Introduction

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



Thecus has changed its strategy within the last couple years by not only focusing on the high-end NAS market but also paying some attention to the mainstream and mid-level categories, offering good products at affordable prices. Today, we will review the N4310, a mid-level NAS that can take up to four HDDs and, hence, supports the most popular RAID levels (0, 1, 5, 6, and 10). The same NAS exploits an AMCC SoC clocked at 1 GHz. It, in turn, is supported by 1 GB of DDR3 RAM. Many might feel as though 1 GB isn't enough given even smartphones come with 2 GB or even 3 GB of RAM; however, a NAS for home users or a small office doesn't need more in most cases. The CPU is what matters the most when it comes to transfer speeds and how snappy the interface is.

The N4310's features include private cloud support, a built-in FTP server, AES data encryption (Thecus does not specify whether the encryption takes place through a hardware engine or software), and a Hybrid Storage Model for block and file-level storage. The N4310 is also compatible with the Plex Media Server, and you can install a BitTorrent client should you want to download your torrent files directly onto the NAS. Like with every NAS device its main advantages are its compact dimensions and very low energy consumption. Thecus says the N4310 to only consume 29.5 W while operating and 10 W while in sleep mode. We will figure out whether the numbers mentioned above are true in our power consumption measurements. The unit also has a CPU Offload Hardware Engine, which, according to Thecus, allows for high performance and fast network speeds with RAID. Thecus claims up to 100 MB/s read and up to 75 MB/s write speeds. The NAS even supports the T-OnTheGo mobile application with functions for file management and direct playback of multimedia content.

Specifications

Thecus utilizes a SoC (System on Chip) made by the Applied Micro Circuits Corporation (AMCC). This SoC belongs to the Catalina series and has a single-core PowerPC CPU that has been clocked to run at 1 GHz. It includes two PCIe (Gen 2) interfaces and supports SATA II, USB, and Gigabit Ethernet ports. Its maker says its performance to reach upward of 2.1 MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second), and it features a dedicated Ethernet offload engine that can also accelerate VPN applications. According to AMCC, the APM86491 can stream high definition videos (1080i/1080p) easily. The N2310 we reviewed a while ago uses a lower-clocked version of the same SoC.

The unit's RAM total of 1 GB can't be increased. It'll suffice for home use and will also easily handle the needs of a small office where the workload will probably be a bit higher as compared to a home-usage scenarios. The NAS can take up to four HDDs and supports all popular RAID levels, including RAID 10. We strongly advise you to take a look at Thecus's HDD/SSD compatibility list before you purchase any drives for the NAS.

iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) protocol support is present, which adds to the unit's feature set nicely as several NAS servers have no such support. Networking is taken care of by only one Ethernet port, though the SoC can support up to two. There apparently wasn't enough space on the mainboard for an additional connector. The other I/O connectors are a pair of USB 3.0 ports in the rear. We would like to see one of these at the front, where it would be more readily accessible. The N4310 also doesn't feature an HDMI port since its role is more network-centric as opposed to other, more expensive NAS servers that also feature a strong multimedia-centric role. However, the built-in Plex server will easily allow the N4310 to stream media content, although the lack of an HDMI port is a big disadvantage for a NAS server meant for use at home (and not only since an HDMI port can also help administrators with a NAS' set-up procedure or its configuration).

The N4310 is compact, which is in no small part due to its external power brick, since an internal PSU would require a larger chassis. Speaking of the external PSU, Thecus's power specification show it to be pretty strong; however, we will make a point of checking on those specifications with our high-end equipment.

This product's strongest advantage is probably its affordable price for a four-bay NAS. Thecus proved in the past that they can deliver products with a high performance per buck ratio, and we are very curious to see how the N4310 will score in terms of its ratio considering it is quite affordable. Taking into account the fact that the N4310 and N2310 units exploit almost the same SoC, someone would expect them to be priced similarly, but the price gap is actually pretty big.

Packaging

The mid-sized package has the unit's model number on its front. Right below it, Thecus states this NAS to be a suitable product for small businesses environments and a little below it is a small list with the unit's most crucial features. A list of icons also depicts some of its more interesting features, and there is a picture of the N4310 itself near the bottom-right corner.


Thecus uses a nice scheme on this side; it showcases some of the more important advantages this NAS brings to the table. These include its low energy consumption, especially compared to a desktop PC, its fast enough network-transfer speeds for a mid-level NAS with a single Gigabit Ethernet port, the personal cloud ability through the T-OnTheGo mobile application, and its built-in Plex server through which multimedia content can be streamed to all kinds of compatible devices.


On this side are the unit's specifications and its supported applications. You will also find all supported languages and packages here. Thecus did a great job in terms of the box's graphics and content design as it shows that even an affordable product can come in a nice, but highly informative box.

Contents & Bundle

Open the box and you will be greeted by the quick installation guide. Underneath it is the NAS, surrounded in packing foam.


The bundle includes a utility and documentation CD, an RJ-45 cable, and two sachets with screws.


The power brick is made by Channel Well Technology, a PSU OEM mostly known for its incredibly successful cooperation with Corsair. The PSU's model number is KPL-065F, and it can provide up to 65 W of power, which is enough to cover the needs of this NAS.

Exterior

The top and side cover (one piece) is out of metal and features a nice black iron finish. External build quality is high, and we definitely appreciated the fact that Thecus used metal parts for the chassis as much more expensive NAS products feature cases completely made out of plastic. On the face are a number of LED indicators for the System, Power, LAN, USB, and HDDs. There is also a USB copy button that copies the contents of an attached external USB drive onto the N4310. The power button is in the bottom-right corner. A little tip about the light codes these LED indicators emit: red always spells trouble. A solid red Power or System LED would be indicative of a system error, while a red HDD LED means a HDD failure has taken place.


There are no ventilation holes on the sides.


The large exhaust fan grill in the rear takes up most of the space there. On the left are two USB 3.0 ports and a single Ethernet port. A little below these is the reset switch, and the two DC inputs are in the bottom-left corner. Such connectivity might seem weird, but the reason behind these two DC inputs is simple as you can connect two external power bricks to the N4310. The other will automatically take over without interrupting the server's operation should one fail. This is a very nice feature, and it is the first time we have come across it in a NAS of this price category.


Four rubber feet are installed on the bottom, which enhances the unit's stability. There is also a small label with the product's serial number here.


We removed the tray to take a better look at these before we proceeded with the installation of our HDDs.


Although made of plastic, the trays are of decent quality, and if you need to bolster security, you can purchase locks for these, since such locks are a part of Thecus's optional accessories list.


Unfortunately, no sound- or anti-vibration materials were used on these trays, which could lead to an increase in noise output under certain conditions. The caddies support smaller 2.5" and standard-sized 3.5" drives.