Introduction

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



The first thing someone will take note of upon hearing of TerraMaster, or looking at their logo, is the name's and logo's resemblance to Cooler Master's. Such happenstance surely doesn't leave a good impression, but we aren't here to judge the brand's name or logo, but the product itself. Before we proceed to describe the product, it would probably be for the best to provide some more information on TerraMaster, a company not as well known as the key players when it to NAS servers (QNAP, Synology, Thecus, etc.).

In the "About Us" section of TerraMaster's site, we are told that the company belongs to Noontec. The latter is a brand belonging to an Australian company, EncomTech, an import and wholesale company specializing in computer storage, multimedia, enclosures, and mobile telephone accessories. EncomTech only deals with resellers, and it created Noontec to distribute its products nationally. A quick look at Noontec's site shows that it mostly deals with headphones, so we have NAS servers on one side and headphones on the other, which is admittedly an unusual combination.

TerraMaster states that it has sixteen years of experience in the field and that its main aim is to provide customers with excellent products that offer reliability and value. The company is promising a lot despite the heavy competition in the NAS market. In this review, we will take a detailed look at the F2-220, an affordable 2-bay NAS featuring a nice aluminum enclosure and a dual-core Intel Celeron CPU. In this price range, most offerings aren't equipped with Intel SoCs, which already puts TerraMaster's F2-220 at an advantage.

Specifications

The J1800 (Bay Trail) has been used in NAS servers for a while, years even. This is an older CPU that still looks to be a good fit for a NAS server that uses a custom-tailored Linux OS distribution. There is enough RAM at 2 GB, and TerraMaster states that it can be upgraded up to 4 GB as well. We will check on how easy it is to upgrade the memory once we fully take apart the NAS.

The I/O ports only consist of two USB ports, a USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 port. There is also an Ethernet Gigabit port. We would like to see an HDMI and, why not, an eSATA port, but the cost of production had to be kept as low as possible, which resulted in as few I/O ports as there are. The power consumption of the F2-220 is low due to its low TDP CPU, so its manufacturer.

The power supply is an external power brick since the dimensions of the chassis are too small to allow for the installation of an internal PSU. The single cooling fan has a diameter of 80 mm, and thanks to its relaxed fan profile, it promises to operate very quietly. The paper specs mention a figure below 20 dB(A) as it operates. Finally, there is the warranty, set at two years, which is a typical length for NAS products, while the price, given the server's specifications, looks good at 190 bucks.

Packaging

This NAS comes in a box without even its model number at its face, as there is nothing but TerraMaster's logo. It at least features a plastic handle on top to make moving it around easier.

Contents & Bundle

This NAS is well protected inside its box, with the help of two foam spacers. A small box stores the bundle, which includes an Ethernet cable, two sets of screws, a screwdriver, and two leaflets - one is the warranty and the other is the quick-start guide.


The power brick with model number KZ1204000 is by KeZhen Electronics and can provide up to 4 A with 12 V output, or 48 W of power.

Exterior

This NAS looks nice due to its aluminum chassis with a quality finish. The main, central part of the chassis is a solid aluminum piece, while the front and rear plates are made out of plastic.


At the front are several LED indicators, the power switch, and the removable trays.


TerraMaster's logo is on both sides of the NAS.


Four rubber feet and a small label can be found at the bottom of the NAS.


All I/O ports are here, including the LAN and both USB ports, along with DC input. There is room for a second LAN port, but the server's mainboard only has one.


The trays are numbered; however, there are no relevant markings for these on the NAS.


The trays are made of plastic and don't have any anti-vibration materials. You will just have to remember that the first tray is the one closest to the LED indicators.