Can We Forgive and Forget The Synology HDD Compatibility Flip Flop?

Synology’s recent reversal on hard drive compatibility has reopened a larger debate about whether its NAS systems remain a trustworthy and sensible choice for both new buyers and long-term users. Throughout most of 2025, the company faced sustained criticism after enforcing strict drive verification checks that prevented users from installing or operating third-party HDDs and SSDs from major brands like Seagate and Western Digital. This policy, applied to the new Plus-series NAS models such as the DS925+, DS1525+, and DS1825+, effectively forced customers to purchase Synology’s own branded media or risk an unusable system. For a company long regarded as the industry standard for dependable and user-friendly storage solutions, the move appeared both unexpected and self-defeating. Although Synology later justified the decision as a way to ensure system stability and reliability, the backlash was immediate and global, with declining sales and widespread frustration among users who saw the change as a form of corporate overreach. Now, with the brand having confirmed a full rollback through the DSM 7.3 update—restoring support for non-Synology drives and removing prior warning prompts—the discussion has shifted. While the reversal is seen as a victory for users, it also highlights how fragile consumer confidence has become, and how a single policy misstep can redefine a company’s relationship with its community.

Below, my original video after the change by Synology after 6 months of their strict HDD media stance:

What Did Synology Do Wrong?

Synology’s critical mistake was implementing a restrictive hardware policy that undermined one of its key historical strengths: flexibility. For years, the company had built its reputation on offering an intuitive software platform, DSM, that ran on a wide variety of hardware configurations. By deciding to enforce hard drive compatibility restrictions in the 2025 generation of Plus-series NAS systems, Synology effectively turned once-open devices into closed platforms. The systems refused to initialise DSM or create storage pools when non-Synology drives were detected, and even when users managed to proceed, the interface was flooded with persistent warnings labelling third-party media as “unverified” or “at risk.” This move frustrated not only home users who wanted affordable upgrade options, but also small businesses that relied on Synology NAS for their daily operations. It created unnecessary technical and financial barriers at a time when alternative NAS vendors were offering greater compatibility and value. The brand’s own messaging made the situation worse: early statements focused on “system integrity” and “firmware optimisation” but failed to acknowledge that the change mainly benefited Synology’s hardware sales rather than the end user.

The second major error lay in how the company managed the fallout. Synology’s communication strategy throughout the controversy was inconsistent, fragmented, and in some regions almost non-existent. Different regional branches released conflicting press materials, with some hinting that compatibility with Seagate and Western Digital drives would soon return, while others maintained silence. No clear timeline or explanation was given for the testing process or the reasoning behind such aggressive enforcement. As a result, long-standing partners and distributors were left unsure of how to address customer concerns. Meanwhile, the online community—particularly on Reddit, NAS forums, and YouTube—quickly filled the information vacuum, fuelling frustration and speculation. Instead of clarifying the company’s intentions, Synology appeared defensive and disengaged, disabling comments on some of its own videos and refusing to directly address mounting criticism. This combination of restrictive policy and poor communication not only hurt its reputation but also suggested a growing disconnect between the brand’s leadership and its user base.

Why Are Users Mad at Synology?

Many users felt betrayed by Synology’s actions because the company had long marketed itself as the reliable, user-first alternative to more complex or DIY storage solutions. For years, Synology’s systems were praised for their openness—allowing customers to build their NAS setups using widely available components from trusted brands like Seagate, WD, and Toshiba. The introduction of hard drive restrictions in 2025 fundamentally altered that relationship. Suddenly, the same users who had invested heavily in Synology’s ecosystem found themselves unable to upgrade, expand, or even install DSM without purchasing the brand’s own drives, which were often rebranded versions of existing enterprise models sold at a premium. The move was viewed as a breach of trust, and the lack of transparency surrounding it only made things worse. Many saw it as an attempt to create a closed ecosystem that prioritised recurring hardware profits over customer freedom. This frustration was compounded by the timing—during a period when users were already facing higher hardware costs and tighter IT budgets, making Synology’s restrictive approach feel especially tone-deaf.

The Alerts and ‘Warnings’ that users have gotten used to up tll now (i.e pre DSM 7.3 roll out):

Another major source of anger came from how the policy rollout created confusion and inconsistency across Synology’s product lineup. While the Plus-series desktop NAS models received the strictest restrictions, larger RackStation and XS-series devices remained unaffected, creating the impression that Synology viewed its home and small-business customers as expendable. Even after announcing the rollback with DSM 7.3, many users noted that the company’s official compatibility lists still failed to mention Seagate or WD drives, and that public communication about the change was minimal. For those outside tech circles, this meant that the situation looked unchanged—product pages still implied that only Synology drives were supported, and many older negative reviews remained visible online. As a result, even with the restrictions now lifted, the perception of Synology as a brand willing to prioritise profit over user loyalty persists. The long delay in addressing community backlash, combined with inconsistent messaging, has left many customers sceptical that this U-turn represents a genuine shift rather than damage control.

What Did Synology Do to Fix This?

Synology’s eventual fix came in the form of a full policy reversal integrated into DSM 7.3, the company’s next major software update. With this version, users of the 2025 generation of Plus-series NAS devices—including models such as the DS925+, DS1525+, and DS1825+—regained the ability to freely use third-party hard drives and SSDs. The update removed not only the installation barriers but also the persistent “unverified drive” and “at risk” warnings that had previously appeared in Storage Manager. For most users, this restored full functionality, allowing them to initialise DSM, create and expand RAID arrays, use hot spares, and assign SSDs for caching without restrictions. The change essentially returned Synology’s systems to the state they were in before the controversial policy was introduced earlier in the year. The reversal applied primarily to desktop-class NAS systems rather than rackmount or XS-series models, suggesting that Synology wanted to restore goodwill among its core consumer and small-business audience first.

However, the way Synology implemented this reversal has drawn mixed responses. Instead of releasing a simple compatibility database update, which could have resolved the issue quickly, the company bundled the fix into a full DSM version upgrade. That meant users had to install an entirely new operating system build to regain third-party drive support, even if they were otherwise satisfied with their existing DSM 7.2 installations. For those managing multiple NAS units or enterprise environments, this created complications, especially since DSM 7.3 initially lacked a public beta and required careful validation before deployment.

The company also issued few direct statements about the rollback, opting instead for limited press communications that focused on “listening to customer feedback.” Despite the importance of the change, Synology’s product pages still make little mention of renewed Seagate and WD compatibility, leaving potential buyers to rely on external coverage or word of mouth. While the technical fix was effective, the manner of its rollout showed that Synology’s communication strategy remains cautious, reactive, and focused on damage limitation rather than proactive transparency.

What were/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:

Why Are Some Users Unconvinced?

Many long-time Synology owners remain sceptical because the company’s pattern of restrictive decision-making has not been limited to hard drives. Over the years, Synology has gradually tightened control over hardware support in other areas, such as M.2 NVMe SSD usage, network adapters, and GPU compatibility. Even though the recent rollback allows full use of third-party HDDs and SSDs in Plus-series models, the same freedom does not apply to NVMe storage. Users still cannot create storage pools or volumes on M.2 drives unless they are Synology-branded, which reinforces the perception that the company is only willing to compromise when it faces enough public pressure. Critics point out that while Synology deserves credit for reversing the hard drive restrictions, it has shown no similar flexibility in other parts of its ecosystem. This selective openness suggests a tactical move designed to repair short-term reputation damage rather than a genuine shift toward more open hardware policies. As a result, many users fear that future DSM updates could easily reintroduce similar restrictions under a different justification.

Another concern is that Synology has not done enough to communicate these changes clearly to new buyers. Even after the DSM 7.3 announcement, the company’s official compatibility lists for 2025 models still prioritise its own drives, with no explicit mention of Seagate or WD models being supported again. For first-time users who rely on these lists for purchasing decisions, there is no clear indication that the policy has changed.

This lack of transparency undermines confidence in Synology’s commitment to openness. Furthermore, the decision to tie the rollback to a major DSM update rather than a smaller patch raises worries that the company could use similar tactics in the future to control hardware functionality through software revisions. Many see the reversal as a necessary correction rather than an act of goodwill, and that distinction matters. Users may accept Synology’s reasoning for now, but the brand’s reputation for reliability has been replaced by a lingering doubt about whether it can be trusted to keep its platform open and user-focused.

NAS Series	Drives on Compatibility List	Drives Not Listed	Drives on Incompatibility List
RS Plus (e.g., RS2423+, RS422+)	Supported for new installation, storage pool creation, and migration	Supported only for migration; cannot create new storage pools or caches	Fully blocked from all operations
DVA/NVR Series (e.g., DVA1622, DVA3221, NVR1218)	Supported for installation and migration	Supported only for migration; cannot create new storage pools	Fully blocked from all operations
Supported Drive Types	HDD and 2.5″ SATA SSD	HDD and 2.5″ SATA SSD (migration only)	All drive types blocked
Drive Example Notes	Synology HAT5300/HAT3300 verified; select enterprise drives	Seagate IronWolf, SkyHawk, WD Purple not yet verified for use	Drives failing thermal or firmware tests
Use Case	Rackmount and surveillance workloads requiring consistent write throughput	Data migration or backup restoration	Unsupported entirely

Should You Trust Synology NAS Again?

