TerraMaster F2-212 NAS Review – A Entry Level NAS with a Quad-Core ARM chipset & 1GB DDR4 RAM

The TerraMaster F2-212 is a 2-bay Network Attached Storage (NAS) device aimed at home users and small offices seeking an affordable entry into the world of network storage. It is the successor to the TerraMaster F2-210, featuring a Realtek RTD1619B quad-core ARM Cortex-A55 processor clocked at 1.7GHz and 1GB of DDR4 RAM, which is non-upgradable. The device supports two 3.5-inch SATA HDDs, 2.5-inch SATA HDDs, or 2.5-inch SATA SSDs, providing flexibility in storage options.

Connectivity is provided by a single Gigabit Ethernet port, one USB 2.0 port, and one USB 3.0 port. The F2-212 supports various RAID configurations, including RAID 0, RAID 1, JBOD, and Single disk modes, as well as TerraMaster’s proprietary TRAID technology. Running on TerraMaster’s TOS 5 operating system, the NAS supports both Btrfs and EXT4 file systems.

Improvements over the F2-210 include a more powerful processor, improved multimedia capabilities with 4K video hardware decoding, higher maximum capacity with support for up to 22TB drives, SSD caching support, 2.5GbE upgrade option, updated design, and a newer operating system.

Comparing the F2-212 to the Synology DiskStation DS223j, the F2-212 offers better hardware specifications at a slightly lower price but lacks the software ecosystem and polished user experience of Synology.

In terms of design, the F2-212 features a new black chassis with LED indicators for power, network activity, and drive status on the front panel. The rear of the device hosts the Gigabit Ethernet port, USB ports, power input, and a small cooling fan.

Setting up the F2-212 is straightforward through TerraMaster’s web-based interface, guiding users through creating a RAID array, setting up user accounts, and configuring basic settings.

The performance of the F2-212 is adequate for basic NAS tasks, with file transfers over Gigabit Ethernet reaching speeds of up to 75MB/s. It performs well for file sharing and media streaming but may struggle with more demanding tasks due to the limited RAM.

In terms of power consumption, the F2-212 is energy-efficient, consuming about 10.4W when idle and 21.1W during disk access, with low noise levels under normal operation.

The TerraMaster F2-212 is available for £170 on Amazon, offering good value for home users and small offices with basic network storage needs. It is a solid choice for those looking for an affordable NAS with essential features. However, it may have limitations in more demanding scenarios and lacks the app ecosystem and software polish of some competitors.