Synology uses a standard box for all of their 2 drive NAS units. The only differentiating portion between the box of the DS210j and the DS210 I last reviewed is the sticker identifying the model, MAC address and specification/features label. The box is made entirely from cardboard and this simple design helps keep carbon footprint and costs down.

No matter how small the package may be, I really appreciate it when designers include a handle on their boxes. It just makes transporting the device so much easier. I hope other companies take a page out from Synology on these small touches. Opening up the cardboard box, the DS210j is well protected by floating in the middle of a foam lattice. The accessories are packaged in their own cardboard box tucked to the side. These accessories include an installation CD, assembly kit of screws (including spares just in case you lose one), AC power cord, AC Power Adapter and a RJ-45 cable.

As I mentioned earlier, the DS210j is further protected from shipping damage with a foam wrap and a Styrofoam lattice. Unpacking these protective layers reveals a white plastic shell with an accent of gray for the control panel.

The front of the DS210j provides basic indication of performance. The top 4 LEDs indicate device Status, LAN access and drive activity for each disk. A USB port is provided for storage expansion. The top button activates the one-touch backup feature and the bottom button powers up the device. It appears that a second USB port or an eSATA could have been added but is covered off.

From the back we have the single network port, two USB ports, a K-slot, reset and DC power receptacle. An 80mm fan provides active cooling to the two hard drives. Having powered the DS210j, I have not found the fan to be loud. It hums along and it is no louder than regular disk activity or fan noise from your PC.

The side, top and bottom are nothing special. An all white shell is very clean but doesn’t easily pick up fingerprints. The four rubber feet provide good traction and slip resistance on my glossy table.

We’ll move onto the features and specifications before installing some hard drives and running a handful of benchmarks.

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