AOOSTAR announced that the WTR MAX NAS will soon hit the market, after almost a year of development. The WTR MAX is equipped with the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8845HS processor, which outperforms consumer grade 8845HS series, a good choice from AOOSTAR. Another interesting feature is the ECC (Error Correcting Code) memory support. However, there's another feature that stands out as well. Users can install no less than 11 drives in the WTR MAX NAS: five SSDs (three PCIe 4.0 X2.0 and two PCIe 4.0 X1.0) and six HDDs, making it ideal for those needing large storage capacity. AOOSTAR included Oculink and USB4 ports too, so you can plug in an external GPU or more storage options.

Specifications are complemented by two 10G Ethernet ports and two 2.5G Ethernet ports. On the front, you'll find USB4, Type-C, and SD card slots. The NAS comes with its own screen to keep an eye on the system in real time. You can check things like how hot the CPU is, how the memory's doing, and how well the drives are working. Also, you can pick from different themes for the display - default, cartoon style, and cyberpunk (they're planning to add more themes and options in the future). AOOSTAR is going to start selling the WTR MAX NAS at the end of March for just $699.

QNAP Systems, Inc. today released QuTScloud c5.2, the latest version of its Cloud NAS operating system. This update introduces Security Center, a proactive security application that monitors Cloud NAS file activities and defends against ransomware threats. Additionally, QuTScloud c5.2 provides extensive optimizations, streamlining operations and management for a more seamless user experience.

QuTScloud Cloud NAS revolutionizes enterprise data storage and management. By deploying a QuTScloud image on virtual machines, businesses can flexibly implement Cloud NAS on public cloud platforms or virtualization environments. With a subscription-based pricing model starting at just US $4.99 per month, users can allocate resources efficiently and optimize costs.

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading innovator in computing, networking, and storage solutions, has unveiled the TS-h1277AFX, a 12-bay tower all-flash NAS designed to meet the rigorous demands of multimedia production and virtualization. Powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 9000 Series processor, the TS-h1277AFX can be upgraded to 25GbE via expansion cards for high-speed data access. Combining exceptional performance and capacity, it serves as a centralized hub for storage, backup, and disaster recovery, making it an ideal choice for dynamic and collaborative work environments.

"All-flash NAS solutions are crucial for media professionals," said Alex Shih, Product Manager of QNAP, adding "the TS-h1277AFX delivers low-latency, multi-user access that optimizes collaboration workflows. It provides an excellent price-to-performance ratio for creative teams, enabling seamless 4K/8K media transfers, real-time editing, and secure file management."

Beelink has launched its new ME Series storage devices stepping into the private cloud storage market. The ME Series aims to protect personal data and preserve family memories for home and individual users. The product line offers three models: ME mini, ME Pro, and ME MAX, to suit different storage needs and uses. The first to be launched in Beelink ME mini, a tiny NAS device that weighs 730 grams and has dimensions of 99 × 99.2 × 98.3 mm. It has a built-in power supply, so it doesn't need an external adapter. It features six M.2 SSD slots, each can hold up to 4 TB giving a total capacity of 24 TB. The model equipped with storage units uses Crucial-brand SSDs.

Also, the ME mini comes with a special WIN-NAS storage service. This lets you connect to the NAS straight from your phone when you're on the same network making it easy to share files between your phone and computer. The Beelink ME Mini features an X86 processor architecture and dual 2.5 Gbps Ethernet ports, making it ideal for various applications such as NAS, virtual machines, HTPC (Home Theater Personal Computer), cloud storage, and data backup. The ME mini, the first product in the Beelink ME Series, is scheduled to debut in mid-March as a solution for everyday home and personal data management. Pricing information is yet to be revealed.

AOOSTAR is a relatively well-known brand of mini PCs and eGPUs. The WTR Pro is hardly any different from a mini PC, although its hefty four-bay storage capacity allows it to function as a decently well-equipped home NAS as well. Folks who are interested in the system will be pleased to know that the system has now been upgraded with Intel's six-watt N150 processor. Of course, the quad-core N150 "Twin Lake" processor is far from a performance-class product, although it does offer enough computing grunt to allow the system to push through non-intensive workloads well enough, outpacing the N100 chip that the WTR Pro previously rocked by a small margin.