Trusting Synology again depends largely on how much users value its software ecosystem compared to its corporate behaviour. The company’s DSM operating system remains one of the most advanced and stable NAS platforms available, offering a wide range of applications for backup, surveillance, multimedia, and virtualization that are unmatched by most competitors. For those who prioritise reliability, ease of use, and integration over raw hardware flexibility, Synology still provides a compelling product. The reintroduction of unrestricted hard drive support in DSM 7.3 restores much of the practical functionality that users lost earlier this year, and for many, that will be enough to justify purchasing a new NAS. From a technical standpoint, the Plus-series devices are still capable and efficient, with consistent performance, strong data protection features, and excellent long-term support. In short, the hardware remains solid, and the software continues to define Synology’s market dominance in turnkey storage solutions.

Below, references to the change in hard drive support policy are either absent in release notes or severely underplayed on the compatibility pages as of 3rd Nov 2025.

However, from a consumer trust perspective, caution is still warranted. The brand’s repeated pattern of restricting features, followed by later partial reversals, has left many wary that similar policies could return in future product generations. Even though DSM 7.3 represents a positive correction, Synology has not issued any long-term assurances that it will maintain this open stance. There is also concern about how much influence profit margins and proprietary hardware incentives continue to have over product decisions. For experienced users, the safest approach may be to treat Synology as a premium but increasingly closed ecosystem—one that delivers outstanding software at the cost of long-term flexibility. Whether it is “okay” to buy a Synology NAS now depends on priorities: if you value a polished interface and dependable system behaviour above everything else, Synology is still one of the best options available. But if transparency, open standards, and full hardware freedom matter more, then the company’s recent U-turn should be seen not as a full restoration of trust, but as a cautious and temporary concession to public pressure.

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
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Synology vient d’annoncer la sortie de SRM 1.3.1 Update 14, la dernière version de son logiciel interne dédié à ses routeurs. Cela faisait plusieurs mois que le fabricant n’avait pas donner de nouvelle… Regardons ensemble ce que contient cette nouvelle mouture.

Synology SRM 1.3.1 Update 14

Synology continue d’assurer le suivi de ses routeurs, mais force est de constater que les mises à jour se font rares. La précédente datait de mars 2025, et avant cela, il faut remonter à octobre 2024. Autrement dit, environ deux mises à jour par an, souvent sans grandes nouveautés.

Cette Update 14 ne déroge pas à la règle. Le journal des modifications ne mentionne qu’une seule ligne :

• Optimisation du mécanisme de vérification de la connectivité réseau.

Rien de plus, rien de moins… Une note de version particulièrement succincte, qui laisse perplexe quant à la nature exacte de l’amélioration. Synology reste avare en détails techniques. Si on appréciera le suivi logiciel, on aimerait aussi que les mises à jour apportent de réelles évolutions fonctionnelles.

Pour rappel, cela fait maintenant 3 ans que les routeurs Synology tournent sous SRM 1.3.1, sans qu’une nouvelle version majeure ne voie le jour.

Télécharger et installer SRM 1.3.1 Update 14

Cette mise à jour est disponible pour tous les routeurs Synology, à l’exception du modèle RT1900ac. 2 options s’offrent à vous pour l’installation :

• Mise à jour automatique :
  Installez-la directement depuis l’interface d’administration de votre routeur.
• Mise à jour manuelle :
  Téléchargez le fichier .PAT correspondant à votre modèle depuis la page officielle de Synology ou depuis l’archive en ligne.

Le fichier d’installation pèse environ 71 Mo.

Si la mise à jour automatique ne vous est pas encore proposée, voici la procédure d’installation manuelle :

1. Téléchargez le fichier .PAT adapté à votre modèle de routeur
2. Accédez à l’interface d’administration du routeur
3. Allez dans : Panneau de configuration > Système > Mise à jour et restauration
4. Cliquez sur Mise à jour manuelle de SRM
5. Sélectionnez le fichier téléchargé précédemment et suivez les instructions affichées à l’écran
6. Patientez pendant le processus de mise à jour : le routeur redémarrera automatiquement.

En synthèse

SRM 1.3.1 Update 14 est une mise à jour surprenante, surtout par sa discrétion. Si l’on peut saluer l’effort de Synology de continuer à maintenir ses produits, l’absence de nouveautés concrètes laisse s’interroger sur l’avenir de la gamme de routeurs Synology, dont le rythme d’évolution semble aujourd’hui très limité.

Ce tutoriel explique comment installer immich sur un NAS Synology à l'aide de Docker et comment ajouter une bibliothèque externe située sur le NAS.

The post NAS Synology : comment auto-héberger immich avec Docker ? first appeared on IT-Connect.

Synology vient de déployer une nouvelle version de son système interne : DSM 7.3.1-86003. Cette mise à jour ne propose aucune nouveauté, mais elle corrige plusieurs bugs apparus avec la version précédente. Un correctif attendu, notamment par les utilisateurs confrontés à ces dysfonctionnements…

Synology DSM 7.3.1

Il y a tout juste 20 jours, Synology mettait en ligne DSM 7.3, une version marquante car elle revenait sur la restriction concernant les disques durs tiers (en particulier Western Digital et Seagate) pour la gamme DSx25. Une décision perçue comme une prise de conscience bienvenue par certains, mais comme un aveu d’échec (voire une perte de confiance) pour d’autres.

Problème : cette version 7.3 a introduit plusieurs bugs gênants, ce qui reste assez rare chez Synology. DSM 7.3.1 vient justement les corriger.

Ce que corrige DSM 7.3.1

Si on regarde le journal des modifications, voici ce que l’on peut lire :

• Correction d’un bug empêchant l’ajustement de la luminosité des voyants LED sur certains modèles ;
• Correction d’un problème pouvant empêcher l’affichage des périphériques externes lors de la sélection de fichiers ou de dossiers ;
• Correction d’une erreur générant de fausses alertes liées aux périphériques de stockage externes ;
• Correction d’un problème pouvant empêcher le fonctionnement d’un onduleur connecté en USB après une mise à jour.

À noter : DSM 7.3.1 remplace entièrement la version précédente, d’où un fichier .pat d’environ 350 Mo.

Comment télécharger et installer DSM 7.3.1

Si votre NAS ne vous propose pas automatiquement cette mise à jour, voici comment l’installer manuellement en suivant ces étapes :

1. Téléchargement du fichier
   Allez sur la page officielle du Centre de téléchargement de Synology ou sur le site d’archive officiel.
2. Installation manuelle
   • Connectez-vous à l’interface d’administration de votre NAS.
   • Accédez à Panneau de configuration > Mise à jour et restauration.
   • Cliquez sur Mise à jour manuelle de DSM.
   • Sélectionnez le fichier téléchargé via le bouton Parcourir.
   • Cliquez sur OK et attendez environ 3 minutes.
3. Redémarrage obligatoire
   Une fois la mise à jour terminée, votre NAS redémarrera automatiquement.

Attention, cette mise à jour est assez longue… comptez entre 5 et 25 minutes suivant la configuration. Plusieurs paquets sont également mis à jour avec DSM 7.3.1.

source

Chaque année, Pwn2Own rassemble la communauté d’expert en cybersécurité autour de la découverte de vulnérabilités critiques dans des appareils et logiciels du quotidien. Du 21 au 23 octobre dernier, l’édition irlandaise de Pwn2Own à Dublin a réuni des experts et hackers éthiques pour tester la sécurité de nombreux équipements : NAS, routeurs, caméras IP, imprimantes, smartphones… utilisés par les entreprises et les particuliers. Les principaux sponsors de cette édition étaient Meta, Synology et QNAP. Nous ne reviendrons pas sur l’ensemble des failles découvertes (elles sont nombreuses), mais nous allons nous concentrer sur celles touchant Synology et QNAP.

Qu’est-ce que le Pwn2Own ?

Pwn2Own est une compétition internationale de cybersécurité créée par la Zero Day Initiative (ZDI), un programme de recherche en sécurité géré par Trend Micro. Son objectif, c’est d’encourager les chercheurs en sécurité à identifier et exploiter des vulnérabilités dans des logiciels, systèmes d’exploitation ou matériels populaires. Les fabricants fournissent eux-mêmes les appareils à tester, afin de les soumettre à des attaques contrôlées et sécurisées. Les participants tentent de découvrir des failles “zero-day”, c’est-à-dire non documentées et non corrigées. À la clé, des récompenses financières plutôt conséquentes, proportionnelles à la gravité et à l’impact des failles découvertes. Pour cette édition, la cagnotte globale s’élevait à 2 millions de dollars.

Synology

Dès les premières heures, plusieurs produits Synology ont été compromis :

• BeeStation Plus : débordement de pile permettant un accès root — gain de 40 000 $
• DS925+ : exploitation de deux bugs combinés pour obtenir une exécution de code arbitraire — gain de 40 000 $
• DP320 : là encore, deux bugs exploités conjointement — gain de 50 000 $
• Caméra IP CC400W : faille déjà connue du fabricant (non corrigée et non documentée à ce jour) — gain de 30 000 $
• DS925+ (nouvelle attaque) : exploitation de deux bugs pour contourner l’authentification et exécuter du code en tant que root — gain de 40 000 $
• BeeStation Plus (hors scope) : vulnérabilité découverte mais non récompensée, car en dehors du périmètre de la compétition.

QNAP

Les appareils QNAP ont eux aussi été la cible de plusieurs exploits notables au cours de la compétition.

• Une équipe est parvenue à compromettre les QHora-322 et TS-453E grâce à la combinaison de huit vulnérabilités, incluant plusieurs injections — gain de 100 000 $.
• Une autre équipe a exploité sur le TS-453E un enchaînement d’injections multiples et un bug de chaîne de format, permettant une exécution de code — gain de 40 000 $.
• Une faille d’injection de code unique a ensuite permis à des chercheurs de prendre le contrôle du TS-453E — gain de 40 000 $.
• Enfin, une autre vulnérabilité, liée à un identifiant codé en dur combiné à une injection, a conduit à une nouvelle compromission du TS-453E — gain de 40 000 $.

