Thunderbird 145 has been released with full native support for Microsoft Exchange email via the Exchange Web Services (EWS) protocol. [...]

UGREEN Reveal Two New 4-Bay NAS – The DXP4800 Pro and DXP4800S

UGREEN DXP4800S NAS Specifications

The DXP4800S is seemingly positioned as an updated variant of the original DXP4800, retaining the same core hardware layout while adopting Intel’s newer N150 processor and faster DDR5 memory. The shift to the N150 provides a modest frequency increase over the N100 but maintains identical core count, thread count and power behaviour. Memory remains user accessible through a single slot, with support for up to 16GB. The rest of the internal structure is unchanged, including four SATA bays, two NVMe slots and the same Gen three by one PCIe wiring. The system is intended as a compact x86 home server with improved AI-assisted photo indexing and modest efficiency gains over the standard model.

Externally, the device keeps the original USB layout, HDMI output and 2.5GbE gigabit LAN. The SD card reader remains SD 3.0 and the flash storage stays at 32GB. The overall focus of this model is small refinements rather than a re-engineered platform. Users familiar with the DXP4800 will find the same physical design and the same expandability, but with slightly higher supported memory frequency and a newer entry class processor that aligns with Intel’s Twin Lake manufacturing cycle.

Component	DXP4800S
Processor	Intel N150, four cores and four threads, up to 3.6Ghz
Architecture	x86, Intel seven process
Memory	8GB DDR5 preinstalled, one slot, up to sixteen gigabytes, up to five thousand six hundred megahertz, ECC capable
SATA Bays	Four, compatible with 2.5 inch and 3.5 inch drives
SATA Capacity	Up to 30TB per bay
NVMe Slots	Two M key NVMe 2280 slots, up to eight terabytes each
Flash Storage	32GB
Network	2x 2.5GbE
USB	Front one USB three point two Gen two Type A and one USB three point two Gen two Type C. Rear one USB three point two Gen one
USB Two	Two rear ports
SD Reader	SD 3
HDMI	Up to 4K at sixty hertz

UGREEN DXP4800 Pro NAS Specifications

The DXP4800 Pro introduces more substantial hardware changes than the S variant. It replaces the Pentium Gold processor found in the DXP4800 Plus with the Intel Core i3-1315U, which provides additional cores, higher thread count and improved frequency. This positions the Pro as the most capable four bay x86 model in UGREEN’s lineup. The system also upgrades its SD card reader to SD 4.0 and increases maximum supported memory to 96GB through two DDR5 slots. Internal storage layout remains unchanged, with four SATA drive bays and two NVMe slots, both fully accessible without modifying the chassis. Connectivity mirrors the Plus model by retaining 1x 10GbE and 1x 2.5GbE USB connectivity remains a mix of Gen two front ports and a Gen one rear port. HDMI output continues to support 4K at 60Hz. These choices maintain consistency with the previous model and allow the CPU upgrade to be the primary differentiator rather than a broader redesign of the platform.

Component	DXP4800 Pro
Processor	Intel Core i3 1315U, six cores and eight threads, up to 4.5Ghz
Architecture	x86, Intel seven process
Memory	E8GB DDR5 preinstalled, two slots, up to ninety six gigabytes, up to five thousand six hundred megahertz, ECC capable
SATA Bays	Four, compatible with 2.5 inch and 3.5 inch drives
SATA Capacity	Up to 30tb per bay
NVMe Slots	Two M key NVMe 2280 slots, up to eight terabytes each
Flash Storage	128GB
Network	1x 10GbE + 2.5GbE
USB	Front one USB three point two Gen two Type A and one USB three point two Gen two Type C. Rear one USB three point two Gen one
USB Two	Two rear ports
SD Reader	SD 4
HDMI	Up to 4K at sixty hertz

---

UGREEN DXP4800S vs DXP4800 NAS Specifications

The DXP4800S is a small technical update to the original DXP4800. Both systems use the same chassis, the same storage layout and the same port arrangement, including four SATA bays, two NVMe slots, a single 2.5GbE network port and the same USB configuration. The primary distinction is the CPU. The older DXP4800 uses the Intel N100, while the DXP4800S switches to the Intel N150, which increases maximum frequency but retains the same four core and four thread structure. Memory configuration also remains largely the same but the S model supports up to 5600MHz DDR5 rather than 4800MHz. All other hardware behaviour is unchanged. Both systems include 32GB of onboard flash, HDMI with 4K60 output and an SD 3.0 card reader. Drive support continues to allow up to 30TB per SATA bay and up to 8TB per NVMe slot. Because of these similarities, the DXP4800S functions as a direct incremental revision of the DXP4800 rather than a new performance tier, and the difference in everyday workloads will be minimal outside of small frequency gains.

Component	DXP4800	DXP4800S
Processor	Intel N100, 4 cores and 4 threads, up to 3.4GHz	Intel N150, 4 cores and 4 threads, up to 3.6GHz
Architecture	x86, Intel 7	x86, Intel 7
Memory	8GB DDR5, 1 slot, up to 16GB, 4800MHz	8GB DDR5, 1 slot, up to 16GB, 5600MHz
SATA Bays	4, supports 2.5 inch and 3.5 inch drives	4, supports 2.5 inch and 3.5 inch drives
NVMe Slots	2 x M.2 NVMe 2280, up to 8TB each	2 x M.2 NVMe 2280, up to 8TB each
Flash Storage	32GB	32GB
Network	1 x 2.5GbE	1 x 2.5GbE
USB	Front USB 3.2 Gen2 Type A and Type C, rear USB 3.2 Gen1	Same ports and speeds
USB2	2 rear ports	2 rear ports
SD Reader	SD 3.0	SD 3.0
HDMI	4K60	4K60

---

UGREEN DXP4800 Pro vs DXP4800 Plus NAS Specifications

The DXP4800 Pro introduces a more significant hardware step forward compared with the DXP4800 Plus. The Plus model uses the Intel Pentium Gold 8505, while the Pro replaces it with the Intel Core i3 1315U which increases the number of cores, improves thread count and provides higher boost frequencies. Memory capacity also expands from a maximum of 64GB on the Plus to 96GB on the Pro, and the Pro continues to use DDR5 at 5600MHz as its upper supported speed. Flash storage capacity increases from 128GB on the Plus to the same 128GB on the Pro, and internal drive support remains unchanged with four SATA bays and two NVMe slots. Both units maintain the same network arrangement with one 10GbE port and one 2.5GbE port. USB connectivity also remains the same with front USB 3.2 Gen2 Type A and Type C ports and a rear USB 3.2 Gen1 port supplemented by two USB2 ports. The one external difference is the SD card reader which moves from SD 3.0 on the Plus to SD 4.0 on the Pro. The rest of the platform remains identical which makes the CPU, memory ceiling and SD reader the factors that separate the two models.

Component	DXP4800 Plus	DXP4800 Pro
Processor	Intel Pentium Gold 8505, 5 cores and 6 threads, up to 4.4GHz	Intel Core i3 1315U, 6 cores and 8 threads, up to 4.5GHz
Architecture	x86, Intel 7	x86, Intel 7
Memory	8GB DDR5, 2 slots, up to 64GB, 4800MHz	8GB DDR5, 2 slots, up to 96GB, 5600MHz
SATA Bays	4, supports 2.5 inch and 3.5 inch drives	4, supports 2.5 inch and 3.5 inch drives
NVMe Slots	2 x M.2 NVMe 2280, up to 8TB each	2 x M.2 NVMe 2280, up to 8TB each
Flash Storage	128GB	128GB
Network	1 x 10GbE and 1 x 2.5GbE	1 x 10GbE and 1 x 2.5GbE
USB	Front USB 3.2 Gen2 Type A and Type C, rear USB 3.2 Gen1	Same ports and speeds
USB2	2 rear ports	2 rear ports
SD Reader	SD 3.0	SD 4.0
HDMI	4K60	4K60

UGREEN DXP4800 Pro and DXP4800S NAS Release and Price

Both the DXP4800 Pro and DXP4800S are currently listed only in selected Asian regions, with no confirmed schedules for North America, Europe or Australia. Early pricing shows the DXP4800S positioned above the original DXP4800 and the DXP4800 Pro positioned above the DXP4800 Plus, reflecting the newer processors and higher memory ceilings. Regional pricing is based on local currency and tax structures, and the values shown in early listings cannot be treated as indicators of final western pricing. Availability outside these regions is expected to depend on component inventory and on UGREEN’s wider rollout plans, and any potential release is unlikely before early 2026.

Interested in buying a UGREEN NAS, and want to support what me and Ed do at NASCompares easily? Use the links below and we get a small commission (and costs you nothing extra) and helps us  keep doing what we do!

UGREEN DH4300 NAS	UGREEN DH4300 NAS	UGREEN DH4300 NAS

 

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Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you. Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7] TRY CHAT Terms and Conditions   Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

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Microsoft has released Windows 11 KB5068861 and KB5068865 cumulative updates for versions 25H2/24H2 and 23H2 to fix security vulnerabilities, bugs, and add new features. [...]

Is RAID 5 or RAID 6 Best For You and Your NAS?

When setting up a NAS, one of the most important and long-lasting decisions you’ll make is choosing the right RAID level. This choice directly impacts how much protection you have against drive failures, how much usable storage space you retain, and how long rebuilds will take when things go wrong. Among the most debated options are RAID 5 and RAID 6, both of which use parity for data protection but differ in how much risk they can tolerate. RAID 5 offers single-drive failure protection with better capacity efficiency, while RAID 6 provides dual-drive fault tolerance at the cost of more storage overhead and longer rebuild times. It’s worth noting that although you can graduate a RAID 5 into a RAID 6 later if your needs change, this is a slow and resource-heavy process. On the other hand, RAID 6 cannot be reversed back into RAID 5, so it’s a decision that requires careful planning from the outset. The balance of speed, safety, capacity, and risk tolerance will determine which configuration is truly best for your setup.

IMPORTANT – It is essential to understand that RAID, whether RAID 5 or RAID 6, should never be considered a true backup solution. RAID protects against drive failures, but it cannot safeguard you from accidental deletion, malware, hardware faults beyond the disks, or disasters like fire and theft.

The TL;DR Short Answer – Over-Simplified, but….

• Under 8 Bays = RAID 5
• 8 Bays or Over = RAID 5, or RAID 6 with Bigger HDDs
• 12 Bays or Over = RAID 6

If you are looking for simplicity, RAID 5 will usually give you the best balance of speed, storage efficiency, and cost, but it comes with higher risk. RAID 6 is slower to rebuild, consumes more usable capacity, and involves heavier parity calculations, but it provides a much stronger safety net against drive failures. For smaller arrays with modest drive sizes, RAID 5 can be entirely sufficient, especially when paired with reliable backups. However, as drive capacities continue to grow and rebuild times stretch into days, RAID 6 becomes more attractive because it can withstand the failure of two drives without losing the array. In essence, RAID 5 is about maximizing space and performance with a moderate level of safety, while RAID 6 is about maximizing resilience and peace of mind at the expense of capacity and speed. Choosing between them comes down to how valuable your data is, how large your drives are, and how much risk you are willing to tolerate during rebuild windows.

For systems with fewer than 8 bays, RAID 5 will usually be sufficient unless you are running especially large-capacity drives or operating at a business scale where data loss cannot be tolerated. Once you reach 8 bays or higher, RAID 6 should be seriously considered, as the chances of a second drive failing during a rebuild increase along with the overall storage pool size and the scale of potential loss. At 12 bays and beyond, RAID 6 is effectively mandatory, as relying on RAID 5 at that scale means gambling with too many points of failure and too much at stake if something goes wrong.

RAID 5 vs RAID 6 – Build Time and RAID Recovery Time

The initial creation of a RAID array, sometimes called synchronization or initialization, is one of the first differences you’ll notice between RAID 5 and RAID 6. A RAID 5 setup generally completes its initial build faster because it only has to calculate and assign a single parity block across the drives. RAID 6, by contrast, has to generate and distribute two independent parity values on every stripe, which increases the workload on the system. This means that on a fresh setup, RAID 6 will take longer to complete the synchronization process before the array is fully operational, though this is usually a one-time inconvenience at the beginning of deployment. For home and small office setups, this extra build time might not matter too much, but in larger systems with many terabytes of data, it can mean several hours or even days of extra initialization work compared with RAID 5.

The difference becomes more significant when a drive fails and a rebuild is needed. In RAID 5, the system only needs to reconstruct the missing data using the surviving disks and a single parity calculation, which usually makes recovery noticeably faster. RAID 6, however, must perform double parity calculations and restore both sets of parity information onto the replacement drive, extending the recovery window. On large modern HDDs where rebuilds can take dozens of hours, or sometimes multiple days, this extra time becomes a major factor. The trade-off is that RAID 6 offers much stronger resilience while this rebuild is in progress, because the system can continue to operate and survive even if another disk fails during the process. In other words, RAID 5 rebuilds faster but carries more risk, while RAID 6 rebuilds slower but provides a crucial safety margin during the vulnerable degraded state.

Here is a recent video (using the UniFi server platform) that talks about RAID 5/6 vs RAID 10 build times and parity from 777 or 404:

RAID 5 vs RAID 6 – Protection and Vulnerability

The most important factor when comparing RAID 5 and RAID 6 is how well they protect data when drives fail. RAID 5 uses single parity, meaning the system can survive one drive failure without losing data. However, if a second drive fails during the rebuild, the entire array is lost. RAID 6 adds dual parity, which allows the system to tolerate the loss of two drives simultaneously. This extra layer of protection is especially valuable during rebuild windows, which can take many hours or days on modern high-capacity HDDs. In practice, RAID 6 dramatically reduces the risk of catastrophic data loss, at the expense of slower rebuilds and less usable capacity. A subtle but often overlooked vulnerability is the issue of batch manufacturing. Many users buy multiple drives at once, often from the same supplier, meaning the disks may come from the same production batch. If there was a hidden flaw introduced during manufacturing, it is possible that more than one disk could develop problems around the same time. With RAID 5, this creates a dangerous scenario: a second disk failure during a rebuild results in complete data loss. RAID 6 provides a safety margin against these correlated failures by protecting the array even if two drives fail close together in time. Another major risk comes from unrecoverable read errors (UREs) that can occur during rebuilds. Because every sector of every remaining drive must be read to restore the lost disk, the chance of encountering a read error rises significantly with larger drives. In RAID 5, a single URE during rebuild can corrupt the recovery process, whereas RAID 6 has an additional layer of parity to compensate, making it much more reliable during rebuilds. This is especially important in arrays of 8 or more drives, where the probability of encountering at least one problematic sector grows. For users with large arrays or very high-capacity drives, RAID 6’s extra fault tolerance is the difference between a successful rebuild and complete data loss.

RAID 5 vs RAID 6 – Capacity and Price per TB

One of the clearest differences between RAID 5 and RAID 6 lies in how much usable capacity you end up with. RAID 5 only sacrifices the equivalent of a single drive’s worth of storage to parity, which makes it the more space-efficient option. In a six-bay system with 10TB drives, RAID 5 would deliver 50TB of usable storage, while RAID 6 would only provide 40TB. That 10TB difference can be substantial when you are working with large libraries of data such as media collections, surveillance archives, or backups. For users trying to maximize every terabyte of their investment, RAID 5 makes the most efficient use of available space. However, RAID 6’s higher storage overhead translates directly into a higher effective cost per terabyte. Since two drives are always reserved for parity, the total usable space is reduced, and the price you pay for storage per TB goes up. For small home users, this may feel like wasted potential, but the trade-off is the additional layer of fault tolerance. In environments where the cost of downtime or data loss far outweighs the cost of an extra disk, RAID 6 provides stronger long-term value despite the higher price per terabyte. Ultimately, the decision comes down to whether you are more concerned with minimizing cost and maximizing space, or ensuring redundancy and peace of mind.

RAID 6 vs RAID 5 + Hot Spare Drive?

Some users prefer to run RAID 5 with a dedicated hot spare drive rather than choosing RAID 6 outright. In this setup, a single extra disk sits idle until one of the active drives fails, at which point the spare is automatically used for the rebuild. This reduces the amount of time the array spends in a degraded and vulnerable state, since the rebuild begins immediately without waiting for a replacement disk to be manually installed. While this approach still leaves you with only single-drive fault tolerance, it can feel like a middle ground between RAID 5 and RAID 6. In terms of capacity, RAID 5 with a hot spare sacrifices the same amount of usable space as RAID 6, but it does not provide the same dual-drive protection. For arrays of six to eight drives, this compromise can make sense if you prioritize capacity efficiency and faster automated recovery, but once you move into larger-scale storage systems, RAID 6 remains the safer and more resilient option.

RAID 5 vs RAID 6 – Conclusion and Verdict

When choosing between RAID 5 and RAID 6, the decision comes down to weighing efficiency against resilience. RAID 5 is faster to rebuild, provides more usable storage, and costs less per terabyte, which makes it well suited to smaller NAS setups or users who prioritize capacity and speed. RAID 6, on the other hand, offers stronger protection against drive failures, making it far more reliable for larger arrays and higher-capacity drives where rebuild times are long and risks multiply. The general consensus is that RAID 5 can still be a smart choice for arrays under eight bays, but RAID 6 becomes the clear recommendation for systems of eight drives or more, and an essential requirement at twelve drives and beyond. Above all else, it is critical to remember that RAID is not a backup. Neither RAID 5 nor RAID 6 will protect you against accidental deletion, ransomware, hardware faults beyond the disks, or disasters such as fire or theft. RAID is a safety net that improves availability, but it must always be paired with a proper backup strategy if your data truly matters.

 

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This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below

Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you. Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7] TRY CHAT Terms and Conditions   Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

WE LOVE COFFEE

 

Mozilla announced a major privacy upgrade in Firefox 145 that reduces even more the number of users vulnerable to digital fingerprinting. [...]

The Windows Start menu is getting its first major redesign since 2021 and will be rolled out to everyone with the November 11 Patch Tuesday update. [...]