The rest of the WTR Pro appears mostly unchanged, boasting room for four 3.5-inch drives and a single M.2 2280 SSD slot. A single SODIMM slot is also present, which can accommodate up to 32 GB of DDR4-3200 memory according to AOOSTAR, although the N150 processor is officially rated for a maximum 16 GB of memory only. The dual 2.5 G LAN ports should be enough for a small home networking setup, and the rest of the ports on offer are pretty decent as well, including dual USB 3.0 Type-A, dual USB 2.0 Type-A, USB-C, microSD, DisplayPort, HDMI 2.1and an audio jack. The system is already available for purchase on Amazon, with a price of $339 (after a $30 coupon) for the N150-powered variant with no memory or storage.

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading innovator in computing, networking, and storage solutions, today officially launched the QDA-UMP4A adapter. This adapter allows users to install an M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD into a 2.5-inch U.2 (SFF-8639) PCIe NVMe SSD slot of a QNAP NAS.

QNAP Product Manager Andy Chuang stated: "The QDA-UMP4A is ideal for users who need versatile drive options for various scenarios, from enterprise applications to multimedia workloads. Users can boost data-heavy applications with QNAP's U.2 SSD-based flagship all-flash NAS models."

The X86-P6 is a freshly unveiled mini PC that primarily aims to function as a NAS or a local backup. The system is powered by up to an Intel Core N355 processor, sitting at the top of Intel's Alder Lake-N product lineup. Packing 8 cores and 8 threads, the N355 is no small fry and packs enough computing grunt to push through moderately intensive workloads without an issue. However, the primary selling point for the system, unsurprisingly, is its storage at networking capabilities.

With dual 2.5G LAN, the X86-P6 packs enough networking prowess for a small home office or backup setup. The system also packs four M.2 2280 slots - albeit limited to only a single PCIe 3.0 lane (1 GB/s) per SSD when utilizing all the SSDs, which should theoretically be enough to saturate the system's networking capabilities. Apart from the LAN, the system also sports dual HDMI 2.0 ports, dual USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, as well as an M.2 B-key slot for wireless network modules.

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading computing, and storage solutions innovator, has expanded its diverse portfolio of short-depth NAS products designed for edge storage. The new 1U short-depth rackmount 4-bay 2.5GbE NAS TS-h765eU features a shorter chassis depth and is perfect for small media cabinets and wall-mounted network racks in space-constrained office environments or industrial settings. The TS-h765eU is a long-term supply model till 2031, making it a reliable NAS choice for organizations planning long-term projects or multi-site deployments.

The TS-h765eU combines robust performance, multitasking capabilities, and great I/O expandability to meet diverse application requirements. It features the latest Intel Atom x7000C Series processor, supports built-in 8 GB DDR5 RAM, upgradable to 16 GB (In-Band ECC), has dual 2.5GbE ports, and provides four 3.5-inch SATA drive bays and three E1.S/M.2 PCIe NVMe slots for installing E1.S/M.2 2280 SSDs to enhance read/write performance or upgrading to 10GbE using E1.S interface network modules. Running the ZFS-based QuTS hero operating system, the TS-h765eU prioritizes data integrity, immutability with WORM protection, and powerful data reduction.

The newly unveiled GMK G9 is not here to set any records in terms of raw performance. However, it does pack a different trick up its sleeve - impressive storage capabilities, allowing for its use as an affordable NAS. GMK has not revealed any price or availability details as of now, although Liliputing did manage to dig up a retailer listing which reveals that the G1 mini PC will start at an affordable $289 for the base variant with 12 GB of memory and no SSD storage, whereas the same unit with 512 GB of storage will command an extra $30.

