Introduction

We would like to thank QNAP for supplying the review sample.



The new TS-x51 line isn't only for SOHO (Small Office Home Office) environments as it is also for enthusiast users in need of a high-performance NAS. The crucial feature of these NAS servers is their Intel Celeron J1800 SoC. While it may look weak for a normal Windows PC, it is more than adequate for such a strong NAS as the TS-451. With data backup, file synchronization, home entertainment, a plethora of cloud options, remote access, the ability to transcode Full HD videos on-the-fly and play 1080p videos with 7.1 channel audio pass-through through its HDMI output, the TS-451 we will evaluate in this review packs all the usual features of a modern NAS and more. It is also compatible with the optional UX-800P enclosure should you want to expand its storage capacity to upward of 60 TB.

An incredibly interesting feature is this NAS' ability to run virtual machines because of its integrated virtualization technology. The TS-451, in other words, supports all typical NAS functions and can be transformed into a complete virtualization platform for multiple operating systems. You can control all virtual machines you create through its interface and have the ability to download various VMs to directly and effortlessly implement them. However, the basic TS-451 only comes with 1 GB of RAM, and QNAP recommends upgrading its memory to at least 2 GB, or, better yet, 4 GB if you want to use the Virtualization Station. While the basic TS-451 only has 1 GB, another, the TS-451-4G, comes with 4GB of preinstalled memory.

Specifications

This is the first NAS to use a Bay Trail CPU. The latter is one of Intel's new multicore SoCs built on the Silvermont architecture. These are essentially the successors to Atom CPUs. They are manufactured on the 22nm process technology, feature extremely low TDPs, and some, like the one in the TS-451, integrate Intel's Quick Sync transcoder engine and VT-x capabilities. The J1800 supports up to 8 GB of RAM, and the NAS we had on hand was equipped with 1 GB; however, another version comes with 4 GB preinstalled.

The TS-451 can take up to four HDDs, so its capacity can reach 24 TB if you use 6 TB disks. That is plenty of space as 24 TB is most likely even enough for a small office environment or an enthusiast looking to store many blu-ray movies. All popular RAID levels are also supported, including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10. Two Gigabit NICs equip the NAS, and they can be teamed through the Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP), or you could use one of these as a fail-safe to increase network reliability. The other I/O ports include four USB ports, two of which are compatible with the USB 3.0 protocol, and an HDMI port. Note the USB port at the front with support for the faster 3.0 protocol. We were asking for such a port for quite some time, in many previous QNAP NAS reviews (and not only since many NAS servers come with a USB 2.0 port in the front).

This NAS is pretty compact since it doesn't use an internal PSU, but an external power brick. Speaking of the latter, it is quite strong for the needs of the TS-451 and can deliver up to 90 W. A 120 mm fan cools the TS-470 down, so we expect it to operate silently under normal conditions. The warranty period of two years is typical of most NAS servers and its price is significantly lower than the TS-470, a high-end version, although both have components with nearly the same capabilities; however, the latter features an LCD screen, a stronger PSU, and higher quality trays. Yet the TS-451 looks much better, which may be a decisive factor; its lower price tag is also sure to be a factor for many home users.

Packaging

This NAS comes in a large box with a photo of it covering most of the front's real estate. A few icons here also describe some of the server's functions and features.


A nice scheme depicts what you can do with this NAS. As you can see, it can easily play a central role in your home.


A brief features list in many languages can be found on this side. At the bottom is an interesting picture; it describes the TS-451's front and rear in some detail.


Icons for the most interesting applications are put on display here, along with other features and functions.


The top of the box sports QNAP's logo and a small photograph of the NAS, along with its model number.

Contents & Bundle

Two large styrofoam spacers inside the box protect the NAS well enough. It also comes inside a plastic bag for some extra protection.


There is an accessories box in the bundle, the contents of which we will describe below.


You will only find a quick-installation guide since the user's manual is only available electronicall, as it is quite large.


Along with the external PSU, the scope of delivery includes two Ethernet cables and a pair of bags with screws for mounting the HDDs.


The power brick is by Delta Electronics, the top PSU OEM. Its model number is DPS-90FB, and it can deliver up to 90 W of power, which will easily covers the needs of this NAS.

Exterior

The TS-451 looks drastically different from QNAP's other products. No more gloomy greyish and brushed aluminum finish, this NAS comes with a nice white enclosure with a silver frame on the front, which looks cool! Only the plastic trays are a let down, but we will talk about those later.

The aforementioned silver frame includes all LED indicators, the on/off and copy buttons, and a USB 3.0 port. As we already mentioned, QNAP put a USB 3.0 port into the front, so you don't have to search the NAS' rear I/O anymore to hook up a USB 3.0 storage device.