The Microsoft Store on the web now lets you create a multi-app install package on Windows 11 that installs multiple applications from a single installer. [...]

Windows 11 Build 26220.7051 is now rolling out to testers in the Windows Insider Program, and there are at least three new features, including Ask Copilot in the taskbar. [...]

If you have two headphones, speakers, earbuds, or any other Bluetooth hardware, you can now use both simultaneously on a Copilot+ PC. [...]

The Python Software Foundation (PSF) has withdrawn its $1.5 million grant proposal to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) due to funding terms forcing a compromise on its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.. [...]

UGREEN DH2300 NAS Review – Cloud Subscription Killer

The UGREEN DH2300 is a compact two-bay NAS system positioned within the company’s value-focused lineup, intended for users moving away from cloud-based storage platforms toward affordable private solutions. Priced around the $200 mark, it is aimed at those who prioritize simplicity and convenience over raw performance or enterprise-level control. Designed for users who typically rely on Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox subscriptions, the DH2300 seeks to provide a self-contained alternative with no recurring fees, offering scheduled backups, remote file synchronization, and integrated media access through UGREEN’s proprietary UGOS Pro operating system. Internally, the system is built around an ARM-based processor combining a quad-core Cortex-A72 and quad-core Cortex-A53 architecture, clocked at up to 2.2GHz, with 4GB of LPDDR4 memory and a built-in 32GB eMMC for the OS. This hardware places the DH2300 in direct competition with entry-level models such as the Synology DS223 and QNAP TS-233, though its Rockchip RK3576 processor, G52 MC3 GPU, and 6 TOPS NPU give it a modest edge in AI-assisted photo recognition, multimedia indexing, and energy efficiency. As a compact, preconfigured NAS designed for first-time adopters, the DH2300’s real focus is not to replace professional systems but to bridge the gap between mainstream cloud users and personal storage ownership, reflecting UGREEN’s broader strategy of simplifying NAS technology for general consumers.

UGREEN DH2300 NAS Review – Quick Conclusion

The UGREEN DH2300 is a compact, affordable two-bay NAS designed to bridge the gap between cloud storage and local data ownership for everyday users. Built around the Rockchip RK3576 processor—featuring two quad-core clusters of Cortex-A72 and A53 cores at up to 2.2GHz—and paired with 4GB of LPDDR4X memory, the system offers reliable ARM-level performance with efficient thermals and low noise output. Its design prioritizes simplicity, with vertical drive insertion, a single rear cooling fan, and a dedicated 32GB eMMC for UGOS Pro, which separates the OS from user data. Connectivity includes a 1GbE port, multiple USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and HDMI 4K60 output, while the software delivers key NAS essentials such as RAID management, snapshot recovery, cloud and USB backups, Docker support, and AI-powered photo indexing via its 6 TOPS NPU. Power consumption remains low at 9–13W depending on workload, and noise levels stay within 31–45 dBA under varying fan speeds. Although the fixed memory, single LAN port, and ambiguous CPU marketing reduce its appeal for enthusiasts, the DH2300 stands out as an efficient, straightforward, and well-priced solution for users seeking a dependable private cloud alternative without technical complexity.

Buy the UGREEN DH300 on Amazon @209	Buy the UGREEN DH2300 on UGREEN.COM	Buy the UGREEN DH2300 on B&H
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UGREEN DH2300 NAS Review – Design and Storage

The UGREEN DH2300 adopts a clean, vertical form factor made entirely of plastic, emphasizing practicality and low cost over premium materials. The enclosure is lightweight yet well-ventilated, featuring a magnetic plastic top panel with slotted air channels that promote consistent airflow across both drive bays. The overall construction favors simplicity, with drive access positioned vertically rather than through traditional caddies. This layout helps minimize the unit’s footprint, making it suitable for desktop environments where noise and vibration are key considerations. While the plastic frame lacks the rigidity of aluminum enclosures seen in higher-end NAS models, it contributes to lower noise resonance and reduced amplification of mechanical drive vibration. The minimalist aesthetic, consistent with UGREEN’s other recent NAS releases, reflects its target audience: users seeking a consumer-friendly device that blends into a home office or living space rather than a server rack.

Internally, the DH2300 supports two 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch SATA drives, each connecting directly to fixed SATA connectors mounted on the board. The drive trays are basic but functional, requiring manual screw installation rather than tool-less mechanisms. Although UGREEN has not explicitly advertised hot-swapping as an official feature, testing showed that it is technically possible to replace drives without powering down, though such actions are not recommended without confirmation from official documentation. The NAS supports standard RAID configurations, including JBOD, RAID 0, and RAID 1, as well as individual drive modes, providing adequate flexibility for redundancy or performance-based setups. Storage initialization is straightforward within UGOS, with pool creation and volume setup guided by a wizard interface that fits the product’s “set-and-forget” philosophy.

Cooling is handled by a single rear-mounted fan positioned behind the drive bays, ensuring that heat generated by mechanical disks is efficiently extracted from the enclosure. The system’s vertical drive layout assists in natural convection, drawing air from the lower portion and expelling it from the top and rear. Despite being a plastic chassis, thermal management remains effective due to the extensive side and rear ventilation grilles, which circulate air across both drives and the mainboard components. In long-term use, the design demonstrated stable internal temperatures under typical file access and synchronization loads, maintaining drive and board thermals within an expected operational range even during extended testing periods.

From a functional standpoint, the DH2300 includes an internal 32GB eMMC module reserved for UGOS, preventing users from needing to dedicate part of their main storage array to system files. This separation simplifies setup and improves reliability by isolating the operating system from data drives. However, there are no M.2 or NVMe expansion slots available, meaning caching or SSD-tiered storage cannot be implemented. This is consistent with UGREEN’s entry-level positioning for the model, and the omission helps reduce production cost while keeping the power footprint low. The 32GB internal storage performs adequately for OS updates, indexing data, and temporary system operations.

The device’s storage capacity can reach up to two 30TB drives, allowing a maximum theoretical total of 60TB raw capacity, though most users will likely configure it in RAID 1 for redundancy. This makes the DH2300 a practical fit for home backup, photo archiving, and small-scale media libraries, especially when paired with the system’s built-in applications for photos, video, and document management. Overall, the DH2300’s design and storage layout reflect its goal of balancing ease of use with functional flexibility, providing just enough configurability to support typical home NAS workloads without introducing complexity that would deter less technical users.

UGREEN DH2300 NAS Review – Internal and External Hardware

Internally, the UGREEN DH2300 is powered by the Rockchip RK3576 processor, a hybrid 8-core ARM SoC that combines four high-performance Cortex-A72 cores with four efficiency-focused Cortex-A53 cores, running at up to 2.2GHz. While UGREEN markets this configuration as an “8-core processor,” it is technically composed of two separate quad-core clusters, something the company’s documentation does not clearly explain. This lack of clarity can mislead users into expecting a single unified 8-core design, whereas in practice the chip functions as two 4-core groups optimized for different workloads. The RK3576, built on an 8nm process, delivers a solid balance between efficiency and multitasking, keeping thermals low while maintaining adequate throughput for home NAS tasks. Its integrated ARM G52 MC3 GPU supports up to 8K H.265/H.264 decoding and HDR rendering through Rockchip’s dedicated Picture Quality Engine, which also supports ACM and DCI color profiles. These capabilities allow the DH2300 to output 4K60 video via HDMI, offering lightweight media playback directly from the system interface—an uncommon inclusion in this price class. Additionally, the CPU’s built-in 6 TOPS NPU enables AI-assisted indexing and face recognition within UGOS Pro, processing such tasks locally instead of relying on cloud services.

Memory allocation on the DH2300 is fixed at 4GB of LPDDR4X, soldered to the mainboard with no expansion slot available. This restriction aligns with the model’s consumer-grade purpose, though it naturally caps Docker container and multitasking potential. The onboard memory is sufficient for file serving, indexing, and moderate background services, while the 32GB eMMC 5.1 storage is dedicated to UGOS Pro and ensures stable OS operations without user intervention. There are no NVMe or UFS storage options, which simplifies the hardware layout but limits potential caching or high-speed data tiers. Nevertheless, the RK3576’s low power draw and balanced architecture ensure consistent operation under typical workloads, even during prolonged use, with minimal heat output and silent operation under idle conditions.

Externally, the NAS presents a modest selection of connectivity options suitable for its market position. The rear hosts a single 1GbE LAN port—adequate for most home users but a notable downgrade from the 2.5GbE interface found on UGREEN’s larger models like the DH4300 PLUS. File transfers, backups, and streaming functions remain well within the limits of 1GbE for single-user environments, though network saturation can occur during multi-user access. Peripheral connectivity is handled by two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports and one USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port, all operating at 5Gbps, supporting external drives, UPS communication, or backup targets. An HDMI 2.0 port on the rear supports 4K60 output for local playback or display configuration, while system LEDs provide visual feedback for drive activity, system status, and network connection. Power is supplied by a 50W external adapter that connects via a barrel plug, keeping internal temperatures and noise low by externalizing the PSU.

The inclusion of HDMI output in such a budget-focused system underscores UGREEN’s attempt to merge NAS and home entertainment functions. Although the RK3576 chipset supports a wider range of display interfaces—including DisplayPort, MIPI, and eDP—these are not implemented in the DH2300’s design, reflecting deliberate simplification for cost and usability. The absence of multi-gigabit networking, PCIe expansion, or additional LAN redundancy limits its potential for advanced setups, yet for its intended audience the configuration remains practical. In short, the DH2300’s internal layout, despite its simplified design and some ambiguous marketing around the CPU, delivers an efficient and capable platform for mainstream home users seeking affordable private storage.

UGREEN DH2300 NAS Review – UGOS NAS Software and Services

UGREEN’s DH2300 runs the company’s proprietary UGOS Pro, a Linux-based operating system tailored for simplicity and everyday use. The interface mirrors the design language of mainstream consumer cloud platforms, featuring a desktop-style environment with drag-and-drop file management, live system monitoring, and user account controls. Although UGOS Pro shares much of its design and functionality with that found on UGREEN’s larger DH4300 PLUS model, a few service limitations appear due to the ARM-based architecture of the DH2300. These include the absence of virtual machine support and limited resource capacity for multiple Docker containers, stemming from the 4GB of fixed memory. Nonetheless, the software remains fully featured for file storage, synchronization, multimedia management, and light AI applications, and receives regular over-the-air updates that refine usability and security. The desktop and mobile clients also synchronize settings seamlessly, allowing users to manage their NAS both locally and remotely.

From a user management perspective, UGOS provides fine-grained control of accounts, permissions, and network access. Administrators can create user groups, apply password complexity policies, and define shared-folder privileges with ease. The system supports multiple file transfer protocols, including SMB, AFP, NFS, and Rsync, as well as optional WebDAV and FTP for broader compatibility. Remote access can be configured either through UGREEN’s own relay service or via LAN-only mode for tighter network security. The security dashboard consolidates features such as auto-block for repeated failed logins, two-factor authentication, firewall configuration, and selective port access rules. SSH and Telnet access are disabled by default, a responsible design choice for less experienced users, but can be enabled manually for advanced administration. These features bring the DH2300 close in functionality to entry-level NAS systems from Synology or QNAP, even though it remains less configurable overall.

Storage management is one of UGOS Pro’s more mature components. Users can create storage pools and volumes in JBOD, RAID 0, or RAID 1, with scheduled drive tests, SMART diagnostics, and Seagate IronWolf Health integration for supported drives. The storage manager also includes rebuild and repair settings that allow users to prioritise either RAID reconstruction speed or system performance during rebuilds. Snapshot protection is integrated at the folder level, with both versioned and scheduled snapshots available for data recovery. Although the system does not offer full OS-level backups, users can schedule NAS-to-NAS, NAS-to-USB, and NAS-to-Cloud synchronisation tasks using Rsync or proprietary tools. These backups can include filters for file type, size, and modification date, making them adaptable to both personal and small office usage. In practice, the storage controls are intuitive and well-implemented for a first-generation NAS platform, with sufficient safeguards for casual users who might otherwise rely on third-party cloud apps.

Application availability has steadily improved since UGREEN’s NAS debut in 2023 (at least, in the ‘west’, as they have been a NAS name in the east since 2020/2021). The App Center now includes a range of first-party utilities such as a file manager, photo station, video station, and music library, as well as third-party options like Plex, Jellyfin, and Docker containers. AI-based features such as face, text, and object recognition are supported thanks to the 6 TOPS NPU in the RK3576, though performance varies depending on workload size. The integrated Vault app provides encrypted storage areas secured by password or downloadable key, which can be auto-locked on reboot for privacy. Meanwhile, the mobile companion app mirrors almost every desktop function, from user and storage administration to Docker control and media playback. Having all management tasks accessible within a single unified mobile app, rather than separate applications for photos or video, demonstrates UGREEN’s streamlined approach to usability, positioning UGOS Pro as a consumer-friendly OS that hides most of the NAS complexity from first-time users. However, I cannot stress enough that this software is still a decent way behind long-established players such as Synology DSM and QNAP QTS in terms of features, maturity and client support. Additionally, as one of the newest names in the world of NAS, the brand has yet to be truly ‘tested’ when it comes to security strength and how they handle/respond to a larger scale security incident. So wheat we find here is good enough for hte price point, but is only a small step or two above what users have come to expect from privately owned NAS nonetheless in 2025/2026.

UGREEN DH2300 NAS Review – Heat, Noise and Power Consumption Tests

Thermal and acoustic performance on the UGREEN DH2300 is generally stable and consistent with expectations for a low-power ARM-based NAS. The system uses a single rear-mounted fan that automatically adjusts its RPM in response to internal temperature sensors, aided by the ventilated top and side panels. During extended operation, the fan demonstrated smooth, gradual speed transitions rather than abrupt cycling, which helped minimize background noise. With two 4TB Seagate IronWolf drives installed, the system recorded approximately 31–32 dBA in idle mode with the fan set to “Low” in UGOS. When switched to “Auto,” and under light file activity, readings rose to 33–35 dBA, while heavier read and write operations increased noise levels to 38–41 dBA. Under maximum fan speed, levels peaked at 44–45 dBA, making the fan audible but still within acceptable limits for a desktop environment. The use of plastic housing reduces the resonance that typically amplifies drive vibration in metal enclosures, although some low-frequency hum remains during heavy disk access.

Temperature readings taken over a 24-hour mixed-use test period show that the chassis maintains good internal thermal balance, aided by vertical airflow and efficient low-wattage components. The NAS was powered down overnight before the test, then reactivated for hourly upload and backup tasks, simulating intermittent real-world usage. During idle periods, the drives stabilized at 35–37°C, while moderate access cycles pushed them to 42°C. The motherboard and surrounding airflow remained at approximately 34–35°C, with rear exhaust temperatures registering slightly higher. Despite the passive nature of some cooling zones, heat accumulation around the CPU remained minimal, peaking around 50–60°C during sustained transfer activity. These figures suggest that UGREEN’s internal airflow design, while basic, is sufficient for continuous operation with standard HDDs. Users in warmer climates or those employing higher-RPM drives might consider increasing fan control sensitivity via UGOS to maintain consistent thermals.

Power consumption results were equally conservative. With two 4TB mechanical drives installed and the system idle at below 5% CPU utilization, the DH2300 drew roughly 9.5W, a competitive figure for a two-bay NAS. During typical data transfers and 50% CPU load, draw increased modestly to 12–13W, remaining far below that of comparable x86-based systems. The external 50W power adapter ensures the NAS operates efficiently while reducing internal heat buildup. Users employing SSDs instead of HDDs could expect overall consumption to drop by an additional 4–5W, further improving energy efficiency. These results confirm the DH2300’s suitability for continuous operation, including 24/7 use as a network backup target or low-impact media server.

Its minimal noise and low thermal footprint make it a non-intrusive addition to a home or small office environment, aligning with its purpose as a budget, always-on NAS solution.

UGREEN DH2300 NAS Review – Verdict and Conclusion

The UGREEN DH2300 represents a carefully positioned step in the company’s ongoing effort to make private storage approachable for non-technical users. Its hardware configuration, led by the Rockchip RK3576 processor and 4GB of fixed memory, provides solid baseline performance for a two-bay ARM-powered NAS at this price point. Although its single 1GbE network port may limit throughput for larger file transfers, the system compensates with a highly efficient power profile, quiet operation, and full support for common RAID configurations. The inclusion of a dedicated 32GB eMMC system drive, HDMI 4K60 output, and an NPU capable of AI-based photo indexing places it above most similarly priced entry-level alternatives from QNAP and Synology. However, certain aspects of UGREEN’s marketing—particularly the way the dual quad-core CPU clusters are presented as a single 8-core design—could be clearer. Likewise, the absence of upgradeable memory or faster networking options limits its long-term scalability for users seeking to expand their NAS environment beyond basic media and backup tasks.

From a broader standpoint, the DH2300’s strongest appeal lies in its simplicity and low operational overhead. UGOS Pro, though still developing in maturity, has evolved into a competent, user-friendly platform offering the key features needed for home data management, multimedia access, and scheduled backups. The OS’s stability, combined with efficient hardware and lightweight design, makes this NAS a practical alternative to annual cloud subscriptions for users who simply want local control over their data. It is not a system aimed at enthusiasts or professionals demanding virtual machines, multi-gig networking, or broad third-party OS support, but rather those seeking a self-contained, reliable, and low-maintenance device. Within that niche, the DH2300 delivers strong value and performs consistently well for the intended demographic—serving as an accessible first step into local storage ownership.

