Slinging NAS appliances to home users is a difficult challenge. More than half of potential customers don't know the category exists, and most of the others think the systems are small form-factor PCs with a few extra drive bays. That perception changes with ownership.
People quickly learn that network-attached storage is just the starting point that shadows a vast number of advanced features built into the box. It all has to start with the initial purchase, though.
Thecus announced two new low-cost models that make it easy to begin the chain reaction. The new N2350 and N4350 are entry-level NAS products designed to meet specific price points that allow customers to experience the always connected-to-your-data lifestyle. The systems feature a low-power Marvell Armada dual-core CPU and 1GB of DDR4 system memory. The N2350 features two drive bays with support for RAID 0, 1, and JBOD. The larger N4350 increases the capacity to four drive bays and adds support for RAID 5, 6, 10.
“The N2350 provides all the essential storage services you need from a NAS, at a very attractive price point with an unprecedented level of energy efficiency. This Thecus NAS server can be quickly assimilated into any home and office environment, to delivering greater connectivity to users from day one,” says Florence Shih, General Manager at Thecus Technology Corp.
The two new appliances should be fast enough to transfer data at high speeds across the network. You will not be able to run a high number of software applications at the same time, but you will be able to experience many of the core features that make these products so amazing to own.
With the latest ThecusOS 7.0 graphical operating system loaded on the NAS, users have access to data from anywhere in the world, as long as they have an internet connection. Just imagine access to all of your data available through the cloud but from the safety of your own home or office. Android and iOS users can take advantage of advanced apps for multimedia playback or access to your collection of documents.
These might sound like advanced features to many, but the truth is these are just core functions built into the system. More advanced features turn the NAS intro an application server. There are several applications available through Thecus' operating system with simple one- or two-click installation that makes using the software effortless.
The Thecus N2350 ($130) and N4350 ($200) have already started to ship to distributors. Both provide a low-cost entry point for users to experience NAS without spending a lot of money, and both carry a 2-year warranty.