Synology DiskStation DS925+ assessment: A terrific NAS ruined by baffling limitations

With over 13 million units offered, there is not any query that Synology is the most important producer of NAS techniques globally. But this class has modified fairly considerably within the final 15 months; UGREEN made its grand debut with the introduction of the DXP4800 Plus and DXP2800, delivering sturdy designs with terrific {hardware}.

TerraMaster and ASUSTOR additionally did a significantly better job final yr, sprucing their software program and overhauling their product traces to ship higher differentiation. By distinction, Synology had a quiet yr and a half, with the model’s older fashions — the DiskStation DS923+, DS224+, and DS723+ — doing many of the heavy lifting.

Thankfully, that is altering with the debut of the DiskStation DS925+. The successor to the best-selling DS923+ shares the identical design, nevertheless it comes with twin 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports as customary, and it has upgraded internals due to a quad-core Ryzen V1500B. It has 4 customary drive bays along with twin M.2 slots, and you need to use SSDs to retailer knowledge along with caching.

However, the launch is not with out controversy; with the DiskStation DS925+, Synology is limiting its Plus fashions to its personal arduous drives, so you possibly can’t use Seagate’s IronWolf, Exos, or Western Digital’s Red Plus HDDs with the NAS. While this restriction got here into impact on the model’s enterprise fashions 4 years in the past, it confirmed on the time that client fashions will not be affected — that is clearly not the case now.

So should you’ve been utilizing an older NAS mannequin and are contemplating an improve, that is what it’s essential to know in regards to the DiskStation DS925+.

Synology DiskStation DS925+: Pricing and availability

Synology unveiled the DiskStation DS925+ in choose Asian markets on April 23, with a world launch slated for May 2025. That’s when the NAS might be accessible within the U.S., U.Ok., and different western markets. Interestingly, the DS925+ is debuting in international locations like India, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan forward of the model’s house market, Taiwan.

Given that retail availability varies in particular person areas, Synology did not share what the NAS prices in most international locations. It will retail for ₹65,205 ($763) in India, which is a smidgen costlier than the ₹62,500 ($731) that the DS923+ prices within the nation. The pricing signifies the DS925+ will slot in at roughly the identical $599 determine as its predecessor within the U.S., nevertheless it is not unlikely to suppose it’d go as much as $649 (or increased) given the tariffs state of affairs.

Synology DiskStation DS925+: Design

Synology hasn’t modified its design in practically 10 years, so should you’ve used any of the model’s NAS servers prior to now, you may really feel proper at house with the DiskStation DS925+. The NAS has a black aesthetic with good air flow — each lively and passive — and the unassuming design permits it to mix in with ease.

The sides have a ventilated design that lets air into the chassis, and the NAS has the identical dimensions as its predecessor. Build high quality is nice, and I have never actually seen any points with any of the model’s NAS servers within the final 10 years. The DS925+ makes use of an exterior energy brick, and it is in a position to go as much as 120W. It does not use anyplace near that in actual use although, and the NAS has two 92mm followers on the again which are quiet even beneath load.

I used the NAS in my workplace, and I did not have any issues with noise ranges even with heavy use. The entrance has the usual drive bays, and you may simply set up 3.5-inch HDDs with none instruments; the person bays will also be locked, and there is a USB-A port on the correct. Other than that, you get the same old energy button on the backside, and the LEDs that point out system, HDD, and LAN standing.

Synology DiskStation DS925+: Features and connectivity

The huge speaking level with the internals is that the DiskStation DS925+ will get twin 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports. With each different model making the change to 2.5GbE and 10GbE years in the past, the DiskStation DS923+ was notable for its use of Gigabit ports, and fortunately, that is not an issue on the DS925+.

The NAS is powered by a quad-core Ryzen V1500B platform; it has higher headroom general, and the distinction is noticeable even in every day use. The NAS nonetheless comes with simply 4GB of RAM out of the field, and whereas that is sufficient for many duties, you may want to fit in one other module should you intend to make use of Docker. Most NAS servers on this section have no less than 8GB of RAM as customary, so it is just a little shortsighted that the DS925+ is hobbled on this space.

You nonetheless get two M.2 slots on the underside, and so they can be utilized to deal with M.2 2280 SSDs. The SSDs can be utilized to retailer knowledge, and you may simply create storage swimming pools. A notable uptick this time is a USB-C port on the again; that is used to increase drive bays down the road, and works with the brand new DX525 unit. This is a constructive transfer because the older eSATA connector was clearly displaying its age.

Synology DiskStation DS925+: Performance

I’ve been testing Synology NAS servers for practically 10 years now, and in that point, I predominantly used Seagate’s IronWolf and WD Red drives. When establishing the DS925+, I slotted in two 6TB IronWolf drives as I often do with all NAS evaluations, nevertheless it would not even set up DiskStation Manager (DSM). I received a dialog field noting the drives had been unrecognized, and that I needed to do a handbook set up — which wasn’t attainable as I used to be testing the NAS beneath embargo.

For causes I do not observe, Synology selected to implement using its personal arduous drives in client DiskStation fashions — which is strictly what it stated it would not do in 2021. The model says it performed “rigorous testing” with its HAT3300, HAT3310, HAT5300, and HAT5310 drives, and utilizing that as the explanation to lock down the DS925+ to only these drives.

It additionally notes that its drives ship “increased reliability,” however does not present any particulars as to how they’re higher than Seagate’s Exos drives — my go-to alternative proper now. Then there’s the problem with pricing; in broad strokes, Synology’s drives are significantly costlier than their instant rivals. To provide you with some context, Seagate’s terrific 24TB Exos X24 drive is all the way down to $479 proper now, and whereas Synology does not have a 24TB drive, the 20TB HAT5310 retails for $719, a premium of 34% whereas offering much less storage.

