Published , by Chris Jarrard
Published , by Chris Jarrard
People use their computers for any number of reasons. Over time, the amount of files that a person will accrue eventually creates a need to expand available storage space. One of the easiest ways to give yourself more easily accessible storage is by using a network-attached storage (NAS) setup. A NAS can be a computer or other device that makes a pool of storage available to the devices within your home network. They can also be configured to be accessible from outside your local network. A NAS can make sharing photos, videos, or other files easy when configured properly.
One of the upcoming names in the consumer/home office NAS market is TerraMaster. Our Video Editor Greg Burke got a chance to go hands-on with Terramaster’s new F5-221 5-bay NAS to see how easy it is to take your personal storage to the next level.
The F5-221 can house up to five 3.5-inch platter drives up to 16TB in capacity. It comes loaded with a snappy dual-core CPU to assist in serving your files as quickly as possible. Greg opted to put the F5-221 to the test by integrating it into his normal work setup. He also used it as storage for his Plex server, using the NAS to serve video files to devices across his house.
The Intel CPU in the F5-221 is a good choice for those who are interested in a NAS for Plex purposes as it supports hardware-accelerated transcoding for Plex Pass users. This allows the GPU integrated into the Intel chip to speed up the transcoding process, allowing for smoother playback than a similar system without hardware transcode support. If you have a need for a NAS with multiple RAID options and a snappy CPU without breaking the bank, this TerraMaster unit might be the ticket.
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