The TS-453A performs well enough. Given its four Ethernet ports, I expected even higher transfer speeds, though its power consumption is pretty low, which is nice. While there are its enhanced networking features, it also packs strong multimedia capabilities since QNAP equipped it with two HDMI ports, two 6.3 mm microphone jacks, and a line-out. This is one of the very few NAS boxes that uses a dedicated audio codec IC, albeit a basic one, which, however, will get the job done. QNAP's TS-453A is obviously mostly for use at home since its multimedia capabilities won't come to full fruition in a business environment. Its trays also don't feature locks, an essential feature for more professional applications since those require physical data protection.

QNAP's new QTS OS is a real pleasure to work with since it offers numerous options and is snappy, at least with the TS-453A. It also doesn't depend on strong hardware to perform well, and RAM utilization is also kept very low. The only thing I would like to see improved is its long boot-up time, although that won't be a significant problem for a NAS since it will most likely operate around the clock. As such, user will hardly shut it down or restart and reboot it. Something that annoyed me was that all my attempts to install the new Linux Station failed. However, I should point out that the application was still in beta until I finished this review, so it was going to have its problems. In what limited time I had left to finish this review before moving on to another one, I tried several things, like completely uninstalling all other applications and restarting the NAS after I had uninstalled something. However, Linux Station still refused to install properly. Given this app was still in beta, I will give it a pass this time around. QNAP should definitely make a point of offering the public a stable version of Linux Station, though. The NAS reproduced every video I tried, from very high bit-rate files to 4K ones. The TS-453A can easily play a central role in your multimedia setup, and its Karaoke capabilities are the cherry on top for those of you with a good voice, or those who want to annoy their neighbors. Lastly, the TS-453A's surveillance capabilities are fierce since it packs four free camera licenses and supports up to 40 if you want to use it as a pro-level NVR (Network Video Recorder).

The fresh TS-453A is a richly featured NAS with strong multimedia capabilities, and QNAP's QTS OS is among the best currently available for NAS server. Its major downside is QNAP's asking price, which puts it up against very strong competitors.