What can the DS925+ run?
By Devin Chua · Data checked by Owen Nakamura · Updated The DS925+ runs Plex and Jellyfin for direct-play (software transcode only), full Docker via DSM and real virtual machines. On its AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) with 4 GB (to 32 GB), the sweet spot is Home Assistant, Nextcloud, Pi-hole / AdGuard Home, Paperless-ngx.
The model the whole drive debate revolves around. Since DSM 7.3 you can fit ordinary NAS drives again, and with SHR the DS925+ makes good use of mixed drive sizes. Do not overlook: unlike the DS923+ it has no slot for a 10-gigabit card, but it ships with two 2.5-gigabit ports.
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Everything the DS925+ can run, at a glance
Rated from this model’s real AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) and its 4 GB–32 GB of RAM. “Limited” and “No” are honest — an ARM box does not virtualize, and no hardware transcode is no hardware transcode.
| App | Runs? | Performance | What it needs on this model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plex | Yes | fair | Direct-play; software transcode only |
| Jellyfin | Yes | fair | Direct-play; software transcode |
| Immich | Yes | fair | Recommend a RAM upgrade to 8 GB+ · add RAM › |
| Home Assistant | Yes | good | Container or full HA OS in a VM |
| Nextcloud | Yes | good | Runs well in Docker |
| Frigate | Yes | fair | Add a Coral TPU (USB) for detection |
| Pi-hole / AdGuard Home | Yes | good | Lightweight container |
| Paperless-ngx | Yes | good | Runs well in Docker |
| Vaultwarden | Yes | good | Lightweight container |
| Minecraft server | Yes | fair | RAM upgrade recommended for headroom · add RAM › |
| Docker (general) | Yes | good | Full container platform (DSM) |
| Virtual machines | Yes | fair | Add RAM (16 GB+) for a useful VM · add RAM › |
| Surveillance recording | Yes | good | Scales to many cameras; surveillance drives |
| Time Machine / backup target | Yes | good | Any model |
Buy the DS925+ on Amazon.ca — CA$900
App by app on the DS925+
Plex
The DS925+ runs Plex natively, but the AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) has no integrated GPU: it direct-plays cleanly and its 4-core chip handles the library, yet 4K transcoding falls back to slow software. Over 2 × 2.5GbE that is rarely the bottleneck — the transcode is.
Jellyfin
Jellyfin runs in a container on the DS925+, but with no Intel iGPU on the AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) it transcodes in software only. Lean on direct-play over 2 × 2.5GbE and it stays smooth.
Immich
The DS925+ makes a capable Immich server — a self-hosted Google Photos with face and object search. It runs as a Docker stack under DSM, and its 4 GB out of the box and room for 32 GB covers the 8 GB the machine-learning wants. Plan the RAM upgrade first.
Home Assistant
On the DS925+ you get both Home Assistant paths: the lightweight Container in DSM's Docker, or the full HA OS in a virtual machine, since the 4-core AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) supports VMs and can lend a guest some of its 32 GB ceiling.
Nextcloud
For a full private cloud — files, calendar, contacts, office — the DS925+ hosts Nextcloud in DSM's Docker. The 4-core AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) and 4 GB out of the box and room for 32 GB keep it snappy for a family; it wants more headroom than a simple file share, so do not starve it.
Frigate
Frigate will run on the DS925+, but the AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) has no Intel iGPU, so it decodes on the CPU — keep the camera count modest and add a USB Coral TPU for the detection. The ECC RAM is a nice touch for a 24/7 recorder.
Pi-hole / AdGuard Home
The DS925+ makes a fine home for Pi-hole or AdGuard Home: the container barely registers next to storage, and because the box is already on all day, it is a natural network-wide DNS blocker for everything on your 2 × 2.5GbE.
Paperless-ngx
Paperless-ngx runs in DSM's Docker on the DS925+; the 4-core AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) handles a household's OCR in bursts, with 4 GB out of the box and room for 32 GB to keep indexing quick.
Vaultwarden
Run Vaultwarden on the DS925+ and your passwords live on hardware you control: it is a tiny, Bitwarden-compatible vault that works with the official apps and browser extensions, using almost none of DSM's resources.
Minecraft server
The DS925+ can host a Minecraft world in DSM's Docker: a world wants ~4 GB, and this model offers 4 GB out of the box and room for 32 GB. Add RAM before inviting a crowd; the AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads)'s clock does the rest.
Docker (general)
The DS925+ runs a full container platform through DSM, which is what makes it more than a 4-bay disk box — Immich, Nextcloud, Pi-hole and the rest all run here. How many you stack comes down to 4 GB out of the box and room for 32 GB on the 4-core AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads).
Virtual machines
The DS925+ is a real VM host: the 4-core AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) virtualizes and 4 GB out of the box and room for 32 GB lets you hand a guest a proper slice while the NAS keeps serving over 2 × 2.5GbE. Fill it toward 32 GB if VMs are the point.
Surveillance recording
With Synology's built-in surveillance app and the 4-core AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads), the DS925+ records a serious number of cameras. Plan the 4-bay storage around your retention window, and fit WD Purple or SkyHawk drives built for the 24/7 write load.
Time Machine / backup target
Backups are the DS925+'s day job: it serves as a Time Machine and Windows/phone backup target over SMB, and its 2 × 2.5GbE link keeps whole-machine backups quick. Cap each user's quota so the 4 bays are not swallowed by old snapshots.
The DS925+ at a glance
| CPU | AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) |
|---|---|
| RAM | 4 GB DDR4 ECC SO-DIMM (2 slots), up to 32 GB (ECC) |
| Bays | 4 |
| Container platform | Yes — DSM |
| Virtual machines | Yes |
| Plex/Jellyfin transcode | No iGPU — software only, not for 4K |
| OS | DSM 7.3 or newer |
Read more
- What can I run? — the full matrix
- Best drives for the DS925+
- RAM for the DS925+
- DS925+ capacity calculator
Frequently asked questions
Can the DS925+ run Plex with 4K transcoding?
Not well. The AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) has no integrated GPU, so the DS925+ direct-plays 4K fine but can only transcode in slow software. For 4K transcoding, choose an Intel Quick Sync model instead.
Can the DS925+ run Docker?
Yes — DSM includes a full container platform, so the DS925+ runs the whole self-hosted world (Pi-hole, Vaultwarden, Nextcloud and more), limited only by its 4–32 GB of RAM.
Can the DS925+ run virtual machines?
Yes. The DS925+ supports hardware virtualization, and with up to 32 GB of RAM it can give a Windows or Linux guest a useful slice while still serving files.
Can the DS925+ run Immich?
Yes. With a RAM upgrade toward 8 GB, the DS925+ runs Immich's machine-learning photo search comfortably in Docker — a strong self-hosted Google Photos replacement.
Can the DS925+ run Home Assistant?
Yes. Home Assistant Container runs in Docker on the DS925+ and barely touches the CPU, and you can run the full Home Assistant OS in a VM if you prefer add-ons.
Is the DS925+ a good home server, or just storage?
It is a genuine home server: full Docker (and VMs) turn it into a platform for Plex, photos, automation and more — not just a file box. RAM is the main lever on how much you stack.
Devin Chua works out which drives, RAM and NVMe cache fit which NAS model at nasdrives.ca, and what the RAID choice means for usable capacity, checked against what is in stock on Amazon.ca.
Data checked by Owen Nakamura, Technical editor (data checking)