Side-by-side specifications of the Synology DS212j and DS213, from official datasheets. Differences are highlighted.
| DS212j | DS213 | |
| CPU | — | unknown |
| Cores / threads | — | unknown |
| RAM (base) | — | unknown |
| RAM (max) | — | unknown |
| Drive bays | 2 | 2 |
| Expandable to | 0 | 0 |
| M.2 slots | 0 | 0 |
| Network | 1× Gigabit | 1× Gigabit |
| 10GbE | no | no |
| Max raw capacity | 6 TB | 8 TB |
| Hot-swap | no | yes |
| Form factor | desktop | tower |
| Released | 2011 | 2012 |
| Power consumption | 17.6 W / null | — |
| DSM at launch | — | — |
Choose the DS213 if you want the better long-term box: it has a faster CPU and higher RAM ceiling than the DS212J, while both are still 2-bay units with no expansion path. Neither model has 10GbE or M.2, so those aren’t deciding factors here.