Synology users eyeing future Plus series network-attached storage (NAS) devices may need to factor in hard drive choice more carefully. The company is poised to extend its policy of limiting software features based on drive certification to new models launching in 2025, a strategy previously confined to its enterprise hardware.
According to initial reporting by German tech publication Hardwareluxx, using drives not specifically branded by or certified for Synology in these upcoming consumer and small-business focused units will result in certain capabilities being unavailable.
This approach isn’t entirely new for Synology; the company began implementing similar validation requirements for its higher-end RackStation and FlashStation systems around the start of 2021. However, extending it to the more mainstream Plus series, known for its balance of features and accessibility, represents a notable shift that could impact a wider user base accustomed to greater hardware flexibility.
Software Features Tied to Certified Drives
For customers purchasing these new 2025 Plus NAS units, the consequence of installing standard NAS drives from third-party manufacturers is expected to manifest within the DiskStation Manager (DSM) software. Instead of detailed drive health information derived from S.M.A.R.T. data, users will reportedly see warnings about unsupported hardware. More critically, certain advanced functions are expected to be disabled.
Using hard drives not specifically approved by Synology is expected to disable several software capabilities: predictive health status reporting (a function valuable to most users), volume-wide deduplication, drive lifespan analysis, and automated firmware updates for the installed media. This necessity for health data makes using Synology’s own or equivalent drives nearly unavoidable for full functionality. On top of these specific cuts, reports also suggest unspecified issues may arise when configuring storage pools or seeking support with these drives.
These limitations strongly encourage the use of Synology’s own drive lines, like the HAT3300 Plus series or the HAT5300 Enterprise series (such as the HAT3300 4TB or HAT5300 16TB), to ensure access to all software features and official support channels. The report also hinted at potential, though unspecified, difficulties in storage pool creation with unverified drives.
Synology’s official stance often revolves around ensuring stability and performance through rigorous testing, reflected in their compatibility lists. However, disabling features based on drive choice in the Plus series pushes beyond mere validation warnings seen in the past for some third-party drives.
User Choice, Capacity, and Availability Impacts
This policy change has several practical implications. Synology’s current Plus-branded HAT3310 drives are available up to 16TB. While larger capacities exist in their enterprise line, the general NAS drive market offers options like WD’s Red Pro series extending towards 26TB. This means users seeking maximum storage density in a new multi-bay 2025 Plus NAS will face a lower capacity ceiling (e.g., 128TB in an 8-bay unit with 16TB drives) if they prioritize full feature access compared to using larger third-party drives (potentially reaching over 200TB raw with 26TB drives).
Drive availability and cost also become considerations. Synology’s 16TB Plus drive could face longer shipping delays compared to readily available, similarly priced competitor drives from WD, Seagate, and Toshiba. Timely replacement of failed drives is necessary for maintaining RAID array health, making potential sourcing delays for specific Synology-branded drives a concern for data resilience.
Ecosystem Control Over Hardware Flexibility
Industry observers often view such moves as attempts by vendors to increase revenue by controlling more of the hardware ecosystem, suggesting Synology is likely re-branding drives from major manufacturers rather than producing them independently. This strategy ensures Synology captures margin from drive sales in addition to the NAS unit itself, a different approach than competitors like QNAP who generally offer broader drive compatibility.
While tight integration and validation are expected in enterprise environments, applying these restrictions to the Plus series, popular among home users and SMBs, shifts the balance away from user flexibility. It necessitates a long-term reliance on Synology for compatible drive replacements. This drive policy becomes another factor for potential buyers to weigh alongside hardware specifications (like the often-used, older CPU generations in some models, e.g., the DS224+) and overall system cost when considering Synology’s 2025 Plus NAS lineup.
