While its mannequin quantity makes it seem to be a step backward from the F2-220 I reviewed nearly three years ago, the all-new and super-affordable TerraMaster F2-210 boasts a extra mature working system and a broader app ecosystem, to not point out the snappiest performing net person interface I’ve seen.
While its sustained write speeds are a tad off the tempo, The F2-210 delivers top-notch studying and media streaming—and it’s road priced at simply $150 (with out drives).
This evaluation is a part of TechHive’s protection of the best NAS boxes for media streaming and client backup, the place you’ll discover critiques of competing merchandise, plus a purchaser’s information to the options you need to take into account when procuring.
Design and options
The F2-210 is a two-bay, front-loading field working TerraMaster’s personal TOS working system. When I say “TerraMaster’s own,” I imply its personal taste of Linux, the working system that each one the highest distributors depend on for core software program options. The field is constructed largely from plastic as are most bins on this value vary, nevertheless it’s painted in numerous shades of silver to present the impression of steel. Metal or no, it’s solidly constructed, and with arduous drives inside, suitably steady. The fan can also be very quiet, virtually disturbingly so in case you use sonic clues to find out if mentioned fan remains to be working. (That’s a praise, by the best way)
The unit includes a low-power 1.4GHz, Realtek RTD1296 (ARM Cortex-A53) CPU with 4K UHD video help, and 1GB of reminiscence. On the again of the field you’ll discover the A/C jack, two USB 3.0 ports, and a gigabit ethernet port. There’s no quick-copy port or button on the entrance, as you’ll discover on many end-user-oriented bins, so if that’s a characteristic you want, look elsewhere. If you retain the field out of the best way and duplicate to it from different community places, because the overwhelming majority of customers do, its absence isn’t any huge deal.
The field helps Btrfs for superior options reminiscent of snapshots, and the plain-ol ext4 file system for regular use. AFP (Apple), SMB (Windows), SAMBA, FTP, and WebDav community protocols/entry are supported. The typical administration facilities, reminiscent of energy on/off scheduling and e mail alerts, are all available
Media streaming is now extra versatile, with Emby becoming a member of DLNA and Plex within the ranks of supported media servers. Plex now performs wonderful throughout my native community (it didn’t for a very long time, for causes unknown), however I nonetheless desire DLNA, which is the streaming protocol supported natively by nearly all of TVs, and that doesn’t require creating an account. An iTunes server remains to be supplied, so in case you’re on the lookout for a streaming NAS field, the F2-210 is nearly as good because it will get.
While not full of all the most recent applied sciences, the TerraMaster F2-210 checks all of the bins for the common person as a really reasonably priced media streamer and backup field.
Other functions embody the Transmission BitTorrent client, a textual content editor, a PDF viewer, and ClamAV anti-virus. There are additionally the standard host of business-related applications and programming instruments, reminiscent of Python3, Joomla, SugarCRM, OrangeHRM, IceHRM, PhP, and so forth. If you’re working a small to medium-sized enterprise, these can prevent a ton of money. About the one factor lacking that you just’ll discover included with Synology and QNAP bins is video-surveillance software program. If you could retailer video recorded by your hfome video cameras, check out TerraMaster’s F2-210.
Backup is mostly nicely supplied for with the corporate’s personal easy utility, which handles Rsync to different bins, and backup to native USB drives. The CloudSync utility will sync with OneDrive, Google Drive, and DropBox, and there are separate functions for these cloud-storage companies as nicely. Time Machine is supported for Mac customers. The app retailer additionally gives a obtain hyperlink to Aomei Backupper, a really succesful free desktop backup shopper for Windows.
TerraMaster gives an internet portal and entry from cellular units through its TNAS cellular app. You can use it to again up the information from these units, and as a streaming-media app of medium effectiveness. You must be working TOS 3.0 or later.
There’s nonetheless no assist for automated remote-to-local backup, however you possibly can set up Net2FTP and carry out guide backups through FTP or SFTP. If you’d wish to know why I point out remote-to-local backup assist, learn this article on automating backups without need of third-party desktop backup client software.
The F2-210 advantages from numerous new apps.
The F2-210 additionally presents an internet server and WordPress, however the latter is an older 4.x model and I now not advocate working WordPress except you’re working the most recent model. Why? I used to be ransom-wared lately on one in every of my Synology bins working an excellent later model. I had current backups, but when I hadn’t, the outcomes might’ve been tragic.
If you do need to run the self-hosting danger to save lots of the small amount of money giant on-line internet hosting companies cost, then be sure that there are not any necessary information on the field and preserve the positioning backed up. That’s recommendation for all NAS bins, that are invariably nicely behind the curve with WordPress, PHP, and database updates and fixes.
Performance
When studying or streaming information, the F2-210 was quick at anyplace from 110MBps to 117MBps on CrystalDiskMark. That’s a bit extra erratic than most, however 118MBps is concerning the restrict for gigabit ethernet it doesn’t matter what the field.
The F2-210’s learn efficiency is excellent, and the write efficiency is suitable, however the windows-in-a-web-browser GUI is snappier than any I’ve seen. The default theme is reasonably natural for a tech system—the field doesn’t run on cider.
When writing sustained information, the F2-210 proved on the sluggish facet, scoring anyplace from 87MBps to 104MBps. That’s hardly tragic, however one of the best bins will write 15MBps or so sooner and extra persistently at that tempo. But high bins price twice as a lot as this one does. The F2-210’s efficiency is greater than sufficient for house use and streaming, and it’s excellent contemplating it’s one of many most cost-effective two-bay bins out there.
While the writing could also be a tad sluggish at time, the net interface is the snappiest I’ve run throughout. With most others, I generally really feel as if I’ve gone again to the efficiency of a decade in the past. With the F2-210, I generally overlook it’s truly working in a browser.
An wonderful worth in networked storage
Considering the worth and low power-consumption CPU, I’ve solely reward for the F2-210. It delivers excellent efficiency the place you want it, and it has all of the options the overwhelming majority of customers want. I used to be particularly impressed by the velocity of the net browser interface.