Synology Certified Refurbished NAS – Get Old Gen and Pre-Owned NAS Cheaper!

Synology Certified Refurbished NAS – DS920+ and More Made Available Again

I think it would be fair to say that some Synology NAS hardware ends up being more popular than others.  Despite the bulk of Synology Diskstation and Rackstation solutions arriving with the same DSM software onboard, there is definitely a few items in Synology’s old/new portfolio that are more popular than others. This can be for reasons of price point, hardware, scalability or just that they arrive on the scene at JUST the right time! Probably one of the best examples of this is the Synology DS920+ 4-Bay NAS Drive. Released in July 2020, despite a few cross words about network connectivity, it debuted to largely universal praise – plus it’s well-balanced launch price and good CPU choice for that launch window resulted in it becoming a consistently successful system (if you are reading this @RJ, I know you crunched the numbers of Reddit on this a bit too!). So, when the Synology DS923+ launched at the end of 2022 with a dual-core CPU that seemed more ‘business’ than ‘pleasure, expensive to upgrade ECC memory and 1GbE – it seemed that most of it’s main strengths were arguably behind spending more money on upgrades (NVMe Pools, expansions, 32GB max will cost more than the system in ECC modules and 10GbE). That isn’t to say that the DS923+ is a bad NAS – far from it! Indeed, as I mention in my review here, it has clearly shifted the focus a little more towards business users – but does so incredibly confidently! Nevertheless, there was QUITE ALOT of users who really, REALLY wished they had jumped on the ‘DS920+ NAS’ train before it got refreshed. This was even further exacerbated when Synology launched the DS423+ NAS earlier in 2023, which seemed to be a ‘DS920+’ with it’s wings clipped. So, that is why I was so, so pleased for many users when I saw that the Synology DS920+ NAS product page was re-listed on the official Synology Website.

HOWEVER, this is not the same as the original. The key difference is the mention of this being a refurbished Synology DS920+ NAS. Of course, it’s well-known that Synology hold back a % of their older gen hardware after a device is refreshed periodically in their portfolio – for repairs, replacement and/or testing. However, this is the first time I have seen the brand so overt in selling refurbished devices, especially in their own 1st party regional stores (not redirecting through a reseller or local eShop. So, what is the Synology Certified Refurbished Scheme? Should You Care and is this one of the last places you might get hold of a Synology DS920+ NAS outside of the usual 2nd hand sites?

Note, you can use the links below to check the Synology Store closest to you:

Check the Synology Store Locations using the links below and check the ‘Explore Synology Certified Refurbished Products‘ section 1 page scroll down Synology Store UK – CHECK HERE Synology Store EU – CHECK HERE Synology Store U.S – CHECK HERE

What Makes a Synology Certified Refurbished NAS Different from Craigslist, eBay or Facebook Marketplace Used NAS?

It is not like old-generation Synology hardware just disappears into the ether when a newer model is released. Indeed, many smaller scale users will sell off their older generation system to pay towards their new one, like most household/office hardware – with the added benefit of a Synology NAS system that the HDDs, Storage Pools, Volumes and whole configuration can be migrated over to a newer system in most cases – so keeping the older gen box is really useful as a gift to a friend/family/colleague OR as another tier in your 3-2-1 Backup. So, with that in mind, what exactly sets a Synology Certified Refurbished Synology DS920+ NAS apart from just buying one that is 2nd hand/ex.Display from pre-owned sites like eBay, Gumtree, Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace? Well, according to Synology’s own page here:

• Refurbishment of a Synology NAS will be conducted by in-house experts, cleaning and preserving what is working, whilst replacing and testing new parts and accessories with official parts as per the original spec/build
• Purchasing a Synology Certified Refurbished solution results includes the original full, length hardware warranty, e.g. in the case of the Synology DS920+, A refurbished NAS arrives with the same 3-Year hardware warranty that a new device would, valid from the date you receive it
• Refurbished Synology NAS arrive with 30-Days of no-quibble return
• Free Shipping if the order is over $200 (so, practically any NAS, realistically)

• Orders are made via Synology’s own eShop – not a third party, so you are getting a refurbished NAS directly from the brand itself.
• You will not have to pay above the RRP or accepted value and in most cases less than a new system. This is also very appealing for high-demand but low-stock NAS like the Synology DS920+, which can currently change hands for $700+ online new and even $500+ 2nd hand

So, there are alot of advantages to choosing a certified Synology Refurbished NAS compared with going to 2nd hand sites online. That said, it is also worth highlighting that there are a few disadvantages worth highlighting:

• Stock and Availability of Certified Synology Repaired NAS solutions is going to be incredibly inconsistent and is going to involve a decent amount of luck and timing to get a good unit!
• You can ONLY purchase a Certified and Refurbished Synology NAS from a Synology Store IN YOUR OWN REGION. So, if you see a refurbished NAS in the United Kingdom Store, ONLY residents of the UK can buy it (as they will only ship locally)

Overall, I am really happy that Synology has opened up the option to users to buy officially refurbished and repaired NAS’ from their own outlet. Even if you overlook that this allows users to buy their own NAS with DSM at a lower price (still very good), it also reduces waste and makes private NAS ownership just that little step further towards environmentally sustainable too!

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Can I still Buy the Synology DS920+ NAS in Other Shops online in 2023?

As mentioned earlier, the Synology Certified Refurbishment area of their online store is not the only place you can buy a Synology DS920+ NAS. Occasionally pockets of stock might appear at distribution, stock might appear in small quantities in smaller sales regions where older generation boxes tend to hand around longer, or there is always the 2nd hand sites! One issue is that, due to the raised demand of the DS920+ NAS in 2023, the price point a new unit goes for is noticeably higher (see below).

You can use the boxes below to check several retailers in your region to see if they have the Synology DS920+ NAS in stock. Alternatively, underneath, you can find the Deal Watching tool that Ed made that checks NAS deals daily to see if any refurbished or pre-owned Synology DS920+ NAS systems have become available in your Amazon Seller listings:

DEAL WATCH – Is It On Offer Right Now? These Offers are Checked Daily

 

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