Computing on Demand PC News & Reviews
The ASUSTOR AS-204TE looks like any other NAS in the ASUSTOR lineup. However, don’t be fooled by its appearance, there are some key differences. Up front, the AS-204TE is simple and fantastic looking. The raised asustor logo defines the brand. The power button and blue LED are smooth and flush. The HDD glows a soothing green. Although there are two positions for Ethernet connectivity LEDs, only one is populated; the other is plugged. The OTB (one touch backup) button is similar to that of the Power button, but unlike QNAP TS-470 it features a USB 3.0 port for quick data transfers.
Occupying the majority of the AS-204TE’s face is a plastic piece of trickery. Normally, you would expect there to be an LCD panel hidden behind the clear plastic, similar to that of the AS-608T. However, ASUSTOR has done no such thing here. The only thing that resides here is the IR receiver.
Just below is the hard drive cage. Each drive tray sports a quick release button and the smoothest action of any HDD tray we have seen in a NAS to date. Again, similar to others in the ASUSTOR lineup and those by QNAP, there are no drive tray numbers. Each drive tray is manufactured from high quality materials and the release mechanism is strong. Each drive tray has its own LED indicator for power and activity and can home either a 3.5″ or 2.5″ hard drive.
Around back, the ASUSTOR NAS has a solitary USB 3.0 Port and Gigabit Ethernet Port, the HDMI port, Audio connectivity, dual USB 2.0 ports, a Kensington Security Slot, a HUGE 120mm exhaust fan, and power connectivity.
