2.99 euros per month. This is the amount that I have paid without fail for several years to Google for my 200 GB One subscription. An expense which may seem derisory, but which in the long term still represents 35.88 euros per year. When I discovered the Synology BeeStation, sold for around 270 euros, I was tempted to do without a subscription.
Discover the BeeStation at the best price here
The idea of regaining control of my personal data, no longer depending on a web giant, and building my own cloud ecosystem made me dream. The BeeStation being a general public NAS, promised all of this, with its 3.5 TB of storage, the possibility of connecting other storage systems with its USB A port and its USB C port, as well as its dedicated applications.
The installation: flawless
First contact with the BeeStation: installation. And there, Synology is strong. Two cables to plug in (power and network), a few clicks in a clear web interface, and off you go. Even for beginners, it’s impossible to go wrong. The BeePhotos and BeeFiles applications are just as easy to install on a smartphone.
Mixed performance
The first days of use quickly revealed the limits of the system. First pitfall: noise. The BeeStation’s mechanical hard drive emits a constant scratching sound during access, loud enough to be heard over the sound of the television. A detail? Not really when the device is installed in the living room, close to the box due to its Ethernet connection.
But the most annoying thing remains the performance. The initial import of my Google Photos library (around 150 GB) took over two days. About 10% of the photos I imported were left out due to missing metadata. This caused no problem for Google Photos.
In the photo interface accessible in the cloud, facial recognition, so precise at Google, multiplies duplicates and errors here. Searching for a simple photo of a “cat” can take up to a minute, when Google Photos provides instant results. It is also preferable to be able to access all of the photos, given the limited reading speed of the disc.
BeePhotos vs Google Photos: an unbalanced match
BeePhotos’ interface isn’t bad, but it lags considerably behind Google Photos. The synchronization of photos from the smartphone is experiencing hiccups and displaying thumbnails takes several seconds each time you change screens. Google also offers rather advanced editing of photos, as well as the automatic production of souvenir albums.
Verdict, return to Google Photos
After this test, I had to face the facts: the BeeStation will not replace my Google One subscription. It finds its place as an additional backup solution, particularly for important files that I rarely access. But for daily photo management, Google Photos remains unbeatable.
It’s not so much a question of price since the BeeStation remains economically interesting in the long term. It’s more a question of ease of use and functionality. Google Photos offers such a smooth user experience and such advanced features that the additional monthly cost of 2.99 euros finally seems justified.
The BeeStation finds its place
The BeeStation has proven to be a great complement to Google Drivenot a replacement. It now serves as an automatic local backup for my photos and important documents. Additional security that allows me to sleep peacefully, knowing that my memories are stored both in the Google cloud and on my local network.
Perhaps this is where the real wisdom lies: do not seek at all costs to replace the cloud services of the web giants, but rather to intelligently complement them with local solutions. The BeeStation excels in this role of automated local backup, even if it struggles to convince as a complete alternative to Google Photos.
Our opinion on the Synology BeeStation
If you are looking for a reliable and easy to use local backup solution, the BeeStation is an excellent choice. It will be perfect for those who want to automatically backup their important files, have access to their data with a personal cloud and have a large storage solution at a lower cost.
On the other hand, if you’re hoping to completely replace Google Photos or other mainstream cloud services, you may be disappointed. The BeeStation is an excellent backup tool, but it cannot compete with the power and ease of use of major cloud services.
Discover the BeeStation at the best price here
My advice? Keep your Google One subscription if you are an intensive photo user, and use the BeeStation as an additional backup solution. It is in this role that she gives the best of herself.
Synology BeeStation
€269.95
We love
- Very simple and intuitive installation
- Large storage capacity with 3.5 TB available
- Excellent choice as a local backup solution
- Ability to expand storage using USB A port and USB C port
- Creating a personal cloud
We like less
- Annoying noise in a living room when accessed
- Limited performance with very slow initial import
- Interface less efficient than Google Photos with long loading times for thumbnails