Are you getting something that justifies the added price? No. Synology’s HAT5310 has the identical guarantee as Seagate’s Exos X24, the identical 2.5 million hours imply time between failure (MTBF), and similar 550TB/yr endurance. There’s no significant positive aspects available, and also you’re finally paying extra to get much less storage.

Basically, the transfer is designed to lock customers into the model’s ecosystem, and never having the ability to use IronWolf, Exos, or WD Red drives is a big limitation. That stated, should you’re migrating from an older NAS and utilizing the identical drives, then there is not any situation — I examined this IronWolf drives taken from the DS224+, and it booted and not using a downside. But should you’re establishing a brand new NAS and need to use Seagate, Western Digital, or another drives, that is simply not attainable.

There is a workaround so as to add Seagate and WD drives to the verified listing, and that is what I’ve been doing on the DiskStation DS1823xs+ for practically a yr now. But that is not attainable with the DS925+, because it does not even permit you to create a storage pool and set up DSM except you are utilizing a Synology arduous drive. This coverage is true in terms of M.2 drives as nicely, so you possibly can’t use another SSD aside from the model’s personal restricted selections. This transfer will lose the model numerous loyal customers, and the worst half is that Synology is simply utilizing relabeled Toshiba drives.

I needed to change to HAT3000 and HAT3310 drives to put in the web-based DSM 7.2 interface and check the DS925+. It was simple after transferring to the model’s drives, and establishing DSM took beneath 10 minutes. If you are coming from an older mannequin, the interface itself might be acquainted; the visuals are similar, and the one distinction I observed is that the DS925+ is best at launching containers.

An enormous attract with Synology’s NAS techniques is the software program, and DSM 7.2 continues to cleared the path on this regard. The interface is clear, has loads of customizable utilities, and has an exhaustive listing of helpful providers. I take advantage of Synology Photos every day to again up images and movies routinely from all my telephones, and it’s a viable various to Google Photos. Synology’s software program suite has a very good design, tight integration with cellular platforms — each iOS and Android — and it covers the necessities.

Whether it’s essential to retailer images and movies, share paperwork, have a neighborhood productiveness suite, customized mail server, host a web site, or use a textual content editor, DSM 7.2 has you coated. And if there is not something accessible as customary, you possibly can simply use Docker to create a container.

The greatest use case with the DS925+ is media streaming, and it does a terrific job as a Plex media server. The Ryzen V1500B platform does not have {hardware} transcoding, and should you do not care about that, there’s a lot to love. It handles 4K excessive bitrate content material with out breaking a sweat, and I did not run into any points in anyway — it proved to be simply as dependable because the DS923+.

Where the model has a definite benefit is with its cellular purchasers; Synology does a greater job than simply about each different producer on this space, and it is extraordinarily simple to view and handle the information in your NAS whereas on the go. This continues to be the most important differentiator, and why I proceed to make use of the DS1823xs+ as my primary NAS system.

Synology DiskStation DS925+: The competitors

UGREEN’s DXP4800 Plus is my go-to alternative today should you want a 4-bay Plex NAS server. The NAS retails for $594 as of writing, and it has highly effective {hardware}, 8GB of RAM, M.2 slots, and 10GbE along with 2.5GbE connectivity. While the {hardware} is arguably higher than the DS925+, the software program does not fairly measure as much as DSM, however UGREEN has proven that it’s focused on constructing out the ecosystem. The bonus is that you haven’t any restrictions on what drives you need to use, and even what software program you possibly can set up — it is simple to modify to TrueNAS Scale.

If you want even higher {hardware}, TerraMaster’s F4-424 Max will get my vote. The NAS is expensive at $899, however you get a 10-core twelfth Gen Intel Core i5 1235U, 8GB of RAM, and twin 10GbE connectivity. There are two M.2 slots as nicely, and the NAS is a Plex powerhouse like no different. The TOS 6 software program is a particular transfer in the correct path, and whereas it is missing some polish, you get most utilities as customary, and TerraMaster is doing an honest sufficient job with its cellular purchasers.

Synology DiskStation DS925+: Should you purchase it?

You can purchase this if:

• You want a 4-bay NAS with one of the best software program
• You need a high-end Plex server
• You want 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet

You should not purchase this if:

• You need to use Seagate or WD Red drives
• You need 10GbE connectivity

I’m conflicted in terms of the DiskStation DS925+; the NAS lastly brings upgrades which have been overdue, nevertheless it does so at the price of different limitations. Having to make use of Synology’s drives is an enormous ache level, and it does not make a lot sense. There’s no end-user profit to imposing this rule, and it finally curbs what’s an in any other case nice NAS. It’s clear that the model’s hubris received in the best way of clear-headed technique, and it’s sure to pay the value because of this.

At the top of the day, should you’re used to Synology and need a acquainted interface and do not thoughts shopping for the model’s arduous drives — they price greater than their rival IronWolf and WD Red choices — the DiskStation DS925+ continues to be a fantastic possibility. But should you do not need to go down this route (understandably), there are higher selections accessible.

Synology might have pulled off a transfer like this two years in the past, however the NAS ecosystem has modified drastically in the mean time, and there is not any scarcity of standout merchandise out there now. If it’s essential to improve, I’d counsel getting the UGREEN DXP4800 Plus. It has higher {hardware}, and whereas the software program is not pretty much as good as DSM 7.2, you possibly can simply set up TrueNAS, and there are completely no limitations.