Autres fabricants concernés

D’autres marques ont également vu leurs produits compromis :

• Canon et Lexmark (imprimantes)
• Philips Hue (lampes connectées)
• Sonos (enceintes connectées)
• Samsung (smartphones Galaxy)
• Ubiquiti (systèmes de surveillance AI Pro)

En synthèse

L’édition 2025 de Pwn2Own Dublin a une nouvelle fois démontré la richesse et la pertinence de ce type d’événement pour l’industrie. Il faut saluer les constructeurs qui acceptent d’exposer leurs produits à ce niveau de test (et donc de risque financier). Le fait que QNAP et Synology soient co-sponsors, aux côtés de Meta, illustre clairement leur engagement en faveur de la cybersécurité et leur volonté d’adopter une démarche proactive dans la protection de leurs utilisateurs.

The Terramaster F4-425 PLUS NAS Review – The New $500+ NAS Standard?

The TerraMaster F4-425 Plus represents a significant step forward in the brand’s 4-bay NAS lineup, targeting users who demand capable hardware and broad feature support at a mid-range price point. Retailing at $569.99, or $484.99 during its introductory discount, it is positioned to compete directly with systems like the Synology DS925+ and QNAP TS-464, both of which occupy similar price and hardware tiers. TerraMaster’s intention with this model is to deliver a “jack of all trades” device that suits both home multimedia environments and small business offices. Internally, it uses Intel’s quad-core N150 processor, part of the newer Twin Lake architecture, with a base clock of 1 GHz and a turbo frequency up to 3.6 GHz. This CPU is paired with 16GB of DDR5 memory, offering a notable upgrade in bandwidth and responsiveness compared to previous DDR4-based TerraMaster models.

Complementing that performance core are three PCIe 3.0 x1 M.2 NVMe slots and four SATA drive bays, supporting a combined raw capacity of up to 144TB when fully populated. This configuration allows the device to accommodate both large-scale HDD storage for bulk data and high-speed SSD arrays for caching or dedicated performance pools. Dual 5GbE network ports on the rear enable theoretical aggregate transfer speeds exceeding 1,000 MB/s, aligning with the system’s positioning as a performance-focused yet affordable NAS. TerraMaster’s TOS 6 operating system comes preinstalled, providing modernized storage management, AI-based photo organization, and security tools like HyperLock WORM protection and isolation mode. Altogether, the F4-425 Plus arrives as one of the most fully featured mid-tier NAS options available in 2025, combining strong hardware, software maturity, and quiet, power-efficient design suited to both personal and professional use cases.

The Terramaster F4-425 PLUS NAS Review – Quick Conclusion

The TerraMaster F4-425 Plus delivers one of the most complete mid-tier NAS packages currently available, balancing strong hardware, efficient design, and flexible software at a highly competitive price. Its Intel N150 processor, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and dual 5GbE ports provide ample speed for data-heavy workloads, while three M.2 NVMe slots add rare versatility for caching or SSD-based pools. The all-metal enclosure maintains low temperatures and quiet operation, and the TOS 6 operating system has matured into a capable platform with snapshot protection, Docker, virtualization, and AI photo management. Although it lacks premium details such as drive locks and redundant fans, and the interface remains less refined than Synology DSM or QNAP QTS, the F4-425 Plus stands out as a practical and forward-looking NAS. It bridges affordability and professional capability, making it suitable for home users, content creators, and small offices that need reliable, fast, and adaptable network storage.

Terramaster F4-425 PLUS NAS
Amazon in Your Region for the Terramaster F4 SSD NAS @ $569 ($489.99 till 19th Nov)	Terramaster F4-425 PLUS – $569	B&H for the Terramaster F4-425 plus NAS @ $569.99

The Terramaster F4-425 PLUS NAS Review – Design & Storage

The exterior design of the TerraMaster F4-425 Plus maintains the brand’s familiar compact metal chassis but introduces small refinements that improve both usability and thermals. Measuring 150 by 181 by 219 millimeters and weighing just under 3 kilograms, it fits comfortably into a home office or studio setup without generating significant heat or noise. The enclosure is almost entirely metal, with a brushed silver finish that enhances rigidity and passive cooling compared with earlier plastic-faced designs. Four individual drive trays occupy the front panel, each featuring a simple click-and-load mechanism for 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch drives. Although there are no locking latches or LCD displays, the trays are tool-free and straightforward to handle. A single 120mm fan at the rear provides adjustable cooling across smart, low, and high-speed profiles, maintaining an operational noise level as low as 20.9 dB(A) when idle with drives installed, according to TerraMaster’s own test figures.

From a structural perspective, the F4-425 Plus has clearly benefited from improved thermal management. The metal shell acts as a heat spreader, with typical external temperatures ranging from 25 to 27°C across the enclosure after extended operation, even under multi-day workload testing. Internal drive bays were observed to maintain around 27 to 29°C, while the rear ports and fan area registered between 36 and 38°C during prolonged use. These figures indicate an efficient heat dissipation design, aided by the more conductive chassis material and smart fan calibration. For users concerned with energy efficiency, the power draw remains modest thanks to the Intel N150 processor’s low TDP, allowing the system to idle at roughly 13 watts with SSDs installed and scale to around 60 watts under sustained load with four enterprise-class HDDs spinning.

In terms of drive configuration, the NAS supports up to four SATA 6Gb/s drives and three M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs. This combination provides a theoretical maximum raw capacity of 144TB, assuming four 30TB HDDs and three 8TB SSDs. The inclusion of three NVMe slots rather than the more typical one or two is a notable strength. Each operates on a PCIe 3.0 x1 lane, delivering real-world throughput of approximately 800 to 900 MB/s per SSD, suitable for caching or storage pools. This setup makes it possible to allocate two drives for cache acceleration while dedicating the third to an independent SSD-based pool for high-speed operations like video editing or database hosting. Such flexibility is rare at this price point and broadens the system’s appeal to users with both large data sets and high-performance requirements.

Storage management is handled through TOS 6, TerraMaster’s web-based operating system, which supports a wide range of RAID configurations including TRAID, TRAID+, JBOD, and traditional RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10. TOS 6 also enables SSD caching, snapshots, and HyperLock write-once-read-many functionality for data integrity. Users can assign storage pools to specific workloads, such as separating SSD-based scratch space from HDD archival volumes. Combined with the new graphical interface and more detailed health monitoring tools, it provides a much more transparent overview of drive temperatures, utilization, and S.M.A.R.T. status. For additional flexibility, the system supports online RAID migration and expansion, meaning users can start small and scale capacity over time without data loss.

Beyond local storage, the device integrates directly with TerraMaster’s CloudSync service, which connects to providers like Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and Baidu Cloud. Hybrid storage configurations allow partial replication or tiered backup between the NAS and the cloud, offering an extra level of redundancy for professional workflows. External connectivity through USB 3.2 ports also supports direct backups to DAS enclosures or portable drives. Altogether, the F4-425 Plus’s design emphasizes efficient cooling, solid construction, and versatile storage architecture, making it a flexible foundation for both data-heavy projects and long-term digital archiving.

The Terramaster F4-425 PLUS NAS Review – Internal Hardware

Internally, the TerraMaster F4-425 Plus is structured around Intel’s N150 processor, a 4-core, 4-thread CPU from the Twin Lake generation. Built on a 6W TDP architecture, this chip delivers a significant efficiency advantage over the previous N5095-based systems while offering a higher burst clock of up to 3.6 GHz. The CPU integrates Intel UHD Graphics, allowing 4K hardware decoding for H.264, H.265, VC-1, and MPEG-4, which is particularly beneficial for Plex, Emby, or Jellyfin users who want native transcoding without GPU add-ons.

This combination makes the system viable not only as a file server but also as a local multimedia hub, capable of decoding and streaming 4K video at up to 60 frames per second. Despite being a low-power chip, its instruction set includes AES-NI hardware encryption, ensuring efficient data security without notable throughput loss when encryption is enabled.

The system’s memory architecture uses a single DDR5 SO-DIMM slot, populated with a 16GB non-ECC module by default and expandable up to 32GB. The adoption of DDR5 over DDR4 marks a generational improvement in bandwidth and latency, leading to faster multitasking, smoother virtualization performance, and reduced overhead when handling multiple users or services. The memory module is non-ECC but benefits from on-die error correction at the hardware level, offering stability improvements over standard DDR4 implementations. This approach aligns with the unit’s target demographic of small offices, creators, and advanced home users who want server-grade responsiveness without enterprise complexity.

Storage connectivity within the system is distributed between four SATA III 6Gb/s interfaces managed by an ASMedia controller and three PCIe 3.0 x1 lanes dedicated to M.2 NVMe SSDs. This configuration ensures balanced throughput for simultaneous HDD and SSD activity. Internally, the layout is straightforward, providing easy access to both the memory slot and M.2 bays via the removable top panel. The power supply is a single 90W external brick, keeping internal temperatures lower and simplifying maintenance.

Together, the hardware configuration represents a thoughtful balance between efficiency, expandability, and performance, aimed at users who need consistent data access, multimedia capabilities, and reliable long-term operation without excess noise or heat.

The Terramaster F4-425 PLUS NAS Review – Ports and Connections

The TerraMaster F4-425 Plus offers a broad range of connectivity designed to meet both high-speed networking and general expansion needs. On the rear panel, two 5GbE RJ-45 network ports serve as the central performance feature. These are among the first dual 5GbE implementations in a mid-tier NAS, and each port operates through its own dedicated PCIe 3.0 x1 lane, avoiding bandwidth contention. In testing, each port achieved full theoretical throughput, confirming proper lane allocation. Users can enable link aggregation or SMB multichannel for multi-user workloads, although saturating both ports simultaneously requires fast SSD or hybrid storage configurations. These ports support IPv4/IPv6, VLAN tagging, link aggregation, and Wake-on-LAN, making the system suitable for both small office environments and direct workstation connections.

