ASUSTOR has numerous network-attached storage (NAS) servers available in its catalog, so where does one start when looking at what would best suit their needs? Thankfully, like most NAS vendors, ASUSTOR makes it pretty easy to differentiate between them all using easy-to-follow model numbers. This guide will run you through a few of them and let you in on what to look for.
Breaking down the numbers
ASUSTOR's model numbering is pretty straightforward. Each NAS has a prefix of AS. The next three digits represent the family that specific NAS is from. Generally, the higher, the more powerful and capable. Then you have the number of drive bays. Lastly, the suffix denotes whether it's a rack or standard tower. An example would be AS6404T, the 640 ASUSTOR NAS with four bays.
Comparing models
Here's a comparison table with a few of the latest models from ASUSTOR.
| Category | AS1002T | NIMBUSTOR AS5304T | AS6404T | LOCKERSTOR 10 AS7110T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Marvell ARMADA-385Dual-core 1.6GHz | Intel Celeron J4105Quad-core 1.5GHz | Intel Celeron J3455Quad-core 1.5GHz | Intel Xeon E-2224Quad-core 3.4GHz |
| RAM | 512MB (512MB) | 4GB (4GB max) | 8GB (8GB max) | 8GB (64GB max) |
| Drive bays | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| Capacity | 32TB2 x 16TB | 64TB4 x 16TB | 64TB4 x 16TB | 160TB10 x 16TB |
| Transcoding | - | H.264 (AVC)H.265 (HEVC)MPEG-2VC-14K 30 FPS | H.264 (AVC)H.265 (HEVC)MPEG-2VC-14K 30 FPS | H.264 (AVC)H.265 (HEVC)MPEG-2VC-14K 30 FPS |
| Ports | 1x 1Gb LAN2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 | 2x 2.5Gb LAN3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 | 1x 1Gb LAN4x USB 3.0 (1x Type-C)1x HDMI 2.01x S/PDIF | 3x 2.5Gb LAN1x 10Gb LAN1x USB 3.2 Gen 12x USB 3.2 Gen 2 |
| Warranty | Three years | Three years | Three years | Five years |
| Price | $150 | $502 | $460 | $2,400 |
More affordable ASUSTOR models like the AS1002T won't be powerful enough for advanced services like Plex and 4K media transcoding. They are better suited for file storage. More expensive options like the AS6404T and AS7110T are able to handle such tasks, but you'll need to part with considerably more funds.
Choosing the right ASUSTOR NAS should primarily come down to price and how much you're willing to spend. You'll also need to factor in the cost of hard drives too. We've also got a useful guide for choosing the best hard drives for a NAS.
An incredible value NAS
The AS1002T isn't the most potent NAS from ASUSTOR. It's one of the weakest with an ARM processor, but this does mean it's affordable and a perfect choice for someone looking to buy their first NAS.