 

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PROs of the UGREEN DH2300 NAS

CONs of the UGREEN DH2300 NAS

Efficient Rockchip RK3576 processor (dual quad-core ARM design) provides strong performance for a low-power NAS. Integrated 6 TOPS NPU enables local AI functions such as face, text, and object recognition without cloud reliance. UGOS Pro offers an intuitive, user-friendly interface with features like RAID management, snapshots, Docker, and backups. Low noise output (31–45 dBA) and excellent power efficiency (9–13W typical use) suit 24/7 home operation. Dedicated 32GB eMMC system drive keeps the OS separate from data volumes for better reliability. HDMI 2.0 4K60 output allows direct media playback and display management. Competitive pricing around $200 makes it a strong entry-level NAS alternative to subscription cloud storage.

Single 1GbE LAN port limits transfer speeds and network scalability. Fixed 4GB memory restricts heavy multitasking or Docker use. Spending just $100-150 more gets you much, much more capable x86 powered systems

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Should You Upgrade Your Synology from DSM 7.2 to DSM 7.3?

DSM 7.3 represents Synology’s final major release under the DSM 7 platform before the expected transition to DSM 8, and it introduces a mix of refinements, policy reversals, and new enterprise tools that signal both the maturity and the approaching end of this software generation. The update arrives after an extended rollout period that began in mid-2025 and has been deployed gradually across supported NAS models to ensure stability. It brings several notable changes, most prominently the revision of the company’s restrictive hard drive policy under the new HCL 5.0 standard, allowing a broader range of third-party drives on 2025 Plus series systems. Other additions include the Synology Tiering package, designed to automate storage management between multiple NAS devices, and the introduction of the AI Console, a framework that integrates external AI and LLM providers into Synology’s productivity applications. Alongside these new components, DSM 7.3 also adds incremental updates such as native exFAT support, more flexible encryption handling, improved domain and directory management, and several kernel-level security patches.

However, for most existing users running DSM 7.2, the decision to upgrade should not be automatic. Many of the most visible features in DSM 7.3, including Synology Drive 4.0 and early versions of Synology Tiering, can already be accessed through separate beta packages on DSM 7.2 without performing a full system upgrade. Moreover, DSM 7.3 has arrived without a public beta phase, leading to mixed community feedback on compatibility issues and minor application regressions reported during early adoption. The release is stable for general use, but it represents an incremental refinement rather than a fundamental reinvention of Synology’s operating environment. For many users, DSM 7.3 serves as both a capstone for the current platform and a preparatory step toward the next-generation DSM 8 ecosystem expected to follow in 2026.

Should You Upgrade to Synology DSM 7.3? The TL;DR

For most existing Synology users, DSM 7.3 is a cautious, incremental update rather than a transformative one. It refines several areas—particularly in data security via vulnerability patches, encrypted storage handling, and drive compatibility—but few of these changes are critical for stable systems already running DSM 7.2. The improved drive policy on 2025 Plus models is a welcome reversal of the restrictive compatibility introduced earlier, yet older systems benefit little beyond quality-of-life improvements. Similarly, the new Synology Tiering and AI Console frameworks show potential but are limited in scope, requiring multi-system deployments or external AI integrations that do not suit typical home or small business users. In short, DSM 7.3 is reliable and functionally solid, but it introduces no must-have feature for those already content with DSM 7.2. Users with newer 2025 Plus series hardware, or those who need to take advantage of the new tiering, encryption, or administrative tools, can confidently upgrade once their model is supported. However, administrators running mission-critical workloads, media servers, or older legacy devices may prefer to wait until early 2026 for further stability updates or the initial DSM 8 previews. The release feels transitional—a final, polished step for the DSM 7 generation rather than a defining milestone—so unless your deployment directly benefits from one of its headline features, remaining on DSM 7.2 remains a perfectly reasonable choice.

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Will Upgrading to DSM 7.3 Remove My Ability to Hardware Transcode?

Upgrading to DSM 7.3 does not remove hardware transcoding support on systems that already possess compatible integrated graphics or dedicated GPU functionality. The removal of hardware transcoding drivers occurred earlier, during the rollout of DSM 7.2.2, and affected only specific 2025-generation NAS models where Synology chose to disable HEVC (H.265) hardware acceleration for licensing and driver maintenance reasons. For all older devices—such as the DS920+, DS423+, and DS224+—the upgrade to DSM 7.3 preserves existing transcoding capabilities, including both H.264 and H.265 conversions, assuming these were functional in DSM 7.2. Users can continue to use hardware-assisted video conversion in applications such as Synology Video Station (if you still have it!), Plex, and Jellyfin without additional configuration. No drivers are removed or replaced by the DSM 7.3 upgrade process, and GPU-accelerated workloads remain fully accessible. The only cautionary point applies to future NAS models that will ship with DSM 7.3 preinstalled, as these may already reflect Synology’s newer driver policy, but existing systems upgrading from DSM 7.2 retain their transcoding performance entirely unchanged. Just remember that Synology 2025 series devices that have an integrated graphics CPU do NOT have the graphics driver by default. Watch the video below to learn more:

Will Upgrading to DSM 7.3 Result in My M.2 SSDs Becoming Unsupported or Unusable?

For most users, upgrading to DSM 7.3 will not cause any change to M.2 SSD functionality. Systems that already have existing cache or storage configurations using M.2 NVMe drives in DSM 7.2 will continue to operate normally after the upgrade, with no data loss or drive disconnection. The update does not remove support for previously installed third-party NVMe SSDs, nor does it alter existing caching or volume structures.

However, DSM 7.3 maintains Synology’s restrictive stance on creating new NVMe-based storage pools (i.e only their own bradned drives currently) or caches using unverified drives. While the broader HCL 5.0 policy restores open drive usage for SATA HDDs and SSDs on the 2025 Plus series, it does not extend to M.2 NVMe media, which still require official validation to be initialised in new roles. Users upgrading from DSM 7.2 who already have third-party M.2 drives configured will see no functional difference, but those attempting to add or reassign new NVMe devices after the upgrade will remain subject to the same compatibility enforcement introduced in DSM 7.2.

Is Synology Drive 4.0 Worth Upgrading to DSM 7.3 For?

Synology Drive 4.0 introduces a collection of small but practical improvements that enhance team collaboration and file management, but none of these changes require DSM 7.3 to function. The new version adds improved file labelling and categorisation tools, making it easier for teams to assign colour-coded or custom tags to shared content.

It also refines file request functionality, allowing users to specify reasons for requesting access and to track these submissions more transparently. File locking has also been expanded, now supporting manual control in addition to automatic version locking, which prevents conflicts when multiple users are editing the same document.

Together, these updates improve workflow precision and traceability, particularly in shared office environments or remote teams using Drive as a private alternative to cloud collaboration platforms such as OneDrive or Google Drive.

Beyond these refinements, Synology Drive 4.0 also brings stronger integration with Synology Account authentication, a requirement for accessing its newest collaborative features. This includes cross-user label sharing, improved audit tracking, and the option to enforce identity binding for Drive users in larger deployments.

However, all of these capabilities remain accessible to DSM 7.2 users via Synology’s beta package program, meaning there is no requirement to upgrade to DSM 7.3 to test or use them. Unless you specifically need tighter Drive account linkage or plan to adopt other DSM 7.3-only features such as Tiering or AI Console integration, the Drive 4.0 update alone does not justify upgrading your NAS operating system.

Is Synology Tiering Worth Upgrading to DSM 7.3 For?

Synology Tiering is one of the most significant new features in DSM 7.3, introducing an automated data management system designed to move infrequently accessed files from fast “hot” storage to lower-cost “cold” storage across multiple NAS devices. The concept is similar to hierarchical storage management in enterprise systems, but unlike QNAP’s QTier, it does not operate within a single NAS.

Instead, it requires two or more Synology NAS units running DSM 7.3, with the hot tier hosting the primary, frequently used data, and the cold tier configured as a secondary vault where less active files are migrated. Administrators can create tiering plans that determine how long a file remains in the hot tier based on modification or access frequency, with policies ranging from one day to several years. Transfers occur automatically over encrypted HTTPS connections, and stub files are left behind in the hot tier to preserve accessibility, allowing users to recall files seamlessly when needed.

However, despite its potential, Synology Tiering remains a beta-stage feature with limited configuration depth and hardware support. Not all NAS systems qualify for hot-tier deployment, and the supported model lists are inconsistent. For example, the DS425+—a system without M.2 slots—supports hot-tier operation, whereas the DS923+, which features greater performance and expandability, does not. Likewise, several older Plus-series models and most rackmount units are limited to cold-tier functionality only.

The service currently lacks integration with Synology Drive, encrypted folders, or other key DSM services, meaning many shared folders cannot participate in tiering policies. While the feature offers promise for businesses managing distributed sites or large archives, it is still early in development and unsuitable as the sole reason to perform a DSM 7.3 upgrade. It can also be tested independently on DSM 7.2 via the beta package, allowing administrators to evaluate its practicality before committing to a full system migration.

It is worth noting that Synology’s allocation of which NAS systems qualify as hot-tier and cold-tier devices under DSM 7.3 results in some unusual distinctions between models. Several systems with similar or even higher technical specifications are listed only as cold-tier devices, while others with more modest hardware are fully approved for hot-tier functionality.

For example, the Intel Celeron-based DS225+, which supports only SATA HDDs and lacks M.2 NVMe or 10GbE connectivity, is officially designated as a hot-tier system. In contrast, the AMD Ryzen R1600-based DS923+, which includes dual M.2 NVMe slots and 10GbE upgradability, appears only on the cold-tier list.

This creates a noticeable mismatch between capability and feature assignment across both desktop and rackmount systems, suggesting that Synology’s tiering support matrix has been determined on a per-model basis rather than by hardware class.

Model Listings (as defined under DSM 7.3):

• Hot-tier supported systems:
  FS6400, FS3600, FS3410, FS3400, FS2500, FS200T, HD6500, SA3400D, SA3200D, SA6400, SA3610, SA3600, SA3410, SA3400, RS4021xs+, RS3621xs+, RS3621RPxs, RS2825RP+, DS3622xs+, DS1823xs+, DS1621xs+, DS1825+, DS1525+, DS925+, DS725+, DS425+, DS225+.

• Cold-tier supported systems:
  HD6500, FS6400, FS3600, FS3410, FS3400, FS2500, FS200T, SA3400D, SA3200D, SA6400, SA3610, SA3600, SA3410, SA3400, RS4021xs+, RS3621xs+, RS3621RPxs, RS2825RP+, RS2423RP+, RS2423+, RS2821RP+, RS2421RP+, RS2421+, RS1221RP+, RS1221+, RS822RP+, RS822+, RS820RP+, RS820+, RS422+, DS3622xs+, DS1823xs+, DS1621xs+, DS2422+, DS1825+, DS1821+, DS1621+, DS1525+, DS1522+, DS1520+, DS925+, DS923+, DS725+, DS723+, DS920+, DS720+, DS620slim, DS425+, DS423+, DS420+, DS225+, DS224+, DS220+, DVA1622, DVA3221.

The division between these two groups highlights some unexpected choices, where NAS models with more advanced configurations—such as integrated NVMe storage or faster network options—are limited to cold-tier participation, while smaller, SATA-only systems are permitted full hot-tier operation.

Are Synology AI Admin Console Services Worth Upgrading to DSM 7.3 For?

The Synology AI Console is a new administrative framework introduced in DSM 7.3 that allows NAS administrators to connect external artificial intelligence and large language model (LLM) services, such as OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, Google Gemini, and Amazon Bedrock, directly into select Synology productivity applications. Its purpose is to enhance tools like Synology MailPlus and Synology Office with text summarisation, translation, and content generation capabilities.

Rather than hosting AI workloads locally, the Console acts as a bridge between the NAS and third-party AI providers through user-supplied API keys. Administrators can control who can access these features, set daily or per-minute token limits to manage consumption, and monitor all requests via detailed transaction logs.

A privacy-focused de-identification mechanism can also be enabled to mask sensitive data—such as names, IP addresses, or account details—before it leaves the NAS for external processing, restoring it upon return.

While these controls demonstrate a well-considered security approach, the AI Console remains divisive. Because all AI requests are processed externally rather than on-device, the system sends portions of MailPlus and Office text content to third-party cloud providers for analysis and response generation.

Even with encryption and masking in place, this design conflicts with the expectations of users who adopt a NAS precisely to maintain full local control over data.

Moreover, the Console currently supports only text-based functions and does not provide local inference, on-device LLM hosting, or GPU-accelerated processing, which limits its appeal to professional or privacy-conscious users. For most home and small-business owners, the AI Console is an optional enhancement rather than a compelling reason to upgrade.

It may benefit organisations already running MailPlus or Office in a collaborative environment, but its dependence on external AI infrastructure means its inclusion in DSM 7.3 is unlikely to justify a system-wide update on its own.

A Pre-emptive Warning about DSM 7.3 and Synology RS / Rackstation and NVR / DVA Surveillance Systems

While DSM 7.3 restores third-party hard drive flexibility on the 2025 DiskStation Plus range, this policy change does not extend to RackStation (RS) or DVA/NVR systems. These models continue to enforce Synology’s restricted compatibility framework, requiring officially verified HAT, HAS, or SAT series drives for full SMART monitoring, health data reporting, and warranty-backed operation. Unverified drives may still function but typically appear with degraded status indicators, limited temperature or lifespan data, and persistent “incompatible” warnings within Storage Manager.

This limitation remains particularly relevant to surveillance deployments, as Synology has yet to certify common NVR-grade drives such as Seagate IronWolf, Seagate SkyHawk, or WD Purple series models. At the time of writing, only one 2025-generation RackStation has been released under this policy, but Synology is expected to expand the line-up significantly into Q1 2026, with new models such as the DVA7400, DVA3000, and additional 4- and 8-bay RS systems all expected to ship with DSM 7.3 pre-installed and to follow the same verified-drive enforcement. As such, administrators planning future rackmount or surveillance deployments should confirm drive support in advance, as Synology shows no signs of relaxing its enterprise compatibility standards for these product tiers.

Should You Upgrade to DSM 7.3? VERDICT

For most existing Synology users, DSM 7.3 stands as a careful, incremental evolution of the platform rather than a major overhaul. It introduces refinements in data protection, encryption handling, and administrative control while restoring a more open stance on third-party hard drive use under the new HCL 5.0 policy. These adjustments address several long-standing user concerns, particularly on the 2025 Plus series, where Synology has finally reintroduced full flexibility for HDD and SSD compatibility. However, outside of that reversal, DSM 7.3’s core updates—such as minor kernel improvements, user interface refinements, and system efficiency tweaks—represent evolutionary stability rather than innovation. The release also marks Synology’s first attempt to integrate AI-based administrative tools and multi-tier storage, but both features remain optional, niche in scope, and better suited to advanced users or multi-NAS deployments. For those running stable DSM 7.2 environments, the upgrade is beneficial but not essential, as few of the new capabilities materially alter day-to-day operations.

That said, DSM 7.3 remains a worthwhile step forward for users who want to align their systems with Synology’s next-generation framework before DSM 8’s eventual release. Owners of newer 2025 models such as the DS925+, DS1525+, or RS2825RP+ will likely find the update unavoidable, as it forms the baseline for upcoming package releases and extended security support. Administrators managing large data environments may also appreciate the improved directory integration, enhanced file versioning, and native exFAT support included in this release. Still, those relying on older Plus or XS-class devices for media, backup, or general storage tasks may prefer to wait for a few minor revisions before upgrading, allowing early adopters to expose any unforeseen issues. DSM 7.3 is polished and well-structured, but it feels transitional—a bridge between legacy DSM 7.2 deployments and the more modern, AI-aware infrastructure Synology is preparing for DSM 8. Unless you specifically require its new storage policies, tiering capabilities, or AI integration, remaining on DSM 7.2 remains a stable, low-risk option for the foreseeable future.

Which Systems Support the DSM 7.3 Upgrade? (Updated List)

The DSM 7.3 (version 7.3-81180) update is available as a manual download for an extensive range of Synology NAS systems, spanning the Plus, XS, SA, FS, HD, Value, and J series. Rollout continues in stages, meaning some users will not yet receive an automatic update notification. Once installed, DSM 7.3 cannot be downgraded to a previous version, and for many older models, it will be the final feature-bearing update, with future maintenance limited to security and stability patches.

The complete set of DSM 7.3 installation files, as listed in Synology’s October 2025 release, confirms support for virtually all NAS models released between 2016 and 2025. Key model families include:

DiskStation desktop systems:
DS1019+, DS116, DS118, DS119j, DS120j, DS124, DS1517+, DS1517, DS1520+, DS1522+, DS1525+, DS1618+, DS1621+, DS1621xs+, DS1817+, DS1817, DS1819+, DS1821+, DS1823xs+, DS1825+, DS216+, DS216, DS216+II, DS216j, DS216play, DS218+, DS218, DS218j, DS218play, DS220+, DS220j, DS223, DS223j, DS224+, DS225+, DS2419+, DS2419+II, DS2422+, DS3018xs, DS3617xs, DS3617xsII, DS3622xs+, DS416, DS416j, DS416play, DS416slim, DS418, DS418j, DS418play, DS419slim, DS420+, DS420j, DS423+, DS423, DS425+, DS620slim, DS716+, DS716+II, DS718+, DS720+, DS723+, DS725+, DS916+, DS918+, DS920+, DS923+, DS925+.

RackStation and enterprise systems:
RS1219+, RS1221+, RS1221RP+, RS1619xs+, RS18016xs+, RS18017xs+, RS217, RS2416+, RS2416RP+, RS2418+, RS2418RP+, RS2421+, RS2421RP+, RS2423+, RS2423RP+, RS2818RP+, RS2821RP+, RS2825RP+, RS3617RPxs, RS3617xs+, RS3617xs, RS3618xs, RS3621RPxs, RS3621xs+, RS4017xs+, RS4021xs+, RS422+, RS816, RS818+, RS818RP+, RS819, RS820+, RS820RP+.

Data-centre and performance platforms:
FS1018, FS2017, FS2500, FS3017, FS3400, FS3410, FS3600, FS6400, HD6500, SA3200D, SA3400, SA3400D, SA3410, SA3600, SA3610, SA6400.

