is a competent processor for these workloads. File sharing at 1GbE, lightweight Docker containers, and Synology's own packages run well on it.
Home office users running personal backup, document storage, and photo archiving will find the DS423 more than adequate. A single 1GbE connection typically tops out around 112MB/s, but the DS423 has two 1GbE ports and can provide greater aggregate throughput across supported multi-port configurations. If your workflow involves large file transfers regularly, that ceiling matters. If you're syncing documents and occasionally streaming a photo gallery, it doesn't.
Who Should Avoid the DS423
The DS423 has meaningful limitations. Understanding them before purchasing saves frustration later.
No hardware transcoding. The Realtek RTD1619B is an ARM Cortex-A55 processor. It has no hardware video transcoding engine compatible with Plex or Emby's transcoding pipelines. If you run a Plex server and plan to transcode 4K content. Or even multiple simultaneous 1080p streams. This NAS will struggle. Direct play works fine if your client devices support the source format natively, but the moment Plex needs to transcode, you'll hit CPU limits quickly. Buyers who need reliable Plex hardware transcoding should choose a model Plex explicitly lists as supported or run Plex on a separate compatible host.
No M.2 SSD slots. Unlike the DS425+, the DS423 has no M.2 NVMe slots. That means no SSD caching. No read cache acceleration, no write cache for latency-sensitive workloads. This matters if you're running databases, VMs, or any application where storage latency is a factor. For basic file sharing and backup, the absence of SSD cache is largely irrelevant.
No 10GbE expansion. The DS423 has no PCIe slot, which means there is no path to add a 10GbE network card. The device is permanently limited to 1GbE. If your home or office already runs a 2.5GbE or 10GbE switch, the DS425+. Which ships with both a 2.5GbE and a 1GbE port. Is the better fit. Future-proofing your network infrastructure with a 1GbE-only NAS is a reasonable trade-off if you're on a budget, but go in with clear eyes.
Non-expandable RAM. The DS423 ships with 2GB of DDR4 RAM and it cannot be upgraded. The fixed 2GB RAM can constrain simultaneous packages and container workloads. Synology Virtual Machine Manager is not supported on the DS423.
DS423 vs DS425+: Which 4-Bay Synology Should You Buy?
Synology DS423 vs DS425+. AU Comparison
| DS423 | DS425+ | |
|---|---|---|
| AU Price (market price) | $648.88 (market price) | $899 (market price) |
| CPU | Realtek RTD1619B (ARM Cortex-A55, 1.7GHz) | Intel Celeron J4125 (x86, 4-core, 2.0GHz) |
| RAM | 2GB DDR4 (non-expandable) | 2GB DDR4 (expandable to 6GB) |
| Drive Bays | 4 × 3.5"/2.5" SATA | 4 × 3.5"/2.5" SATA |
| M.2 NVMe Slots | Not included | 2 × M.2 2280 (for cache or storage pool) |
| LAN Ports | 2x 1GbE | 1 × 2.5GbE + 1 × 1GbE |
| PCIe Slot | Not included | No PCIe or network-upgrade slot; 10GbE expansion is not supported. |
| Hardware Transcoding | Not supported | Intel Quick Sync hardware present, but Plex hardware transcoding is not officially supported |
| Best For | Budget 4-bay home/home office backup and storage | Power users, SSD caching, direct-play media, and 2.5GbE networks |
Prices last verified: 5 March 2026. Always check retailer before purchasing.
At Scorptec, the DS425+ costs $849. $214 more than the DS423 at $635. At Mwave, the gap is $119 ($729 DS423 vs $848 DS425+). At PLE, the DS425+ is listed at $999 versus the DS423 not being stocked, making direct comparison harder there.
The DS425+ brings two clear upgrades: two M.2 NVMe slots and a 2.5GbE port alongside the 1GbE port. Although its processor contains Intel Quick Sync hardware, Plex hardware transcoding is not officially supported on this model. It has no PCIe or network-upgrade slot, so 10GbE cannot be added.
The DS425+ suits buyers who are building a media server, running a more demanding Docker environment, or working in a network that already supports faster-than-gigabit speeds. The DS423 suits buyers who don't need any of those things and want to put the $214 savings toward drives instead.
For context on the broader 4-bay landscape: 2 port. That's the right choice for a home office with more demanding storage workloads or a small business deployment.
DSM Software: The DS423's Strongest Asset
Whatever the DS423's hardware limitations, it runs the same DSM as Synology's most powerful NAS units. That's a meaningful advantage. DSM is the most user-friendly NAS operating system available, and it's a core reason Synology remains the default recommendation for home buyers and small office deployments in Australia.
The full suite is here: Hyper Backup for scheduled backups to USB, external NAS, Synology C2, or other cloud destinations. Active Backup for Business is not supported on the DS423. Synology Drive for syncing and accessing files across devices. A functional alternative to Dropbox or Google Drive hosted on your own hardware. Surveillance Station for IP cameras, with two free camera licences and paid packs at $99 per camera from Mwave if you need more.
