Platform choice

Synology SHR or RAID 5?

Compare flexible mixed-drive planning with a conventional equal-drive RAID layout through the actual expansion path you expect to use.

Best fit

Synology SHR

Synology owners who expect staged upgrades or may combine supported drive sizes.

  • • Capacity depends on the exact drive combination.
  • • Expansion rules must be checked before purchase.
  • • Platform support and compatibility still apply.

Best fit

RAID 5

Equal-drive arrays where conventional parity capacity math and layout expectations are preferred.

  • • Usable capacity follows the smallest participating drive.
  • • Future capacity growth may require multiple replacements.
  • • Single parity is not backup.

Decision rule

Write down current and future drive sizes, then use Synology’s official calculator and expansion documentation before choosing a drive purchase sequence.

Build the baseline first

Sources and scope

Last reviewed 2026-07-13. This page separates the decision it supports from the facts that still require a platform or model-specific check.

Applies to

Synology owners comparing supported SHR and RAID layouts.

Does not cover

Other vendors or every possible mixed-drive arrangement.

Synology drive replacement and expansion guidancePlatform-specific conditions for capacity changes after drive replacement.Open source ↗Synology RAID CalculatorCapacity estimation for supported Synology drive combinations.Open source ↗