Video analytics and surveillance models:
DVA1622, DVA3219, DVA3221.

Virtual DSM package:
VirtualDSM 7.3-81180.

This dataset confirms that DSM 7.3 has been compiled for almost every currently supported platform, with file sizes ranging from roughly 300 MB for entry-level systems (such as the DS120j and RS217) up to 430 MB for enterprise and FlashStation devices. Users operating 2025-generation systems such as the DS225+, DS425+, DS725+, DS925+, DS1525+, DS1825+, RS2825RP+, and SA3410 will receive DSM 7.3 pre-installed or as part of first-release firmware. For older devices dating back to 2016–2018, DSM 7.3 will act as the final major update before DSM 8 arrives in 2026.

Which Synology NAS will See DSM 7.3 as their LAST Major Synology Update?

The DSM 7.3 (version 7.3-81180) update is available for a wide range of Synology NAS models, though rollout is staged and certain older systems will remain on DSM 7.2 or earlier. It is important to note that DSM 7.3 will be the final major upgrade for many devices, after which they will continue to receive only security and maintenance patches. Users should also be aware that once installed, DSM 7.3 cannot be downgraded.

Models eligible for DSM 7.3 upgrade:
FS Series: FS3017, FS2017, FS1018
XS Series: RS18016xs+, RS4017xs+, RS3617xs+, RS3617xs, RS3617RPxs, RS18017xs+, DS3617xs, DS3617xsII, DS3018xs
Plus Series: RS2416RP+, RS2416+, DS916+, DS716+II, DS716+, DS216+II, DS216+, DS1817+, DS1517+, RS2818RP+, RS2418RP+, RS2418+, RS818RP+, RS818+, DS1618+, DS918+, DS718+, DS218+, RS1219+
Value Series: DS116, DS216, DS216play, DS416, DS416play, DS1517, DS1817, DS418play, RS217, RS816
J Series: DS216j, DS416j, DS416slim, DS419slim, DS418j, DS218j, DS119j

For these devices, DSM 7.3 represents the end of the feature update cycle, effectively marking the transition point toward DSM 8, which will accompany newer 2026 and later hardware. Users operating 2025-series NAS systems that are produced by Synology in 2026 (the DS225+, DS425+, DS725+, DS925+, DS1525+, DS1825+, and RS2825RP+) will receive DSM 7.3 by default and will likely be among the first to transition to DSM 8 once available.

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Is the Synology DS925+, DS1825+, DS1525+, etc NAS OK to Buy Now?

As this change in unverified hard drive support policy by Synology seems to be rolled out in the DSM 7.3 update, that means that currently if you buy and deply a Synology x25 generation NAS, you will still be subject to the restricted HDD deployment status of DSM right now (i.e cannot initialize, cannot RAID build, Rebuild, hot spare, etc unless using a Synology labelled drive or one that eventually might arrive on the compatibility list). So, if you buy the new Synology DS925+, DS1825+ or DS1525+ – unless you were already going to buy Synology hard drive and SSD media, you won’t be able to do very much out the box! So, if you are only considering a Synology NAS right now IF it can be used with 3rd party and/or unverified storage media – DO NOT BUY until the DSM 7.3 update rolls out! You will just be wasting some of your 3 year included warranty whilst you wait!

HOWEVER –If/When you do wish to purchase a Synology NAS, please do use the links below in order to purchase your NAS. Doing so results in a small commission coming to me and Ed here at NASCompares, and it allows us to keep doing what we do here, and is the most frictionless and zero-cost way for you to support our articles, reviews, videos, guides, support systems and more.

Synology DS925+ NAS	Synology DS1525+ NAS	Synology DS1825+ NAS
Check Amazon in Your Region for the Synology DS925+ NAS	Amazon in Your Region for the Synology DS1525+ NAS @ $799	Amazon in Your Region for the Synology DS1825+ NAS @ $1149
heck B&H for the Synology DS925+ NAS	B&H for the Synology DS1525+ NAS @ $1149.99	B&H for the Synology DS1825+ NAS @ $1149.99

 

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Below are further videos from over the course of the last 6+ months that cover the evolution of Synology and this controversial hard drive support policy.

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Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you. Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7] TRY CHAT Terms and Conditions   Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

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Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you. Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7] TRY CHAT Terms and Conditions   Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

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The Synology Hard Drive and SSD Support Change in DSM 7.3 Explained – What You Can/Cannot Do

With the release of DSM 7.3, Synology has formally introduced its latest and most detailed round of storage compatibility policies to date, outlining exactly which hard drives and solid-state drives are supported across its growing NAS product ecosystem. These updates arrive after several years of gradual tightening in Synology’s hardware validation process, which began in 2021 with the introduction of the HAT5300 and HAT3300 drives and became fully enforced in the 2024–2025 generation of devices. Under DSM 7.2, many of these newer systems—in particular the Plus series—were restricted to using Synology-branded drives only, effectively preventing users from creating storage pools with unverified third-party disks. This limitation led to considerable backlash from the community and power users who had relied on flexible drive choices for mixed or repurposed storage builds.

DSM 7.3 introduces a new structure to this policy, known internally as the HCL 5.0 framework, which partially relaxes those restrictions for 2025 model-year DiskStation Plus and J series NAS systems. It reinstates the ability to use non-listed hard drives and SATA SSDs for pool creation, while maintaining a degree of verification for higher-end systems such as the XS, SA, FS, and HD series. The update is significant because it rebalances Synology’s approach to drive validation, aligning reliability goals with user flexibility. In addition, DSM 7.3’s drive-handling system now displays clearer notifications within Storage Manager, differentiating between listed, unlisted, and incompatible drives, helping users understand the operational impact of their hardware choices before deploying them into active volumes or caches.

For professionals managing larger deployments, DSM 7.3 also provides expanded transparency on what Synology considers “verified reliability,” listing the precise categories of tests that certified drives undergo—thermal stress, power cycle endurance, and abnormal shutdown simulation—before being added to the official compatibility list. These details are especially relevant for IT administrators planning storage upgrades or migrations, as the new compatibility tables make it clear which drive types can be used in different Synology product families. This article breaks down the logic behind these changes, explains how Synology’s updated system reacts to various drive types, and clarifies which NAS lines now support third-party drives under DSM 7.3.

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Synology NAS and Media on Amazon – HERE Synology Products on B&H – HERE Seagate Ironwolf Media on Amazon – HERE WD Red Media on Amazon – HERE Seagate Products on B&H – HERE WD Products on B&H – HERE

Why Synology Has Changed Hard Drive and SSD Support in DSM 7.3?

When the Synology 2025 PLUS series launched in spring 2025, Synology’s decision to restrict many newer NAS models to officially approved Synology-branded drives marked a major turning point in the company’s storage policy, triggering widespread criticism across its user base. Systems like the DS923+ and DS1522+ suddenly required drives from Synology’s HAT or SAT ranges for creating new storage pools, leaving long-time users frustrated that they could no longer use trusted third-party disks from vendors such as Seagate or Western Digital. Synology’s explanation at the time centered on reliability: they claimed a growing number of support incidents were linked to unverified drives with unstable firmware, inconsistent temperature readings, or poor power recovery behavior. The aim was to unify performance standards across the portfolio and ensure that every supported configuration met enterprise-grade validation tests already used in their FS and SA lines. However, as the backlash grew throughout 2024 and early 2025, it became clear that many customers—especially small businesses and home users—felt alienated by this rigid policy. Some migrated to alternative NAS ecosystems, while others publicly voiced concerns about the long-term openness of Synology’s platform. In response, Synology developed a new compatibility framework known as HCL 5.0, introduced in DSM 7.3, to strike a balance between reliability and flexibility. This new approach reinstates the ability to use unlisted hard drives and 2.5-inch SATA SSDs for storage pool creation on 2025 DiskStation Plus, Value, and J series models, provided the drives are not explicitly marked as incompatible. Meanwhile, enterprise systems such as the FS, SA, XS, and HD ranges continue to enforce strict compatibility for mission-critical stability. Synology described this as a pragmatic evolution of its policy, aligning with customer expectations while continuing to collaborate with major drive manufacturers to validate additional models under its new testing program. The result is a hybrid policy that protects Synology’s enterprise reliability standards but restores much of the flexibility and user confidence that defined the brand’s earlier systems.

What Happens When a User Installs a Hard Drive That Is Not on the Compatibility List but Is Not on the Incompatibility List Either?

Under DSM 7.3, Synology has overhauled how its NAS systems handle drives that are not officially listed in the compatibility database but are also not explicitly marked as incompatible. This new policy, part of the HCL 5.0 framework, restores the flexibility that was largely lost with DSM 7.2. For users of 2025 DiskStation Plus models, including systems such as the DS1525+, DS925+, and DS725+, these drives are now treated as fully functional and supported for installation, storage pool creation, and volume management. When a non-listed HDD or SATA SSD is installed in these units, DSM 7.3 accepts it without generating warnings, restrictions, or “unverified” messages. The drive behaves identically to a fully approved model, and users can create new RAID arrays, expand existing volumes, and use all standard DSM features such as snapshots, encryption, and Hyper Backup. This marks a significant shift from DSM 7.2, which blocked pool creation entirely if the installed drive was not verified by Synology.

The only distinction that remains is on the support side rather than the user interface. While DSM 7.3 operates normally with these drives, Synology’s technical support team may limit assistance for issues proven to be caused by non-listed hardware. This distinction allows experienced users to use mixed or legacy drives at their discretion while maintaining a clear boundary of responsibility. From a practical standpoint, performance, drive telemetry, and reliability monitoring remain fully available, including S.M.A.R.T. analysis, temperature reporting, and bad sector scanning. Storage pools built with these drives are indistinguishable from those using Synology-validated models, which means users can freely upgrade or migrate without worrying about feature loss.

The only exceptions to this open policy involve M.2 NVMe drives and systems outside the Plus, Value, or J series. NVMe SSDs used for caching or storage pools still require official validation because they endure heavier sustained write loads and generate more heat under continuous NAS workloads. As a result, only listed M.2 models can be used for new cache or pool creation, though previously configured drives can still be migrated. Meanwhile, enterprise-oriented NAS lines such as the RS, FS, SA, and XS series continue to operate under stricter compatibility rules, where only officially listed drives can be used for new storage pool creation. In these systems, non-listed drives can sometimes be recognized for migration, but cannot participate in new arrays or cache volumes.

For most users, this means that DSM 7.3 on the 2025 Plus series finally restores the traditional Synology experience: the ability to use virtually any NAS-grade hard drive or 2.5-inch SSD without restriction. It also removes the previous generation’s unnecessary barriers that alienated long-term customers. Synology has positioned this change as a response to community feedback, reaffirming that flexibility can coexist with reliability. The HCL 5.0 framework is now the baseline for all new consumer and prosumer systems, signaling Synology’s partial return to an open and more user-friendly storage policy.

How Is Hard Drive Compatibility in DSM 7.3 on the Rackstation/RS and NVR/DVA Surveillance NAS Systems?

While the original restrictions are expected (though not wholy welcome) for enterprise-grade units, DSM 7.3 also applies similar limitations to rackmount Plus (RS+) and DVA/NVR models, which has generated frustration among users expecting parity with desktop Plus series devices. Systems such as the RS2423RP+, RS422+, and DVA1622 remain governed by a more conservative policy, where only drives on the compatibility list can be used for new pool creation, and unlisted HDDs are accepted only for migration. In contrast to the new, flexible policy introduced for 2025 DiskStation Plus models, these rackmount and surveillance systems do not yet benefit from the same relaxed rules. This distinction is particularly disappointing given that many surveillance-optimized HDDs—such as Seagate’s SkyHawk or IronWolf ranges—have not yet been verified by Synology for DVA or NVR units, leaving buyers with fewer officially supported choices despite these drives being purpose-built for similar workloads.

The DVA and NVR product lines further complicate matters because their operating environments rely heavily on consistent write performance and power management behavior. Synology’s internal reasoning is that drive validation for continuous surveillance recording requires more predictable I/O latency and lower error recovery times than typical NAS workloads. However, the practical impact is a reduced range of compatible disks, even when many third-party NAS or CCTV-specific drives are known to perform reliably under similar conditions. Until Synology expands its verification program to include these models, administrators deploying rackmount Plus or DVA systems must continue to rely exclusively on officially listed drives or accept limited migration-only functionality.

These restrictions highlight an ongoing inconsistency in Synology’s product ecosystem. DSM 7.3 offers broad flexibility and open drive use on desktop Plus series systems but maintains enterprise-grade rigidity across rackmount Plus and surveillance-focused models. For now, this gap means that users deploying DSM 7.3 on RS or DVA systems cannot benefit from the same simplified, user-friendly drive policy available to standard DiskStation Plus NAS units.

How Is Hard Drive Compatibility in DSM 7.3 on the FS, HD, SA, UC, XS+, XS, and DP Series?

In DSM 7.3, Synology continues to apply the most stringent validation rules across its enterprise and datacenter-class NAS platforms, which include the FS, HD, SA, UC, XS+, XS, RS, and DP series. These systems are built for environments where sustained uptime, predictable throughput, and long-term data integrity are non-negotiable. As a result, they rely entirely on Synology’s Enterprise Compatibility Framework, which only permits the use of drives that have been formally validated and listed on the official compatibility database. These listed drives undergo intensive reliability testing, including extended read/write stress cycles, multi-node redundancy simulations, and controlled recovery from power or network failures. DSM 7.3 enforces this framework to guarantee consistent behavior across RAID arrays and to ensure that firmware-level optimizations, such as error recovery timing and caching algorithms, work as designed with Synology’s proprietary storage stack.

For users of these enterprise models, drives fall into three possible states: listed, not listed, and incompatible. Listed drives are fully supported for installation, storage pool creation, caching, and migration. Drives that are not listed may still appear in Storage Manager but are limited to migration-only use, meaning they can be mounted if they come from an existing Synology system but cannot be initialized for new volumes or RAID groups. This allows data recovery or transition from legacy setups without granting full functionality. Meanwhile, drives on the incompatibility list are blocked entirely and cannot be used in any capacity. These restrictions are designed to prevent firmware mismatches or mechanical inconsistencies that could undermine array stability. In practice, this means that enterprise and rackmount models remain tied to the official drive ecosystem, often limited to Synology’s own HAT or HAS series drives or verified OEM equivalents.

In these product classes, DSM 7.3 also maintains a strict policy for cache and SSD usage. M.2 NVMe drives can only be used for caching or storage pools if they appear on the official compatibility list. Unlisted M.2 drives are detected by the system but cannot be assigned to any cache operation, even for testing purposes. Similarly, 2.5-inch SATA or SAS SSDs that are not verified cannot participate in new array creation, even though they may mount for migration. This conservative approach reflects Synology’s focus on maintaining data integrity over flexibility in its upper-tier systems, where downtime or data corruption can carry substantial business costs. DSM communicates these restrictions clearly during setup: any attempt to use an unsupported drive for new pool creation will trigger a warning explaining that the operation cannot proceed due to compatibility enforcement.

What are the benefits of Buying Synology-branded Hard Drives and SSDs?

In parallel with the policy adjustments introduced in DSM 7.3, Synology has also begun expanding a series of benefits and incentives aimed at customers who purchase Synology NAS systems together with Synology-branded storage media. These initiatives are part of the company’s ongoing effort to strengthen its vertically integrated ecosystem, ensuring optimal performance and reliability when all components come from the same source. In selected markets, buyers who purchase Synology HAT, HAS, or SAT series drives on the same invoice as their NAS hardware now receive extended warranty coverage of up to five years, administered directly through authorized distributors and resellers. In addition, Synology has introduced an Express Replacement program, allowing for immediate drive swaps during the warranty period without waiting for the defective unit to be shipped and inspected, effectively mirroring the convenience of a premium RMA service. These benefits are available at no extra cost when drives are purchased through approved channels. The initiative is designed to make Synology’s validated ecosystem more appealing to businesses seeking predictable lifecycle management and faster recovery in the event of hardware failure, while also providing an incentive for users to standardize on Synology-branded components rather than mixing third-party storage.

Head over to Blackvoid HERE to read Luka’s great write-up on DSM 7.3 below:

DSM 7.3 and Hard Drive / SSD Support Conclusion

DSM 7.3 might well represent the most comprehensive and transparent storage compatibility framework Synology has released to date (after years of obviscation and unclear messaging), but it also reinforces a clear divide between its consumer and enterprise platforms. The introduction of the HCL 5.0 policy marks a pragmatic shift from the heavily restricted DSM 7.1/7.2 model, restoring the flexibility that long-time users had relied on for more than a decade. On the 2025 DiskStation Plus series, users can once again install and operate any third-party NAS-grade HDD or SATA SSD without limitation, bringing back the open and adaptable system design that helped define Synology’s reputation. This balance between openness and validation shows the company’s recognition of user feedback and its effort to rebuild trust after widespread criticism of its earlier drive-locking policy. By maintaining full functionality for unlisted drives while still reserving strict validation for high-end hardware, DSM 7.3 offers a compromise that keeps consumer-grade systems practical and professional-grade systems predictable. Not ideal, but better than what was already in place.

However, DSM 7.3 also underlines the growing separation between Synology’s desktop Plus models and its rackmount Plus, DVA, and enterprise systems. While home and small-business users benefit from restored flexibility, administrators working with rackmount or surveillance solutions remain tied to tightly controlled drive lists. The continued exclusion of common NAS and NVR-grade drives—such as Seagate IronWolf and SkyHawk or WD Purple series—from the verified list limits adoption and drives up deployment costs, particularly for surveillance users who require high-capacity, continuous-write storage. Until Synology expands its validation program or aligns its rackmount Plus systems with the same drive-handling rules as its desktop equivalents, this divide will remain a sticking point. DSM 7.3 is therefore both a meaningful correction and a reminder that Synology’s storage policy continues to evolve in response to user pressure. It moves the platform back toward flexibility without abandoning its enterprise reliability philosophy, but the differences between product tiers are now more visible than ever.

Want to Support What We Do? Use the Links Below to Buy your NAS and/or HDD and SSD Media. Clicking these links will result in a small commission for anything you purchase, heading to me and Eddie @NASCompares and allows us to keep doing this! It’s just us two here and between this and ads, it’s the most passive way to keep us sailing! Thanks

Synology NAS and Media on Amazon – HERE Synology Products on B&H – HERE Seagate Ironwolf Media on Amazon – HERE WD Red Media on Amazon – HERE Seagate Products on B&H – HERE WD Products on B&H – HERE

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Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you. Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7] TRY CHAT Terms and Conditions   Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

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UGREEN DXP4800 PLUS vs DH4300 NAS – Which Should You Buy?

UGREEN’s emergence into the NAS market has been notably rapid, expanding from its early DXP series Kickstarter campaigns in 2024 to a full retail presence in 2025. Among its growing portfolio, two models now define the entry and mid-range segments of the company’s lineup: the DH4300 Plus and the DXP4800 Plus. Both are 4-bay NAS systems built around UGREEN’s in-house UGOS Pro operating system, offering cross-platform client access, RAID options, and remote synchronization. However, beneath their similar exteriors lie significant differences in design philosophy, hardware architecture, and expandability. The DH4300 represents the brand’s low-power ARM-based solution focused on simplicity and efficiency, while the DXP4800 Plus adopts an Intel x86 platform that aims to deliver higher throughput, broader software compatibility, and long-term scalability. This comparison examines each system in detail to identify where their strengths diverge and which one may better align with different user priorities.

UGREEN DXP4800 PLUS NAS		UGREEN DH4300 NAS
Buy the UGREEN DXP4800 on Amazon @599	Buy the UGREEN DXP4800 on UGREEN.COM	Buy the UGREEN DH4300 on Amazon @409	Buy the UGREEN DH4300 on UGREEN.COM

DH4300 vs DXP4800 PLUS – Design and Storage

Both the DH4300 Plus and DXP4800 Plus are 4-bay NAS systems, yet their physical execution and approach to storage differ substantially. The DH4300 Plus adopts a compact vertical cube form, measuring just 155mm per side, prioritizing low noise and minimal desk footprint. It uses plastic top-loading trays that can house either 2.5-inch SSDs or 3.5-inch HDDs. Drives are inserted vertically from the top, secured internally via SATA connectors. This layout helps keep the system small and easy to position in tighter setups but limits front-access servicing and restricts the unit’s suitability for hot-swap drive replacement. The DXP4800 Plus, by contrast, uses a more conventional front-loading 4-bay metal chassis that resembles traditional NAS systems from Synology or QNAP. Each tray includes a locking mechanism, supports hot-swapping, and accepts both 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch media. The metal body contributes to improved heat dissipation and rigidity, though it also results in higher weight and slightly higher fan noise. The chassis design clearly targets users expecting long-term durability and easier drive maintenance.

Beyond the drive trays themselves, the DXP4800 Plus expands the internal storage configuration by adding two M.2 NVMe slots. These can be assigned for SSD caching or as additional high-speed storage pools. This flexibility is absent in the DH4300 Plus, which is limited to its four SATA bays. The M.2 capability allows the DXP4800 Plus to create tiered storage setups that combine large-capacity HDDs with SSD acceleration, a feature relevant to media libraries or multi-user data environments requiring rapid retrieval. A key architectural distinction lies in their system drives. The DH4300 Plus relies on a 32GB eMMC flash module, while the DXP4800 Plus integrates a 128GB NVMe SSD dedicated to UGOS Pro. The SSD delivers faster system responsiveness, reduced latency, and provides enough capacity to install alternative operating systems if the user chooses. The eMMC module, while efficient, is considerably slower and less flexible for advanced tasks such as dual-boot environments or virtualized OS installations.

Both systems officially support up to 30TB drives per bay, giving the DH4300 Plus a theoretical ceiling of 120TB, while the DXP4800 Plus extends to 136TB when the NVMe bays are included. The practical implication is straightforward: the DXP4800 Plus provides more room to grow, both in capacity and performance scaling. For users seeking long-term expandability and tiered storage, the Intel-based unit presents the more adaptable platform. Meanwhile, those prioritizing compactness, lower power draw, and quiet operation may find the DH4300 Plus’ simplified vertical design sufficient for modest home or small-office workloads.

DXP4800 PLUS vs DH4300 – Internal Hardware

The UGREEN DH4300 Plus is powered by a Rockchip ARM processor built on a big.LITTLE configuration consisting of four Cortex-A76 and four Cortex-A55 cores, clocked at up to 2.0GHz. This eight-core design is efficient and well-suited for basic NAS tasks such as file sharing, backups, and light multimedia use. The processor is paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X memory that is soldered to the mainboard and non-upgradable. Power efficiency is a major strength of this configuration, typically consuming less than half the power of Intel-based systems when idle. However, its ARM architecture inherently restricts compatibility with x86 applications, virtual machines, and certain Docker containers, limiting its scope for heavier workloads.

By contrast, the DXP4800 Plus employs an Intel Pentium Gold 8505, a five-core, six-thread processor from Intel’s 12th Generation “Alder Lake” family. This hybrid x86 chip combines a single Performance core and four Efficient cores, supporting hardware virtualization, AVX2 instruction sets, and Intel UHD Graphics. Paired with 8GB of DDR5 memory, expandable up to 64GB, the DXP4800 Plus accommodates far more demanding tasks, including Docker deployments, Plex hardware transcoding, and multiple concurrent user operations. The use of DDR5 not only increases bandwidth but also introduces on-die error correction (ODECC) for improved data integrity, especially under sustained workloads.

Thermally, the two models are built with different cooling philosophies. The DH4300 Plus relies on its plastic housing and a single rear fan to quietly manage airflow, maintaining modest heat output even under continuous drive access. The DXP4800 Plus uses a metal chassis with enhanced thermal conduction and larger active cooling components to handle its higher power draw and CPU thermal output. As a result, it operates at a higher baseline wattage but sustains performance under extended heavy loads without throttling.

The difference between these platforms is clear: the DH4300 Plus targets efficiency and affordability, while the DXP4800 Plus prioritizes raw performance, expandability, and compatibility. The ARM-based model functions effectively as a quiet, low-cost personal cloud, whereas the Intel-powered alternative transitions closer to a professional or prosumer NAS capable of handling heavier workloads and future expansion.

DH4300 vs DXP4800 PLUS – Connectivity

The connectivity options on these two NAS systems reinforce their differing design priorities. The UGREEN DH4300 Plus offers a minimal, streamlined interface aimed at simplicity. It features a single 2.5GbE LAN port, sufficient for small network environments or home setups. This port provides adequate throughput for multi-user file access, media streaming, and backups, but limits scalability for link aggregation or 10GbE network integration. On the front, the DH4300 Plus includes one USB-C (5Gb/s) and two USB-A (5Gb/s) ports for connecting external storage or peripheral devices. Around the back, a 4K HDMI 2.0 output is provided, allowing direct media playback or access to the NAS desktop interface through a monitor and keyboard. Although compact and functional, the absence of additional network interfaces or expansion options means the DH4300 Plus is a closed system with limited upgrade flexibility.

The DXP4800 Plus presents a markedly broader I/O profile. Networking is handled by both a 2.5GbE and a 10GbE RJ45 port, enabling dual-network configurations, link aggregation, or high-speed connectivity to 10GbE switches and workstations. This combination provides a clear advantage for environments with large data transfers, such as video editing, virtualization, or backup synchronization across multiple systems. USB connectivity is also improved, with a front USB-C and USB-A port (each 10Gb/s), plus three additional rear USB-A ports—one at 5Gb/s and two at USB 2.0 speeds for legacy devices. The inclusion of an SD 3.0 card reader on the front panel enhances convenience for photographers or media professionals who regularly import content.

Both models offer HDMI output supporting 4K display, but only the DXP4800 Plus benefits from Intel’s integrated UHD Graphics, allowing smoother playback and better compatibility with third-party applications such as Plex, Jellyfin, or VLC in a connected display mode. The DH4300’s ARM GPU can output a graphical interface but struggles with higher bitrates and complex codec formats. Neither system includes PCIe or Thunderbolt expansion, although the DXP4800 Plus is more likely to support future USB-based expansion storage, given its higher USB bandwidth and processing headroom.

The result is a distinct separation in capability: the DH4300 Plus offers the essentials for simple network storage and direct access, while the DXP4800 Plus is engineered to serve as a central node in more advanced home or office networks, handling high-speed workflows and multi-interface operations with ease.

DH4300 vs DXP4800 PLUS – Software and Services

Both NAS systems operate on UGREEN’s UGOS Pro, the company’s in-house Linux-based operating system that has evolved considerably since its debut. UGOS Pro delivers a browser-accessible interface and companion apps for desktop and mobile devices, providing cross-platform file management, media streaming, and remote synchronization. Both the DH4300 Plus and DXP4800 Plus share the same core software experience, including snapshot protection, multi-tier backup utilities, RAID configuration tools, and cloud synchronization with popular platforms such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. Remote access can be achieved through relay services or secure connections such as Tailscale VPN, enabling users to maintain access without direct port forwarding.

Where the differences begin to emerge is in application scope and performance. The ARM-based DH4300 Plus supports a subset of the total UGOS Pro app library, running core services such as file sharing, photo management, and music/video playback, but it is limited when it comes to containerization and virtualization. Its CPU architecture prevents the use of virtual machines and restricts Docker to lightweight ARM-compatible containers. This makes it a suitable platform for personal data hosting or small-scale media libraries but less appropriate for professional or experimental use cases.

The DXP4800 Plus, leveraging its Intel x86 CPU and larger memory capacity, unlocks the full UGOS Pro ecosystem. It supports Docker for containerized applications and a dedicated Virtual Machine Manager, allowing users to run Windows, Ubuntu, or Android environments directly on the NAS. This hardware advantage extends to AI-based services integrated into UGOS Pro, including facial and object recognition within the Photo app. The DXP4800 Plus processes these functions locally at higher speed and with greater precision, while the DH4300 Plus delivers only basic recognition due to its lower AI compute capability.

Media handling is another clear differentiator. Both NAS units can run the native UGREEN Theater app for video playback, but the DXP4800 Plus benefits from hardware-accelerated 4K transcoding via Intel UHD Graphics. This enables smooth playback across Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby, even for HEVC or high-bitrate formats. The DH4300 Plus lacks equivalent hardware decoding support and therefore relies on software rendering, which can lead to stuttering or incompatibility when streaming demanding media.

Overall, UGOS Pro maintains functional parity across both systems at the surface level, yet the DXP4800 Plus unlocks a broader range of use cases—from virtualization to heavier AI and multimedia workloads. The DH4300 Plus remains best suited to users seeking a straightforward, reliable network storage environment without advanced compute or scalability expectations.

DXP4800 PLUS vs DH4300 – Verdict & Conclusion

The UGREEN DH4300 Plus and DXP4800 Plus ultimately cater to two very different categories of users, despite sharing the same UGOS Pro ecosystem and similar 4-bay configurations. The DH4300 Plus is built for simplicity, energy efficiency, and quiet continuous operation. Its ARM-based design consumes far less power and generates minimal heat, which is appealing for users who want a NAS that can run 24/7 in a home or office without significant energy cost or noise impact. It handles standard NAS duties—file storage, scheduled backups, photo management, and light multimedia playback—without issue. However, its hardware limitations restrict its suitability for more advanced workloads such as containerized apps, virtual machines, or high-resolution video transcoding. This makes the DH4300 Plus ideal for users seeking dependable, local network storage that functions as a personal cloud or central backup hub, not as an extensible compute platform.

The DXP4800 Plus, on the other hand, occupies a very different space in UGREEN’s product strategy. Its x86 Intel processor, DDR5 memory, dual-network connectivity (including 10GbE), and support for NVMe caching elevate it closer to what many would consider a professional-grade NAS system. It offers faster response times, wider compatibility with third-party applications, and a platform that supports future scalability through additional storage, memory, and software deployments. This system also opens the door to real virtualization, Docker-based workloads, and higher performance in media services thanks to Intel’s hardware-accelerated graphics. While it requires more power and a higher upfront investment, it delivers a measurable leap in flexibility, stability under heavier loads, and long-term performance headroom.

In practical terms, the DH4300 Plus will satisfy users who simply want to move away from cloud reliance, consolidate data locally, and maintain low running costs. The DXP4800 Plus suits those who expect their NAS to perform as both a data server and an active processing node for AI indexing, 4K media handling, or business-level file operations. Both systems are well-built, and UGOS Pro continues to mature into a stable operating environment, but the DXP4800 Plus clearly represents the more capable and future-ready choice. The DH4300 Plus fulfills its role as a compact, accessible entry into local network storage, while the DXP4800 Plus defines UGREEN’s current benchmark for serious, performance-oriented users.

UGREEN DXP4800 PLUS NAS		UGREEN DH4300 NAS
Buy the UGREEN DXP4800 on Amazon @599	Buy the UGREEN DXP4800 on UGREEN.COM	Buy the UGREEN DH4300 on Amazon @409	Buy the UGREEN DH4300 on UGREEN.COM

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Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you. Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7] TRY CHAT Terms and Conditions   Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

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fnOS Beta Review – Should You Keep an eye on Feiniu NAS OS?

Feiniu Private Cloud, better known by its system name fnOS, is a closed-source Chinese NAS operating system currently in public beta. Developed by a small team of self-described NAS enthusiasts, fnOS is marketed as a “genuinely free” NAS solution for domestic users in China and is designed to run on standard x86 PC and NAS hardware. It offers media management tools, AI-powered photo categorization, Docker container support, RAID configurations, and an app ecosystem — all within a graphical user interface that resembles several other recent Chinese NAS solutions. The system is rooted in a Debian-based Linux distribution and aims to provide plug-and-play functionality for users seeking an alternative to more established platforms like DSM, QTS, or TrueNAS.

However, fnOS arrives with notable caveats. As a closed-source system with minimal public documentation, there is currently no way to verify its internal processes, telemetry behaviour, or long-term data integrity protections. Moreover, its security architecture lacks advanced features like two-factor authentication, iSCSi, ZFS or hardened remote access protocols that have fast become an industry standard of many other NAS software options in the market.

Language support outside of Simplified Chinese is also not fully implemented, creating potential navigation barriers for international users. While the interface and features may seem appealing on the surface, fnOS is still in a formative stage — and with it come the usual risks of data loss, unpatched vulnerabilities, and limited user support. As this review will show, fnOS represents a curious blend of innovation, imitation, and potential. But its closed nature, beta status, and regionally restricted development raise several questions about its readiness for use beyond a testing environment.

Disclaimer for Users Considering fnOS Right Now

Anyone considering the use of Feiniu Private Cloud (fnOS) should do so with full awareness of the risks inherent in testing an early-stage, closed-source operating system. Although the software is being actively developed and presents a relatively complete GUI with numerous features, it remains in public beta. The system has not yet undergone broad public scrutiny, independent code audits, or transparent vulnerability testing, making its real-world reliability uncertain. The developers themselves have issued formal cautions, explicitly stating that the beta version may cause system crashes, compatibility problems, or data loss. Users should avoid deploying fnOS on primary NAS systems, in business environments, or on any hardware storing valuable or irreplaceable data. Thorough offline backups should be made prior to installation, and any testing should be performed in a non-critical sandbox environment. The system’s UI is currently presented almost entirely in Simplified Chinese, with no comprehensive English language support available at this stage. Translation tools such as Google Lens or Microsoft Edge’s built-in translation functions may offer partial usability, but navigation and configuration still present challenges for non-Chinese speakers.

Security considerations are especially important. fnOS lacks industry-standard safeguards such as two-factor authentication, secure portal client tools, and deeper role-based access controls. There is also no detailed public disclosure about how the system handles network traffic, cloud synchronization, or metadata collection, which is a point of concern given its integration with AI services and remote access features. At present, it is unclear whether any telemetry or user analytics are sent back to the developers, and the absence of source code prevents community verification. In summary, fnOS should be treated as experimental software. While it may offer a glimpse into emerging trends in the Chinese NAS market and present intriguing ideas around media organization and local AI integration, users must approach it with caution and a strong understanding of the security and stability limitations that accompany early-stage, proprietary platforms.

Design and UI

The user interface of fnOS is visually structured and attempts to emulate the layout seen in many modern NAS operating systems, with clear menu segmentation and app-like modularity. Upon installation, users are presented with a desktop-style environment that includes access to system configuration, storage management, multimedia tools, and containerized applications.

Navigation is conducted through a web browser, and the interface features icon-driven panels that mirror the design language of platforms like DSM (Synology) or QTS (QNAP), albeit with some localization quirks. Despite its early-stage development, the UI demonstrates a coherent structure that is functional, if not yet polished.

However, the current implementation suffers from language accessibility issues. The interface is only available in Simplified Chinese, and efforts to translate the interface using automated tools like Google Translate are mostly ineffective, as it relies on dynamic rendering elements that these tools cannot parse. Microsoft Edge’s translation feature performs better but still results in fragmented grammar and partially translated system prompts. This creates a substantial usability barrier for non-Chinese speakers, particularly when trying to configure advanced settings such as RAID arrays, user permissions, or application environments.

In terms of responsiveness and performance, the UI behaves relatively smoothly even on modest hardware. Common actions such as creating storage volumes, configuring shares, or launching apps execute without visible lag. While some buttons and system prompts may feel incomplete or imprecise due to beta status, core layout principles like logical menu placement and centralized settings are well applied. The overall experience suggests that while fnOS is clearly designed with user convenience in mind, it is not yet refined enough for a wide international audience.

Services and Features

fnOS provides a wide array of features targeting home media consumption, local data storage, and remote accessibility. One of its most promoted capabilities is its media handling, with built-in applications for organizing video, music, and photos. The system includes automatic metadata scraping for movies and TV shows, AI-driven facial and object recognition for photo libraries, and a basic music playback utility.

