The Best Budget All Flash NAS? UnRAID Powered LincStation N1

The LincStation N1 geni.us/lincst... is a micro sized, all-flash NAS that we are testing and reviewing today. We'll unbox it, touching on the surprisingly decent Celeron N5150 CPU, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and the zippy 2.5Gbps network connection. Not to mention, we'll also provide a critical view on some of its shortcomings like the lack of USB (enough) ports and a US incompatible power adapter plug. However, the NVMe drives and the potential for storage expansion using external drive bays or USB drives might just tip the scale in its favor.
Lincstation N1 geni.us/lincst... comes with an UnRAID license or if you want to DIY
use our link to get started with Unraid (affiliate link): unraid.net/pri...
2TB 970 EVO Plus NVMe geni.us/970_EV...
1TB 870 EVO NVMe (x2) geni.us/Bs4q
I'll step you along as we share our experience setting up the LincStation N1 - installing four Samsung Evo 970 Plus and two Samsung Evo 870 1 TB SSDs. We walk you through the process of configuring a storage array and creating an SMB share. We will check the performance under a 2.5 gigabit per second connection transfer speeds while we are at it. Finally, we'll put the LincStation N1 to the ultimate test - handling a 4K UHD video production and Docker Debian 12 Bookworm container. We'll also discuss the added advantage of its upgradable UnRAID license and its versatility. Is the LincStation N1 price and specs good enough for a content creator? Find out!
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[@Lincplus-Tech]

Hi, We have purchased extra screws and plugs of different versions to improve user experience. Thank you very much for your suggestions.

[@DigitalSpaceport]

This is great news for customers. Will make much easier for buyers!

[@nadtz]

The problems with this unit and asustor's lower end flashstor unit is the lack of PCIE lanes (which is probably why it only has the 3 USB ports) and it only being 2.5Gb (asustor does have a model that does 10Gb). If I'm going to pay for going all flash there's not much point in it being on a less than 10Gb networking to me. On top of that the cludgeing that has to be done to fit all those devices in the first place. Not a bad idea though and I'm not knocking the device especially at the price point, there are people who just want something low power and/or silent and this would work for that but it's a shame there isn't something in between this and enterprise flash storage that isn't A. DIY B. relatively affordable without being on older or somewhat hard to find hardware.

[@MariuszChr]

New to this - why do you use cache disks when you are using already quick SSD? I thought cache only makes sense for arrays with HDDs

[@joshhardin666]

I would love an off the shelf unit like this that has A. direct to cpu pcie 4x lanes to each m.2 slot B. at LEAST a 10g nic (preferably dual port, or heck, just give me a 16x pcie card based solution so we can swap that out later in case someone wants to upgrade to 40gb qsfp so this thing can really cook). the issue is that would require a cpu with way more pcie bandwidth, probably something like epyc embedded would do the trick, but it would make something like this quite a bit more expensive. I'd also like to see expandable memory up to at least 64gb in order to make use of apps/docker on a system like this. something like this could be a heck of a small performant database server for example.

[@DigitalSpaceport]

Yeah this is could be a lot better with a tad faster/upgraded CPU and a 10Gbit nic. If you only have 2.5Gbit networking then it feels like a potentially decent little machine for the price, but you wouldnt want to put in anything high performance flash in it, it cant make meaningful use of it. I'm also bummed they didnt give 4x USB back ports. 2 is just not enough to really get the max usefulness out of UnRAID with a three tiers storage setup from hot to warm to cold with the license provided and the combo of back ports makes an upgrade license less appealing. Overall its pretty cheap if you minus out the cost of the UnRAID license, but its also limited. I am wondering what I am going to use it for here.

[@thespencerowen]

Could you test a 10G USB adapter?

[@ChrisDupres]

Hey dude love this video. That cpu doesn't have enough PCIe for everything that's packed into it. Commenting at the spot where you are installing the nvmes but that's an obvious issue here. A faster CPU would let them sell a less complex device, because there is obviously some PCIe switching going on here

[@DigitalSpaceport]

Yeah the CPU choice I think is understandable possibly from a cost perspective, but also a major limiter on the max performance. I really wish they had more USB ports on it that could make upgrading the UnRAID license to have some tier of USB platter storage make more sense. I need to take it apart and see what is on the inside, but it vibes like a laptop in a nice minipc case.

[@Lincplus-Tech]

Nice review! Thank you!