The GMK G9 is powered by Intel's N150 processor - a slightly higher-clocked version of the N100, which packs a total of four cores and four threads, a boost clock of 3.6 GHz, and a modest 6-watt TDP. As mentioned previously, the G1 is by no means a performance system, and packs just enough computing grunt to function as a lightweight daily driver or a NAS. The system can be equipped with up to 12 GB of LPDDR5-4800 memory and 64 GB of eMMC storage. To justify its NAS credentials, the G1 packs a whopping four M.2 2280 slots, allowing for a maximum of 32 TB of SSD storage. The port selection is plenty decent as well, including a USB-C port, triple USB-A ports, dual HDMI ports, a 3.5 mm audio jack, and of course, dual 2.5G RJ-45 LAN ports. For the price and the features offered, the G1 sure does like a commendable choice for a nifty little home server.

Minisforum, a leader in innovative compact computing solutions, is thrilled to announce its participation in CES 2025, the world's premier technology showcase. Minisforum will unveil two game-changing products: the AI X1 Mini PC and the N5 Pro NAS as part of its commitment to pushing technological boundaries.

Minisforum AI X1 Mini PC: Where AI Meets Compact Computing
The Minisforum AI X1 Mini PC sets a new benchmark in miniaturized computing, leveraging the latest AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, the NO.1 Low Power Efficiency Chip. Designed for seamless AI integration, it utilizes cutting-edge features such as:

• Copilot AI Compatibility: Elevating productivity and optimizing workflows with intelligent AI integration.
• 60+ FPS 3 A Gaming: Powered by the AMD Radeon 890M, delivering smooth, high-quality visuals.
• Versatile Extension Support: Featuring Dual USB4 and Oculink for enhanced connectivity and expansion.

At CES this year, UGREEN was showing off two new NAS models, the NASync iDX6011 and the iDX6011 Pro, with the i in the model name seemingly denoting that both models are using Intel Core Ultra processors. The basic design builds on last years NASync models and the UGOS Pro operating system, but with several added features that may or may not appeal to the target audience. The common feature set between the two models is six 3.5-inch drive bays and a pair of M.2 slots that can be used for either storage or as a cache for the mechanical drives. Both models are expected to ship with 32 GB of RAM as standard and can be expanded to 64 GB and both of them also supports a PCIe 4.0 x8 expansion card slot, although at this point it's not clear what that slot can be used for. As with the already launched NASync models, the two new SKUs will come with the OS installed on a 128 GB SSD.

Where things get interesting is on the connectivity side of things, as both models sports dual 10 Gbps Ethernet ports, what is said to be an 8K capable HDMI port, a pair of USB 3.2 (10 Gbps) ports, two USB 2.0 ports and an SD 4.0 card slot. However, the NASync iDX6011 comes with a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports around the front, although it's not clear if it can be used as a DAS using these ports, or if they simply act as virtual network ports. The iDX6011 Pro on the other hand, sports two USB Type-C ports around the front—as well as a small status LCD display—in favour of an OCuLink port around the back. The OCuLink port is capable of up to 64 Gbps of bandwidth, compared to 40 Gbps for the Thunderbolt 4 ports. It's currently not know what the OCuLink port can be used for, but it's more or less an external PCIe interface. It's also unknown what type of AI or LLM features the two new NASync devices will support, but it's clear they'll rely on the capabilities of the Intel processors they're built around. No pricing was announced at CES and the NASync iDX6011 is expected to launch sometime in the second quarter this year, with the NASync iDX6011 Pro launching in the third quarter. We should also note that the NASync iDX6011 Pro wasn't on display at CES, hence the renders below.

UGREEN introduced new products at CES 2024 including a high-wattage charger, and a Thunderbolt 5 dock. The company revealed its Nexode 500 W desktop charger, which can power six devices (about five average laptops) simultaneously. Its highest-capacity port delivers 240 W through USB Power Delivery 3.1, enough to charge demanding devices including e-bikes. The charger uses GaN technology to achieve its power output while maintaining a desktop-friendly size.

UnifyDrive's participation at CES 2025 marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of portable data storage, as the company unveiled the UP6, the world's first AI-equipped portable tablet NAS. Met with overwhelming acclaim, attendees praised the UP6 as a leap forward in portable data storage, combining intuitive file organization, performance, and Artificial Intelligence to meet the demands of creators, businesses, and modern consumers.