Complementing the network interfaces, the F4-425 Plus includes four USB 3.2 ports: three Type-A and one Type-C, all operating at 10Gbps. These ports can handle external DAS enclosures, UPS devices, or high-capacity backup drives. The inclusion of a front-mounted USB port improves convenience for ad hoc backups or quick file transfers, addressing a long-standing omission in earlier TerraMaster models. Additionally, an HDMI 2.1 output is positioned on the rear, though its practical use remains limited within TOS, which lacks a native display interface. It may, however, prove useful for third-party operating systems such as Unraid or TrueNAS, where direct console access or local media playback is desired.

Overall, the port layout is clean and efficient, optimized for straightforward cable management. The system’s single large fan sits adjacent to the networking array, allowing for effective airflow without excessive cable obstruction. Power is supplied through a standard barrel connector linked to an external 90W adapter, which helps reduce internal heat buildup. Though it lacks built-in 10GbE or PCIe expansion, the dual 5GbE setup provides more than enough bandwidth for its class, especially when paired with NVMe caching. Users can also connect the NAS to TerraMaster’s USB-based DAS units for storage expansion or off-site replication, offering flexibility without compromising portability or noise levels.

The Terramaster F4-425 PLUS NAS Review – Tests, Noise, Heat and Power Consumption

Performance testing on the TerraMaster F4-425 Plus showed that the system comfortably meets its advertised speed class, particularly when networked over a single 5GbE connection. Using four Toshiba MG-series 7200 RPM enterprise hard drives configured in RAID 5, the system achieved full saturation of one 5GbE port during both AJA and ATTO benchmark tests, reaching consistent read and write speeds around 500 to 520 MB/s. When tested with mixed media files totaling 50.5 GB, it completed the transfer in approximately 3 minutes and 45 seconds, equating to an average throughput of about 224 MB/s.

This is a strong result for a mechanical-drive setup, reflecting efficient caching and balanced SATA bandwidth. SMB Multichannel and link aggregation are supported, though the CPU’s available PCIe lanes limit simultaneous dual-port saturation. Even so, the system handles multiple concurrent transfers and backups without a noticeable decline in throughput.

Testing with NVMe SSDs improved overall responsiveness considerably. The three M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 x1 slots each sustained sequential transfer rates between 800 and 900 MB/s, allowing the NAS to maintain a high level of random IOPS for metadata-heavy workloads. When used as cache devices, these drives accelerated small-file transfers and application access times, especially when paired with the system’s 16GB of DDR5 memory.

TerraMaster’s TOS 6 supports flexible use of these drives, enabling independent storage pools or hybrid cache layers, depending on the task. In sustained transfers over SMB and iSCSI, the system achieved write speeds close to 950 MB/s and reads near 1020 MB/s when using SSD-based arrays, validating the advantage of dual 5GbE interfaces for all-flash or mixed-tier environments.

Power consumption during operation remained modest, aligning with the platform’s efficient design. With no hard drives installed and three SSDs active, idle draw measured around 13.3 watts. Adding four 7200 RPM HDDs increased idle power to 55 watts and full-load consumption to roughly 61–63 watts under concurrent read/write activity. These figures indicate a well-balanced design that prioritizes power efficiency without restricting performance. Fan speed settings affect both thermals and acoustics predictably: in low-speed mode, the NAS operated near 33 dB(A), while mid and high-speed profiles raised that figure to 37 and 39 dB(A) respectively. During heavy disk operations, readings peaked briefly at around 43 dB(A), which is reasonable given the metal chassis and high-RPM drives used in testing.

Thermal results further underscored the system’s stability. Surface readings from the aluminum body remained between 25°C and 27°C on average, while drive bays hovered at 28–30°C after extended workload sessions. The rear fan exhaust area reached approximately 36–38°C under sustained load. The efficient heat dispersion of the chassis prevented thermal throttling during prolonged transfers or virtualization testing, even with all seven storage devices active. This consistent temperature range indicates that TerraMaster’s choice of single-fan cooling and full-metal housing achieves a practical balance between noise, airflow, and longevity.

The Terramaster F4-425 PLUS NAS Review – Verdict and Conclusion

The TerraMaster F4-425 Plus demonstrates how far the company’s mid-range NAS lineup has progressed in terms of hardware refinement and real-world usability. By combining Intel’s efficient N150 processor with 16GB of DDR5 memory, dual 5GbE connectivity, and triple M.2 NVMe slots, it provides a specification normally reserved for higher-priced units. The build quality, centered around a full-metal chassis and quiet cooling design, contributes to consistent thermals and low power usage even under multi-day workloads. While the design omits premium touches like drive locks or redundant fans, the emphasis on practicality and efficient cooling makes it a dependable solution for continuous operation. From a user experience perspective, the integration of TOS 6 represents TerraMaster’s most stable and capable operating system to date, offering improved security features, cloud synchronization tools, snapshot management, and flexible storage configurations that appeal to both home and small office users.

From a value standpoint, the F4-425 Plus stands out as one of the most competitively priced NAS units in its category. At $569.99, or $484.99 during the initial discount period, it delivers strong network and storage performance that aligns closely with rivals from Synology and QNAP while retaining open installation flexibility for third-party platforms such as Unraid or TrueNAS. Its combination of high-speed connectivity, compact design, and mature software environment makes it an appealing option for anyone seeking a 4-bay system capable of multitasking across media streaming, data backup, and light virtualization. Although it cannot fully match the polish of Synology DSM or the plugin ecosystem of QNAP QTS, TerraMaster has successfully positioned this device as a bridge between affordability and professional performance, solidifying its place as one of the more balanced NAS releases of 2025.

Terramaster F4-425 PLUS NAS
Amazon in Your Region for the Terramaster F4 SSD NAS @ $569 ($489.99 till 19th Nov)	Terramaster F4-425 PLUS – $569	B&H for the Terramaster F4-425 plus NAS @ $569.99

Terramaster F4-425 PLUS NAS PROs

Terramaster F4-425 PLUS NAS CONs

• Dual 5GbE network ports with full independent bandwidth for high-speed transfers + lots of USB-to-5GbE $30 upgrades in the market now • Three PCIe 3.0 x1 M.2 NVMe slots supporting cache or storage pool configurations • Intel N150 processor with integrated graphics enabling 4K hardware decoding and AES-NI encryption • 16GB DDR5 memory (expandable to 32GB) offering improved bandwidth and multitasking performance • Full-metal chassis with efficient thermals, low noise levels, and minimal vibration • Comprehensive RAID and storage management through TOS 6 with snapshot and HyperLock-WORM protection • Supports Docker, virtual machines, Plex, Emby, and Jellyfin natively within TOS 6 • Competitive pricing with strong value relative to Synology and QNAP alternatives

• Cheaper N150 NAS Systems have arrived earlier in 2025 • 5GbE adoption is low, so only larger 10GbE ready groups (via auto-negotiation) will enjoy the benefits of 5GbE • TOS 6 interface and app ecosystem remain less polished than top-tier NAS platforms

 

 

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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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Terramaster F4-425 PLUS (and F2-425 PLUS) NAS Coming Soon

The Terramaster F2-425 PLUS (8 GB, priced around US$399) and F4-425 PLUS (16 GB, priced around US$569) represent Terramaster’s latest step forward in its midrange NAS portfolio, arriving near the end of 2025 as a response to the growing competition from brands such as QNAP, Synology, UGREEN, and Asustor. Both models share the same Intel N150 quad-core processor running up to 3.6 GHz, use DDR5 memory, and include multiple M.2 NVMe slots, positioning them well above Terramaster’s previous generation of Celeron-based systems. The F4-425 PLUS is a four-bay platform that expands on the two-bay F2-425 PLUS by offering higher throughput and significantly greater storage flexibility, making it suitable for heavier workloads and multi-user environments. Terramaster appears to have used this release to redefine what can be expected in the $400–$600 NAS tier, especially by including dual 5 GbE network ports, three NVMe SSD slots, and native hardware transcoding for 4K and even 8K content through integrated Intel UHD graphics. Together these systems aim to deliver competitive all-in-one solutions for home and small-office users who require reliable local backup, multimedia streaming, and virtualization support without moving into enterprise-grade pricing.

Note – The Terramaster F4-425 PLUS and F2-425 PLUS NAS have now been launched, and are available to buy HERE for $569 and HERE for $399 (with 15% off as an introductory price till November 21st)

Terramaster F4-425 PLUS & F2-425 PLUS NAS Hardware Specifications

Terramaster’s F2-425 PLUS and F4-425 PLUS NAS units share a unified hardware architecture centered on Intel’s N150 processor, part of the Twin Lake family. This 4-core, 4-thread CPU operates at a base clock of 1.0 GHz and boosts up to 3.6 GHz, with integrated Intel UHD graphics that support hardware acceleration for 4K and 8K video decoding. While the N150 is not a high-power processor by desktop standards, it provides excellent balance between performance and efficiency for NAS workloads such as Plex or Jellyfin media streaming, file indexing, and lightweight virtualization. The use of this chip also aligns Terramaster’s lineup with newer offerings from competitors who have adopted similar architectures in their 2025 models.

