Side-by-side specifications of the Synology DS214play and DS214se, from official datasheets. Differences are highlighted.
| DS214play | DS214se | |
| CPU | Intel Atom dual-core 1.6 GHz | Marvell Armada 370 1.2 GHz |
| Cores / threads | 2 cores / 2 threads | 1 core / 1 thread |
| RAM (base) | 1 GB DDR3 | 512 MB |
| RAM (max) | 1 GB | 512 MB |
| Drive bays | 2 | 2 |
| Expandable to | 0 | 0 |
| M.2 slots | 0 | 0 |
| Network | 1x Gigabit Ethernet | 1× Gigabit Ethernet |
| 10GbE | no | no |
| Max raw capacity | 8 TB | 8 TB |
| Hot-swap | yes | no |
| Form factor | Desktop | Desktop |
| Released | 2013 | 2013 |
| Power consumption | — | 19 W / unknown |
| DSM at launch | — | — |
Choose the DS214PLAY if you want the faster box: it has the stronger CPU, more RAM headroom, and the same 2 bays but no expansion beyond that. Neither model has 10GbE or M.2, and neither expands to more drive bays; if you want the cheapest basic file server, the DS214SE is the lower-end pick.