QNAP SilentNAS HS-251+ 2-Bay Passive-Cooled NAS Review

Final Thoughts

Pricing

At the time of writing, the QNAP SilentNAS HS-251+ can he had for $429.00 at NewEgg, £303.90 at Scan UK, or starting from €379.48 through Geizhals.

Overview

There is no doubt that the QNAP HS-251+ is a premium NAS in every way. It is also a unique NAS by being such a powerful unit in such a small size and on top of it’s being passive cooled. The plastic cover front hides the drives away and allows the NAS to maintain an overall great appearance. The top aluminium plate is brushed and gives a great look together with the black sides.

The CPU together with the 2GB RAM provide a great base for lots of apps to run at the same time and smooth at that. QNAP also added the QvPC technology to this NAS which allows you to use it directly as an HTPC replacement. This doesn’t just allow you to play media files, but also play games, surf the web, and edit your office documents. The two LAN ports allow for trunking and can also be used separately when needed. The NAS has USB 2.0 that mainly will be used for printers, keyboards, and mice where the USB 3.0 ports are perfect for fast file transfers to and from external storage devices. The NAS sadly doesn’t feature any front accessed ports of one-touch copy button, but that’s due to the design.

The new QTS 4.2 looks amazing and works better than ever. Plenty of features were added and everything seems even simpler to use than before. Whether you need simple network attached storage, a high-end media player, a personal cloud system, a backup target, or more – the HS-251+ can do it.

While it is a premium device and also comes at a premium price, it’s fully worth it in my opinion. It’s also nice to see that the IR remote already is included and that it comes with LAN cables for both ports right out of the box. Minor things, but it’s those things that provide the last bonuses that might tip the user in that direction when they’re making their choice. A device where no corners have been cut is one that you trust.

Pros:

• Powerful Intel CPU
• Dual LAN and USB 3.0
• HDMI-out and direct usage with mouse and keyboard
• Great operating system
• Silent
• Great design

Cons:

• Needs to be placed well ventilated and not in an enclosed space
• No front USB port and one-touch copy due to the design
• No eSATA

Neutral:

• Price

“QNAP’s HS-251+ is probably the best looking NAS for your living room and at the same time it comes with plenty of performance and features that don’t leave many wishes open.”

Thank You QNAP for providing us with this review sample.