The memory configuration has moved to DDR5, marking a notable generational shift from the DDR4 modules used in previous Terramaster systems. The F2-425 PLUS includes 8 GB of DDR5, while the F4-425 PLUS doubles this to 16 GB, both expandable up to 32 GB. DDR5 provides higher bandwidth and reduced latency, which benefits multitasking environments, particularly when running Docker containers, multiple user sessions, or AI-driven indexing services such as local photo recognition. This upgrade positions the new PLUS series closer to the performance levels found in more expensive NAS systems while maintaining efficient power draw and thermal output. In terms of storage capacity, the F4-425 PLUS can house up to four 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch SATA drives, while the smaller F2-425 PLUS accommodates two. Both models also integrate three M.2 NVMe slots, allowing up to 8 TB per SSD and enabling users to reach a maximum combined capacity of approximately 144 TB in the four-bay model. Terramaster’s hybrid storage design allows these NVMe drives to serve either as a dedicated storage pool or as cache acceleration for HDD volumes, giving users flexibility to prioritize capacity or performance. The inclusion of three M.2 slots is unusual at this price tier and stands out against most two- and four-bay competitors, which typically provide only two.

For network connectivity, Terramaster has equipped both models with dual 5 GbE ports. This configuration effectively doubles the throughput available in the previous 2.5 GbE generation and can deliver an aggregated bandwidth of up to 10 Gbps through link aggregation. Although the lack of a dedicated 10 GbE port might limit direct single-link transfers, the two 5 GbE ports provide redundancy, failover, and multi-user performance advantages. Both models also include a front-mounted USB-C port and rear USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A connectors for high-speed external backups and peripheral connections, reflecting a refinement in Terramaster’s chassis design compared with earlier models that relied solely on rear ports.

Cooling and chassis design remain consistent with Terramaster’s recent metal-based enclosures, using active fan ventilation with independent drive bay access. The F4-425 PLUS features dual rear fans to maintain airflow across four bays, while the F2-425 PLUS employs a single high-efficiency unit. The new layout provides improved front-to-rear ventilation and easier access to drive trays. Internally, the systems do not include a PCIe expansion slot, which limits the potential for GPU or high-speed NIC upgrades but simplifies internal lane allocation for the CPU’s nine available PCIe lanes. Terramaster appears to have distributed these lanes between the three M.2 interfaces and dual network controllers to maintain balanced throughput across all functions.

 

How the F4-425 PLUS Compares with QNAP TS-464 and Synology DS425+

The QNAP TS-464 is built around the Intel Celeron N5095, a 4-core, 4-thread processor that can boost up to 2.9 GHz, and ships with 8 GB of DDR4 memory. It supports four SATA bays plus M.2 expansion and includes dual 2.5 GbE ports that can be aggregated for improved bandwidth. QNAP’s system benefits from a mature software ecosystem, offering HDMI output, virtualization support, and extensive backup tools. In performance testing, it delivers sequential speeds around 560 MB/s under RAID 5, limited mainly by network bandwidth. Compared with the F4-425 PLUS, the TS-464 offers stronger software flexibility and PCIe expandability, but its networking hardware is slower and it relies on older memory standards.

The Synology DS425+ takes a more conservative hardware route, using the Intel Celeron J4125 with four cores running at 2.0 GHz base and 2.7 GHz burst. It includes 2 GB of DDR4 memory, expandable to 6 GB, and offers one 2.5 GbE port alongside a 1 GbE port. Two M.2 NVMe slots are available but only for cache acceleration, not full storage pools. Sequential throughput typically reaches about 280 MB/s for reads and writes. Against the F4-425 PLUS, Synology’s system trails in memory, raw processing speed, and throughput potential, but maintains an advantage in software polish and long-term reliability through DSM integration.

In side-by-side terms, the F4-425 PLUS aims for a higher performance envelope. Its dual 5 GbE ports deliver aggregate throughput potential far beyond both the QNAP and Synology options, and its DDR5 memory with three M.2 NVMe slots allows flexible caching or tiered storage setups uncommon at this price tier. The trade-off lies in expandability and software maturity, where QNAP’s platform remains more modular and Synology’s DSM ecosystem offers more stability. For users focused on performance-per-dollar, the F4-425 PLUS introduces hardware that surpasses both competitors on paper, though long-term evaluation will depend on software development under TOS 6.

Terramaster TOS 6 Software

The F2-425 PLUS and F4-425 PLUS both ship with TOS 6, Terramaster’s latest operating system that replaces the earlier TOS 5 platform across its new generation of NAS hardware. TOS 6 introduces a redesigned interface with improved responsiveness and a more modular layout intended to reduce latency during multitasking.

It expands Terramaster’s range of built-in applications to include enhanced TRAID and TRAID+ hybrid array configurations, snapshot scheduling, and real-time data synchronization features. Backup utilities such as Duple Backup, Centralized Backup, TerraSync, and CloudSync provide integration across local drives, offsite NAS devices, and major cloud providers. The system also integrates hardware-assisted AES-NI encryption, supporting secure data transmission over 256-bit TLS and optional two-factor authentication. Although its design remains more lightweight than QNAP’s QTS or Synology’s DSM, it is notably faster to load and more accessible to new users.

Beyond core management tools, TOS 6 also incorporates AI-assisted photo management and multimedia indexing designed to run locally rather than relying on external cloud resources. Its facial, object, and scene recognition algorithms operate entirely on the NAS, avoiding external data transfers while maintaining privacy for personal collections. The OS additionally supports Docker and VirtualBox, enabling light virtualization tasks or deployment of third-party services without command-line setup.

Multimedia servers such as Plex, Emby, and Jellyfin can use Intel’s integrated graphics for hardware decoding, improving playback efficiency in 4K and 8K environments. While TOS 6 still trails mature ecosystems in app diversity, it delivers steady progress toward matching more established competitors, particularly for backup, synchronization, and AI-driven photo organization.

Verdict? The New4-Bay NAS Score to Beat?

The Terramaster F2-425 PLUS and F4-425 PLUS introduce a considerable upgrade to the company’s mid-tier NAS range, setting new expectations for what users can expect at the $400–$600 level. Both models adopt the Intel N150 processor, DDR5 memory, and dual 5 GbE networking, bringing performance that previously required higher-priced hardware. The F4-425 PLUS, in particular, combines four SATA bays with three M.2 NVMe slots, creating one of the most storage-flexible designs in its category. This configuration makes it a practical option for users who require hybrid pools or tiered caching but prefer to remain within consumer-level power and cost limits. Terramaster’s decision to include high-speed networking and DDR5 support at this price point demonstrates an emphasis on raw throughput and bandwidth efficiency, although it comes at the expense of PCIe expandability. From a broader market perspective, the F4-425 PLUS positions Terramaster competitively against alternatives from QNAP and Synology, trading ecosystem maturity for stronger base hardware. TOS 6 continues to evolve, offering usable AI-based media tools, secure backup systems, and local synchronization features. The platform still lacks some advanced management functions and third-party integrations seen in more established ecosystems, yet it now provides sufficient stability and depth for both professional and enthusiast users. Overall, the F4-425 PLUS presents an incremental but strategically significant advancement in Terramaster’s NAS design philosophy, marking a shift toward higher efficiency and versatility within its compact, consumer-oriented systems.

Terramaster F4-425 PLUS NAS – $569 (15% OFF at Launch till 19th Nov)	Terramaster F2-425 PLUS NAS – $399 (15% OFF at Launch till 19th Nov)

 

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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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Un dicton dit : « Il faut du temps pour bâtir la confiance, un instant pour la détruire ». Synology en fait aujourd’hui l’expérience. Le célèbre fabricant de NAS traverse une période compliquée, marquée par des choix stratégiques qui divisent sa communauté. Parviendra-t-il à regagner la confiance des utilisateurs ? Rien n’est moins sûr…

Des décisions qui fragilisent la fidélité des utilisateurs

Ces derniers mois, Synology a pris plusieurs décisions qui ont surpris et parfois frustré ses utilisateurs :

• Arrêt d’applications populaires : Video Station a été supprimée et le transcodage a été retiré de toutes les autres applications du fabricant ;
• Retrait de fonctionnalités clés : le transcodage matériel sur les derniers modèles de NAS a été vérouillé, limitant les performances pour le streaming de contenus haute définition… ou encore les données SMART pourtant précieuses pour nos disques ;
• Compatibilité restreinte des disques : une certification obligatoire pour les modèles DSx25 rend le choix des utilisateurs plus complexe.

N’oublions pas un choix particulièrement entêté : Synology a décidé de maintenir (jusqu’en 2025) sa stratégie consistant à ne proposer que des connexions réseau 1 Gb/s sur ses la grand majorité des NAS, malgré les critiques et l’évolution des besoins du marché.

Le constructeur est revenu sur certaines de ces restrictions (disques durs et réseau Multi-Gig), mais la confiance des utilisateurs a été profondément ébranlée. Ces décisions cumulées illustrent combien il est fragile de maintenir une relation de confiance dans un secteur où les choix techniques et stratégiques sont scrutés de près.

Une perte de parts de marché sur le segment particulier

Autrefois leader incontesté sur le marché des particuliers, Synology voit désormais sa position remise en cause. Les données de ventes sur des plateformes comme Amazon ou LDLC montrent clairement que la marque n’est plus systématiquement en tête. Ce segment, longtemps considéré comme sa vache à lait*, a été le moteur de sa notoriété et de ses millions d’unités vendues.

Des concurrents comme TerraMaster, le jeune UGREEN, ou encore QNAP et Asustor captent désormais l’attention des utilisateurs particuliers et des entreprises, profitant des hésitations de Synology pour proposer des alternatives performantes et souvent plus accessibles.

