Synology DS918+ 16GB RAM Upgrade

[Deactivated] on 09/06/2020 - 02:40
Last edited 09/06/2020 - 02:41

Hey all,

I just got a Synology DS918+ NAS a few days ago.

For those who have one and have upgraded the RAM to 16GB. I just wanted to get some feedback. I have read sooooo many conflicting stories that I have no idea if I should even bother.

I’ve read it does work. Doesn’t work. Only works with some RAM. Only utilises 8GB even with 16GB. Some people claim random lockups. Plus Synology claim not using their ridiculously overpriced RAM voids warranty.

So for those who have done this successfully. Is it work it? Are you able to utilise the 16GB without issue? And if so, can I get a few links or brands I should be looking at? Thanks in advance.

Also. NVME caching… worth it? Considering I do use docker a bit and would like to utilise some VMs and databases. Cheers.

Computing NAS Synology

Comments

  • Hybroid on 09/06/2020 - 03:05
    +1

    There are many many many debates from both sides on this topic. Have a look through below and others.

    https://old.reddit.com/r/synology/search?q=DS918%2B+RAM&rest…

    • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2020 - 04:03

      Thank you. I’ll have a read later today.

    • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2020 - 14:40

      That was a great read of posts, thank you very much. With the price of 16GB of the higher speed costing slightly more than just 4GB of Synology RAM, I think it's worth taking the risk. I can offset the cost a good chunk by selling of the 4GB Synology one. Cheers.

  • Amaris on 09/06/2020 - 06:54
    +3

    NVMe caching isn’t worth it.

    • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2020 - 14:15
      +1

      Cheers mate. That will save me a few hundred. I've read mixed reviews on that also. I'll go with the OzB verdict on that one!

  • wazzac on 09/06/2020 - 08:36
    +3

    I got a 918 about 5 weeks ago - put 16GB in before I even turned it on ….. read all the same conflicting reports re usefulness and success etc … took the plunge anyway and haven’t had a single issue ….. that said … I’m not sure I’d bother with 16GB if I had my time again ….. 8 or 12 is probably fine
    I was going to sell the unused factory synology 4gb stick I removed if you are interested
    Otherwise I’d add an 8gb stick and run it with the 4gb …if you don’t feel its enough …. Add a second 8gb stick

    • BanannaMan on 09/06/2020 - 09:14
      +1

      Likewise, also enabled assigned over 12GB of the RAM to Docker containers / VMs and no issues as well

      Let me know if you'd sell me the 4GB stick - need 1 for my sister

    • Master Bates on 09/06/2020 - 09:48

      Have you got a link to the 16GB RAM you purchased? I have been holding out for Crucial 1866 DDR3L, but availability is down and prices are up.

      With too many Docker containers running I experience issues with the stock 4GB, I'm thinking 8GB might be enough. Do either of you ever notice your Synology utilising more than 8GB?

    • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2020 - 14:19

      Appreciate the input. May I ask what you do on your NAS? I could see for just storage and even Plex streaming 8GB would suffice. Just wondering if you do anything with SQL DB's, docker or VM's and still would have the same opinion? PM me with what you wish to sell the 4GB stick for? The ironic thing is I can get 2 x 8GB sticks for $122 from Amazon whereas the single Synology 4GB stick is like $140 which is lucadris, so in that case I may as well get 16GB for the hell of it lol. Can you also share a link to that 16GB kit you have so I have the option to buy what appears to be a reliable set if I go down that route? Thanks for the input.

      EDIT: Saw your link for the 16GB! Still, PM me if you're interested in selling the 4GB Synology one with a price. Cheers.

  • NuclearWessels on 09/06/2020 - 10:16
    +1

    I've got 3 (2 at work, 1 at home)- one with 16GB RAM upgraded, one with stock RAM + 2x Samsung 970s SSD cache, and one that is purely stock. I don't think the difference between them is significant enough to justify the cost.

    Upgrade the RAM if you intend to virtualise (which is an excellent feature of the DS918) otherwise I would be happy with stock configuration.

    Link aggregation to take advantage of the dual WAN is also highly recommended.

    • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2020 - 14:24

      Thanks for that. That's a good case study for me with 3 different setups. Maybe 8GB is the go then as I will be using 10 to 15 docker containers of mainly low intensity images and 1 to 2 VMs. Disappointing to hear the cache doesn't improve much. I've read it really only helps for things like DB's which makes sense due to the high amount of read/writes. I can't imagine it being useful for much else. I have also read most people suggest just using a single cache drive for write only as there has been reports of data loss with both read/write enable - have you come across any issues like this?

      • NuclearWessels on 09/06/2020 - 17:33
        +1

        I've had no issues with the SSD cache, but the performance increase isn't worth the cost in my opinion. Just a note on the RAM - I didn't have any problems running a mix of RAM. At one point had the 4GB stock with an old 8GB stick from a laptop and it ran fine. I might have been lucky though.

        • [Deactivated] on 12/06/2020 - 03:08

          Thanks very much. Information like this gives me more hope I'll be one of the lucky ones without issues. I'll report back in a few weeks!

  • No Username on 09/06/2020 - 18:42
    +1

    16gb should be fine. In the end DSM runs on Linux so there shouldn't be any restriction on how much ram you can use. Only ram restrictions are set by the bootloader, mobo and CPU. 16gb is good if u have multiple services running and applications like VM, docker containers like Jira or Jenkins and Plex as they seem to use the most ram.

    • [Deactivated] on 12/06/2020 - 03:07

      Yep, that's right. That also seems to be the whole dilemma and causing the conflicting reports. The NAS uses a J3455 Celeron which the manufacturer states supports 8GB of RAM. Yet there are other motherboards supporting the same processor that state 8GB per channel so 16GB total. Some people have reported instability and small bugs with the 16GB of RAM on the NAS and some report only certain versions of the exact same RAM with a single letter difference in the model number can make all the difference and all sorts of other weird reports. At $122 on Amazon for the 16GB Crucial kit I think I'll just bite the bullet and try it and if it doesnt work properly I'll sell it off for a small loss. Just seems so insane thast a Synology 4GB stick retails for around $150, that is highway robbery! I'll give it a go and report back in a few weeks when I' have a chance to test it to hopefully save others some heartache, cheers.

  • [Deactivated] on 24/06/2020 - 08:42

    Sorry for the late update. I ended up going with the Crucial 16GB (8GBx2) DDR3L kit from Amazon for $121. I only got to test it for a few days because I recently moved house, but there were no issues whatsoever. I didn’t get to run a memory test yet but will when my internet is setup on the 1st. Could definitely notice a good performance increase as well and the 16GB shows up in the control panel of DSM.

    Link for anyone interested. Price has gone up a bit since I blight them - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B007B5S52C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_s…

    • idobebrowsing on 13/07/2020 - 03:15

      Was wondering where did you buy your DS 918+ from and at what price? Im thinking of getting a system myself and not sure which one i should get but a lot of people say the DS918+ is pretty good over the 920+

      • [Deactivated] on 13/07/2020 - 16:39

        I got it from Scorptec. I paid full price of $749. I have seen it on here on sale for around $650. The ds920 has a slightly better processor. Unless you were working with lots of VMs or databases etc I would just stick to the ds918 and save a couple of hundreds dollars. Hope that helps.

        • idobebrowsing on 13/07/2020 - 16:42

          Thanks for the suggestion, I was actually thinking between the DS918+ and the DS1019+, and in terms of specs they are pretty much the same right? Apart from the amount of bay.

          • [Deactivated] on 13/07/2020 - 16:44

            @idobebrowsing: Yep. 1019+ has an extra bay and 4GB more of ram standard. Note you buy expansion bays for most synologys as well.

            • idobebrowsing on 13/07/2020 - 18:41

              @[Deactivated]: Yeah I just saw the expansion bays and had a look, i think it'll be good at a later stage when i need it. But as of right now here is what i will be buying (+what I have)

              Synology DS1019+
              2x 2TB WD Red (owned)
              2x 10TB Seagate Barracuda Pro (is this a good choice?) Thanks

              • [Deactivated] on 13/07/2020 - 20:38

                @idobebrowsing: I don’t know much about the Barracudas. My best advise is to read up a little bit as it’s all variable. Some hard drives are better than others depending on their size. And some brands have good and bad patches. But from a general overview. Yep seems pretty good. Synology has a smart raid option which is fantastic so take advantage of that and you can have a drive fail without losing any data.

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