Best RAM for the Synology DiskStation DS423+
By Devin Chua · Data checked by Owen Nakamura · Updated The Synology DiskStation DS423+ ships with 2 GB of DDR4 SO-DIMM, no ECC (2 GB soldered plus 1 slot) and officially takes 6 GB. What benefits from the upgrade is specific to this box: the Intel Celeron J4125 (4 cores) hardware-transcodes and runs containers, and those — not plain file storage — are what more memory feeds. Below are matching modules from Amazon.ca in CAD.
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Compatible memory for the DS423+, live from Amazon.ca
What sets the DS423+ apart
The price entry with four bays and SHR. The Celeron J4125 can transcode Plex with hardware acceleration, but the 2 GB of RAM out of the box is tight: the single free SO-DIMM is effectively mandatory and caps you at 6 GB.
What more memory buys on the DS423+
The DS423+ takes DDR4 SO-DIMM, no ECC (2 GB soldered plus 1 slot) up to an official 6 GB, across 1 slot, starting from 2 GB. Whether that upgrade earns its money is a question about this exact box: the Intel Celeron J4125 (4 cores) transcodes Plex and runs containers, and it is the containers, not the file shares, that ask for more RAM.
The DS423+ uses non-ECC DDR4 SO-DIMM, no ECC (2 GB soldered plus 1 slot), so a flipped bit is not corrected. That is rarely a problem in practice, but it is why DIY TrueNAS builders insist on ECC; on the DS423+ you simply match the SO-DIMM spec and standard sticks are fine. 6 GB official (2 GB fixed plus a 4 GB module). In practice a 16 GB module runs (giving 18 GB); Synology does not endorse it.
The Synology drive policy on the DS423+
unrestrictedOpen. The 2025 restriction does not apply retroactively; every NAS drive works.
The DS423+ at a glance
| Bays | 4 × 3.5-inch SATA and 2.5-inch SATA SSD |
|---|---|
| Maximum raw capacity | 96 TB 4 × 24 TB: the largest drive on Synology's list for this model. The often-quoted 108 TB is the maximum volume size, not the sum of drives. |
| Processor | Intel Celeron J4125 (4 cores) |
| Memory | 2 GB, DDR4 SO-DIMM, no ECC (2 GB soldered plus 1 slot) 6 GB official (2 GB fixed plus a 4 GB module). In practice a 16 GB module runs (giving 18 GB); Synology does not endorse it. |
| M.2 NVMe | 2 slots 2 × M.2 NVMe for cache; an NVMe storage pool requires a Synology drive |
| Network | 2 × 1GbE |
| Operating system | DSM 7.x |
| RAID types | SHR, SHR-2, Basic, JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10 SHR also makes use of mixed drive sizes. |
Keep calculating
To see how much capacity is left after parity, the DS423+ capacity calculator is preset to its 4 bays and RAID types. For the DS423+, the wider basics of choosing a drive are in the buying guides, where we also explain why CMR rather than SMR is mandatory in any RAID array.
Frequently asked questions
What memory does the DS423+ use?
DDR4 SO-DIMM, no ECC (2 GB soldered plus 1 slot), starting from 2 GB. 6 GB official (2 GB fixed plus a 4 GB module). In practice a 16 GB module runs (giving 18 GB); Synology does not endorse it. It uses standard non-ECC modules.
Can the DS423+'s memory be upgraded?
Yes. The DS423+ has one slot, officially to 6 GB.
Is more RAM worth it in the DS423+?
Only if you run containers. The DS423+'s Intel Celeron J4125 (4 cores) transcodes and runs Docker well, and it is the containers — not file shares — that ask for more than the stock 2 GB.
Can I put third-party drives in the DS423+?
Yes, without restriction. The 2025 Synology drive lock covers only the 2025 models, so the DS423+ takes any NAS drive and has always done so.
Devin Chua works out which drives, RAM and NVMe cache fit which NAS model at nasdrives.ca, and what the RAID choice means for usable capacity, checked against what is in stock on Amazon.ca.
Data checked by Owen Nakamura, Technical editor (data checking)