Les conséquences pour Synology et ses utilisateurs

Cette situation illustre un paradoxe : la popularité de Synology, construite sur des années de fiabilité et d’innovation, peut s’éroder rapidement dès lors que la marque prend des décisions impopulaires. Les utilisateurs (autrefois fidèles) se tournent désormais vers des alternatives offrant un meilleur rapport fonctionnalités/prix et une compatibilité plus ouverte.

Pour Synology, la leçon est claire : la confiance des utilisateurs ne se reconstruit pas en un jour. La marque doit réévaluer sa stratégie produit et son approche commerciale pour retrouver son leadership, sous peine de perdre durablement des parts de marché dans un secteur où la concurrence s’intensifie.

* Le terme « vache à lait » est une expression employée en marketing

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.

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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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Synology vient de mettre en ligne DSM 7.3-81180. Cette nouvelle version est importante non seulement par plusieurs améliorations et corrections, mais surtout par un changement de politique concernant la compatibilité des disques durs tiers. On vous explique tout…

 

Synology DSM 7.3

C’est LA grande nouveauté de DSM 7.3 : Synology fait marche arrière sur la restriction des disques durs tiers. Souvenez-vous : en avril dernier, le constructeur avait annoncé que ses nouveaux modèles DSx25+ nécessiteraient exclusivement l’utilisation de disques durs ou SSD Synology (ou officiellement certifiés). Cette décision avait suscité de nombreuses réactions négatives de la part des utilisateurs, ici même et sur notre forum.

Il y a quelques jours, Synology France avait pourtant confirmé qu’aucun changement n’était prévu à court terme. Pourtant, contre toute attente, DSM 7.3 réintroduit la compatibilité avec les disques durs tiers, un revirement qui ravira bon nombre de passionnés de NAS.

Dans son communiqué, Synology précise :

Synology collabore avec les fabricants de disques pour élargir la gamme de supports de stockage certifiés, offrant ainsi plus d’options fiables. En attendant, les modèles DiskStation Plus, Value et J Series de l’année 2025 exécutant DSM 7.3 prendront en charge l’installation et la création de groupes de stockage avec des disques tiers¹.

Tout d’abord, on apprend l’arrivée prochaine de nouveaux modèles des gammes Value et J. Une évolution inattendue puisque le constructeur avait, par le passé, indiqué vouloir rationaliser son catalogue. Il semblerait donc que nous ayons droit à de NAS DSx25 et DSx25j.

Enfin, point important (et sans réelle surprise) : la note de bas de page ¹ précise que la création d’un groupe de stockage ou d’un cache basé sur des SSD M.2 nécessite toujours l’utilisation de disques figurant sur la HCL (Hardware Compatibility List).

Nouveautés de DSM 7.3

Voici les principales nouveautés listées dans le journal des modifications :

• Les mises à jour automatiques importantes de DSM peuvent désormais être reportées jusqu’à 28 jours après la première notification ;
• Prise en charge du Tiering (Bêta) et du Tiering Vault (Bêta) ;
• Support natif du format exFAT pour les périphériques externes (le package exFAT Access est supprimé) :
• Sauvegarde et restauration du paramètre « Vérifier le certificat du serveur » dans le service d’annuaire LDAP ;
• Possibilité de sélectionner les unités organisationnelles (OU) à synchroniser lors de la connexion à un domaine ;
• Nouvelle option pour verrouiller automatiquement les volumes chiffrés lors d’une réinitialisation manuelle (désactivée par défaut) :
• Envoi par e-mail de codes de récupération d’urgence OTP, utile si un utilisateur ne peut pas recevoir son code d’authentification à deux facteurs.

Corrections et sécurité

DSM 7.3 apporte également de nombreuses corrections et améliorations de sécurité :

• Correction d’un problème pouvant faire échouer les sauvegardes DSM ou Hyper Backup pendant la synchronisation de dossiers partagés ;
• Résolution d’une anomalie provoquant l’échec des sauvegardes complètes dans Active Backup for Business ou Hyper Backup à cause de snapshots résiduels ;
• Correction d’erreurs pouvant interrompre la réplication de snapshots ;
• Plusieurs vulnérabilités de sécurité ont été corrigées, notamment :
  • curl (CVE-2023-38545)
  • AppleTalk (CVE-2023-51781)
  • krb5 (CVE-2024-37371)
  • PostgreSQL (CVE-2025-1094)
  • Et d’autres correctifs de sécurité : CVE-2024-12085, CVE-2020-22218, CVE-2024-24806 et CVE-2023-37920.

Fin du support pour certains modèles

Pour plusieurs modèles de NAS, DSM 7.3 sera la dernière version prise en charge :

• Série FS
  FS3017, FS2017, FS1018
• Série XS
  DS3018xs, DS3617xs, DS3617xsII, RS18016xs+, RS18017xs+, RS3617xs, RS3617RPxs, RS3617xs+, RS3618xs, RS4017xs+, RS819, RS217
• Série Plus
  DS216+, DS216+II, DS716+, DS716+II, DS916+, DS718+, DS918+, DS1019+, DS218+, DS1517+, DS1817+, DS1618+, DS1819+, DS2419+, DS2419+II, RS2416+, RS2416RP+, RS2418+, RS2418RP+, RS2818RP+, RS818+, RS818RP+, RS1219+
• Série Value
  DS116, DS216, DS216play, DS416, DS416play, RS816, DS118, DS218, DS218play, DS418, DS418play, DS1517, DS1817
• Série J
  DS216j, DS416j, DS416slim, DS419slim, DS418j, DS218j, DS119j

Comment télécharger et installer DSM 7.3

Si votre NAS ne vous propose pas automatiquement cette mise à jour, voici comment l’installer manuellement en suivant ces étapes :

1. Téléchargement du fichier
   Allez sur la page officielle du Centre de téléchargement de Synology ou sur le site d’archive officiel. Téléchargez le fichier de mise à jour au format .pat (350 Mo).
2. Installation manuelle
   • Connectez-vous à l’interface d’administration de votre NAS.
   • Accédez à Panneau de configuration > Mise à jour et restauration.
   • Cliquez sur Mise à jour manuelle de DSM.
   • Sélectionnez le fichier téléchargé via le bouton Parcourir.
   • Cliquez sur OK et attendez environ 3 minutes.
3. Redémarrage obligatoire
   Une fois la mise à jour terminée, votre NAS redémarrera automatiquement.

Attention, cette mise à jour est assez longue… comptez entre 10 et 30 minutes suivant la configuration. Il est important de noter que plusieurs paquets sont également mis à jour avec DSM 7.3.

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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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.

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Sous la pression des utilisateurs Synology revient sur sa décision. Ses NAS retrouvent la compatibilité avec les disques Seagate, WD et d’autres marques

Cet article Synology fait marche arrière : les HDDs tiers sont de nouveau compatibles avec ses NAS a été publié en premier par GinjFo.

Les NAS Synology vont accueillir DSM 7.3, une nouvelle version qui accepte de nouveau les disques durs tiers pour l'installation et les pools de stockage.

The post Synology lance DSM 7.3 : les disques durs tiers de nouveau acceptés ! first appeared on IT-Connect.

Synology (FINALLY) Gives In to 3rd Party HDD Support in 2025 PLUS Series NAS

7/10/25 – Updated with information supplied by Synology on how verifications and product ranges will support different HDD/SSD in DSM 7.3

Of all the stories of 2025, very few had the level of impact on the NAS industry that the Hard Drive support policy change by Synology did. Arguably THE name in the world of turnkey NAS, Synology enjoyed a fairly spotless reputation up until recent years, but when their gradual first-party support stance took a very drastic acceleration in April 2025 with a complete lockout of HDDs from Seagate and WD for their 2025 generation of hardware, the industry responded very, very unfavourably (Ed – understatement of the YEAR). Over the months that followed, even some of the biggest tech platforms and consumer rights focused media outlets on the internet made damning statements about the brand’s actions, previously very Synology-friendly outlets either criticised the move or simply ceased covering Synology, and even typically heavily supportive Synology-associated platforms such as the Synology subreddit and yes even here at NASCompares were keen to highlight every inconsistent turn of this story. After six months of heavy fire, undoubtedly poor sales of the 7–8 released Synology 2025 generation hardware launches in that time (eg DS925+, DS1825+, DS425+, etc), repeated missteps by the brand in user engagement (such as disabling comments on videos, contradictory press statements and baffling justifications around hardware)… now… NOW the brand has announced that you will once again be able to use Seagate and WD Hard Drives on the Synology 2025 generation of devices – and importantly, this time without the level of shouted alerts and warnings. So, let’s discuss when this WD and Seagate Hard Drive media support is coming back, what are the limits, is this too little too late and whether all this was ever worth it for Synology.

When and How Will Third-Party Hard Drive Support Return to the 2025 Synology NAS?

Synology has detailed that third-party hard drive support will return to 2025 devices alongside the rollout of DSM 7.3, the next major update to the Synology software platform. Unlike previous statements earlier this year, this U-turn now means that Seagate and WD drives will not only be usable again but also with a significant reduction (possibly even complete removal – still awaiting exact testing of DSM 7.3 ourselves) from the constant “unverified drive” and “at risk” warnings that plagued users. This represents a return to the compatibility model users were familiar with before 2025. Exact rollout dates of the DSM 7.3 update are still pending (likely Q4 2025 or early Q1 2026), but this will mark the point where Synology’s 2025 NAS systems no longer block unsupported drives at installation. Until that update arrives and users proceed with it’s installation, Synology 2025 systems will of course still not allow unconfirmed media to initialise DSM. Likewise, it remains unclear how the update will interact with users who have already employed community scripts to bypass restrictions – whether these fixes will still be needed, or whether DSM 7.3 will overwrite them entirely.

