Side-by-side specifications of the Synology DS214play and DS214+, from official datasheets. Differences are highlighted.
| DS214play | DS214+ | |
| CPU | Intel Atom dual-core 1.6 GHz | dual-core CPU with floating-point unit |
| Cores / threads | 2 cores / 2 threads | 2 cores / 2 threads |
| RAM (base) | 1 GB DDR3 | 1 GB DDR3 |
| RAM (max) | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Drive bays | 2 | 2 |
| Expandable to | 0 | 0 |
| M.2 slots | 0 | 0 |
| Network | 1x Gigabit Ethernet | 2 x Gigabit |
| 10GbE | no | no |
| Max raw capacity | 8 TB | 12 TB |
| Hot-swap | yes | yes |
| Form factor | Desktop | desktop |
| Released | 2013 | 2013 |
| Power consumption | — | — |
| DSM at launch | — | — |
Choose the DS214+ if you want the better general-purpose box: it has the stronger CPU, a higher RAM ceiling, and is the safer pick for multitasking and heavier NAS workloads. Choose the DS214PLAY only if your priority is media playback/transcoding; neither model has 10GbE or M.2, and both are limited to 2 bays with no expansion.