As of September 2025, the current stable version of DSM stands at DSM 7.2.2-72806 Update 4, which was released on July 25, 2025. This update focused on security fixes and stability improvements, but with DSM 7.2 approaching its end of maintenance phase in December 2025, my personal speculation is rife about what comes next: a minor patch like 7.2.3, a mid-cycle upgrade to 7.3, or a major leap to DSM 8. Community discussions indicate that DSM 8 is on the horizon, with a beta release planned for Q4 2025 (October-December) and a full rollout in 2026.

Synology restricted compatibility to its own branded or certified drives starting with DSM 7, a policy that intensified with 2025 NAS models for better reliability and performance. However, in a recent statement from September 2025, Synology confirmed ongoing discussions with manufacturers to reinstate official support for third-party HDDs in the future.

Adding intrigue, a recent leak from a mariushosting Facebook group discussion claims a policy shift in mid-October 2025. According to the author’s post, Synology will release a DSM update enabling all desktop 25-series models to create storage pools with third-party HDDs in mid-October 2025. The source cites unofficial insights from R&D contacts.

📝Note: Treat this information as a rumor for now. Users eyeing 25-series devices might proceed cautiously and monitor for updates.

This post was updated on Wednesday / September 24th, 2025 at 11:34 AM