Another important detail is how far this reinstated compatibility extends. According to Synology’s new position in the DSM 7.3 rollout, users will again be able to initialise DSM, create storage pools, volumes, run disk checks, expand pools, perform RAID repairs and create hot spare disks – essentially restoring the same functionality that was lost earlier this year. Crucially, the obtrusive warning messages that previously accompanied unsupported drives will be removed, which means the user experience should be indistinguishable from older Synology generations. Synology has stated that testing of specific Seagate and WD drives was still “ongoing” in the last 6 months, but this appears largely academic now, since DSM 7.3 will no longer enforce the same restrictions. Which brings into question the validity of those claims. In practice though, this means users can once again choose from the wider drive market, without fear of blocked features or disruptive alerts. It is still not 100% clear on what the position regarding M.2 NVMe SSDs and Storage Pool use will be, as well as if this is going to be completely brand wide – or just affecting the PLUS series new and old that are eligible for the DSM 7.3 update.

The Alerts and ‘Warnings’ that users have gotten used to up tll now (i.e pre DSM 7.3 roll out):

To confirm, the current 2025 systems that primarily this Synology U-turn on Hard Drive compatibility in DSM would affect are:

• Synology DS925+
• Synology DS1525+
• Synology DS725+
• Synology DS1825+
• Synology DS425+
• Synology DS225+
• Synology RS2825RP+

Previous PLUS series devices did not arrive with the exceedingly strict ‘no verified = no initialization’ rule that the above system’s had, so although these will benefit in DSM 7.3 with lessened warnings that they currently had, it is not the deal breaker proposition that it is/was in the x25 series.

However, let’s return to the point. Was ALL of this chaos by Synology worth it? Was there actually a coherent strategy in place here? Let’s discuss the damage that the last 6 months have caused.

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:

Is it Too Little, Too Late? Is the Damage to the Synology Brand Already Done?

It’s a valid point. As mentioned in the intro, Synology has been a brand that, short of a few knocks along the way, has had a sterling reputation. Although their hardware has often been a little underwhelming, the software and services have been largely A1. But the move by Synology in restricting the use of drives from brands such as Seagate and WD burned A LOT of bridges. One cannot imagine that Western Digital or Seagate Technology were especially pleased by the rebuke either. The backlash was immediate and huge. Numerous sources I have spoken to in Europe and the U.S regarding Synology PLUS series sales (even for the 2023/22/21 ranges) confirmed the same sentiment: “Synology Diskstation sales were at a fraction of the previous year.” How much these support changes impacted enterprise solutions is unconfirmed, but given the number of sys-admins who quietly admitted to changing their buying plans, and sales teams who admitted recommending other vendors when Synology quotes became less competitive, the damage over the last 6 months has been palpable.

However, what about the next six months? Or the next 12 or 24? The timing of Synology’s disastrous hard drive support policy flip-flop could hardly have been worse. Alongside tech buyers (home and business) having tighter budgets due to rising costs, international trade tariffs being debated, new players entering the NAS industry, and rising expectations of what a system should do, Synology could not have chosen a worse moment for an unpopular policy. Many users who saw the way the policy was rolled out interpreted it as “the writing on the wall” and changed their stance on the brand. Some already jumped ship to alternative vendors, and others opted for older Synology hardware from pre-2025 ranges to avoid the lockout. For those buyers, the fact that the restrictions are now being removed will feel like a bitter twist – they could have had the newer hardware with the same freedom if they had simply waited a little longer.

How much of this shift can be attributed to public and media backlash is hard to quantify, but the scale of the U-turn speaks for itself. This is not the first time Synology has reversed course under pressure. Back in 2021/22, when DSM 7.0 introduced the earliest versions of its compatibility enforcement with red critical warnings, the outcry forced a retreat in DSM 7.1 to amber warnings instead (read here). History has now repeated itself on a much bigger stage. The difference is that this time, months of poor reviews, negative coverage, and lost sales will remain part of the public record, and Synology will struggle to erase that damage.

Much like QNAP and its long-running association with Deadbolt ransomware attacks, Synology may find that users do not easily forget this saga. For months, the internet has been awash with angry comments, critical reviews, and valid frustration at the brand’s direction. Even with DSM 7.3 restoring full drive freedom, the stigma of this six-month debacle will linger. Some users will never return. Others will approach Synology with renewed caution, mindful that the company could change course again in the future. The reaction from existing and potential Synology PLUS series NAS users was loud enough that I felt compelled to make two videos SPECIFICALLY because users were DM’ing and commenting about why I/NASCompares was continuing in our coverage of this brand:

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.

WE LOVE COFFEE

 

Encore une mauvaise nouvelle pour les utilisateurs de NAS Synology. Le fabricant, pourtant reconnu pour la qualité de ses produits, a discrètement désactivé une fonctionnalité essentielle à ceux qui utilisent leur NAS pour diffuser des vidéos : le transcodage matériel.

 

Synology tourne-t-il le dos aux particuliers ?

Avec la nouvelle série DSx25+, les utilisateurs ont découvert que Synology limitait désormais ses NAS à un programme de compatibilité très restreint. Aujourd’hui, seuls les disques et SSD de la marque apparaissent sur la liste de compatibilité. En clair, fini les WD Red et Seagate IronWolf, pourtant plébiscité par les utilisateurs… et Synology auparavant.

Mais le plus préoccupant reste ailleurs : la disparition du transcodage matériel. Ce n’est pas un bug ou une négligence, mais bien une décision volontaire. Synology choisit de brider les processeurs équipant ses NAS, privant ainsi les utilisateurs d’une fonctionnalité essentielle pour la lecture et la diffusion de vidéos.

Transcodage, licences et histoire de gros sous

Avec la mise à jour DSM 7.2.2 en 2024, Synology avait franchi une étape radicale : suppression de plusieurs fonctionnalités et arrêt pur et simple de son logiciel Video Station. Le transcodage vidéo n’était plus pris en charge, y compris dans le paquet Photos, Serveur multimédia et Surveillance Station. Fini les formats vidéos utilisant les codecs HEVC (H.265), AVC (H.264) et VC-1… ce sont pourtant les formats les plus utilisés aujourd’hui par nos smartphones, caméras, drones et autres appareils.

Officiellement, Synology justifiait ce choix affirmant que la plupart des périphériques actuels savent lire directement ces formats et que le transcodage était devenu inutile. Dans les faits, l’argument ne tient pas. Et les utilisateurs ne s’y sont pas trompés. Beaucoup ont migré vers des solutions tierces, comme Jellyfin ou Plex. Côté Photos, beaucoup migrent déjà vers Immich.

Pourquoi l’iGPU est essentiel

Certains processeurs présents dans les NAS Synology intègrent une carte graphique intégrée (iGPU). Cette dernière permet d’alléger la charge du processeur lors du traitement vidéo : conversion, recadrage, ajout de filtres, diffusion simultanée de plusieurs flux…

L’iGPU est donc un vrai atout, surtout pour les utilisateurs qui exploitent leur NAS comme serveur multimédia. Désormais, même les modèles DSx25+ équipés d’un processeur Intel avec iGPU se voient privés de cette fonctionnalité. Synology l’a tout simplement désactivée.

C’est la première fois que l’on voit un fabricant de NAS bloquer volontairement une capacité matérielle native de ses produits.

Vers une restriction encore plus large ?

Ce qui semblait au départ être un simple bug est en réalité une stratégie assumée. Et la situation pourrait empirer…  Rien n’empêche Synology de désactiver l’iGPU sur des modèles plus anciens via une mise à jour logicielle.

Autrement dit, votre DS423+, parfaitement fonctionnel aujourd’hui, pourrait demain perdre une fonction matérielle clé après une mise à jour DSM. Pour rappel, certains payent un abonnement Plex pour profiter du transcodage matériel.

Une stratégie qui risque de coûter cher

Depuis plusieurs années, Synology multiplie les restrictions :

• obligation d’utiliser ses propres disques et SSD,
• limitations logicielles (voire disparition pure et simple),
• et désormais, bridage des processeurs.

Selon plusieurs sources, cette politique de restriction iGPU (transcodage matériel) serait liée au refus de payer les licences nécessaires pour le codec H.265 (environ 0,20 € par an et par appareil). Une économie pour le fabricant, mais une perte majeure pour les utilisateurs.

Synology aurait pu communiquer sur cette problématique et proposer une solution, par exemple un paquet payant. Mais non, le fabricant a préféré se taire, désactiver cette capacité… pensant peut-être que cela ne se verrait pas.

Quelles alternatives pour les utilisateurs ?

Nous évitons habituellement de recommander de méthodes de contournements, mais cette fois Synology pousse ses clients à chercher des solutions ailleurs. le développeur Dave Russell, 007revad sur GitHub, avait déjà fait parlé de lui avec son code permettant d’ajouter vos disques durs et SSD à la base de données des disques compatibles de Synology.

Il a recommencé et vient de mettre en ligne un module permettant de réactiver le transcodage matériel. Manuellement, c’est faisable assez facilement… mais le paquet 007revad automatise le processus qui peut sembler complexe pour certains.

Le roi vacille, la concurrence en embuscade

En quelques mois, Synology a réussi un tour de force incroyable : se mettre à dos une large majorité de ses utilisateurs. Cette nouvelle stratégie controversée ouvre un boulevard à la concurrence. QNAP, Asustor, TerraMaster ou encore Ugreen ont une opportunité unique de séduire les utilisateurs déçus.

