Qnap has introduced its new portable NAS designed primarily for laptop users and mobile workers who need to carry loads of data, but don't need extreme performance storage while on the go. The Qnap TBS-464 NASbook houses up to four M.2-2280 SSDs, weighs less than a kilogram, and you can use it to store data and backups, or it can serve as a cache for data that's stored in the cloud. Additionally, you can also use it as a media server.
Qnap's TBS-464 M.2 NVMe SSD NASbook is based on Intel's quad-core Celeron N5105/N5095 system-on-chip (Jasper Lake) that combines low power consumption with decent performance and up-to-date multimedia decoding/encoding capabilities. The device also comes with 8GB of DDR4 soldered-down memory.
The portable NAS supports up to four M.2-2280 SSDs with a PCIe 3.0 x2 interface, and you can connect to a network using two 2.5GbE ports. The unit also has two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, three USB 2.0 ports, two HDMI 2.0 outputs (supporting up to 4Kp60 resolution) and an IR sensor.
Four M.2 SSDs can store up to 32TB of data, which is formidable for a device that only measures 30 × 230 × 165 mm and weighs in at 1.7 pounds (800 grams). However, the TBS-464 isn't fast primarily because of its 2.5GbE network connectivity. With a single port active, Qnap rates the NASbook for up to 287MB/s during downloads and up to 294MB/s during uploads, but it can hit 574 / 586 MB/s (respectively) with port trunking enabled with the two 2.5GbE ports. That's slightly faster than high-performance SATA SSDs. However, the network interface introduces a bottleneck, so you would probably prefer a DAS with a Thunderbolt 3/4 or USB4 interface if you need high read and write speeds.
Like other NAS from Qnap, the TBS-464 M.2 NVMe SSD NASbook is based on the QTS operating system (version 5.0 in this case) and therefore can run all the apps the company designed for its other NAS devices. Given the TBS-464's positioning, Qnap ships the NAS with the KoiMeeter app for enabling video conferencing and wireless presentations for small businesses and remote workers. In addition, the NAS can work as Plex Media Server and can stream content to compatible mobile and media streaming devices.
Qnap has not announced the TBS-464 NASbook's pricing or exact launch date. However, the company already lists the product on its website and offers support for the device, so we expect it to hit the market shortly.
