Synology HDD Compatibility - Is It Justified? (ft. SpaceRex, Wundertech & Blackvoid)

Update #4 - I have performed extensive testing of Unverified/3rd party HDDs in a Synology 2025 Series NAS. You can see the results here -    • Synology Unofficial HDD Tests - What ...  
(TLDR - Now you cannot use unverified HDDs on a storage pool that you have migrated over from an old system for RAID Recovery, RAID Expansion or Hot Spares)
Synology 2025 NAS Hard Drive and SSD Lock In Confirmed - Bye, Bye Seagate and WD nascompares.com/news/synolgoy-2025-nas-hard-drive-…
Special thanks to the panel for their time and input:
Will from Spacerex spacerex.co/ and ‪@SpaceRexWill‬    / @spacerexwill  
Frank Wundertech www.wundertech.net/ and ‪@WunderTechTutorials‬    / @wundertechtutorials  
Luka @Blackvoid www.blackvoid.club/what-does-synologys-future-look… and ‪@synoforum4750‬ www.synoforum.com/
The Synology HDD Support Changes here -    • Synology HDD Restrictions UPDATE - DS...  

Video Chapters
00:00 – Introductions and context for Synology HDD policy changes
00:48 – Summary of the 2025 Plus Series HDD compatibility restrictions
02:08 – Why did Synology make this change? Luka’s analysis
05:04 – Synology’s move toward enterprise and away from enthusiasts
08:57 – Role of Toshiba and streamlining support
10:00 – Real-world HDD compatibility issues from past
11:11 – Strategic product tiering to protect enterprise lineup
12:43 – Reliability logic: Synology as a closed appliance
14:11 – Gray areas in enforcement: loopholes and inconsistent rollout
16:07 – Migration policies, support restrictions, and confusion
19:03 – DIY vs supported users: where should Synology draw the line?
20:05 – Could Synology have handled this better? Communication failures
22:49 – The missed opportunity: approve one third-party drive
24:35 – Firmware validation vs brand certification questions
26:41 – Fragmented messaging across Synology regions
28:24 – Repeating mistakes: poor handling similar to Video Station removal
30:12 – Sudden hardware rush and roadmap speculation
32:22 – Long-term impact: losing prosumers and budget-conscious creatives
35:30 – Enterprise vs home user reactions to compatibility locks
37:06 – Will loopholes lead to a black market for “pre-configured” drives?
39:18 – Lessons from previous update failures and user caution
41:20 – Will Synology release new consumer drives or SSDs?
42:43 – Appliance model vs enthusiast flexibility: the real trade-off
45:38 – Controlled ecosystem: an intentional, long-term direction
46:57 – Fewer units, higher margins? Plus Series profitability concerns
48:05 – Impact on resellers, brand loyalty, and SSD upselling
48:40 – Is this the end of the Plus Series as we know it?
49:16 – Closing thoughts and where to find more videos/articles

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