Side-by-side specifications of the Synology DS214PLAY and DS214SE, from official datasheets. Differences are highlighted.
| DS214PLAY | DS214SE | |
| CPU | Intel Atom Dual Core 1.6GHz | — |
| Cores / threads | 2 cores | — |
| RAM (base) | 1GB | — |
| RAM (max) | 1GB | — |
| Drive bays | 2 | 2 |
| Expandable to | 0 | no |
| M.2 slots | 0 | 0 |
| Network | 1x Gigabit | 1x Gigabit |
| 10GbE | no | no |
| Max raw capacity | 8TB | 8TB |
| Hot-swap | yes | yes |
| Form factor | desktop | desktop |
| Released | 2013 | 2013 |
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.