- QNAP TS-435XeU Rackmount NAS Review -

[@Gisleburt]

Managed to pick this up about a month ago. My configuration: 4x 16TB Exos (raid 5) 2x 1TB WD Blue NVMe (read+write cache) 2x DAC 10GBe connections to Unifi Switch Aggregator 2x 1GBe connections to Unifi 16 port PoE Switch Same 4GB memory it came with This is my first NAS and my main reasons for getting it were: Provide storage to my k3s cluster. Provide backup (plan to set up backblaze as off site but if anyone has thoughts on this would love to hear them). Mass storage for Games and GameDev projects (Quixel Nanite scans can be gigabytes for a single rock). Definitely agree with your assessment, it's an excellent entry level device and it does everything I need perfectly. Some frustrations: Two of the case screws were so tight I nearly stripped them getting them out and replacements won't go in. No ssd heat sinks, qnap sell them for extortionate amounts but just bought some cheap generic ones and that stopped the temperature alerts. No mounting solution, qnap sells a shelf for an extortionate amount, found one for literally 1/5th the price. Raid sync took 5 days, I don't know if raid sync is single core only, CPU usage was locked to 27% the whole time though. Although it says it supports k3s, only as a single node master, which means I can't add it as a node to my cluster. All that said I'm really really happy with it. Games load off the NAS (from cache) faster than they do from my laptop disk. No problems doing GameDev over it either. I haven't tried Flex yet and haven't got it working as a storage provider for my k3s cluster yet but plan on doing both this weekend so will try to report back.

[@evoboy67]

How much bandwidth are you able to get with iperf? e.g 2xsfp+ aggregate resulting in ca 20Gbit?

[@juhohartikainen4408]

Isn't raid 5 little bit risky with such big disks?

[@Gisleburt]

@@juhohartikainen4408 The danger in Raid 5 is that you might have an additional error when rebuilding the array (you take a disk out to replace it and you now have no way to correct an error on another disk). The fact it took so long to build in the first place does not bode well for this either. If it had more bays (and I had more money) I definitely would have gone for an extra disk of redundancy. The fact it only has 4 bays means you have to lose half your storage to redundancy with Raid 6. However, this device isn't being used to store things I'm especially worried about losing. Games and media that can be re-downloaded, projects that are also stored in an SCM, and while I do intend to use it for backups too, it'll be copies of stuff on other machines and the backup will also be getting pushed up to Backblaze. But it's a good call out that I think others should be aware of.

[@nickway_]

I am thinking of using these machine as a ceph nodes. I'm curious how hot this machine runs during your normal operation, and how loud the fans are? Thanks.

[@humanflycb]

how loud is this unit?

[@ronaldronald8819]

Thanks for the review. I am looking for a nas and as you mentioned the cam license and video restrictions are a no go for me because these are important use cases. However i have a half dept rack. It is a difficult search and it dazzles me at times. Your channel is a big help! My budget is around 1000 for a 4 bay rackmount.

[@sinisterpisces]

I'm so excited to see more products like this--home-oriented rack mounts did not exist at all even a few years ago. I've ended up building a rack in my home office just for space reasons, and getting hardware into it that doesn't sound like a fleet of VTOL aircraft taking off while trying to blow a circuit breaker, all at a reasonable cost, has been a real challenge. More products like this will be welcome. There's definitely a hole in the market. iX Systems, for instance, is NOT competing in this price range. Their alternative if you want a rackable TrueNAS Mini is a multi-thousand dollar 1U or 2U 4 bay. Which. No. Synology would just give you 4x1Gbps ports and wonder why everyone was mad again. :P I think the performance tradeoffs are reasonable--QNAP is getting the most out of the available processor. I expect products in this class to keep improving and be less compromised as the ARM CPU capability continues to improve. I think this would make a great backup destination server, which should be well in the capability range of its processor. Set up some iSCSI targets and go. :) I might have missed it; did you show power draw numbers for this thing at idle/under load? I'll admit the thing that gives me the most pause is that it's a QNAP product; I'm still more than a bit uncomfortable with how they handle security issues, though anecdotally it seems to be getting better? (I also wish they'd invest more in crafting more extensive, better-translated manuals. There are features on my TS-253D that I would have no idea how to use without forum threads or KZbin videos. I'm looking at you, virtual switches.)

[@jcb5388]

Are you going to get your hands on the TS-464eU? I thinking about getting it to replace a desktop model I have. Only downside of this device is it doesn't have a 10G option.

[@ВладимирПутин-е7м]

Love it. Excellent review of an enticing little unit. And you're right re a pcie slot. On that board I can already see space, and it will be 'one' version of several models QNAP release... so having even a pcie x4 (or x1) would ad so much functionality and take it next level. Definitely should have added in a pcie slot. Subbed. Ta.

[@flywheeldk]

Are you only able to use the NVMe drives for caching ? I would love using them for OS and app stuff - keeping that mess from the "storage drives".

[@KasparsDambis]

The NVMe drives can be used for storage as well. Or one for storage and the other for caching but then you loose RAID capability which would be needed for WRITE caching.

[@AHawksDive]

Finally! A review on this machine. The connectivity and price of this device is interesting. And it will fit in a wall mounted network cabinet :) Will you do a follow up on this review (for the software side of things)? if it does support a small KVM machine and at least some Plex functionalities... i might just order one.

[@alanross1117]

he never replies

[@AHawksDive]

@@alanross1117 thanks for the heads-up. weird for him to ask what we want to see and not reply.

[@AHawksDive]

@@QNAPUK thank you for the reply! both are nice devices but they lack the native SFP+ options and/or M.2 slots this machine has.

[@LiLBitsDK]

what plugs are being used to the expansion bays? I only see those 4 usb ports, 2 10gig sfp ports and 2 2,5gig ports? so what is it using to control the 12bay expansions with?

[@arkhamdistribution7306]

would it work as a storage for a Zapitti Neo Media player?

[@titothomas78]

Is this will sapport crucial mx 500 ssd in all bays

[@MockingTruth]

Comparison with rs422?

[@jmurray0220]

Darn that processor however, very good hardware for the money. My benchmark is still the RS1619xs+ and I don't believe anything can dethrone it based on its raw power. BTW. Very nice video.

[@veremchook]

Can I stack 2 identical units for replication and failover? Can I use 10GbE SFP+ ports out of the box to interconnect them? Will I need any hardware beyond the right cable?

[@titothomas78]

Can we install sata ssd in this slot

[@DeviloftheHelll]

does it support sed hard drives properly?

[@DanielCCM]

Can this beast Plex Transcode?

[@AndreasA.S.]

take your mic off your desk, hover mount it or something, any table contact makes a 100hzish thump.

[@andersandersen1870]

Do you dare use the 20TB Red drive you've got laying around

[@nascompares]

*laying around* - I only have it for maybe a week before I have to give it back (in return for some 20TB ultrastars). I can barely let the little bugger out of my sight! That said... Noisest drive I think I've ever used. It's was as if the Prodigy was performing at Dunkirk!

[@dthreatt]

DONT BUY! I have had this thing for about 2 years and its a marginal machine. All I am doing is home assisant and using it for storing 4k video files to edit on. I have everything maxed out and its always running at the edge of capability. The processor is definately the bad part. I jused wanted something with SFP for 10G fiber and ssd cache. It gets hot and fans run in my closet very loud. I am looking at a synology now that I can afford it.

[@BeautyWorldPlace]

My choice ...