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A speedy and convenient means of backing up data and distributing multimedia files, the well-built DS410 can accommodate an impressive total of 8TB in its four drive bays.

You install the drives, and thus have total control over capacity and upgrades. Both 2.5 and 3.5in SATA drives are supported, as are various implementations of RAID technology.

The onboard DLNA media server works well with a variety of media players. It dovetails with Windows, while Apple applications (like iTunes and TimeMachine) are supported. Various embedded ‘station’ applications are also available for downloads (eg BitTorrent), and multimedia streaming.

Setup is straightforward, thanks to a powerful and flexible web interface that also enables you to manage disks and multiple users/privileges, backup from PCs or to external eSATA/USB storage devices.

Some firmware is stored in non-volatile memory. This can cause problems, though we’re told you’ll still be able to boot up in the event of a system-partition crash.

Energy consumption is going to be high when fully-loaded, even with 4 x 2.5in drives. However, the DS410 does boast nifty power management facilities such as auto drive-spindown, fan control, LAN wake-up and scheduled uptime. In any case, it runs surprisingly quietly.

Although the DS410 will accommodate those low-consumption and quieter-running 2.5in drives (and even comes with all the necessary screws), Synology doesn’t include the brackets that allow them to be fitted into the 3.5in bays, so you must remember to buy them yourself when ordering the drives.

Synology DS410
Price: £400

Overall: 4/5