I cannot answer on comparing to Denon HEOS Link.
I bought my DNP-800ne almost a year ago along with a Yamaha A-S801 amp and a Yammie CDs-303 spinner for my home office setup. I wanted something that looked like a component rather than something half or 3/4 sized, and something that didn't break the bank, as this was relatively new to me.
I have thousands of hirez files on my home computer that are served up via OShare through my Asus XT8 Router set. I wanted to play these back, as well as fairly easy access to Internet radio stations. That being said- the unit does what I want it to do. I was initially put off by the fact I need to use my smartphone and Heos App to find "albums" quickly, but in reality it mostly works quicker as scrolling though hundreds of LP's using remote and Denon display would take forever to find some titles.
I believe this unit is now out of production, being replaced by an Amp/Streamer combo.
My confidence in the unit quality has been shaken already, as the unit has gone back for warranty TWICE. Unit was purchased November 2021, and was sent off to United Radio in July this year. It just lost its ability to find anything on USB, Server, or Internet and a Network Module was replaced. Last month- the unit failed again the exact same way. United claims it needed a new Firmware flash, which I'm curious about.
For the $600 retail I paid for it- it is a learning experience. I truly enjoy the convenience of having my music available upstairs, and the wide open frontier of Internet Radio is a good thing. This is much akin to when I was a youngster scanning the radio dial for either the furthest away station I could listen to or expanding my horizons for what was played on other stations. I truly enjoy listening to WFMT a classical Station in Chicago(I live in Mass), but am slowly reaching out to other locales and music as well.
Sure- I could have just bought a newer cheaper AV Receiver, but I wanted more than that. After some time with this- maybe I'll look into the Cambridge Audio offerings for streamers. They do get astounding reviews.
Chris