Info Best Hard Drives for Synology NAS

[SynoMan]

Choosing the right hard drive for your Synology NAS is essential for long-term reliability. This guide covers the most popular and community-tested options across different capacity tiers.

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A quick note on compatibility: Newer Synology models (DS723+, DS923+, DS725+, DS925+ and similar) officially support Synology's own HAT drive series. Third-party drives from WD, Seagate, and Toshiba work well in practice on most models — always check the Synology compatibility list for your specific model before purchasing.

Always choose CMR drives for NAS use. Avoid mixing SMR and CMR drives in RAID pools.

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Synology HAT Series​

Best choice for newer Synology models — officially supported.

HAT3300 — Entry level Plus (5400 RPM, 180 TB/year)​

• Synology HAT3300-4T (4 TB)
• Synology HAT3300-6T (6 TB)

HAT3310 — Mid-range Plus (7200 RPM, 180 TB/year)​

• Synology HAT3310-12T (12 TB)
• Synology HAT3310-16T (16 TB)

WD Red Plus (CMR)​

Most popular choice in the community for home and small office NAS.

• WD Red Plus 2 TB
• WD Red Plus 4 TB
• WD Red Plus 6 TB
• WD Red Plus 8 TB
• WD Red Plus 12 TB

Seagate IronWolf (CMR)​

Strong alternative to WD Red Plus, includes IronWolf Health Management for DSM integration.

• Seagate IronWolf 4 TB
• Seagate IronWolf 6 TB
• Seagate IronWolf 8 TB
• Seagate IronWolf 12 TB

WD Red Pro / Seagate IronWolf Pro (CMR)​

For larger or higher-workload setups. 300 TB/year workload rating, 5-year warranty.

• WD Red Pro 8 TB
• WD Red Pro 12 TB
• WD Red Pro 16 TB
• Seagate IronWolf Pro 8 TB
• Seagate IronWolf Pro 12 TB
• Seagate IronWolf Pro 16 TB

Toshiba N300 (CMR)​

Reliable budget alternative, good value per TB.

• Toshiba N300 4 TB
• Toshiba N300 8 TB
• Toshiba N300 12 TB

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Community Recommendations​

This guide is intentionally kept simple. If you spot anything incorrect, have a drive to add, or want to share your real-world experience — please post below. Verified community additions will be added to the main list.

If you are using a hard drive with your Synology NAS, it would be helpful to know:

• Exact drive model and capacity
• NAS model and DSM version
• RAID type (SHR, RAID 5, RAID 6…)
• How long you have been running it and any issues encountered

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[Telos]

Avoid SMR drives in RAID configurations.

Avoid mixing SMR and CMR drives in RAID pools.