These media apps mimic the functionality of solutions like Plex or Jellyfin, offering poster walls, subtitle downloads, and transcoding options. However, it should be noted that many of the multimedia tools are proprietary adaptations or containers wrapping existing open-source tools rather than purpose-built innovations.

The system also integrates AI-driven services at the local level. The photo application includes features like character-based photo aggregation and image search via text input. Users can select from multiple AI models depending on resource availability and desired recognition accuracy, though it’s not entirely clear whether these models run exclusively offline or leverage external processing. While the integration appears functional, it is not yet well-documented, and the practical use cases are still limited by the interface’s language barriers and overall beta stability.

fnOS includes standard NAS features such as RAID configuration (supporting levels like RAID 0, 1, and 5), SSD caching, and storage expansion. It uses BTRFS or EXT4 as file system options, with support for snapshot creation on BTRFS volumes. Network protocols such as SMB3, NFS, FTP, and WebDAV are available, with multi-channel SMB enabled by default.

There is also a built-in file manager allowing basic copy, move, download, and sharing functions, including time-limited and password-protected links. While ZFS is not supported, the storage tools provided are sufficient for basic to intermediate users familiar with RAID and shared folder management.

The included App Center is container-based and supports various community and utility applications. Notable entries include Qbittorrent, Jellyfin, Transmission, Alist, Portainer, and Chromium, alongside more region-specific tools like 115 Network Disk and Baidu Cloud integration.

The application store largely reflects popular Dockerized solutions and offers minimal documentation on integration specifics. fnOS also includes a rudimentary virtual machine manager, which allows for Windows VM creation via ISO files, though functionality is basic.

Backup tools support both local folder sync and remote NAS replication, but third-party cloud sync is limited in scope and likely tied to domestic Chinese services.

 

Pros and Cons of fnOS?

One of the most notable strengths of fnOS is its broad feature coverage for a beta-stage NAS operating system. Despite being early in its development, it includes many of the core functions expected from a modern NAS platform: multi-tiered RAID support, snapshot capabilities (via BTRFS), Docker-based application hosting, multimedia indexing, and even virtual machine support.

For home users interested in media storage, the built-in tools for automatic metadata scraping and subtitle acquisition, combined with basic transcoding support, make it a practical solution for centralized media access — particularly when paired with a TV interface or mobile app.

The inclusion of AI-powered image recognition and customizable AI models in the photo management application is another area where fnOS differentiates itself. Users can configure local facial and object recognition models to assist in organizing large photo libraries, and even perform text-based image searches. While this isn’t entirely unique in the NAS market, the ability to select from different AI models and the implementation of geolocation tagging and facial clustering demonstrates that the development team is thinking beyond basic storage functionality. It suggests potential for future expansion into smart content management if development continues at pace.

However, fnOS also presents several clear drawbacks. Security remains underdeveloped, with no support for two-factor authentication, no publicly available information on encryption practices, and limited visibility into how data is handled or transmitted over the network.

While SSL certificates and basic firewall tools are present, the absence of fine-grained user permission structures or auditing functionality makes it unsuitable for multi-user environments or deployments where data privacy is a primary concern. Additionally, remote access services built into fnOS are proprietary and undocumented, which raises further questions for users concerned about trust and control over their network.

Another key limitation is the lack of proper language support and international readiness. At the time of writing, the UI is only available in Simplified Chinese, and the developers have not confirmed a timeline for multilingual support, also highlighting that this will be phased into a paid/commercial use version. This, combined with limited documentation and forum discussion outside of Chinese-speaking communities, makes troubleshooting and adoption by non-Chinese users significantly more difficult. Moreover, as a closed-source system, fnOS cannot benefit from the auditing, forking, and community patching practices that open-source NAS platforms rely on to maintain user trust and long-term sustainability.

Conclusion and Verdict of fnOS NAS Software

fnOS represents an ambitious attempt to build a full-featured, home-friendly NAS operating system from the ground up, targeting a domestic Chinese audience first and foremost. Its functionality is surprisingly broad for a beta, covering storage management, AI-powered media organization, Docker app deployment, and local VM hosting. However, its closed-source nature, limited language support, and undeveloped security framework make it unsuitable for deployment outside controlled test environments. For users within China who are technically confident, aware of the risks, and seeking a free, self-managed solution, fnOS may have appeal. For international users, particularly those prioritizing transparency, privacy, or robust security, fnOS remains a curiosity—not yet a contender.

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Summary: fnOS Beta – Pros and Cons

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Is there a good reason for Synology to change the support of “Unverified Drives” in DSM?

Synology has long been regarded as one of the most user-friendly and reliable NAS brands in the market, balancing intuitive software with a wide hardware range that appeals to both home and business users. However, in recent years the company has taken an increasingly controversial path by enforcing strict compatibility requirements for hard drives and SSDs. Beginning with DSM 7 and escalating into the 2025 generation of devices, Synology now only certifies and supports its own branded storage media, effectively locking out many widely used alternatives from Seagate, Western Digital, and Toshiba. While Synology positions this move as a way to ensure system stability and consistency, the decision has sparked significant backlash among users who feel restricted in their options and burdened by higher costs. As competitors expand their ecosystems with more openness and flexibility, this proprietary approach risks damaging Synology’s reputation, raising questions about whether the company has prioritized profit margins over user choice.

What is the MAIN PROBLEM(s) with this decision by Synology?

The most immediate problem with Synology’s hard drive policy is the loss of flexibility that once made their systems so appealing. For years, customers could select from a wide range of industry-standard drives from Seagate, Western Digital, or Toshiba, tailoring storage to their budget, performance requirements, or regional availability. This freedom not only allowed users to balance cost and capacity, but also gave small businesses and home enthusiasts the ability to reuse existing drives, upgrade incrementally, or take advantage of promotions from different vendors. By restricting DSM compatibility to Synology-labelled drives, that flexibility is gone. For many users outside major markets, Synology’s drives are harder to source, priced higher than the competition, or limited in available capacities. What once felt like an open platform now increasingly resembles a closed ecosystem, where users must accept the vendor’s terms even if it means compromising on affordability or performance.

Another dimension of the problem lies in how Synology has communicated these changes, which many see as evasive or disingenuous. Officially, the company justifies the restriction as a move toward greater reliability and predictable system performance. The argument is that by narrowing the range of drives tested and supported, Synology can optimize DSM to work seamlessly with drives that have firmware tailored for its environment. In practice, though, the same underlying hardware often originates from Seagate or Toshiba, with only minor firmware adjustments and new branding. This creates a perception that Synology is overstating the technical benefits while quietly using the policy to secure higher margins. For long-time users, the contrast is stark: older models happily ran third-party drives with few issues, which makes the sudden insistence on “certification” seem less like an engineering requirement and more like a business maneuver. The result has been a significant erosion of trust between the company and its community.

The wider impact of this strategy has also been felt across the storage industry. Resellers have reported declining sales of Synology’s Plus series devices as customers explore alternatives such as QNAP, TrueNAS, or newer entrants like UGREEN and UniFi. For Synology, this shift is particularly damaging because its reputation has historically rested on attracting less technical buyers who value simplicity and reliability over DIY solutions. Now, even these entry-level and mid-range users are questioning whether they should commit to an ecosystem that limits their choice of drives and increases their costs. At the same time, hard drive manufacturers like Seagate and Western Digital are also affected, as Synology’s decision reduces the number of channels through which their products reach end customers. The ripple effect is therefore twofold: Synology risks alienating its base of loyal customers, while storage vendors lose a once-reliable partner, creating tension that could ultimately push more buyers toward competing NAS brands.

How Can Synology Solve This (if they want to)?

One path forward for Synology would be to adopt a hybrid compatibility model, where its own branded drives remain the recommended or default choice but third-party alternatives are still officially supported. This compromise has been proven by other vendors such as UniFi and QNAP, who sell their own labelled drives while maintaining compatibility lists for major manufacturers like Seagate, Western Digital, and Toshiba. By following this model, Synology could continue promoting the reliability benefits of its branded hardware without alienating customers who prefer flexibility. In practice, this would preserve a sense of choice for users while ensuring Synology can still highlight its “optimized” solutions as the safer, supported route.

 

 

Finally, Synology could address the availability and pricing concerns around its own branded drives. In many regions, these drives are either difficult to source or significantly more expensive than equivalent Seagate or Western Digital models. Improving distribution channels, ensuring consistent stock, and narrowing the price gap would make the transition more palatable to users who are willing to adopt Synology’s ecosystem but feel penalized by limited access. By focusing on accessibility and fairness rather than exclusivity, Synology could rebuild goodwill while still driving revenue from its hardware strategy. Taken together, these steps would not fully reverse the controversy but would demonstrate responsiveness and provide a clearer path to balancing stability, customer choice, and profitability.

Is there a way to FORCE a Synology NAS to accept unverified Hard Drives and SSDs in DSM?

For users unwilling to accept Synology’s restrictive stance on storage media, the community has developed reliable workarounds that re-enable full functionality for third-party hard drives and SSDs. The most widely adopted method involves injecting a script into the NAS system that bypasses DSM’s compatibility database, allowing otherwise unsupported drives to be used for installation, storage pools, caching, and expansion. Synology’s 2025 Plus-series models, such as the DS925+, block DSM installation if only unverified drives are present and issue constant warnings in Storage Manager. To overcome this, users first employ a Telnet-based flag during initial setup that tricks DSM into accepting the installation, followed by a more permanent fix applied through SSH. At the heart of this solution is Dave Russell’s (007revad) GitHub project Synology_HDD_db, which modifies DSM’s internal drive compatibility files. Once downloaded and executed via SSH, the script detects the NAS model, DSM version, and connected drives, then patches the system to treat them as officially supported.

The process is reversible, non-destructive, and works across multiple DSM versions, including DSM 7.2 and later. Additional features allow removal of persistent warning banners, full use of NVMe drives as storage volumes, and optional disabling of intrusive monitoring services like WDDA. To ensure ongoing stability, users can also configure a scheduled task in DSM’s Task Scheduler that re-applies the script at every boot, guaranteeing compatibility survives updates, reboots, or new drive insertions. While the script is robust and actively maintained, there are clear disclaimers: using it involves modifying system files, may void official Synology support, and should only be attempted by users confident with SSH and terminal commands who have reliable data backups. Nonetheless, for advanced users, system integrators, and enthusiasts, this community-driven solution has become the de facto method of restoring the freedom to use affordable and widely available third-party drives in modern Synology NAS systems.

Example of a 30TB Seagate HDD visible and functioning inside a Synology DS925+

Note – You can follow my guide on how to use this script modification (as well as outlining the pros and cons) HERE on the blog, or watch the video below:

The Future of Synology in the eyes of new and old buyers?

Synology’s decision to enforce exclusive support for its own branded hard drives and SSDs marks one of the most controversial shifts in the company’s history, transforming how both long-time customers and potential buyers view the brand. For over a decade, Synology’s appeal rested on a combination of intuitive software, solid hardware, and flexibility in allowing users to choose their own storage media from trusted vendors like Seagate, Toshiba, and Western Digital. By removing that choice in the 2025 generation, Synology has fundamentally altered the value proposition of its systems, making them appear less like open storage platforms and more like tightly controlled appliances. While the company justifies the policy by citing stability, predictability, and reduced support overhead, many users interpret it as a profit-driven attempt to push proprietary drives into the market, especially since these are often rebranded versions of third-party disks with modified firmware and higher price tags.

The backlash has been considerable, with resellers and community forums reporting falling interest in Synology’s Plus-series devices, particularly among home and small business users who previously embraced them for affordability and ease of expansion. Competing NAS providers such as QNAP, TrueNAS, UGREEN, and UniFi have been quick to capitalize on the discontent, positioning themselves as more open alternatives that maintain compatibility with industry-standard drives. At the same time, the growth of unofficial solutions like Dave Russell’s compatibility script demonstrates how determined users are to regain control over their hardware, even at the risk of voiding warranty or stepping outside official support. This dynamic reflects a widening gap between Synology’s official direction and the needs of its customer base, many of whom would prefer to accept a disclaimer about using unverified drives rather than being forced into a closed ecosystem.

Ultimately, Synology now stands at a crossroads that will define its reputation in the storage industry for years to come. If it continues to double down on a closed, proprietary model, the company may secure short-term revenue through drive sales but risks long-term damage to its image and market share. On the other hand, reintroducing a more flexible, transparent approach—such as allowing user consent for unsupported drives or improving global pricing and availability of its own disks—could restore trust and preserve its standing as the NAS brand of choice for both novices and professionals. The availability of community workarounds ensures that frustrated users are not entirely locked out of their systems, but the very existence of these tools highlights how far Synology has drifted from its once customer-first ethos. The next few years will be crucial, as the company either adjusts course and strikes a balance between profitability and user freedom, or risks ceding ground to rivals who are eager to embrace the openness Synology has chosen to leave behind.

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Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you. Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. [contact-form-7] TRY CHAT Terms and Conditions   Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

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AI Console for Synology Mail Plus and Synology Office – But Should You Use It?

Note -Thanks again to Daniel from Germany for all his support and assistance for this video. Visit his site HERE

Synology has introduced a new software package called AI Console, aimed at integrating third-party AI and large language model (LLM) services directly into select Synology productivity applications. The package is available on devices running DSM 7.2 or later and supports only certain x86-64 NAS models, reflecting the higher processing and memory requirements of AI workloads.

Rather than running its own local AI engine, Synology provides a centralised management tool for connecting to established AI providers, including OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, Google Gemini via AI Studio or Vertex AI, Amazon Bedrock, and Baidu AI Cloud. Once linked using the administrator’s API key, these services can be used within Synology MailPlus and Synology Office to perform tasks such as summarising long emails, generating responses, translating text, adjusting tone, and producing refined document content.

The AI Console is designed with administration and control in mind. It allows system managers to configure access on a per-package basis, selectively enabling or excluding AI features for specific users or groups. Advanced options include setting daily or per-minute token limits for each user to control consumption and manage costs, as usage charges are determined by the chosen AI provider rather than Synology itself. For privacy protection, the Console supports a de-identification process that can mask predefined categories of sensitive data before prompts are sent to an AI provider, with the original data restored after the response is received.

Administrators can monitor adoption and usage trends through transaction logs, which capture request details such as timestamps, IP addresses, API models used, and token counts, alongside admin logs that record configuration changes. While the AI Console does not add AI functionality to all DSM applications, it focuses on extending the business-oriented MailPlus and Office suite. However, this is not a move that will please all Synology owners or buyers, as some value their NAS primarily for complete local data control and may view any cloud-connected AI integration as an unnecessary or risky addition.

Why is Synology AI Console So Contentious?

The idea of adding AI functionality to a NAS is divisive because many users adopt these systems specifically to avoid reliance on cloud-based services. A key selling point of a Synology NAS has long been the ability to store, process, and back up data entirely within the user’s own premises, retaining full control over where that data resides and who can access it.

By design, the Synology AI Console connects to external AI providers through API calls, meaning that text-based content from MailPlus or Office documents is transmitted to third-party servers for processing. Even with encryption in transit and privacy safeguards such as de-identification, this external dependency conflicts with the expectations of users who purchased a NAS to minimise exposure to external networks. This tension is heightened by the fact that the AI operations do not run locally on the NAS hardware, which for some buyers undermines the appeal of integrating AI into a device marketed for self-contained operation.

Another factor making AI use contentious is the trust and compliance aspect. Many NAS deployments are in small businesses, professional environments, or home offices handling sensitive material. Sending even anonymised extracts of communications or documents to an external service raises compliance questions for organisations bound by strict data protection rules, especially in regulated industries such as healthcare, finance, or legal services.

While the AI Console provides administrative controls, auditing tools, and the option to disable AI entirely for certain users or packages, the underlying reality remains that data is leaving the local network for processing. This creates a fundamental divide between those who welcome AI for its productivity benefits and those who see any form of off-device data processing as incompatible with the core value proposition of a private NAS.

What Security Provisions Have Synology Put in Place?

Synology’s AI Console incorporates multiple layers of control to reduce the risks associated with transmitting data to third-party AI providers. API keys for connected AI services are stored locally on the NAS rather than in the cloud, and all requests are sent directly from the device to the selected AI provider. Administrators can remove these keys at any time, immediately severing the connection. The system allows AI access to be enabled or disabled at the package level, with the option to exclude specific users or groups entirely. To prevent uncontrolled consumption, administrators can set token rate limits per user, measured either per minute or per day. Transaction logs record each AI request with details such as timestamp, source IP address, user account, API model used, and token usage, while admin logs document any configuration changes. This creates a verifiable audit trail for compliance and internal review.

Key security provisions include:

• Local storage of API keys, with no cloud-based key management.

• Direct communication between the NAS and the AI provider, bypassing Synology’s own servers.

• Ability to revoke API access instantly by deleting stored keys.

• Per-package AI enable/disable controls, with user and group-level exclusions.

• Token rate limiting to control per-user API usage.

• Detailed transaction logs for all AI requests.

• Administrative logs for configuration changes.

• Optional logging of request inputs and outputs for auditing.

For added privacy, Synology offers a de-identification feature that can mask selected categories of sensitive data before they are transmitted to the AI provider, restoring the original information once the processed output is returned. This feature can identify and anonymise common identifiers such as names, email addresses, IP addresses, banking details, and various country-specific personal or business numbers. De-identification relies on a combination of AI-driven semantic analysis and predefined regular expression rules, giving administrators control over which data types are masked. It requires the installation of the Container Manager package and a minimum of 8 GB of RAM, with each enabled language model consuming roughly 1 GB of memory. Although Synology notes that de-identification cannot guarantee 100% masking, the mechanism is intended to significantly reduce the chance of exposing sensitive details during AI processing.

