Synology DiskStation DS1525+: compatible drives
By Devin Chua · Data checked by Owen Nakamura · Updated For the Synology DiskStation DS1525+ fit CMR NAS drives like WD Red Pro or Seagate IronWolf Pro across all 5 bays up to 120 TB raw. Since DSM 7.3 (8 October 2025) the DS1525+ accepts third-party hard drives and 2.5-inch SATA SSDs for new storage pools; only M.2 NVMe still has to come from Synology's list. At 5 × 8 TB the DS1525+ keeps 29.10 TiB usable in SHR, about CA$2,860 in drives. Since its AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) has no integrated GPU, so it cannot hardware-transcode video; it is built for Synology's apps, containers and real virtual machines, faster 7200 rpm drives genuinely earn their keep in the DS1525+.
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Want to know whether the DS1525+ fits your actual storage plan? Open the NAS Builder with this model weighted.
What fits the DS1525+
| Drive type | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5-inch SATA hard drive (CMR) | Fits | Synology publishes no per-drive size limit; its compatibility list shows tested sizes. |
| 2.5-inch SATA SSD | Fits | The bays take 2.5-inch drives. |
| SAS drive | Does not fit | The bays are SATA; a SAS drive needs a SAS controller. |
| SMR hard drive | Avoid in RAID | Works alone, but can stall a rebuild for days. Check the model number against the maker's CMR/SMR list. |
| M.2 SATA SSD (for example WD Red SA500 …R0B) | Does not fit | Not a bay drive, and the M.2 slots take NVMe only. |
| M.2 NVMe SSD | Listed drives only | The DS1525+'s 2 M.2 slots take 2280 NVMe drives, and Synology's compatibility list for it names only its own SNV3400, SNV3410 and SNV5420 drives, which Synology requires for both cache and storage pools. The DSM 7.3 change of 8 October 2025 covered hard drives and 2.5-inch SATA SSDs, not M.2. |
How we decide what is compatible
A part reaches our shortlist for the DS1525+ only when it meets Synology’s published specifications for its form factor, interface, size and memory type, and, where Synology requires its own compatibility list (as Synology does for M.2 NVMe), when it is on that list. Parts that fit physically but are not on a required list are shown separately and labelled. Parts that depend on a detail Synology does not publish are labelled “fit not confirmed”. Anything that does not fit is left out. Our methodology explains each step.
Sources for the DS1525+: www.synology.com (read 2026-10-05); www.synology.com (read 2026-10-05); www.synology.com (read 2026-10-05); kb.synology.com (read 2026-10-05); www.synology.com (read 2026-10-05).
Current offers: the drives, memory and NVMe that pass these rules, with Amazon.ca prices, are on the best drives for the DS1525+ page and its memory and NVMe pages.
The Synology drive policy on the DS1525+
with a caveatPartly open, like the DS925+. Since DSM 7.3 (8 October 2025) third-party hard drives and SATA SSDs are unrestricted again; only M.2 NVMe stays tied to the Synology list.
The DS1525+ at a glance
| Bays | 5 × 3.5-inch SATA and 2.5-inch SATA SSD |
|---|---|
| Maximum raw capacity | 120 TB 5 × 24 TB, per the manufacturer |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) |
| Memory | 8 GB, DDR4 ECC SO-DIMM (2 slots) 32 GB official, ECC |
| M.2 NVMe | 2 slots 2 × M.2 NVMe. For both cache and storage pool Synology still requires a listed NVMe drive. |
| Network | 2 × 2.5GbE, expandable to 10GbE with the E10G22-T1-Mini |
| Operating system | DSM 7.3 or newer |
| 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 DS1525+ capacity calculator is preset to its 5 bays and RAID types. For the DS1525+, the wider basics of choosing a drive are in the buying guides, and CMR versus SMR explains why SMR drives do not belong in a RAID array. Wondering what the DS1525+ can actually do: Plex, Immich, Docker, VMs? See what the DS1525+ can run.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put third-party drives in the DS1525+?
Yes. Since DSM 7.3 (8 October 2025) the DS1525+ accepts third-party hard drives and 2.5-inch SATA SSDs for new storage pools; only M.2 NVMe still has to come from Synology's list.
Which drives fit the DS1525+?
The DS1525+ takes any 3.5-inch SATA and 2.5-inch SATA SSD drive; use a CMR NAS family rated for 24/7 duty such as IronWolf, WD Red Plus or Toshiba N300. On its 2 × 2.5GbE, expandable to 10GbE with the E10G22-T1-Mini, a 7200 rpm Pro drive is worth the premium in the DS1525+.
How much capacity is usable in the DS1525+?
In the DS1525+, 5 × 8 TB in SHR gives about 29.10 TiB usable and survives 1 drive failing; the balance is parity.
Can the DS1525+ run Plex with hardware transcoding?
No hardware transcode. The DS1525+'s AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 8 threads) has no integrated GPU, so Plex must transcode in software: fine for direct play and one light stream, not for multiple 4K streams. For hardware transcoding at this level, an Intel-based NAS with Quick Sync is the better choice.
Is a Pro drive worth it in the DS1525+?
Yes. The DS1525+'s 2 × 2.5GbE, expandable to 10GbE with the E10G22-T1-Mini can carry the extra throughput of a 7200 rpm Pro drive, and in a 5-bay array that speed is real, not theoretical.
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)