Synology is known for making top-quality Plex NAS servers, which I have trusted and used for more than ten years. While their hardware may not be the best, their software suite remains unparalleled, and their NAS servers are consistently reliable. Currently, my primary NAS is the DiskStation DS1823xs+, which stores over 140TB of data, while I also have a DS1621xs+ as a secondary NAS with over 80TB of data.
Although Synology had a quiet year in 2024, they are gearing up to launch their 2025 portfolio soon. However, there is a significant limitation with the upcoming Plus series models – these DiskStation models will only be compatible with Synology’s own hard drives, not the leading NAS HDDs from Seagate and Western Digital.
In 2021, Synology started enforcing this restriction on their business-centric NAS models, coinciding with the launch of their own drives, although they initially stated that it would not impact the consumer DiskStation series. However, they have now decided to limit the DiskStation Plus series exclusively to their own drives, walking back on their earlier claims.
According to the press release (in German), “Starting with the Plus series models released in 2025, only Synology’s own hard drives and third-party hard drives certified according to Synology’s specifications will be compatible and offer the full range of functions and support.”
Synology clarifies that this restriction only applies to models debuting in 2025 and beyond, and existing models like the DiskStation DS923+, DS224+, DS723+, and others will remain unaffected. They also assure that transferring drives from an older NAS to a 2025 Plus server will not have any limitations.
Essentially, if you do not use a Synology-branded hard drive in the 2025 DiskStation Plus models, you will miss out on key features like volume-wide deduplication, lifespan analysis, and automatic firmware updates. Synology states that this change is aimed at reducing compatibility issues and boosting system reliability, but the underlying motive seems to be driving sales of their own drives over competitors’.
Synology conducted 7,000 hours of extensive testing with their own hard drives and the upcoming DiskStation Plus models, observing a 20% decrease in support tickets related to storage and drive issues when using Synology’s HDDs.
While the brand aims to improve integration between drives and NAS servers, users may prefer the flexibility of choosing their preferred hard drive brands. As a user who relies on a variety of drives from Seagate, Toshiba, and WD, I am hesitant about being restricted to only one brand.
I have always praised Synology NAS servers for their features and user-friendly interface, but this recent move towards limiting drive compatibility has me questioning my allegiance. I will reserve final judgment until I have hands-on experience with the new Plus models, but as an enthusiast, I am disappointed to see Synology prioritize profits over user choice.