Synology, longtemps considéré comme le roi du NAS grand public, prend le risque de perdre la confiance de sa base. Et dans ce secteur, la confiance est difficile à regagner…

Ce tutoriel explique comment mettre à jour n8n avec Docker (Container Manager) sur un NAS Synology, afin d'utiliser la dernière version de l'application.

The post n8n : comment effectuer les mises à jour sur un NAS Synology ? first appeared on IT-Connect.

Get Graphics Drivers and Hardware Transcoding BACK for Plex/Jellyfin/Emby on your Synology NAS

Note – the video on this fix will be published soon and I will update this article with images ASAP.

Synology’s 2025 refresh brought the DS225+ and DS425+ with the familiar Intel Celeron J4125, but it also quietly removed the kernel graphics driver support that Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby use for hardware transcoding of H.264 and HEVC. This guide explains what changed, why it matters for real-world streaming, and how you can restore GPU-accelerated transcoding on these models using an unofficial SSH method shared by the community. If you rely on your NAS to reshape 4K or high bitrate files for phones, tablets, hotel TVs, or limited connections, this walkthrough will help you get that efficiency back.

IMPORTANT – Massive credit to RROrg group over on Github for ‘cracking the nut’ on this with their latest repo HERE 

Additionally, credit to Luka @ Blackvoid, who made this great article, covered this first and gave me permission to use his guide here and in my upcoming video. Read his article HERE

What Happened to Hardware Transcoding on the Synology 2025 NAS, and Why Is This a Problem

When Synology launched the 2025 “x25” lineup, users expected a minor refresh of familiar models like the DS225+ and DS425+. Instead, they discovered that Synology had removed the i915 graphics driver from DSM, effectively disabling hardware transcoding on the Intel Celeron J4125 CPU. This meant that Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby could no longer tap into the iGPU’s Quick Sync Video capabilities. Synology confirmed the change in support tickets, explaining that both H.264 (AVC) and H.265 (HEVC) transcoding had been deliberately blocked at the kernel driver level. The company cited licensing costs for HEVC, even though AVC is license-free, and argued that most client devices already support native playback. The earliest and longest discucssions on this topic are HERE on this Plex Forum thread.

The result is a significant downgrade for users who bought these models expecting the same multimedia performance as their predecessors. Instead of 10–20% CPU usage during hardware-accelerated transcoding, users now see 80–100% CPU utilization when reshaping video on the fly. For remote streaming, converting 4K to 1080p or 720p becomes slow, inefficient, and often unworkable. This change undermines the value proposition of the J4125 platform and leaves Plex and Jellyfin users with hardware that is technically capable but artificially restricted, creating frustration across the Synology community.

Disclaimer: This Is Unofficial – Know the Risks!

Before diving into the workaround, it is important to understand that this method is not supported by Synology and involves altering core system modules via SSH. These steps rely on community-compiled drivers and are provided “as is,” without warranty. Making changes at the kernel level can cause instability, break after DSM updates, or in the worst case, lead to data loss if mistakes are made. You should always keep verified backups of your data before proceeding, and only attempt this if you are comfortable working with the command line and root-level access. Proceed entirely at your own risk.

Step By Step Guide to Get J41225  Graphics Drivers Hardware Transcoding Back

1. Download the Source Code

   • Go to Dave Russell’s GitHub repo (007revad) and download the Source Code (.zip) for the graphics driver fix.

   • 

   • Do not unpack the archive on your computer.

2. Create a Folder on Your NAS

   • Log into DSM and create a new Shared Folder (e.g. scripts) on your main volume.

   • 

   • Make sure your DSM account has full access, since root privileges will be needed later.

3. Upload the Archive

   • Use File Station or SMB to upload the .zip file into the new scripts shared folder.

   • 

   • Once uploaded, extract it on the NAS by right-clicking and selecting Extract Here.

   • 

   • If extraction creates subfolders, move the relevant script files (such as transcode_4_x25.sh) directly into the main scripts directory for easier referencing.

   • 

4. Create a Scheduled Task

   • Open Control Panel > Task Scheduler.

   • 

   • Select Create > Triggered Task > User-defined Script.

   • 

   • Give the task a name (e.g. Synogfx).

   • 

   • Set the User to root.

   • Set the event to Boot-up so the script runs every time the NAS restarts.

   

5. Point to the Script

   • In the task settings, paste the full path to the script file, for example:

     sh /volume1/scripts/transcode_4_x25.sh


   • If unsure, right-click the .sh file in File Station, select Properties, and copy the full directory path.

   • 

6. Confirm and Save

   • DSM will warn you about using root and non-standard scripts. Acknowledge this and proceed.

   • 

   • Enter your DSM admin password when prompted.

   • The scheduled task will now appear in the list.

   • 

7. Run the Script

   • Right-click the new task and select Run to execute it immediately.

   • 

   • Optionally, reboot your NAS to confirm that the driver loads automatically on startup.

   • 

8. Verify Hardware Transcoding

   • Open Plex (or Jellyfin/Emby) and play a file requiring transcoding.

   • 

   • Check playback statistics: you should now see HW (hardware transcoding) instead of CPU-only usage.

• 

Conclusion

Synology’s decision to remove iGPU drivers from the 2025 DS225+ and DS425+ left many users frustrated, especially those who rely on Plex or Jellyfin for remote streaming. While the company cites licensing costs and client-side decoding as justification, the hardware itself remains fully capable of transcoding. Thanks to community-driven efforts, it is possible to re-enable Quick Sync on these models with an SSH-based workaround. This fix restores the efficiency and functionality users expected, though it comes with risks and requires maintenance after reboots. For multimedia enthusiasts who value hardware transcoding, this unofficial solution may be the only way to unlock the true potential of these NAS systems.

---

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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

 

Donetick est une application open source pour gérer tâches et corvées, avec des options personnalisables pour aider chacun à rester organisé. Le projet a un peu plus d’un an et mérite un coup d’œil pour les besoins domestiques et collectifs. Après une rapide présentation, vous trouverez un tuto pour l’installer sur un NAS Synology

Donetick : Gestion de tâches et corvées

Donetick est une solution de gestion des tâches et corvées, conçue pour optimiser l’organisation au sein d’un foyer ou d’un groupe. L’outil est disponible en SaaS, en auto‑hébergement et via une intégration Home Assistant, afin de laisser le choix entre simplicité d’usage et maîtrise des données. Parmi ses atouts, la création de tâches en langage naturel permet de planifier rapidement des récurrences à partir d’une simple phrase, comme “Sortir les poubelles tous les lundis à 18h”, automatiquement interprétée et programmée.

Fonctionnalités clés

• Rotation d’assignation: répartition équitable des tâches selon plusieurs stratégies (aléatoire, moins de tâches accomplies, dernier ayant effectué la tâche, etc.).
• Système de points: attribution de points à chaque tâche accomplie, utile pour suivre l’implication au fil du temps.
• Intégration Home Assistant: gestion et visualisation des tâches directement depuis Home Assistant, avec listes par utilisateur et prise en charge des webhooks pour des automatisations.
• Planification avancée: récurrences flexibles, choix du recalcul à partir de la date d’échéance ou de la date d’exécution réelle, et regroupement par labels/priorités.

À ce jour, l’interface est principalement en anglais, ce qui n’empêche pas de saisir et gérer des tâches en français, y compris via la création intelligente en langage naturel.

NAS Synology

Pour simplifier l’instalaltion, je vous ai préparé un fichier Docker Compose compatible avec la plupart des NAS Synology. Il est basé sur l’exemple officiel. Avant de lancer le service, il faut ajouter le fichier de configuration selfhosted.yaml dans le dossier config, afin d’activer le mode auto‑hébergé et définir un secret de sécurité. Donetick recherche ce fichier en fonction de la variable d’environnement DT_ENV=selfhosted.

Prérequis

• Avoir installé Container Manager depuis le Centre de paquets de Synology ;
• Créer un dossier Donetick dans le répertoire docker à la racine de votre NAS ;
• Créer 2 sous-dossiers data et config dans le dossier Donetick.

Télécharger selfhosted.yaml et le placer dans Donetick/config. Le secret doit être une chaîne aléatoire de 32 caractères (ligne 18), à remplacer impérativement dans la configuration.

secret: « change_this_to_a_secure_random_string_32_characters_long »

Je vous propose de télécharger le fichier Docker Compose qui se nomme compose.yaml généré grâce à Container Manager de Synology. Voici ce qu’il contient :

services:
  donetick:
    image: donetick/donetick
    container_name: donetick
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - 2021:2021
    volumes:
      - ./data:/donetick-data
      - ./config:/config
    environment:
      - DT_ENV=selfhosted
      - DT_SQLITE_PATH=/donetick-data/donetick.db

Étapes d’installation

1. Placez le fichier compose.yaml dans le dossier Donetick
2. Ouvrez Container Manager et naviguez vers le menu « Projets » dans la barre latérale
3. Cliquez sur le bouton Créer, renseignez les champs demandés (voir capture ci-dessous), puis cliquez sur Suivant
4. Continuez avec Suivant et enfin Effectué
5. Patientez 1 à 2 minutes…

C’est fini !

Utilisation

Une fois l’installation terminée, ouvrez votre navigateur et accédez à Donetick via l’une des adresses suivantes :

• http://NomDuNAS:2021/
• http://AdresseIP:2021/

Vous cliquerez sur le bouton Create new account pour démarrer.

En synthèse

Donetick est une solution open source crédible pour gérer efficacement les corvées et tâches partagées, avec une mise en place rapide sur Synology et une intégration possible avec Home Assistant… Pas mal, non ?

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.

---

Summary: fnOS Beta – Pros and Cons

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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