Powered by Intel Core Ultra Processor and integrated with a Large Language Model (LLM), the UP6 has reshaped how users interact with their data. The device's ability to enable natural language searches, retrieve local data, and restore and enhance images resonated strongly with attendees. Many praised its potential to revolutionize productivity workflows, with one industry analyst describing it as "a fundamental change in smart storage solutions."

UGREEN, a leading innovator in consumer electronics, is due to showcase its latest innovations at CES 2025 under the theme of "Activate the Possibility of AI." The highlight of the event will be the unveiling of the highly anticipated NASync iDX6011 and NASync iDX6011 Pro devices, which are from the cutting-edge AI NAS lineup of the NASync series. Alongside these groundbreaking products, the Nexode 500 W 6-Port GaN Desktop Fast Charger and the Revodok Max 2131 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station will also take center stage.

The NASync series AI NAS models are set to redefine expectations with integrated large language models (LLMs) for advanced natural language processing and AI-driven interactive capabilities. Powered by cutting-edge Intel Core Ultra Processors, the iDX6011 and iDX6011 Pro deliver unmatched performance, enabling seamless functionality and exceptional AI applications. These models build on the success of earlier NASync series products, such as the NASync DXP models, which garnered widespread attention and raised over $6.6 million during a Kickstarter campaign in March 2024.

Synology at the 2025 International CES showcased updates to its popular consumer network storage products, beginning with one for its popular BeeStorage line of flash-based personal cloud devices. The new BeeStation Plus comes with 8 TB of flash-based storage—double that of the original BeeStation from 2023—and updated system hardware that includes an Intel Celeron J4125 processor with 4 GB of DDR4 memory, USB 3.2 Gen 2 type-A and type-C ports; and an updated software frontend, including the BeeProtect software that makes snapshots and other forms of backups of your machine. The device continues to lack Wi-Fi, and relies on wired Ethernet to connect to the network.

Next up, the company showed off a couple of its entry-level desktop NAS solutions under the DiskStation brand, the DS224+ (2-bay), and the DS423+ (4-bay). Both feature SATA 6 Gbps drive bays, and you can expand storage using any USB mass-storage device that plugs into its 5 Gbps USB 3.2 port. The DS224+ comes with two 1 GbE interfaces. Under the hood are a Celeron J4125 processor backed by 6 GB of DDR4 memory. The DS423+ can hold up to 72 TB of storage, and besides the four SATA 6 Gbps bays, has two M.2-2280 slots with Gen 3 wiring. The NAS can access any of its drives at up to 226 MB/s reads, with up to 224 MB/s writes. Networking interfaces include a pair of 1 GbE. Lastly, the company showcased a series of "direct-to-cloud" WLAN and PoE surveillance cameras under the C2 Camera series.

QSAN Technology Inc., a leading provider of innovative storage solutions, is thrilled to announce the latest update to its enterprise NAS product line with enterprise unified storage manager - QSM 4, designed to set new standards for performance and management. The XN8100R and XN5100R series (single controller models) now deliver significantly enhanced capabilities for today's data-intensive business environments.

Enhanced Performance for Greater Efficiency with Enterprise NAS
QSAN's XCubeNAS models with the newly developed QFS (QSAN File System) demonstrate up to 10x faster data access than QSM 3 models. The high-core models of the XN8100R series work with SD4 NVMe SSD to further optimize latency and IOPS, delivering exceptional responsiveness and high-speed data access.

Following the enthusiastic market response and positive reviews of the revolutionary Flashstor series NAS, ASUSTOR Inc. has released all-new all-M.2 SSD NAS, the Flashstor Gen2 series, which includes both the Flashstor 6 Gen2 and Flashstor 12 Pro Gen2. The Flashstor Gen2 series brings radical hardware upgrades to meet the demands of enthusiasts and professionals. The Flashstor Gen2 series brand new hardware to achieve ultimate performance. The new Flashstor Gen2 series is powered by AMD's 6 nm Quad-Core Ryzen Embedded V3C14 which clocks up to 3.8 GHz. This new CPU delivers efficient, yet high performance, which along with high-speed I/O connectivity enables you to make the most out of your ASUSTOR NAS.