Docker via Container Manager runs on the DS423, though the ARM CPU and 2GB RAM constrain what you can run. Lightweight containers for tools like Portainer, Heimdall, or a simple Nextcloud instance work. Resource-heavy containers like Home Assistant with many integrations or multiple simultaneous services will show the hardware ceiling sooner than on the DS425+.
One important note on DSM compatibility: The DS423 predates Synology's 2025 drive-policy changes, which do not apply retroactively. Third-party HDDs can be used, but buyers should verify the exact model and firmware in Synology's compatibility list. M.2 NVMe SSDs still require drives from Synology's compatibility list. But since the DS423 has no M.2 slots, that restriction is irrelevant here.
AU Pricing and Where to Buy
Price checked: 2026-08-16. This is separate from the "Last updated" date above, which reflects the last content edit, not a price re-check. The Scorptec figure below is a directly-verified retailer price; the market average is a median across multiple AU retailers -- both can move independently of article edits.
The DS423 is available at two major Australian retailers (checked 19 September 2026):
The $64 price gap between these two retailers is within the normal range of NAS market pricing in Australia, where retailer margins vary by product, promotion and supplier terms and pricing is remarkably uniform. The real difference between retailers is what happens when something goes wrong. Pre-sales guidance, post-sales support, and the warranty process matter more than a minor price variation.
For first-time NAS buyers, Scorptec and Mwave are both solid choices with proper technical staff and established warranty processes. If you're confident in your setup and troubleshooting capability, the lower price at Scorptec is the straightforward pick. If you've bought from Mwave before and trust their service, the $64 premium may be worth it for continuity.
The DS423 is sold diskless. Drives are not included. You'll need to budget separately for 3.5-inch NAS-grade hard drives. Synology HAT3300-4T drives are currently available from Scorptec at $399 each, or you can use third-party drives like the Seagate IronWolf or WD Red. Both brands offer models that may be suitable, but verify the exact drive model and firmware in Synology's compatibility list. With NAS-grade drive prices elevated through 2025-2026, budget realistically: At current Scorptec pricing, four 4TB NAS drives cost roughly $1,400-$1,600, depending on model (checked 16 September 2026).
Australian Consumer Law and Warranty
The DS423 carries a 2-year manufacturer hardware warranty; Australian Consumer Law rights apply in addition. For an Australian Consumer Law consumer-guarantee remedy, contact the retailer; it cannot refuse by directing you to the manufacturer. A separate manufacturer-warranty claim follows the warranty provider's terms.
Synology has no service centre in Australia. The claim process varies by retailer, distributor, fault diagnosis and whether the buyer is using Australian Consumer Law or the manufacturer's warranty. Resolution must occur within a reasonable time, which varies with the nature of the failure and the claim process. Resolution depends on the fault, applicable consumer guarantees, available stock and the retailer or warranty provider's process.
Advance-replacement availability varies by model, reseller, distributor and service eligibility; confirm it with the seller before purchase. Ask your retailer about this process before you need it, not after. Especially if the DS423 will be running in a home office where downtime has a business impact.
Australian Consumer Law protections apply when purchasing from Australian retailers. For official guidance on your rights, visit accc.gov.au. NTKIT does not provide legal advice.
Recommended Drive Configuration
The DS423 is sold diskless, so drive selection is a separate decision. For most home users, a 4-drive SHR (Synology Hybrid RAID) configuration is the right starting point. SHR with four same-size drives behaves like RAID 5, giving you three drives' worth of usable space with one drive's worth of redundancy. Four 4TB drives yields approximately 10.9TB usable.
Third-party drives can be used in the DS423, but verify the exact model and firmware in Synology's compatibility list. Seagate IronWolf and WD Red are the standard choices at most Australian retailers. Scorptec currently lists Synology's HAT3300 series at $399 for 4TB and $579 for 6TB (checked 16 September 2026). For a budget-conscious build, Seagate IronWolf drives offer comparable reliability at competitive prices. Check Scorptec and Mwave for current pricing, noting that NAS-grade drive prices have been elevated through 2025-2026.
If surveillance is part of the plan, Surveillance Station on the DS423 handles IP cameras well within the hardware's limits. The DS423 includes two free camera licences; additional packs are available from Mwave at $99 per licence.
Related reading: our NAS buyer's guide, our Synology brand guide, and our AU retailer guide.
Use our free NAS Sizing Wizard to get a personalised NAS recommendation.
Decided on the Synology DS423? Our Verified Build Plans include compatible drive recommendations, RAID configuration, and first-boot setup. Matched to this exact NAS. $39 AUD, instant PDF.
See also: our complete Synology NAS Australia guide.
Does the Synology DS423 support hardware transcoding for Plex?