[@DigitalSpaceport]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Myself-yh9rr]

I have a lot of cords too. As long as they were still working when I last used them I kept them. You never know when you might need one. Then if it is a one of those weird cables that some devices come with I make sure not to throw it out. I used to have a flip phone that did not have the USB port we all know these days. Instead it was some weird thing that is guaranteeably incompatible with any other device I have. It also did not come with a USB cable so I could more easily get the very few mediocre pictures I ever took with its 5 MP or less camera,

[@Myself-yh9rr]

The last time I was shopping for a monitor I noticed a lot of them coming with power supplies similar to that. It is just weird. I am used to it being inside the monitor so I don't have boxes and excess cables all over. My computer already has the typical cable rat's nest and it doesn't need to be any worse. Also they should make the mains cable going into it longer and even provide a holder you can mount to something so that it is not dangling there or falling off desks straining and breaking the power jack. It is a 19 volt power jack and it feels to me that they had too many laptop power supplies and needed a way to get rid of them.

[@illstateofmind]

I thought unRaid didn’t support TRIM on NVMEs or SSDs in the array.

[@stevedegeorge726]

Unraid does have SSD TRIM support as of version 6.11.

[@Damien-km1vl]

@@stevedegeorge726 TRIM on the Array will kill the parity

[@DigitalSpaceport]

Yes you are correct the array doesnt support trim. How you use the array is important in factoring in if that impact is really bad. If you use it to write files to and they live there for a long time, the impact should be minimal. If you are using the array as a temp or churning a lot off it...that could be bad for write amplification and lifespan. Indeed the array was designed and intended for spindles. That leads to another oddity. The license for unraid basic is for 6 attached devices, not 8. Having 2x USB spindles attached as the array would make great sense for backup, but it puts the devices limit over by 2. Tradeoffs indeed.

[@ImTheKaiser]

@@stevedegeorge726 not in the array, only in cache pools

[@yourpcmd]

I would use the 2.5" as cache drives and put bigger nVME's in as storage drives. Makes more sense to me.

[@AYoBlok]

How would this measure up to something like the Asus flashstor 6?

[@christiangeuer-pollmann666]

Hi, AFAIK, the US also has AC coming out of the 110V power outlets, so there for sure is no polarity on your power supply input side (referring to the confusing statement at the 7:55 mark)

[@DigitalSpaceport]

It is confusing indeed! It's the power brick is all I can assume. With the boot plugging into it turned one way, it would work. The boot Turned the other way, wouldn't work. Either way, a more universal plug options style would be helpful for end users.

[@PaulPhillipsIndy]

@@DigitalSpaceport Former electrician here. The polarity on the 2 prong cord shouldn't matter from the point of powering on the unit, only from a safety standpoint as it's AC, not DC at that point. It would impact which wire is the line vs neutral connecting to the transformer brick, so if they put a switch or fuse inside that would impact the overall safety of the unit, but not whether or not it would actually power up. Are you certain you had the cord FULLY seated into the transformer brick? That's the only thing I can imagine that would cause the unit not to work if it worked after flipping the cord.

[@brenwest]

Great and very informative video. I will try the cache configured in the same way you have, I take it you matched th cache size to the main mirrored disks deliberately?

[@DigitalSpaceport]

I actually just had those drives around. There is no reason to 1:1 match the cache pool size to the main mirrored disks for performance.

[@thomasm.5806]

Could you measure how much power the system used when idle and no drives are installed to establish a baseline for comparisons with other systems?

[@thomasm.5806]

Also, did you try to use powertop to further optimize power consumption on the device? There's a guide over on the Unraid forums on how to do this.

[@thomasm.5806]

@DigitalSpaceport Hello? Some feedback would be appreciated.

[@joshhardin666]

if you're going to do an all-flash nas, the point is clearly filesystem and share performance (for things like video editing or other needs where speed is paramount), the 2.5gb nics shoot itself in the foot. a flash nas should have at LEAST 10g onboard (either 10g base-t or sfp+). I'm honestly not sure why there would be onboard wifi, that seems super weird given this thing should be dropped on a shelf and connected to wired networking in order to maximize speed.

[@DigitalSpaceport]

I'm going to take it apart and see what is going on inside it but agree a few extra upgrades and this could have been an absolute killer product in the price range.

[@DerekGreen123]

Just to offer an alternative Point / Use-case... - I am most interested in small / low-cost / low-power / low-noise+heat - My use case would be for a living-room home-server (my-files/photos, home-assistant, pi-hole, plex, 'arr-stack, zabbix, etc) Apart from the initial moving of data over to the drives, I'm not sure if the limitations of the 2.5GBe + PCIe 3x1 for each drive, would be a big problem! The intro price of $270 (especially as it includes 16GB memory + the Unraid basic licence) is very appealing 👍 I could get a Mini-PC's from Beelink/etc, for around $100 less, but that would not include the storage options. So if I want a small all-in-one, the N1 looks great! I'm going to see what the ZimaCube (non-pro) intro price is, when their KS campaign launches in a couple of days, then make a decision then about what to back!

[@JellyLancelot]

@@DerekGreen123 100% agreed. Euro markets with the cost of electric and smaller housing really do pivot towards flash based NAS's just being better out of convenience. Its the only reason I'm looking to downsize mine from a 3.5" array to NVMe.

[@henningklages861]

Where ist Unraid installed? Internally or on an external stick blocking one of the 2 USB / 1 usb-c ports?

[@DigitalSpaceport]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3W7fKRjiJZ9l68si=kVXvYN-5hLKHeMSP&t=617 It is on a USB drive located under the "void if removed" sticker at this timestamp.

[@SilentDecode]

That thing almost has the exact same logo as Linkin Park.. Only the circle is missing.

[@DigitalSpaceport]

I had to lookup the logo but it is hilariously close and both are very bad.

[@n.d.m1295]

Hey there thx for this info allready!! After it being released for a while... i have following question: Should you advice this device for a plex/jellyfin/emby media server? (would it run stable?) If so, any chance there'll be a video on the matter? :p grtz N

[@JasonsLabVideos]

I want one !

[@HR12465]

I'll wait for a USA model :)

[@DrMJJr]

The Asus Flashstor Gen2 will blow this out of the water

[@DigitalSpaceport]

Anything with a better nic will blow this outta the water. 2.5gbe was a horrible choice.

[@jasonlee3247]

@@DrMJJr at at least 50% more in cost

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

Where was the Unraid USB plugged in at?

[@DigitalSpaceport]

very late I am sure you found it by now but incase anyone else finds this comment, its under a piece of tape at the front of the NVME bay once opened.

[@billhickswasgreat3421]

European here. I really can not fathom how the polarity of the AC input can matter? On a two prong input, no less... Can anyone be kind enough to explain?

[@DigitalSpaceport]

because we have 1 hot, 1 neutral and a ground. You have 2 hot, 1 neutral and a ground. That matters for sure! Usually manufacturers have a specific prong "key" or a non reversible cord attachment slot to prevent this, but they had a mfg oversight that they corrected as a result of the feedback for US users.

[@TheBenkku]

@@DigitalSpaceport You got it all wrong. European Schuko socket has 1 hot and 1 neutral and then there is contacts for PE (protective Earth). There was "Europlug" which came with your system. It is meant for low power (2.5A or less) systems and does not have PE contacts. It jus has 1 live and 1 neural and you can put it which ever way you want to wall socket and device should work.

[@DigitalSpaceport]

Today I learned something new 😀

[@Gael_AG]

this was is too noisy with a high pitch fan noise , it's a total drawback from me so as for the bottom LED strip.

[@DigitalSpaceport]

Yeah the bottom LED is annoying. I have this in our media center now, but it was out near the TV. You just dont need that kinda visual distraction close to what you are watching.

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

10Gbps... YES PLEASE!

[@DigitalSpaceport]

I dont get why they created a 4 NVME, 2 SSD..... 2.5gbe system. It still puzzles me. I did tell them that was a bad idea and they seemed to hear me out on that.

[@Murr808]

bro where is your anti-static wrist band....

[@DigitalSpaceport]

ankle 😜

[@eliasellis]

CLOSED LincStation: World's 1st Unraid 6-bay All SSD NAS 6-Bay Full SSD NAS | A5-Sized |Quiet |Unraid Basic License| Auto Backup|Docker &Virtualization LincPlus Direct 2 Campaigns | SHENZHEN, China $101,005 USD by 367 backers $92,769 USD by 340 backers on Dec 23, 2023 FOLLOW REALLY!!!!

[@gustavocadena5089]

@6:55 😂😂😂

[@deamoncore]

gets bombarded with cons

[@jj-icejoe6642]

No array, no parity, no trim

[@stevedegeorge726]

Unraid has trim and ZFS now.

[@jj-icejoe6642]

@@stevedegeorge726 NO trim on SSD on a ARRAY !!! And for me this product is bullshit because you can't build a array with parity on this, well you can but on SSD with no TRIM, it's a non sense good luck !

[@Damien-km1vl]

@@stevedegeorge726 TRIM on the Array will kill the parity

[@DigitalSpaceport]

Indeed this part is baffling to me on the choices they made as well. They don't have enough allocated drives in the basic license to fully populate the NVMe and SSD slots and have 2x USB drive spindles running as the array. Its 2 drives short. There is a second video mentioning this I am doing. They also have a 128GB eMMC onboard that can be used to load any OS which I found out about after the video launched which opens up TrueNAS as a very viable option as well.