Synology Mail Plus and AI Console Integration

When enabled for Synology MailPlus, the AI Console provides a set of functions aimed at improving email efficiency through automated text processing. Within the MailPlus interface, users can generate short or detailed summaries of incoming emails, which can help quickly assess lengthy messages without reading them in full. The AI assistant can also draft replies based on user instructions, with options to adjust tone, length, and formality, or translate the response into a supported language. All AI processing is text-based, with attachments excluded from transmission to the AI provider. The system also supports “Help me write” prompts directly within the reply editor, allowing for quick generation of tailored responses that can be inserted and then edited before sending. Importantly, these capabilities are only available to users granted AI permissions by the administrator, and all actions are recorded in transaction logs for review.

The integration offers multiple editing refinements, including making a message more formal or casual, shortening or lengthening text, and translating to or from languages supported by the connected AI model. Users can also rephrase replies entirely or request alternative drafts. Although these capabilities are similar to features found in other email platforms that integrate AI, the implementation within MailPlus is designed to remain under the control of the NAS administrator, with optional de-identification masking personal data before it is sent to the provider. Responses are generated by the third-party AI service configured in AI Console, and processing occurs only when the user explicitly invokes an AI function, avoiding any automated sending of content without user action.

From a functional perspective, MailPlus AI integration is targeted primarily at professional or business environments that run their own Synology-hosted mail server. It can streamline response drafting, reduce time spent on routine communication, and support multilingual correspondence. However, the scope is currently limited to text-based tasks, with no AI-driven attachment analysis, advanced categorisation, sentiment detection, or automated email sorting included. The feature set also lacks customisable style profiles beyond the basic tone and length adjustments, meaning more specific brand or sector language must still be applied manually. The value for each organisation will depend on how frequently staff interact with longer, more complex emails, and whether the trade-off of involving an external AI service aligns with internal data handling policies and compliance requirements.

Synology Office and AI Console Integration

In Synology Office, AI Console integration extends across the suite’s document, spreadsheet, and presentation tools, embedding AI-assisted functions within the existing editing interface. In documents, the AI assistant can summarise entire files, rewrite selected sections, adjust tone, translate content, or improve grammar. These actions can be applied either through a right-click contextual menu or via a dedicated AI sidebar that displays results alongside the original content. Users can choose to insert AI-generated revisions directly into the file or keep them separate for manual comparison. The system maintains Office’s existing version history, meaning any AI-driven edits can be rolled back without data loss.

In spreadsheets, the integration is aimed at assisting with formula comprehension and basic data interpretation. Users can request explanations of specific formulas, generate new formulas from plain-language prompts, or run simple calculations without manually writing functions. The AI can also produce summaries of table data, although its analytical depth is limited compared to dedicated business intelligence tools. As with documents, processing is restricted to text-based content; the system does not transmit embedded images or charts to the AI provider. Administrators can control whether AI features are available in spreadsheets, allowing them to be enabled for certain user groups while remaining disabled for others.

For presentations, the AI can refine slide text, translate content, or expand bullet points into fuller sentences, making it useful for producing alternate versions of existing material. The functionality mirrors what is available in documents, with tone and length adjustments as well as grammar checks. However, it does not currently create entirely new slide decks or visual layouts from prompts. The processing workflow remains the same across all Office formats: only when a user explicitly triggers an AI action is the relevant text sent to the configured provider, and all requests are recorded in the AI Console’s transaction logs.

Overall, the Synology Office integration offers consistent AI tools across its core applications, focusing on editorial and language-based support rather than data-driven automation. While the scope is narrower than AI-enabled features in some third-party office suites, the implementation maintains administrative control and allows for selective deployment, making it adaptable to environments where privacy considerations limit the use of external services.

What Features of AI/LLM Are Not Present?

Although the Synology AI Console brings AI-assisted functions to MailPlus and Office, it does not provide the same breadth of capabilities found in some competing platforms. There is no locally hosted AI model option, meaning all processing is dependent on a live connection to a third-party provider. As a result, the system lacks offline functionality, GPU-accelerated local workloads, or support for running open-source LLMs within the NAS environment. In practical terms, this means that all AI operations involve external processing, which may not suit users who require fully on-premises data handling.

Beyond the infrastructure level, several functional gaps remain. The integration does not extend to all DSM applications, omitting areas such as File Station, Photo Station, Synology Photos, and Surveillance Station. Within MailPlus and Office, the AI features are focused on text editing and basic summarisation rather than broader automation. There is no built-in capability for sentiment analysis, advanced data analytics, automatic categorisation, or content generation from large datasets. Similarly, the AI Console does not currently allow multi-step task automation or integration with custom scripts, limiting its use to predefined actions within the supported productivity tools.

Is Synology AI Console Safe?

From a technical and administrative perspective, Synology has implemented several measures to protect data when using the AI Console. API keys are stored locally on the NAS, and requests to AI providers are sent directly from the device rather than passing through Synology-operated servers. Administrators can limit access to specific packages, exclude selected users or groups, set token usage caps, and monitor all AI interactions through detailed logs. For additional privacy, the optional de-identification feature can mask sensitive details such as personal identifiers, banking information, and IP addresses before prompts are transmitted, restoring them only after the AI provider returns a response.

However, the safety of the AI Console ultimately depends on the chosen AI provider and the user’s own policies. All processing occurs on the provider’s infrastructure, meaning data leaves the local network whenever AI features are used. Even with encryption and masking in place, this external dependency may be unacceptable in environments with strict regulatory requirements or where complete local control is mandatory. While Synology provides the tools to minimise risk and monitor usage, it is the administrator’s responsibility to select a compliant provider, configure de-identification appropriately, and ensure that AI features are only enabled where the security implications are fully understood.

Here is my video on the original reveal of AI Integration/Connection into Synology DSM when it was first shown off during the Synology Solution Exhibition back in 2023 in Taipei:

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Should You Buy the Terramaster F4 SSD NAS?

The TerraMaster F4 SSD is a 4-bay all-flash NAS aimed at home and prosumer users who want compact, quiet, and high-speed network storage based on SSD technology. Priced at $399, it represents the third entry in TerraMaster’s SSD-focused lineup, positioned below the larger 8-bay F8 SSD and the i5-powered F8 SSD Plus. This model is designed to deliver a balance between affordability and performance, featuring the Intel N95 quad-core processor, 8GB of DDR5 memory (upgradeable to 32GB), and four M.2 NVMe SSD slots across mixed-speed PCIe lanes. While its architecture targets lower power consumption and silent operation (rated at 19 dB in standby), it also integrates a 5GbE network port, USB 3.2 connectivity, and a toolless design to ease deployment. Designed for both turnkey usage with TerraMaster’s TOS 6 OS or as a flexible bare-metal option for TrueNAS or UnRAID, the F4 SSD sits at a crossroads between convenience and configurability—providing users with both preconfigured software and open-ended potential for third-party operating systems.

Terramaster F4 SSD NAS Review – Quick Conclusion

The TerraMaster F4 SSD delivers a compelling package for users seeking an affordable, compact, and all-flash NAS solution with a strong blend of performance and usability. Its toolless, space-saving design makes installation easy, while the inclusion of four M.2 NVMe slots—two at PCIe 3.0 x2 and two at x1—offers fast storage potential, albeit with some asymmetry that could affect RAID performance in certain configurations. Powered by the efficient Intel N95 CPU and 8GB of DDR5 memory, the system supports multimedia streaming, Docker containers, virtual machines, and AI-powered photo indexing, all handled by the continually improving TOS 6 operating system. Key strengths include the 5GbE networking for faster data access, support for mixed-capacity SSDs via TRAID, and very low noise and power consumption, making it ideal for home environments. However, limitations such as the single network port with no redundancy, lack of ECC memory support, and the presence of mixed-speed NVMe slots may be off-putting to power users or small businesses seeking higher resilience and uniform throughput. Still, at $399, the F4 SSD offers a well-rounded balance of speed, features, and ease of use for home users, prosumers, and content creators who want SSD-level performance without the complexity or cost of higher-end systems.

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Terramaster F4 SSD NAS Review – Design and Storage

The TerraMaster F4 SSD adopts a compact, minimalist design that is clearly optimized for silent, flash-only operation. Measuring just 138mm x 60mm x 140mm and weighing 0.6 kg, it is one of the smallest 4-bay NAS chassis on the market, aided by its exclusive use of M.2 NVMe SSDs instead of traditional 3.5-inch hard drives. This all-flash design allows the chassis to maintain a reduced footprint while still offering significant internal capacity—up to 32TB using four 8TB drives. The unit features a clean, industrial aesthetic with smooth surfaces and subtle branding, aligning with TerraMaster’s recent design choices in their SSD NAS series. Importantly, the internal layout supports top-to-bottom convection airflow, with side ventilation and smart fan controls designed to balance cooling and acoustics.

Installation is clearly a design priority here. The F4 SSD uses a toolless construction held together by a single thumbscrew, allowing the user to remove the outer casing in seconds. Internally, SSDs are inserted via a pull-out drawer mechanism with dedicated mounting trays, and there’s ample clearance around each M.2 slot for installing large passive heatsinks.

Notably, the SSD slots are laid out in such a way that their orientation lines up directly with the two 50mm rear fans. These fans are positioned to channel airflow across both the SSDs and the large passive heatsink mounted over the Intel N95 CPU, ensuring that even under sustained workloads the thermals remain controlled without relying on noisy active cooling systems.

The internal storage configuration is somewhat mixed in terms of interface speed. Of the four M.2 slots, two operate over PCIe 3.0 x2 lanes, and two are limited to PCIe 3.0 x1. This introduces a disparity in potential transfer speeds—approximately 1.6GB/s per drive for the faster pair, and around 700-900MB/s for the slower ones.

While this approach is a practical trade-off due to CPU lane limitations, it may pose bottlenecks in RAID scenarios where all four drives are used in a single pool. However, for users willing to configure their SSDs into two independent volumes, or who rely on TerraMaster’s TRAID system with mixed-capacity drives, the system can still make efficient use of available bandwidth.

The F4 SSD supports a range of RAID configurations including TRAID, TRAID+, RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10, as well as JBOD and single-drive modes. TRAID, TerraMaster’s hybrid RAID system, is especially notable here as it supports storage expansion using drives of different sizes—an advantage for users who plan to incrementally upgrade their SSDs over time. This flexibility is rare in entry-level NAS units, and helps avoid the traditional pitfalls of having to replace all drives at once in standard RAID arrays. The software layer automatically calculates parity and adjusts volume size without requiring complete data migration or reconfiguration.

From a practical perspective, the move to SSD-only architecture enables faster access times, reduced power usage, and significantly lower noise. TerraMaster reports a typical power draw of just 32W under full load with four SSDs, around 11-13W with all 4 SSD in a ‘read state’ with the CPU at sub 5%, and only 8W in complete hibernation. The fan noise sits below 19dB during idle operation, placing it among the quietest NAS units available. For environments such as living rooms or bedrooms where noise sensitivity is key, this silent thermal design makes the F4 SSD particularly well-suited for home multimedia centers and always-on photo backup servers.

Terramaster F4 SSD NAS Review – Internal Hardware

At the heart of the TerraMaster F4 SSD is the Intel N95 processor, a quad-core, four-thread CPU based on the Alder Lake-N architecture. Clocked at a base frequency of 1.7GHz with a boost up to 3.4GHz, it offers efficient processing power with a low 15W TDP, which contributes to the unit’s low thermal output and power consumption. While not designed for heavy computational workloads, the N95 supports Intel Quick Sync for hardware-accelerated video transcoding and includes integrated UHD graphics capable of handling 4K@60Hz decoding.

This makes the F4 SSD suitable for multimedia servers like Plex or Jellyfin, which are supported out of the box by TerraMaster’s TOS operating system. The CPU also provides nine PCIe Gen3 lanes for connecting NVMe drives, network interfaces, and USB ports—something that TerraMaster appears to have carefully balanced across components.

The system is equipped with 8GB of DDR5 memory pre-installed in a single SODIMM slot, with support for up to 32GB. The memory is non-ECC, which is expected for this price bracket and CPU class, though some users may view this as a drawback in data-critical environments. DDR5 support is a notable inclusion, offering higher bandwidth and lower power consumption than DDR4.

Because there is only a single memory slot, upgrades require replacing the pre-installed module entirely, but access is straightforward thanks to the removable chassis design. Combined with the N95 CPU and SSD storage, the memory allows for lightweight virtualization, Docker container deployment, and simultaneous access by multiple users—within the limitations of the CPU’s architecture.

Internally, the F4 SSD supports four M.2 2280 NVMe drives: two connected via PCIe 3.0 x2, and two via PCIe 3.0 x1. This setup is a direct consequence of the limited PCIe lane count on the N95 CPU, and reflects a compromise between cost and performance. While this layout means that users may encounter performance bottlenecks if building a single RAID array across all four slots, TerraMaster’s OS allows for flexible configuration, including the creation of separate volumes. The system also includes a substantial heatsink on the CPU and aligns airflow directly over both the CPU and storage bays. Together, these components form a power-efficient, quiet, and competent NAS platform optimized for SSD workloads.

Terramaster F4 SSD NAS Review – Ports and Connections

The TerraMaster F4 SSD is equipped with a practical selection of ports that reflect its mid-tier positioning. The standout feature is a single RJ-45 5GbE Ethernet port, offering five times the bandwidth of standard Gigabit connections and double that of 2.5GbE. This enables significantly faster file transfers when paired with compatible switches or direct-to-PC connections, making it a viable solution for photo and video editing over the network. However, the inclusion of only one network port—without redundancy or support for link aggregation—limits failover options and prevents more advanced networking setups, a drawback that may be felt in business or multi-user deployments. Users seeking dual LAN ports for redundancy or trunking will need to resort to USB-to-Ethernet adapters, which are supported via the system’s high-speed USB 3.2 ports.

In addition to its network interface, the F4 SSD features three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports rated at 10Gbps each—two Type-A and one Type-C. These ports support a variety of functions, including attaching external storage for backups, connecting USB-based 2.5GbE/5GbE adapters, or even interfacing with uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). This level of connectivity is somewhat uncommon in compact SSD NAS systems and adds useful flexibility, particularly for users operating the unit as a personal cloud or remote access point. Notably absent, however, are legacy USB 2.0 ports or additional network expansion slots (such as PCIe or SFP+), which would have extended the F4 SSD’s upgradeability for more advanced users.

On the display side, the NAS includes a single HDMI 2.0b port, allowing for direct output of its graphical interface or multimedia playback, though this feature is seldom used in headless NAS operation. Still, its presence supports limited desktop use cases or direct-attached displays for VM consoles and Docker GUIs. Internally, the Intel N95 CPU provides up to three display outputs, but only one is exposed in this system. The absence of a VGA port, PCIe expansion slots, or front-facing ports keeps the design clean but does reduce options for advanced customization. Ultimately, the F4 SSD provides just enough I/O for mainstream home or small office use, while intentionally leaving out more enterprise-grade connectivity.

Terramaster F4 SSD NAS Review – TOS Software and Services

The TerraMaster F4 SSD ships with TOS 6, the company’s latest revision of its NAS operating system. TOS 6 has matured significantly compared to earlier versions, now offering a more stable and responsive interface with support for modern NAS functionality. The OS features a multi-window desktop-like environment accessible via browser, along with mobile and desktop clients for streamlined access.

The interface, though less polished than Synology’s DSM, has seen improvements in usability, with clearer organization of applications, settings, and user tools. Key system features include centralized backup, file indexing, user/group controls, and integrated snapshot functionality for shared folders and iSCSI volumes. For home users and prosumers, these updates represent a notable step forward, especially when paired with the low latency benefits of SSD storage.

Among TOS 6’s more prominent features is TRAID (TerraMaster RAID), a hybrid RAID system designed to offer flexible storage expansion and mixed-capacity drive support. Similar in principle to Synology’s SHR, TRAID allows users to start with a small number of SSDs and expand later with larger ones without reconfiguring the entire array.

This flexibility is especially useful in all-flash systems where high-capacity SSDs can be cost-prohibitive to install all at once. In addition to TRAID and TRAID+, the system also supports traditional RAID levels (0, 1, 5, 6, 10), JBOD, and single-drive configurations. Volume expansion, RAID migration, SSD TRIM, and S.M.A.R.T. monitoring are supported natively, along with scheduled snapshots and USB-based backups.

TOS 6 includes a growing suite of first- and third-party applications that address multimedia, surveillance, and cloud connectivity. The F4 SSD supports Plex Media Server, Jellyfin, Emby, and TerraMaster’s own Multimedia Server for DLNA/UPnP streaming. Users can also deploy Docker containers, virtual machines, and network services such as iSCSI, FTP, WebDAV, and VPN servers.

Multimedia support is further bolstered by hardware-accelerated 4K video decoding via the Intel UHD iGPU, making the NAS suitable as a home media hub. AI photo indexing is also integrated into Terra Photos, allowing automated categorization of people, pets, and scenes. For mobile users, the TNAS app offers automatic photo/video uploads and remote file access, enhancing backup automation and content management.

Enterprise and security features are present but modest. TOS 6 includes AES-encrypted folders, SSL certificate import, two-factor authentication, and alerting via email or desktop notifications. Integration with AD domains and LDAP clients is supported, but ECC memory is not, reflecting the system’s home and small-office focus. Additional cloud integration is provided via CloudSync, which supports Google Drive, OneDrive, Amazon S3, Dropbox, Baidu, and Alibaba Cloud.

For users requiring simple hybrid-cloud backups or syncing across multiple platforms, this unified interface is functional and sufficient. While TOS lacks the enterprise depth of some competing NAS platforms, its overall range of applications and services is now competitive for most home or light professional needs.