No. The DS423 uses the Realtek RTD1619B processor, an ARM Cortex-A55 chip that has no hardware video transcoding capability compatible with Plex or Emby's transcoding pipelines. If you run Plex and need to transcode 4K content. Or multiple simultaneous 1080p streams. The DS423 will struggle under CPU load. Direct play works fine when the client device supports the source format natively, but any transcoding is done entirely in software by the ARM CPU, which is not well suited to it. Buyers who need reliable Plex hardware transcoding should choose a model explicitly listed as supported by Plex or use a separate compatible Plex server.
Can I add M.2 SSD caching to the Synology DS423?
No. The DS423 has no M.2 NVMe slots and no PCIe expansion slot. SSD caching is not possible on this device. This is one of the key hardware differences between the DS423 and the DS425+, which includes two M.2 2280 NVMe slots that can be used for read/write cache or as a dedicated all-flash storage pool. If SSD caching is important to your workload. Particularly for database applications, Docker containers, or any latency-sensitive task. The DS423 is the wrong choice. For basic home backup and file sharing workloads, the absence of SSD cache makes no practical difference.
What hard drives are compatible with the Synology DS423 in Australia?
The DS423 predates Synology's 2025 drive-policy changes and can use third-party 3.5-inch HDDs. Check the exact model and firmware in Synology's compatibility list because verification and support are not granted at brand level. Synology's own HAT3300 and HAT5300 series drives are also fully supported. The M.2 NVMe restrictions that remain in DSM 7.3 are irrelevant for the DS423 since it has no M.2 slots. Check Synology's Hardware Compatibility List for a complete verified drive list before purchasing. At Scorptec, HAT3300-4T is $399, HAT3300-6T is $579, and HAT3320-8T is $789 (checked 16 September 2026). But Seagate and WD equivalents at similar capacities are usually available at competitive prices from the same retailers.
Is the DS423 suitable for a small business?
The DS423 suits sole traders and very small home offices running basic file sharing, personal backup, and document storage. The 1GbE networking and ARM processor become limiting for more demanding business workloads. High concurrent user counts, virtualisation, intensive package usage, or latency-sensitive applications. For a small business with more than two or three users accessing the NAS simultaneously for work-critical data, the DS425+ or DS925+ ($1,049 at Scorptec) are better choices. The DS925+ in particular offers 4GB of RAM, a faster quad-core processor, and dual M.2 slots. Meaningfully better for a business environment. Also consider whether the 2-year manufacturer warranty and the retailer's stated remedy process are acceptable for business-critical data. Plan accordingly with offsite backup and a recovery strategy.
What is the warranty on the Synology DS423 in Australia?
The DS423 carries a 2-year manufacturer hardware warranty; Australian Consumer Law rights apply in addition. For an Australian Consumer Law consumer-guarantee remedy, the retailer cannot refuse to help by directing you to the manufacturer. A separate manufacturer-warranty claim follows the warranty provider's terms. Synology has no service centre in Australia. Warranty handling varies by retailer, distributor and claim type; confirm the applicable process with the seller or warranty provider. Resolution time and outcome vary with the fault, stock availability, retailer or distributor process, and applicable consumer-guarantee rights. Advanced replacements (receiving a new unit before the faulty one is returned) are not officially supported. Ask your retailer about their specific process before purchasing, particularly if the DS423 will hold important data with no redundant backup. Australian Consumer Law protections apply when buying from Australian retailers. For official consumer rights information, visit accc.gov.au.
How does the DS423 compare to the DS425+ in Australia?
The DS423 and DS425+ are both 4-bay Synology NAS units, but they target meaningfully different buyers. The DS423 ($629 at Scorptec) uses a Realtek RTD1619B ARM processor with 2GB fixed RAM, two 1GbE ports, no M.2 slots, and no PCIe expansion. It's a capable but fixed-spec home NAS. The DS425+ uses an Intel Celeron J4125 x86 processor with 2GB expandable RAM, one 2.5GbE port plus one 1GbE, and two M.2 NVMe slots, but it has no PCIe or 10GbE expansion path. The DS425+ processor contains Intel Quick Sync hardware, but Plex hardware transcoding is not officially supported on this model. The $184 price gap at Scorptec is worth it if you need any of those additional capabilities. If your use case is home backup, file sharing, and light Docker usage on a standard 1GbE network, the DS423 delivers the same DSM software experience at a lower cost.
Where is the cheapest place to buy the Synology DS423 in Australia?
As checked on 16 September 2026, Scorptec lists the DS423 at $635 in stock, while Mwave lists it at $729 and sold out. Both are legitimate specialist retailers with established warranty and support processes. Which is why pricing between major retailers stays close. Rather than chasing the absolute lowest price, factor in the retailer's pre-sales support and warranty process: for a device that will hold your data, the retailer relationship matters if something goes wrong. Both Scorptec and Mwave are solid choices for a buyer who understands what they're buying. If you're new to NAS and need pre-sales guidance, Scorptec's in-store staff are a useful resource.
Comparing 4-bay NAS options? Our Synology 4-bay buying guide covers the full DS423, DS425+, and DS925+ range with AU pricing and clear use-case guidance.