Hardware: Inside the DS2413+
The DS2413+ is powered by a 2.13GHz Intel Atom D2700 Cedarview (32nm) processor. Although this is a dual-core chip, it supports four threads through HyperThreading. The processor is passively cooled using a small aluminum heatsink that looks like something you would find on a southbridge motherboard chip.
When compared to the Atom D525 featured in the DS2411+, the Atom D2700 is clocked 18% faster but consumes over 20% less power.
Rather than soldering the memory chips directly to the PCB, as was the case with earlier Synology NAS devices, the DS2413+ features a pair of SO-DIMM slots. One of these slots comes preloaded with 2GB of DDR3-1333 memory.
The other slot – found on the back side of the motherboard – is easily accessible by removing the left side case door. Synology sells 2GB modules for the DS2413+ and with 2GB priced at less than $20, it might be a worthwhile upgrade.
Like the original, the PCB features two Intel 82574L network controllers that have also been in a number of recent Synology products. The Intel 82574L controllers provide the DS2413+ with dual gigabit LAN using the PCI Express 1.1 x1 (2.5GT/s) interface. These tiny 9x9mm controllers have a 90nm fabrication and a maximum TDP of just 0.727 watts.
The PCB also carries an ICH10R southbridge, which was first released in July 2008 with the P45 (Eaglelake) chipset. There are many versions of the ICH10 and the Synology DS2413+ uses the AF82801JR I/O controller, otherwise known as the ICH10R. This high-end version boasts AHCI and RAID support.
The 31x31mm chip uses just 4.5 watts and supports a host of features, such as SATA 3Gb/s and USB 2.0. In fact, the four internal bays, which offer a number of volume types such as basic, JBOD, RAID 0, 1, 5, 5+Spare, 6 and 10, get this support from the ICH10R thanks to its use of the Intel Matrix Storage Technology.
Although the ICH10R supports six SATA ports, the DS2413+ doesn't use them. Instead, Synology has opted for three Marvell 88SX7042 controllers that utilize the PCI Express bus and provide four SATA 3Gb/s ports each. There's also a fourth 88SX7042 controller used to connect the DS2413+ with the DX1211 expansion enclosure.
Although the ICH10R supports 12 USB 2.0 ports, the DS2413+ only provides four, while a fifth is used to connect an internal micro drive. Sitting over the Silicon Image controller is a small PCB connected to the mainboard via USB.
This tiny PCB features a USBest UT165-L46 controller that's often found in thumb drives and is connected to a single Samsung K9F1G08U0C-PCB0 128MB memory chip, which is designed to house the operating system.
It's worth mentioning that Synology has gone with a 100% solid capacitor design, making the DS2413+ a more durable product.
There's one more obvious ingredient: storage drives. The DS2413+'s compatibility list is quite broad, supporting a wide range of Hitachi, Maxtor, Samsung, Seagate and Western Digital HDDs – including 4TB models with the latest firmware.