ASUSTOR AS6302T 2-Bay Enthusiast NAS Review

Packaging and A Closer Look

The ASUSTOR Packaging

There isn’t a big surprise when it comes to the packaging of the AS6302T. It looks like we’re used to from ASUSTOR. The device itself, or a very close resemblance, is pictured on the front. The sticker at the top left corner will tell which exact model is included in the box.

The rear and one side contain a lot of details on the functionality and what is in the box.

The other side has the model specific details listed, such as the processor, RAM, connections, and included accessories.

Included Accessories

There aren’t a whole bunch of accessories included because you don’t need a lot. There is, however, more than actually needed and that is nice. ASUSTOR includes a welcome and setup guide along with a product disk. The disk is particularly useful for setups in locations without direct internet access.

You get screws for 3.5-inch sized and 2.5-inch sized drives, allowing you to install the drives of your choice into this NAS. A welcome bonus is the security clamp which can prevent accidental power removal.

ASUSTOR included two RJ45 LAN cables, allowing you to take full advantage of the two Gigabit Ethernet ports without the need for extra purchases. It’s always a pleasure to see everything you need to get going included.

A NAS also requires power and the AS6302T gets that from an external power supply brick. You will get a compatible power cable for the region where it’s purchased and sometimes more. In my case, I got both a German/EU power cable and a UK power cable.

A Closer Look at the Bottom

It is time to take a closer look at the device itself, and we might as well start at the lowest point: the bottom of the NAS. The AS6302T has four rubber feet which make sure that the unit stays where you place it. At the same time, they’ll catch possible vibrations and prevent them from travelling between the NAS and the surface it’s placed upon.

There’s also a sticker with the details such as serial number and MAC address of the LAN ports.

The Front of the AS6302T

Moving to the front, we have the power button at the top. The power button contains the power LED and the general activity LED is placed below the button.

Each of the two LAN ports has their own LED on the front too.

At the bottom is a USB 3.0 port embedded in the one-touch copy button with LED. This all-in-one setup allows for very easy file transfers to and from the NAS. How the button acts depends on your configuration.

The drive trays themselves have LEDs for drive power and activity. They’ll also warn you in case of disk trouble.

The Rear-side of the AS6302T

The unit is cooled by a 70mm silent system fan. The fan will spin depending on the heat, but at most times, you won’t hear it at all. Especially if you install 7200 RPM drives. They will make more noise than the fan does. That’s perfect for a living room setup, but also offices where you want to keep the background noise to a minimum.

Starting with this NAS, ASUSTOR added a USB Type-C port. With it, you’re able to connect the latest devices with ease. More and more devices are switching to this reversible connector, and it is worth it. I can say from experience; it’s so much nicer to work with than a Type-A connector.

Further down is the HDMI 2.0 port for 4K 60Hz output and two normal USB 3.0 Type-A ports.

Below the USB ports are the two Gigabit RJ45 LAN ports and the S/PDIF output. All the way at the bottom (not pictured) is the power connector and the Kensington security ledge.

Accessory Details

The drive trays are made of metal with a plastic frame, that makes them sturdy and long lasting. The insides, where you install the drive, has an extra coating to safe-keep your drives from possible electrical short-outs. After all, metal is a conductive material.

The drive trays take both 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch drives. Larger drives are screwed via the sides while smaller 2.5-inch drives are secured through the bottom. Screws for both scenarios are included with the NAS.

The Power Supply

The power supply can deliver 5.417A at 12V which makes it a 65W power supply. That’s more than enough for this NAS, no matter what kind of drives you install. That’s a fact which should improve the longevity of the PSU. Less strain on the PSU also means less heat, and less heat means a longer lifetime for the internal components.