Synology reverses drive restrictions for 2025 NAS models
Synology has announced that its 2025 DiskStation Plus, Value, and J-series NAS devices will support non-validated third-party drives starting with DSM 7.3. This change reverses a policy that required expensive Synology-branded drives for enhanced reliability. The decision follows user feedback amid growing competition in the NAS market.
On October 8, 2025, Synology released an update to its Disk Station Manager (DSM) software, version 7.3, which removes the mandate for validated drives in its upcoming 2025 model-year products. Specifically, the Plus, Value, and J-series DiskStation NAS devices now allow the installation and storage pool creation of non-validated third-party drives. This provides users with greater flexibility while Synology continues to expand its lineup of officially verified drives.
The policy shift comes just months after Synology expanded its 'verified drive' requirements to the entire Plus line, a move intended to improve reliability. Synology had previously stated in an email to Ars Technica: "Extensive internal testing has shown that drives that follow a rigorous validation process when paired with Synology systems are at less risk of drive failure and ongoing compatibility issues." The company began offering its own branded hard disk drives in 2021, which are rebadged from other manufacturers and undergo additional testing and customized firmware for better performance.
However, these drives carried significant price premiums. For instance, the Synology HAT5310 enterprise SATA drive is priced at $299 for 8TB, $493 for 12TB, and $605 for 20TB, compared to $220, $345, and $399 for equivalent Seagate Exos models. Using non-verified drives in restricted NAS units previously triggered warnings, reduced functionality, and withheld S.M.A.R.T. diagnostics, though the latter restriction was later lifted.
Synology attributed the reversal to user feedback. A company representative explained via email: "First and foremost, our goal is to create reliable and secure solutions for user's data... based on user feedback and to provide more flexibility in drive choices since testing third party drives has taken a while, we're opening up the drive policy to include non-verified drives." Addressing concerns about reputational damage, the representative added: "While our original goal was to improve system reliability... our valued community has shared feedback that flexibility is equally important. We are committed to our user's experience and we understand that this decision didn't align with their expectations of us."
The change applies only to 2025 models like the DS725+, DS225+, DS425+, DS925+, DS1525+, and DS1825+. Enterprise xs+ line models, such as the DS3622xs+, and M.2 disks for pools and caches remain under the hardware compatibility list (HCL) policy. Synology is collaborating with third-party manufacturers to verify more drives, promising further updates.