QNAP TVS-473-16G 4-Bay NAS Review

1. Introduction2. QNAP TVS-473 Packaging / Bundle3. QNAP TVS-473 Design4. QTS 4.35. QNAP TVS-473 Usability6. Testing Methodology7. CrystalDiskMark8. ATTO Disk Benchmark9. Intel NASPT10. IOMETER11. Real Life File Testing12. Power13. Closing Thoughts14. View All Pages

NAS drives have been more than just a depository for files for some time with manufacturers adding more and more features, turning them over time from mere storage devices to powerful multifunctional devices. With the TVS-473, QNAP has given us a strong hint as to where NAS design and function might be heading in the not too distant future.

The feature list reads more like a desktop PC than a storage vehicle; powerful quad cored SoC with decent integrated graphics, four DDR4 memory slots, support for SSD caching, M.2 SSD support, hardware-assisted 4K video decoding and encoding and by using the PCIe slots, 1oGbE network connectivity.

QNAP quote throughput figures on their website for the TVS-473 as up to a massive 1035MB/s for reads and 644MB/s for writes for a 10GB file transfer, but as they say the devil is in the detail. These figures are achieved by using a 10Gbe NIC and four SSDs. Using the four Seagate drives that came pre-installed and a single NIC, the NAS showed a very consistent level of performance in the ATTO benchmark never deviating from the 118-119MB/s mark for reads and writes regardless of the array the drives were built in.

The latest 4.3 version of QNAP's QTS OS improves on what was already one of the better NAS operating systems around. The most important of these improvements is a move to a 64-bit architecture but there is a 64-bit compatibility tool you can download from the QNAP website if you are running 32-bit applications and are not sure if they are supported.

Amongst other tweaks and refreshes, the Control Panel has had a revamp so it now provides more information and is easier to use, as is the Resource Manager which has had a polish so now it too is easier to navigate around to get the information you require. System warnings and other alerts are now available without logging into the NAS via a variety of means; SMS, email, browser pop-ups and voice alerts.

We found the QNAP TVS-473-16G configured with four Seagate 2TB NAS disks as QNAP sent it to us for £1,568.40 inc VAT at Span.com HERE.

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Pros

• Hardware specification
• QTS OS
• Futureproof potential

Cons

• Expensive

Kitguru says: The QNAP TVS-473 is a powerful NAS for either home or small business and with its PCI-e slots and M.2 SSD support it also offers a good degree of future proofing in both storage and connectivity functions.

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