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The TeraStation Pro 8 Bay is the fastest Buffalo NAS system we have reviewed to date. In a capable network it peaks around the 100 MB/s mark, holding steady over 90 MB/s in a Raid 6 configuration.
Equally as impressive is the build quality of the product. It is crafted from a metal chassis and includes metal drive bays and a key locking system to cater to the business audience. With 8 drives installed it takes effort to move and is reassuringly well built and feels as if it could withstand some intense working conditions.
In regards to performance, we have no concerns recommending this product for either an enthusiast, small office or business environment. It is also relatively quiet and the two fans are high quality, never becoming intrusive even though they are audible.
Power consumption is also a plus point, moving between 10 and 80 watts, depending on the task at hand. It won't be the cause of a heavily inflated electricity bill next quarter, even within a home setting.
The only issue we have with the product is the software. It isn't ‘bad' per se, but we have to admit that when compared against the latest Synology DiskManager solution, it fails miserably to impress. The fact we couldn't get the Navigator software to even find the TeraStation Pro 8 Bay across our network is a concern. Bear in mind, we could access the NAS directly via a browser. Sure, it could be some unusual conflict with our custom network, but we have never had a problem like this before. Additionally, it was frustrating not being able to update the firmware manually as the Buffalo software has no direct manual upload option via the browser menu.
The user interface is also hampered by a rather sluggish response time, which could cause frustration. The Intel Atom D510 dual core is more than capable of powering a NAS system such as this, so we would assume the problem lies with the software, rather than the hardware. After using the responsive Synology DiskManager software this problem was amplified. If you only set this up once then forget about it, then we don't see an issue – however if like me you are constantly changing and tweaking settings then it can become a little frustrating.
You can buy from Dabs for £1,354 (includes 8TB of storage).
Pros:
- Metal chassis and impressive overall build quality.
- strong performance.
- key locking system.
Cons:
- Software interface is weak and sluggish, especially when compared against the latest Synology DiskManager.
Kitguru says: A solid NAS system, ideally suited for a home or office environment. The software side however lets it down. Still, it is worth considering.
