Synology Drive Compatibility Checker: Find Compatible HDDs & SSDs

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Recommended drives for the DiskStation DS923+ (4-bay)
Seagate IronWolf / IronWolf Pro, WD Red Plus / Red Pro - all CMR

DSM 7.2/7.3 may show a 'drive not validated' notice for third-party drives on Plus models. Storage pools, SHR and RAID still work; the notice is informational. Avoid SMR drives for RAID. Confirm the exact model on Synology's official Products Compatibility List before buying in bulk.

Synology-compatible NAS drives, ranked by price per TB

ProductCapacityPrice$ / TBPrice DropBrandInterface
HGST 0F27353 ULTRASTAR HE10 3.5 inch10TB SAS 12Gb/s 256MB 7200RPM 512e TCG Retail10 TB$235.00$23.50-HGSTSAS
HGST 0F27353 ULTRASTAR HE10 3.5 inch10TB SAS 12Gb/s 256MB 7200RPM 512e TCG Retail10 TB$249.00$24.90-HGSTSAS
Seagate Exos 22TB SATA HDD 6Gb/s 7200RPM 3.5-inch Enterprise Hard Drive (ST22000NM000C) (Renewed)22 TB$549.00$24.95-SeagateSATA
MDD MAXDIGITALDATA MDD (MDD12TSATA25672NAS) 12TB 7200 RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5'' Internal NAS Hard Drive - 5 Years Warranty (Renewed)12 TB$309.99$25.83-MDD MAXDIGITALDATASATA
Seagate Exos X14 ST12000NM0008 12 TB Hard Drive - 3.5" Internal - SATA (SATA/600)12 TB$319.99$26.67-SeagateSATA
HGST Ultrastar He12 | HUH721212ALE601 | 0F27454 | 12TB 7200 RPM 256MB SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Cache | 512E | BitLocker Hard Drive Encryption | Power Disable Function |12 TB$319.99$26.67-HGSTSATA
MDD MAXDIGITALDATA 2021 MDD (MDD10TSATA25672NAS) 10TB 7200RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal NAS Hard Drive (Renewed)10 TB$268.99$26.90-MDD MAXDIGITALDATASATA
Seagate Exos X24 24TB Enterprise Hard Drive HDD SATA 6Gb/s 512MB Cache 7200 RPM 512e CMR Helium Sealed 3.5in Hard Drive ST24000NM000H24 TB$650.00$27.08-SeagateSATA
Western Digital WD Ultrastar dc hc320 hus728t8tl5204 - HDD - 8 TB - SAS 12gb/s 0b364008 TB$220.00$27.50-Western DigitalSAS
MDD (MDD12TSATA25672NAS) 12TB 7200RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal NAS Hard Drive - 5 Years Warranty (Renewed)12 TB$329.99$27.50-MDD MAXDIGITALDATASATA
Western Digital 12TB WD Gold Enterprise Class Internal Hard Drive - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD121KRYZ12 TB$329.99$27.50-Western DigitalSATA
Western Digital HUH721212ALE604 12TB Ultrastar DC HC520 SATA HDD - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, 256MB Cache, 3.5"12 TB$329.99$27.50-Western DigitalSATA

How to Use the Synology Drive Compatibility Checker

Finding the right drives for your Synology NAS doesn't have to be complicated. Our free compatibility checker makes it easy to find compatible HDDs, SSDs, and NVMe cache drives for any Synology model:

  1. Select Your NAS Model - Choose your Synology NAS from the dropdown menu. Models are organized by series (Plus, Value, XS, and Rackmount).
  2. Choose Drive Type - Select HDD for storage drives, SSD for all-flash configurations, or NVMe for cache drives.
  3. Filter by Capacity - Optionally narrow results by drive capacity to match your storage needs and budget.
  4. Compare Drives - Review compatible drives with current pricing, specifications, and total cost calculations for your NAS configuration.

Understanding Synology Drive Compatibility

Synology NAS units work with a wide range of hard drives and SSDs, but understanding the different compatibility levels can help you make the best choice:

Synology Verified Drives

Synology's own HAT5310 (HDD), SAT5210 (SSD), and SNV3410/SNV3510 (NVMe) drives are designed specifically for Synology NAS units. These drives offer guaranteed compatibility, optimized firmware, and full Synology support. They're ideal if you want a worry-free experience and don't mind paying a premium.

Compatible Third-Party Drives

Major NAS drive brands like WD Red Plus, WD Red Pro, Seagate IronWolf, Seagate IronWolf Pro, and Toshiba N300 are fully compatible with all Synology NAS models. These drives are designed for 24/7 NAS operation and offer excellent reliability at competitive prices.

DSM 7.2+ Drive Warnings

Starting with DSM 7.2, Synology displays warnings for non-Synology drives in the Storage Manager. Important: These warnings do not affect drive functionality. Your third-party NAS drives will work normally - the warning is simply Synology's way of promoting their own drives.

In October 2025, Synology announced expanded drive support in DSM 7.3, acknowledging the community's preference for third-party drives. All drives marked "Compatible" in our checker have been tested and verified to work without issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use non-Synology drives in my Synology NAS?

Yes! Synology NAS units support standard SATA drives from all major manufacturers. Popular choices include WD Red Plus, WD Red Pro, Seagate IronWolf, and Toshiba N300 drives. These work perfectly and are used by millions of Synology owners worldwide.

What's the difference between CMR and SMR drives?

CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording) drives are recommended for NAS use. They handle the random read/write patterns of NAS workloads well and perform consistently in RAID arrays.

SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording) drives can cause severe performance issues in RAID configurations. Always choose CMR drives for your Synology NAS. All drives in our compatibility checker are CMR.

Should I buy Synology drives or third-party drives?

Both are valid choices depending on your priorities:

  • Choose Synology drives if you want guaranteed compatibility, full Synology support, and don't mind the premium price (typically 40-60% more expensive).
  • Choose third-party NAS drives (WD Red, Seagate IronWolf) if you want excellent reliability at a lower cost. These drives are specifically designed for NAS use and work perfectly in Synology units.

What capacity drives should I buy?

Consider your current needs plus room for growth. For most home users, 8TB or 12TB drives offer the best balance of capacity and value. Business users or those with large media libraries may prefer 16TB or larger drives to maximize storage density.

Do I need NVMe cache drives?

NVMe cache drives (M.2 SSDs) can improve performance for frequently accessed files, especially in multi-user environments. However, most home users won't notice a significant difference. Cache drives are most beneficial for:

  • Virtual machine storage
  • Database workloads
  • Multi-user office environments
  • Photo/video editing with NAS-stored projects

Use our other Synology tools to plan your perfect NAS setup: