A NAS, or Network Attached Storage, is a very useful device for power users who have to handle or archive lots of data. For instance, a YouTuber storing raw footage for editing, or a musician backing up their jam sessions. These relatively small boxes house several storage drives, so it isn’t unheard of for NAS users to take advantage of defunct HDDs they have lying around and put them in a NAS. This gives old drives a new function and purpose.
Popular NAS vendor Synology, however, introduced a number of restrictions when it launched the DiskStation DS925+. While this NAS was a technological improvement on previous models, sporting 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports and improved internal hardware, it also came with a significant downside. Namely, a restriction that meant only Synology’s own HDDs could be used with the device.
Rival brands took this move as an opportunity to steal away some market share. Consumers largely wanted to either use existing drives or buy technically superior HDDs such as those offered by WD and Seagate. This allowed companies like QNAP and UGREEN to grab some market share by presenting a more consumer-friendly, unrestricted option.
The consumer backlash appears to have caused Synology to reverse the decision, as the latest Release Notes for DiskStation Manager 7.3 update removes the limitations that enforce the use of Synology HDDs. Thankfully, this restriction only ever applied to DiskStation models from 2025. Affected models include:
- 2-bay DiskStation DS225+
- 2-bay DiskStation DS725+
- 4-bay DiskStation DS425+
- 4-bay DiskStation DS925+
- DiskStation DS1525+
- DiskStation DS1825+
Those with affected models should now have access to the update, which will allow any compatible HDD to be used with the Synology NAS servers. However, there is still a restriction on the M.2 SSD, which still requires a Synology SSD for functions such as storage pools.
DiskStation Manager 7.3 also introduces new security updates, along with improved email moderation tools for MailPlus, and a range of bug fixes. More information on the new drive compatibility policies can be found on the Synology website.
