Specifications

This NAS is equipped with a quad-core Celeron CPU with a burst frequency of 2.24 GHz. This might be a weak CPU for PCs running Windows, but it is quite strong for a NAS and consumes very little energy, which is of immense importance to applications that are run around the clock, and it includes a hardware encryption engine, which allows for high performance with encrypted file transfers.

There are initially a total of 4 GB of RAM you can upgrade to 8 GB. Again, for the needs of a NAS server that runs a proprietary Linux distribution, 4 GB is more than enough to see most tasks through. The eight bays allow for a ton of storage, and given how affordable HDDs currently are, utilizing them all won't be a problem.

In an effort to increase throughput, Asustor installed four Gigabit Ethernet ports. However, you will have to use a compatible switch with the Link Aggregation Protocol (LACP) in order to enjoy the high transfer speeds the AS6208 is capable of. The other I /O ports are several USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports, a couple eSATA ports, a single HDMI 1.4a port, and an S/PDIF port.

The surveillance capabilities of the AS6208 are pretty good since it supports up to 25 IP cameras, and the best part of it is that it comes with four free camera licenses. Most NAS servers only come with one or two free camera licenses, while Asustor usually ships its product with four.

This NAS is pretty large because of its eight bays, and it does weigh more than is usually the case. According to Asustor, the AS6208 consumes around 60 W while operating. That number is cut in half in hibernation mode. We will take our own measurements in order to provide you with accurate readings for more usage scenarios. A couple 120 mm fans keep the NAS and its HDDs cool. Finally, there is the provided warranty of three years and price of just under 1k. Without a doubt a pretty stiff price, you do get a powerful NAS with eight HDD bays.