Terramaster F4 SSD NAS Review – Verdict and Conclusion

The TerraMaster F4 SSD presents itself as a well-considered entry into the compact, all-flash NAS segment, balancing low noise, energy efficiency, and competitive performance at a sub-$400 price point. With its fanless NVMe-based design, Intel N95 quad-core processor, and DDR5 memory, it meets the essential needs of home and small office users looking for a reliable and responsive storage solution. The inclusion of TerraMaster’s increasingly capable TOS 6 operating system, featuring AI-driven photo management, centralized backup, and Docker/VM support, makes it more than just a network storage device—it becomes a lightweight but versatile data center for the home. Its TRAID support allows for mixed SSD deployments with easy expansion, which is particularly attractive to users upgrading gradually or working within budget constraints. The thoughtful internal layout and cooling also ensure performance remains consistent even under sustained load, without sacrificing the near-silent operation.

However, the F4 SSD is not without caveats. The use of a single 5GbE port, without redundancy or aggregation, may deter users requiring network failover or higher throughput for simultaneous operations. Additionally, although the PCIe lane allocation strategy maximizes the N95’s limited bandwidth, the asymmetry between Gen3 x2 and x1 slots could bottleneck RAID performance depending on how volumes are configured. When compared to the larger F8 SSD or DIY options with dual 10GbE or ECC support, the F4 SSD may feel limiting to power users or business environments with stricter reliability requirements. That said, for the vast majority of home users, content creators, and prosumers looking for an all-in-one, high-speed NAS that blends well into living spaces, the F4 SSD delivers a solid and accessible solution. Its price-to-performance ratio, combined with the simplicity of deployment and maturing software ecosystem, makes it a compelling option in the growing market of SSD NAS devices.

Terramaster F4 SSD NAS
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PROs of the Terramaster F4 SSD

CONs of the Terramaster F4 SSD

Compact, toolless chassis with easy-access thumb screw and SSD installation All-flash NVMe architecture with support for four M.2 2280 SSDs 5GbE network port enables high-speed local and remote transfers TRAID and TRAID+ allow mixed-capacity SSDs and seamless storage expansion TOS 6 OS includes Plex, Jellyfin, Docker, VM support, and AI photo indexing Quiet operation (19 dB) and low power usage (32W under load) Priced competitively at $399 for a turnkey SSD NAS

Single 5GbE port with no failover or link aggregation Two of the four SSD slots are limited to PCIe Gen3 x1, creating potential RAID bottlenecks Non-ECC DDR5 memory may not meet strict data integrity requirements

 

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The UGREEN DH4300 PLUS NAS Review – Good Value?

The UGREEN DH4300 Plus is a 4-bay NAS solution introduced quietly into the company’s growing lineup of storage devices, appearing online without the usual fanfare. Closely related to the DH4300 Plus in both hardware and feature set, this model forms part of UGREEN’s value-tier NAS systems, designed to provide essential private cloud functionality at a lower cost. Targeted at home users, prosumers, and small offices, the DH4300 Plus offers a mix of modern storage capacity and lightweight computing through its ARM-based architecture. With support for RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10, 2.5GbE networking, and up to 120TB of raw storage across four SATA bays, the device aims to provide a reasonably capable platform for tasks like file serving, multimedia streaming, and basic photo management.

However, the DH4300 Plus doesn’t just follow the pattern of other budget NAS solutions. It includes features uncommon at this price point, such as HDMI output and 10Gbps USB connectivity, which extend its use case beyond simple backups into media and even light-duty AI-powered photo organization. Its system-on-chip, the Rockchip RK3588, is more powerful than the processors seen in comparable entry-level NAS systems from other brands like Synology or QNAP. While it lacks the high-end features of premium NAS units—such as multi-port networking or M.2 expansion—it still manages to deliver a compact, energy-efficient package suited to most daily NAS workloads. This review breaks down each component of the DH4300 Plus, from its physical design and internal hardware to its software ecosystem, to help users decide whether this is the right solution for their needs.

UGREEN DH4300 NAS Review – Quick Conclusion

The UGREEN DH4300 Plus stands out as a well-equipped entry-level NAS that offers considerably more than its modest price tag suggests, positioning itself as a serious contender in the growing value NAS market. Powered by the RK3588 ARM processor and backed by 8GB of LPDDR4X memory, it delivers capable performance for a wide range of NAS tasks including file sharing, media streaming, light containerization via Docker, and AI-assisted photo management. Its support for 2.5GbE networking, 10Gbps USB ports, and HDMI 2.1 output adds versatility, enabling faster-than-Gigabit transfer speeds and options for direct media playback or on-site display access. The system’s low power consumption, compact footprint, and quiet operation make it especially well-suited for 24/7 deployment in home or small office environments. AI functionality for face recognition and album generation, powered by the on-chip NPU, further enhances its value for users managing large personal photo or media libraries. However, the device is limited by its lack of PCIe or M.2 expansion, absence of link aggregation or redundant LAN, and the relatively immature UGOS Pro software, which trails behind DSM and QTS in terms of advanced features, third-party app support, and overall refinement. Still, for users seeking a reliable, efficient, and feature-packed NAS at a competitive price, the DH4300 Plus represents a compelling option that punches well above its weight—offering core functionality, multimedia capabilities, and surprising hardware strength without venturing into high-end NAS pricing territory.

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UGREEN DH4300 NAS Review – Design and Storage

The UGREEN DH4300 Plus adopts a minimalist, vertical chassis design that blends functional cooling with a relatively compact footprint. Measuring 155mm x 155mm x 215.7mm, the enclosure is tall and narrow, allowing it to accommodate four internal 3.5″ or 2.5″ SATA drives without consuming significant desk space. Instead of traditional hot-swappable trays, UGREEN uses a toolless drive insertion mechanism where each drive slides vertically into the chassis.

This approach reduces complexity and keeps production costs lower but introduces compromises in terms of drive handling and vibration isolation. The top panel is removable and held magnetically, granting access to the internal drive bays and initial setup QR code sticker located inside the lid. Ventilation is handled by side vents, perforations at the top of the cover, and a single downward-facing internal fan near the system board.

Drive installation is simple but not entirely refined. Each of the four bays inside feeds directly into a fixed SATA backplane. Drives are inserted vertically without caddies and seat against rubber bumpers at the rear, which help reduce some of the mechanical vibration but do not provide the same structural integrity or thermal separation found in more traditional hot swap and more easily accessible tray-based designs.

The plastic inner rails feel light and somewhat fragile, especially when compared to metal-based bays found in more premium NAS models. Still, the internal structure was found to be sufficient during testing, even when populating the system with higher-capacity drives. The unit officially supports up to 4 x 30TB drives, allowing a total storage capacity of 120TB in JBOD or RAID configurations, though users will need to supply their own disks as none are included in the package.

Airflow and thermal behavior of the DH4300 Plus are managed via passive intake vents and a single active cooling fan positioned on the base of the chassis. This fan draws air from the top and sides of the NAS, passing it over the CPU and power delivery components before exhausting out the bottom. While this layout is thermally efficient for a low-power device like this, it lacks redundancy and doesn’t allow for custom fan curve profiles within UGOS Pro.

During 24-hour tests with four IronWolf drives installed, drive temperatures remained between 44°C and 45°C, while the system chassis and CPU areas stayed in the range of 38°C to 42°C under typical workloads. Though these temperatures are within operational thresholds, users deploying the NAS in warmer environments or fully populating it with high-RPM drives may need to consider ambient airflow or active external cooling assistance.

The DH4300 Plus is constructed from a mix of metal and plastic materials, with a soft matte finish and minimal front I/O clutter. This helps the device appear more neutral in office or home setups. All primary status LEDs are located subtly on the front edge, along with a power button and high-speed USB-C port. Despite its budget positioning, UGREEN has maintained an external aesthetic that doesn’t look out of place beside other premium tech. However, internal cost-saving decisions are more evident. The lack of a proper drive locking mechanism or hotswap support reinforces that this NAS is not meant for heavy-duty enterprise usage or high-frequency drive replacement tasks. It is more appropriate as a near-permanent local storage solution once disks have been installed and configured.

In terms of storage functionality, the DH4300 Plus supports multiple RAID modes, including Basic, JBOD, RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10. This flexibility is notable, as several competing ARM-based NAS units limit RAID options—particularly RAID 6, which requires higher CPU and memory resources to compute parity. While software RAID performance will depend heavily on the chosen configuration and disk types, the Rockchip RK3588 SoC proved capable of maintaining consistent performance in RAID 5 across moderate workloads, including file copying, media playback, and snapshot operations. UGREEN’s system also offers automatic drive recognition and formatting through the UGOS Pro interface, allowing less experienced users to get started quickly, though without the advanced data scrubbing and repair features available on some higher-end NAS platforms.

UGREEN DH4300 NAS Review – Internal Hardware

At the heart of the DH4300 Plus lies the Rockchip RK3588 processor, an 8-core ARM-based SoC featuring a hybrid core architecture. It combines four high-performance Cortex-A76 cores with four efficiency-oriented Cortex-A55 cores, providing a significant performance uplift over most ARM-based NAS processors in the same price bracket. The RK3588 includes a Mali-G610 GPU and an integrated NPU capable of delivering up to 6 TOPS of AI performance. This allows for features like facial recognition, object tagging, and scene categorization within UGOS Pro. Notably, this chip has seen growing popularity in DIY NAS and edge computing applications due to its multimedia capabilities and low power draw. Its inclusion in a turnkey NAS platform at this price point positions the DH4300 Plus as an outlier among typical value-series offerings.

Complementing the processor is 8GB of LPDDR4X memory, which is soldered to the board and not user-upgradable. While this limits long-term scalability, 8GB is a generous amount for an ARM-based NAS and sufficient for most general-purpose NAS workloads including file sharing, media serving, AI-assisted photo sorting, and light Docker container deployment. The system also features a 32GB eMMC module, serving as a dedicated system drive for UGOS Pro. This separation of the OS from user storage pools ensures stability during boot and updates while also freeing up the full capacity of installed SATA drives for data. The lack of NVMe or SATA DOM options means the eMMC is fixed, but in practice, it performed reliably during testing without any bottlenecks.

From a thermal and power standpoint, the RK3588 platform proves to be highly efficient. Even under moderate to heavy loads—such as simultaneous file transfers, streaming tasks, and indexing—the SoC maintains stable temperatures in the low 40s Celsius range. Combined with a modest power draw of around 30–35 watts under active use (and ~4.7 watts at idle without drives), the DH4300 Plus is suitable for continuous 24/7 operation in home or office environments. While the lack of ECC memory or redundant power limits its appeal for enterprise deployment, the core hardware is well-balanced for its target audience, especially when considering how much performance and functionality is packed into a device with a sub-$400 price point.

UGREEN DH4300 NAS Review – Ports and Connections

The UGREEN DH4300 Plus offers a streamlined but functionally adequate set of connectivity options for a value-focused NAS. On the front of the device, users will find a USB-C port rated at 5Gbps, accompanied by two additional USB-A ports on the rear capable of 10Gbps transfer speeds. These high-speed USB ports are somewhat unusual on an ARM-based NAS and allow for faster direct-attached storage backups or peripheral integration, including UPS management or external media access. While not hot-swappable in the OS UI, the ports performed reliably in tests when mounting USB SSDs and thumb drives for quick file transfer and offline sync. Their positioning also maintains a tidy cable layout, with most high-traffic connections located on the back panel.

Network connectivity is delivered through a single 2.5GbE RJ45 port, which represents a solid step above the standard 1GbE ports found on most entry-level NAS units. This allows the DH4300 Plus to exceed typical Gigabit transfer speeds, reaching up to ~280MB/s in peak file transfer tests using large sequential data. However, the inclusion of only one LAN port means there’s no support for link aggregation or failover. This limits the device’s flexibility in multi-user environments or scenarios requiring redundancy. Given the hardware capabilities of the RK3588 platform, a second LAN port—or even a fallback 1GbE—would have been ideal. Still, for a single-user or small team deployment, the 2.5GbE connection is more than sufficient for everyday access to large media files, backups, and collaborative workspaces.

One of the most unexpected and welcome features is the presence of an HDMI 2.1 output, capable of 4K at 60Hz. HDMI on value-tier NAS systems is uncommon, and its inclusion here enables media playback, real-time NAS control via a directly connected monitor, and potential kiosk or signage applications. The UGOS Pro operating system includes a built-in theater mode to pair with this feature, although its capabilities are more basic than those found in platforms like QNAP’s HD Station. Nevertheless, for users wanting to leverage the NAS as a lightweight local media center or for on-site admin access without relying solely on browser-based control, the HDMI output adds flexibility. The only caveat is that the device lacks any form of PCIe expansion, so users cannot add additional ports or NVMe caching options later.

UGREEN DH4300 NAS Review – Software and Services

The DH4300 Plus runs UGOS Pro, UGREEN’s proprietary NAS operating system tailored for ARM-based platforms. While it doesn’t match the feature depth of more mature systems like Synology DSM or QNAP QTS, UGOS Pro has seen steady improvements and now covers most of the foundational functions expected from a modern NAS. The UI is browser-accessible and includes modules for storage management, user permissions, cloud sync, backups, and multimedia playback. During testing, the OS handled basic setup, RAID initialization, and file system formatting efficiently. Users can configure shared folders, enable SMB/NFS/AFP protocols, and even set up multi-tiered backup routines to local, USB, or cloud destinations such as Google Drive and Dropbox.

One of the more advanced features is the integrated AI photo engine, which leverages the RK3588’s NPU to organize media libraries using facial recognition, object tagging, and scene classification. This is similar in principle to what Synology Photos or QNAP QuMagie offer, though UGOS Pro lacks the same level of customization or filtering depth. The system can automatically generate albums, identify duplicates, and even create baby-focused timelines.

These features worked reliably on smaller photo sets but began to slow down when indexing larger libraries—likely a result of both memory and algorithmic efficiency. Despite this, the inclusion of AI functionality in a sub-$400 NAS is notable, especially since it runs locally and does not require cloud processing.

Application support is growing within UGOS Pro. Native apps for file access, media playback, surveillance (limited), and mobile sync are included, along with support for Docker containers, allowing users to sideload additional tools not officially available. Notably, BTRFS is supported as a file system option, enabling snapshot functionality and some degree of data integrity checks. However, there are limitations: virtualization is not supported due to the ARM architecture, and there’s currently no iSCSI target support.

Additionally, while the broader UGREEN ecosystem includes a Jellyfin app for other devices, this model did not have native Jellyfin support at launch—requiring users to deploy it manually via Docker. Features like multi-factor authentication, scheduled shutdown/start, and remote access are included, but power users may find the interface lacking compared to more polished systems.

The UGREEN DH4300 Plus delivers respectable media performance when running Jellyfin, particularly with 1080p and 4K content. During testing, the system handled native playback of 4K files smoothly and managed light transcoding tasks without excessive CPU strain, thanks to the efficiency of the RK3588’s integrated GPU and NPU. Native playback of 8K media was technically possible, but pushed the CPU usage to 70–75%, and any attempt at transcoding 8K content resulted in the processor maxing out at 100%, making it unsuitable for high-resolution real-time conversion.

While the NAS can serve 8K files over the network for compatible client playback, its ARM-based architecture lacks the raw transcoding power and hardware acceleration frameworks seen in x86-based systems with Intel Quick Sync. For most users, 1080p and 4K Jellyfin playback—both native and lightly transcoded—is handled reliably, but 8K should be considered the upper limit of what the DH4300 can manage, and only under specific playback conditions without conversion.

UGREEN DH4300 NAS Review – Verdict and Conclusion

The UGREEN DH4300 Plus carves out a unique niche in the budget NAS landscape by delivering hardware typically reserved for higher-tier systems at a much lower price point. Its RK3588 processor, 8GB of RAM, and support for 2.5GbE networking place it well ahead of most similarly priced competitors in terms of raw specifications. Additionally, features such as HDMI output, 10Gbps USB ports, and local AI-powered photo indexing are rare to find in entry-level NAS systems. Despite its plastic-heavy internal design and lack of expansion options like PCIe or M.2, the device delivers stable performance for file sharing, media access, and low-intensity AI workloads. It is not suited for power users demanding virtual machines or advanced snapshot automation, but within its class, the DH4300 Plus presents an appealing balance between cost and capability.

That said, the software experience is still a work in progress. UGOS Pro covers the essentials and offers a visually accessible UI, but lacks the advanced features and ecosystem integration found in more mature platforms like Synology DSM or QNAP QTS. Docker and snapshot support add welcome flexibility, but the absence of native Jellyfin, iSCSI, and VM functionality limits its use in more complex environments. Still, for home users, media collectors, or small office setups looking for reliable backup, modest AI-enhanced photo sorting, and smooth 4K playback, the DH4300 Plus delivers value well beyond its price tag. While it won’t replace high-end NAS appliances, it serves as a capable, efficient, and quietly innovative option in a saturated entry-level NAS market.

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PROs of the UGREEN DH4300 NAS

CONs of the UGREEN DH4300 NAS

Powerful ARM CPU: Equipped with the RK3588 SoC, offering 8 cores, integrated GPU, and NPU for AI workloads. Generous (but fixed!) Memory: 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, rare in budget NAS systems, supports multitasking and Docker use. 2.5GbE Network Port: Provides faster-than-Gigabit throughput for backups, media streaming, and multi-user access. HDMI 2.1 Output: Rare on ARM powered turnkey NAS, and enables direct media playback or NAS control at up to 4K 60Hz, uncommon in value-tier NAS units. USB 10Gbps Ports: Dual USB-A 10Gbps and one USB-C 5Gbps allow for high-speed backups or external storage expansion. AI Photo Management: Built-in NPU supports facial recognition and scene detection for local, private media organization. Low Power Consumption: Efficient under load (~30W) and idle (~5W without drives), suitable for 24/7 operation.

No PCIe or M.2 Expansion: Lacks future scalability for NVMe caching, 10GbE, or other upgrades. Single LAN Port: Only one 2.5GbE port, with no failover or link aggregation support. Limited Software Ecosystem: UGOS Pro lacks iSCSI, VM support, and native Jellyfin, trailing behind DSM/QTS in maturity.

 

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