Thecus W5000 NAS Review

While I really like where Thecus is going here, I have to admit there are somethings that I wish were changed.  One of these is the fake buttons up front.  They just scream for me to press them and when I did, I was disappointment that they didn’t perform any useful function.  I understand that the need to keep down production costs drives some of the design choices, like the recycled chassis from the N5550, but I would have preferred a simple plug instead of some fake buttons.

Another one of the things I wish had been done differently is the initial partition size for the Windows Server OS.  Thecus chose to set the initial partition size to 32GB.  It is not optimal to install a ton of applications on your OS partition, but some of the requirements alone shrink the available space to shrink quickly.  I would have much rather seen a partition size of 60-100GB.  It isn’t like there isn’t enough space, Thecus was kind enough to install a 500GB SSHD to begin with.  Thankfully, the process for expanding the partition is a simple one.

Beyond that, having a Server operating system, albeit a NAS operating system, installed on a system with an Atom processor and only 2GB of RAM is just asking for trouble.  Navigating the system became incredibly slow and the time it took just to perform Windows Updates was unbearable.  It took more than four hours just to configure the Client Restore Service for the first time.  Luckily, there is a Memory Compatibility chart for the W5000 available at Thecus so that you can upgrade the RAM.  Unfortunately, the memory compatible with the system is a bit hard to find in the US.  However, some folks that I have spoken to have had success with popular memory brands.

When speaking to Thecus about this, 2GB of memory was decided on to keep the price point as low as possible, and they did succeed.  In a recent press release, Thecus has decided to offer a version of the W5000 with 4GB of memory already configured.  If it were me, I would spend the extra money and go for the upgraded version.  You won’t be disappointed.  Having purchased and installed an additional 2GB of memory (directly from the compatibility list) I can honestly say that there is a considerable improvement in system responsiveness.

For further polish, I would have liked to see Thecus brand their own RAID configuration application instead of having to rely on Microsoft’s Disk Management for creating my RAID array.  There is nothing wrong with this approach, I just think that Thecus missed the boat here to brand and simplify the experience for the less inclined.

With all that out of the way, I will admit that Thecus is the first to do this and there are going to be some opportunities for growth.  Do I like the direction Thecus is taking? Absolutely.  There are plenty of homes / small offices that can really benefit from a product like this.  Having the ability to store plenty of data, act as a domain controller, DNS server, backup computers, provide access from anywhere and do it for just around $529.99 USD (at time of review) is INCREDIBLE!  Bottom line, would I buy one? Yes, but I would immediately purchase a RAM upgrade or opt for the 4GB version.  How much do I like it? I like the W5000 enough to recommend it to a personal friend for his small business start up.

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