The Flashstor Gen2 series come with 10-Gigabit Ethernet, dual USB4 ports in an ASUSTOR first. USB4 is so fast, that it helps to fully unleash the high speeds offered by the M.2 SSDs. The USB4 ports are also compatible with Thunderbolt devices, as well as direct attach technology, extended possibilities that surpass the imagination of professionals and creators.

QNAP Systems, Inc. today reaffirmed its commitment to product reliability and customer satisfaction by announcing long-term support (LTS) for its QTS 5.2 and QuTS hero h5.2 operating systems. This initiative is part of QNAP's rigorous software product version lifecycle management policy, which is designed to help users effectively manage their IT infrastructure with predictability and ease.

"As technology evolves, so does the need for a stable and reliable IT environment," said Tim Lin, Product Manager of QNAP. "By providing long-term support for QNAP NAS operating systems, we ensure that our users can continue to depend on QNAP products for their critical data storage needs without concern for frequent major upgrades or compatibility issues."

Other World Computing (OWC), a trusted leader in delivering high-performance, secure, and sustainable technology solutions that enhance and extend the life of Macs and PCs, today announced it is making it easier than ever for Mac users to maximize their devices' performance with the OWC 10G Ethernet Adapter, delivering lightning-fast 10G Ethernet connectivity to any Mac with Thunderbolt (USB-C), including the latest M4 series. The plug-and-play adapter offers a high-performance, reliable solution for Mac models without built-in 10G Ethernet - allowing users to connect at 10G speeds and leverage faster local networks and network-attached storage (NAS).

To complement this upgrade, Other World Computing offers its OWC Thunderbolt Pro Dock, which transforms any workspace with versatile port expansion and 10G Ethernet capabilities. The Thunderbolt Pro Dock - with the ability to power a Mac laptop and add essential ports through a single Thunderbolt cable - is the ideal accessory for users needing high-speed network connectivity and streamlined connectivity for multiple devices.

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading computing and storage solutions innovator, today unveiled the compact 1U rackmount 4-bay NAS TS-433eU, which offers small to midsize businesses and organizations an affordable edge storage and backup solution. With a sleek 1U design and a depth only of 11.51 inches (292.3 mm), the TS-433eU easily fits into space-constrained environments. "The TS-433eU offers more than just reliable backup and restore capabilities. Its NPU-empowered processor, 2.5GbE connectivity, and USB storage expansion work together seamlessly in AI-powered photo management, Docker container applications, and surveillance system deployment, meeting diverse business needs" said Jerry Deng, Product Manager at QNAP.

The TS-433eU features four 3.5-inch SATA 6 Gb/s drive bays, fulfilling business demands in storage, file sharing, synchronization, and data protection for boosted daily work productivity. It also supports efficient backup from various sources, including PCs, servers, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365. Users can also enable remote backup to another NAS or the immutable myQNAPcloud Storage. Snapshots offers comprehensive data protection and recovery, safeguarding against ransomware threats. Additionally, users can run Docker containers on the TS-433eU to deploy various microservices, or create a video surveillance system to safeguard working environments.

Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ: STX) (the "Company" or "Seagate"), a leading innovator of mass-capacity data storage, today reported financial results for its fiscal first quarter ended September 27, 2024. "Seagate is off to an outstanding start to the fiscal year, highlighted by gross margin expanding to the highest level in more than a decade," said Dave Mosley, Seagate's chief executive officer.

"We executed on our plans to aggressively ramp our 28-terabyte nearline drives and broaden the number of cloud customers entering qualification on HAMR-based Mozaic products. We are excited by the strong product momentum which positions us well to address customer demand while delivering profitable growth. Our confidence in Seagate's future opportunities is reflected in the decision to raise the quarterly dividend as announced today," Mosley concluded.

