The Synology BeeStation Plus (compensated affiliate link) is a personal cloud server that offers a stripped-down take on Synology’s usual network-attached storage experience. Unlike their more robust NAS systems, the BeeStation line focuses on just a few core functions—file syncing across devices and photo backup from phones. It’s more or less a homegrown alternative to services like Dropbox or Google Drive, and this new Plus model adds something the original lacked: the ability to run a Plex server.
In my latest video, we take a look at this new BeeStation performs as a Plex server.
That Plex capability is what drew my attention this time. I reviewed the original BeeStation last year, and not much has changed outside of this new functionality. The interface, the photo and file syncing—all of that remains the same. What’s different is under the hood: more storage, faster hardware, and just enough headroom to make media serving viable.
The BeeStation Plus comes in at a price roughly double that of the original model. It’s also just slightly less expensive than Synology’s newer DS225+ NAS when configured with storage. The DS225+ shares the same Intel Celeron J4125 processor found here.
The BeeStation Plus includes 8TB of built-in Synology-branded storage running at 7200 RPM, compared to 4TB at 5400 RPM on the original. There’s also a bump from 1GB to 4GB of RAM.
From a design standpoint, you get basic connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet, USB-A and USB-C ports for external backup drives, and a fan that’s quiet during operation. Unfortunately, it lacks 2.5-gigabit Ethernet, which is now available on that aforementioned DS225+.
The Plex Media Server is installed through the web control panel. It’s not the latest version—Synology seems to vet versions before distributing them—but the process is pretty painless. You’ll need to walk through the usual Plex setup steps manually, including mapping your media directories one by one. The BeeStation Plus creates default folders for things like movies and TV shows, but you have to point Plex to them yourself.
Once it’s up and running, Plex behaves as expected. I tested it by playing a BluRay MKV rip of Back to the Future from my phone over Wi-Fi and had it transcode a 4K HDR10 file down to 1080p at 8Mbps with tone mapping. The hardware handled that without issue, using only about 20% of available system resources thanks to Intel’s Quick Sync technology.
One catch: hardware transcoding requires a Plex Pass. It’s a separate purchase—not bundled with the BeeStation—and available either as a subscription or one-time payment. Without it, Plex will still work fine on your local network if you don’t need transcoding, but you will need to pay to stream outside the home.
Transferring media files to the BeeStation is easiest over a local SMB share. You can access the device through your network like any other NAS box, and I was getting about 100MB/s transfer speeds, which lines up with expectations for gigabit Ethernet.
So what’s the verdict? The BeeStation Plus works. It’s a more capable version of the original, and for someone new to Plex who wants a simple, all-in-one box, it might be a decent starting point. But at this price point, it sits in a weird middle ground. For casual users, the original BeeStation might still be enough if they don’t need the Plex server. It’s possible Synology will add more app support to this device in the future, and if they do, the extra processing power here will help. But for now, the BeeStation Plus feels like a bridge between the simple and sophisticated—and that may limit its appeal.