Introduction

We would like to thank QNAP for supplying the review sample.



The fresh TS-451+ uses a much stronger four-core CPU and comes in two versions with either 2 GB and 8 GB of memory, while its predecessor uses a dual-core CPU and features either 1 GB or 4 GB. Considering the TS-451's high performance, these changes alone show potential. Another major, visual difference between the older and newer version is the black finish since the older TS-451 has a white finish. Some of you, including ourselves, would prefer the white finish still; however, QNAP apparently sought to visually set the new version apart from its predecessor.

The TS-451+ caters to enthusiast home users, which is why it not only has an HDMI port, but an IR remote control to easily control it through HD Station and via its built-in IR receiver. Its Intel CPU can also easily handle up to 1080p multimedia content, and its HDMI port allows it to pass 7.1 channel audio on to your home theater's amplifier. The TS-451+ even transcodes Full HD videos on the fly should you want to stream to such devices as smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs. Another interesting feature of this NAS is that you can expand its capacity with a UX-800P expansion unit for up to 12 HDDs, though the TS-451 is also compatible with the UX-800P.

Like all mid- and high-end NAS servers from QNAP, the TS-451+ uses QNAP's QvPC technology, so connect it to a monitor and plug in a keyboard and a mouse and you can use it as a normal PC with Windows or any other operating system and your favorite applications. It might not be a strong PC, especially with a Windows OS, but you will have a ton of storage space at your fingertips. You can also use this NAS as an Internet PC and surf the web through Chrome of Firefox with HD Station or watch multimedia content with Kodi, a media player formerly known as XBMC. As you will have noticed, this small black box hides more than meets the eye, and in this review, we will explore many of its capabilities, along with what new features and upgrades QTS 4.2 has on offer.

Specifications

The new TS-451+ received a CPU upgrade, so while its predecessor, the TS-451, uses a dual-core Intel J1800 CPU, the new model uses a quad-core J1900. RAM was also upgraded, and the basic version of the TS-451+ has 2 GB while there is also an 8 GB version. We will evaluate the 8 GB version in this review.

This NAS can accommodate up to four discs, which makes for 24 TB if you use 6 TB discs before formating them in JBOD, and you can add more storage with QNAP's expansion unit. Networking is taken care of by two Gigabit Ethernet ports that can be teamed, which doubles the bandwidth between the NAS and switch. The other I/O ports include two USB 3.0 ports of which one is at the front of the unit, two USB 2.0 ports, and an HDMI 1.4a port through which you can connect the NAS to a monitor or a TV to exploit its multimedia capabilities. The HDMI port also allows for the NAS to be as a normal PC, through QNAP's QvPC technology.

What left a very good impression on us is the fact that the TS-451+ includes an IR receiver, and QNAP even includes a compatible remote control, which will be of use to those who use the NAS as a multimedia player. Similar to QNAP's older TS-451, the TS-451+ is very compact. The unit uses an external 90 W power brick in order to be as compact. Cooling is handled by a 120 mm fan that uses double ball-bearings, which will have it last for quite a while.

The warranty is two years long; it should be longer in our opinion, but most NAS servers, even high-end ones, come with the same warranty period. Most NAS manufacturers are probably afraid to provide a longer warranty with a product that it is supposed to operate around the clock. At $650, the 8 GB version is quite expensive, while the 2 GB version is $120 cheaper. The price difference for only 6 GB of RAM is very high, especially if we take current RAM prices into account.

Packaging

Although expensive, the NAS comes in a plain box with the only colored thing on it a sticker with some information on its technical specifications, along with a features list. We don't mind the plain box as long as it is sturdy enough to protect its contents well.

Contents & Bundle

A welcome sign will greet after you flip open the top flap. It provides some useful links with the "getting started" one being the most important of all, since it will help you initiate the set-up procedure.


A small box contains all included accessories. These are two Ethernet cables, two sets of screws, and the quick installation guide, along with the remote control you can see in the photos below.


The provided remote control is very small since it only includes a few buttons that are, however, enough to get the job done. It also comes with a battery pre-installed, so you won't have to worry about purchasing a battery separately.


Made by Delta Electronics, currently the largest PSU manufacturer of the world, the power brick is of high quality. Its model number is DPS-90FBA, and it can deliver up to 90 W, which is enough for this NAS.

Exterior

Contrary to the TS-451 we reviewed last year, the TS-451+ features a black finish. To be frank, we liked the white finish of the older model more because it matched the silver frame at its front well. With the TS-451+, the silver frame has been replaced with a glossy black one, which is a fingerprint magnet. A small sticker on top mentions the quad-core CPU, how much RAM this server supports, the hardware transcoding engine, and the ability to run virtual machines on this NAS.