More than just storage, Western Digital HDDs are key enablers for businesses looking to optimize their infrastructure, lower TCO and future-proof their data strategies. Constantly innovating to meet the needs of our data-driven world, Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC) today announced that it is now shipping the world's highest capacity UltraSMR HDD with up to 32 TB leveraging the time-tested, reliable energy-assisted PMR (ePMR) recording technology for hyperscalers, CSPs and enterprises. For those who want a drop-in ready HDD for today's data-intensive workloads, the company is also now shipping the world's highest-capacity ePMR CMR HDD with up to 26 TB for enterprise and channel customers. With the world's first commercially available 11-disk design and field-proven technology, these new drives reinforce Western Digital's commitment to delivering HDD technology that raises the bar on capacity, reliability and innovation.

The AI Data Cycle has emerged as a growth driver for the storage industry. As AI systems become more sophisticated, they process and generate vast amounts of data that must be stored efficiently. HDDs play a crucial role in this ecosystem, handling both the input side, where data is gathered, ingested and stored, and the output side, where AI content is generated and preserved. This dual role positions HDDs as a linchpin in the AI Data Cycle, ensuring that data is available when needed and stored with the lowest TCO.

It's finally here! ASUSTOR NAS devices with AMD Ryzen CPUs have finally launched! With four to ten drive bays; the Lockerstor Gen3 series arrives with both flexibility and performance. The Lockerstor Gen3 series is designed for extreme performance while maintaining extreme efficiency. In a first for ASUSTOR, the Lockerstor Gen3 features a Quad-Core AMD Ryzen Embedded SoC that boosts to 3.8 GHz. Take advantage of four to ten drive bays, and four M.2 slots for NVMe SSDs that use PCIe 4.0, dual 10GbE, dual 5GbE, and dual USB4. 16 GB of ECC DDR5-4800 memory that's expandable to 64 GB. This combination of powerful hardware is not only faster, but sets the new performance standard.

The AMD Ryzen V3C14 SoC is built on a 6 nm process for maximum performance and efficiency. At a 25 W maximum TDP, it achieves energy savings even when crunching high-performance tasks. All Lockerstor Gen3 devices are equipped with dual 10GbE and dual 5GbE network ports, with single-port 10 GbE read/write speeds reaching up to 1176 MB/s and 1018 MB/s, while SMB multi-channel performance using RAID 5 can reach up to 2005 MB/s and 1090 MB/s respectively.

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading computing, networking, and storage solution innovator, today announced that it has added support for QuTS hero, QNAP's ZFS-based NAS operating system, to the popular TS-253E and TS-453E NAS models. The TS-x53E series is powered by an Intel Celeron J6412 quad-core processor (burst up to 2.6 GHz), which will be available and supported by QNAP for an extended period (up to 2029).

The 2-bay TS-253E is currently the QNAP NAS model with the fewest drive bays that support QuTS hero. Now small-sized organizations can also benefit from ZFS technologies to optimize applications that require utmost reliability, such as data integrity with features like Self-healing and WORM (Write Once, Read Many Times), snapshots (up to 65,536 versions), and inline data deduplication for maximizing storage efficiency. Businesses also can deploy a zero RPO disaster recovery plan by leveraging real-time SnapSync that achieves real-time data synchronization between two NAS.

Western Digital made a significant change to the way it sells its products, which sees the SanDisk brand return to prominence. The company spun out SanDisk.com as a separate website, with product information, support, and in select regions, online retail, of all its NAND flash-based products, including SSDs, memory cards, USB flash drives, etc. Meanwhile, its main website, WesternDigital.com, now only lists out non-flash products, such as hard disk drives (HDDs), NAS, and other enterprise hardware such as rackmount DAS or NAS.

The decision splits WD's portfolio vertically, regardless of market. SanDisk now includes both client- and enterprise flash-based products, while Western Digital covers both enterprise, SMB, and client HDDs, including HDDs with gamer centric WD_Black branding. Meanwhile, the SanDisk website includes all of Western Digital's flash-based products, including SSDs and portable SSDs that retain the Western Digital brand. So, the easiest way to understand this split would be: if it has disks that spin, find them on WesternDigital.com, and if it's solid-state, find it on SanDisk.com.