A label on top of the NAS depicts the HDD sequence, but it unfortunately won't help a lot since the trays aren't numbered and there aren't enough stickers in the bundle to number all HDDs. Getting your own stickers won't be too difficult, but given the TS-451 isn't a budget or mainstream unit, we would have preferred there to be enough stickers out of the box. (QNAP informed us the following after the review: We removed the individual HDD sequence sticker on each HDD tray because since our NAS firmware 3.8 we support HDD re-ordering. This means that HDDs can be installed on different slots without any issues on the server's operation.)


One of two sides comes with ventilation holes.


The fan grill in the rear occupies a lot of room, and on its right are all the I/O ports. The latter include two Ethernet ports, two USB 2.0 and a single USB 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. Here also reside the power-input socket and the reset switch, buried inside the enclosure, so you will need a needle or something as thin and long to reset the unit. Strangely enough, a warranty sticker resides just above the reset switch, so don't open the NAS to upgrade your memory, for instance, or you will void the warranty, which is absurd given QNAP advises users to upgrade the server's memory in order to take advantage of the virtualization station's functions. Mentioning the matter to QNAP revealed that only the first batches came with the warranty sticker on the enclosure. Every other TS-451 will have its sticker on the mainboard instead, so users will easily be able to open the NAS up for a memory upgrade, although installing another SO-DIMM can prove difficult all on its own.


A small label on the NAS' bottom covers its power specifications, and there are also four rubber feet to ensure the unit doesn't move around. An arrow near the top-left also points to a lock which you only have to slide to the left after removing all the screws to open the enclosure.


The trays don't feature any locks, so this NAS is mostly for home environments, where physical data security isn't an essential feature.


The trays look cheap and of low quality, especially compared to the fully metallic ones the TS-x69 and TS-x70 units are equipped with. A big letdown, we expected such an expensive NAS to come with higher quality trays.


These trays also don't come with sound-dampening materials attached.

A Look Inside

It's time now time to strip this NAS down to uncover which components it hides inside. Removing the piece on top and bottom and the side panel was an easy task; however, many screws had to be removed to get our hands on the mainboard afterward. But we have disassembled worse, so it was a pretty straightforward task. You just have to remember which screws go where once it's time to put the NAS back together.


The drives' cage is metallic, while the enclosure is made of plastic. This is a step back for the latter since the TS-x69's and TS-x70's enclosures aren't out of plastic, but we prefer the white look, and the enclosure does cost less, which results in a lower retail price.


The mainboard is very small and there is no need for extra controllers or chipsets since it employs a SoC (System on Chip).


The CPU is passively cooled by a small heatsink. It is an Intel Celeron J1800 (Bay Trail) with two cores running at 2.41 GHz.


One of two RAM slots is occupied by a 1 GB Apacer SO-DIMM (PC3-12800). The other empty slot is hard to reach, so users who feel uncomfortable about breaking apart such expensive units will hesitate to upgrade the memory total. You should also keep in mind that not all SO-DIMMs are compatible, so be careful about which memory module you purchase.


The mainboard's BIOS battery.


An Asmedia ASM1442 controls the HDMI port the HD Station exploits.


The hardware monitor IC, a Fintek F71869AD.


We only found polymer caps by Nippon Chemi-Con and an NCP6133 phase controller on the mainboard.


Like in most QNAP units, the flash memory is provided by Apacer.


The mainboard's obverse side hosts very few components.


On the mainboard's solder side are also a pair of Intel WGI210AT Ethernet controllers.


The PCIe expansion card that hosts all four SATA ports. On it are two ASMedia ASM1061 controllers and a single PIC16F722A microcontroller.


The fan is provided by YS. Tech, and its model number is FD121225LB (120 mm, 12 V, 0.18 A, 1800 RPM, 73 CFM, 34 dBA, 80,000 h MTBF). It uses ball-bearings and will, as such, last fairly long.

Software

This time around, there was no software disk in the bundle since you don't need any special application to set-up the NAS. However, it would still be nice of QNAP to include the disk all other QNAP NAS boxes we have reviewed so far came with. The company probably meant to make sure you download the latest versions of their applications off their Download Center.

Qfinder

The most interesting utility is probably Qfinder. This program can also make installing your new NAS server a breeze. Once you install and run Qfinder, it will find the NAS' IP address on the network; it will also check for any available firmware updates since QNAP releases firmware updates quite often. You can even map network drives, search for network cameras, and shutdown or restart the NAS, or perform other such useful functions in Qfinder.


You can change the settings of an already configured NAS server in Qfinder.


Qfinder can update the firmware of all of your QNAP servers either automatically or manually, where you get to select and install the firmware image yourself.


Use Qfinder to check on the NAS' available system resources, shutdown or restart the server, see its system details, and perform various general administrative tasks.