At the front are several LED indicators, the power and copy buttons, and a USB 3.0 port. QNAP doesn't include an LCD screen with their more affordable NAS servers to reduce cost, which most users won't mind.


A sticker on one of two sides includes the cloud key you will need if you choose to set this NAS up online. On the other is a rather small exhaust grill.


The NAS stands on four small rubber feet. At its bottom is a small label with its model number and power input. The label also mentions Taiwan as the country of manufacture.


Most of the space in the rear is taken up by the protective grill of the 120 mm fan. Right below it and near the bottom-left corner is a Kensington lock. At the right side are an HDMI 1.4a port, two Ethernet Gigabit ports, and two USB 2.0 ports, along with a single USB 3.0 port. The DC input is in the bottom-right corner.


As per usual, we removed all the trays in order to take a shot of the card that holds all SATA connectors.


QNAP unfortunately didn't upgrade the trays, using the same plastic as in the TS-451. Locks on these would have been nice since this is a model for enthusiasts and, as such, a small office.


NAS servers in this price range should come with metal trays, not plastic ones. These cannot compare to metal ones even though the plastic of of fairly good quality. These also don't feature any sound-dampening materials.

A Look Inside

It's time now to strip the NAS down to discover what components it hides inside its casing. The whole procedure was easy, although we had to remove a lot of screws in order to take the mainboard out of the chassis.


The drives' cage and the chassis itself are metallic, while the enclosure is made of plastic. Nothing changed here since the TS-451's enclosure is made of plastic as well; however, it has a white finish.


The mainboard is small since there is no need for extra controllers or chipsets because of Intel's J1900 quad-core SoC (System on Chip). We also noticed that the mainboard is identical to the one in the TS-451, and a closer examination revealed that most of the components on it are identical.


The CPU is an Intel Celeron J1900 featuring four cores that run at 2 GHz with a burst frequency of 2.42 GHz. This CPU's TDP is very low, 10 W, so there is no need for active cooling. The NAS can support up to 8 GB of memory, and Intel's Quick Sync Video technology is supported, which means the SOC will handle video conversions well. Next to the J1900 CPU are two power phases that cover its power need. Each phase uses an NTMFD4C20N fet.


Both RAM slots are occupied by DDR3L Transcend DIMMs clocked at 1600 MHz.


The heart of the DC-DC converters that feed the RAM slots with power are two TPS54426 synchronous buck (or step-down) converters. These convert 4.5 V input to 18 VDC and -0.1 V output to 5.7 VDC.


An Asmedia ASM1442 controls the HDMI port HD Station exploits.


On the mainboard is a PIC16F22a microcontroller.


The hardware monitor IC is a Fintek F71869AD.


We only found polymer caps by Nippon Chemi-Con and an NCP6133 phase controller on the mainboard.


Two Macronix MX25L4006E standard serial interfaces are soldered to the mainboard.


The flash memory is provided by Apacer.


The BIOS chip is a Winbond 25Q64FWS1G.


On the mainboard's solder side are two Intel WGI210AT Ethernet controllers.


Here is the PCIe expansion card that hosts all four SATA ports. On it are two Marvell 88SE9215-NAA2 controllers and a Macronix MX25L4006E standard serial interface.


The fan is provided by YS. Tech, and its model number is FD121225LB (120 mm, 12 V, 0.18 A, 1800 RPM, 73 CFM, 34 dBA, 80,000 h MTBF). It uses ball-bearings and will, as such, last fairly long.

Qfinder

Before we proceed with the NAS's installation, we installed Qfinder onto a PC that belongs to the same network as the NAS. Qfinder will allow you to find every QNAP server on the network if you don't know its IP address, or to set the NAS up without the cloud. Qfinder can also check for any available firmware updates since QNAP releases firmware updates quite often. You can even map network drives, search for network cameras, and shutdown or restart the NAS, or perform other such useful functions.

Initial Setup

There are two ways to start the setup procedure. The first is to type "start.qnap.com" into any browser on a client PC that is on the same network as the NAS once the hardware is ready and the NAS has been turned on. You will be asked to enter your cloud key after you have done so. Do and you will get to register the NAS by creating a myQNAPcloud account. You can also start the procedure in Qfinder.


This step will have you pick the usage model that best describes your needs. Based on your selection, corresponding applications will automatically be installed during initialization.


You will now only have to follow the steps of the quick setup guide.


The most important step is the RAID level selection of all installed HDDs. Whether you want to conduct a bad block scan is up to you as it will take some time to finish, but it is recommended.



The guide's last screen will summarize all the choices you have made. Hit the apply button and you will have to wait until all these settings have been applied. The whole process doesn't take long unless you picked a RAID level to synchronize.


You will be given access to the login page after the NAS has been configured. The login page for QTS 4.2 looks great!