The N2560 Network Attached Storage system by Thecus is a mid-level NAS system and it packs an Intel Atom-based Dual-Core processor as well as 2GB of DDR3 RAM. It’s got HDMI and SPDIF Audio outputs on the back for direct media streaming, and can hold 2 HDDs. The N2560 is expected out in May/June 2014 and will retail for $339.
There’s one big caveat with my experience with the Thecus N2560, and that’s the fact that I was not able to fully test the NAS on my network. This was due to the fact that my 1.0TB Western Digital WD10EARS hard drive is listed as “Not Recommended” on Thecus’ HDD Compatibility List. After I installed the hard drive, plugged the Ethernet into my network, plugged the AC adapter into my wall, and installed Thecus’ Intellegent NAS software, it would not recognize my NAS and therefore would not create the RAID volume. An important note here is that there was no sort of “troubleshooting” option in Thecus’ software; it just kept saying, “discovering” on my screen with no other options. So, this review will be solely on the N2560’s features, appearance, and the physical device itself. But keep in mind, before purchasing this NAS, make sure you have compatible hard drives to use with it.
Thecus’ N2560 is touted as an ultra quiet and energy-efficient NAS, consuming only 9W of power while idle and 14W of power while working. Thecus also boasts a 5-minute complete installation. The 5-minute complete installation is something I can confirm, as you can read in my earlier review of Thecus’ N2310.
The N2560 is mainly made of plastic, which is to be expected in most entry-level NAS systems, but the most interesting thing with this NAS is the lack of metal rails to hold the HDDs in place. Instead of metal rails, the N2560 employs plastic rails that clip onto the HDDs and keep them in the proper place. This design doesn’t provide much confidence when thinking about long-term use, but it should be good for a while. The HDDs are hidden behind a swinging door on the front of the unit that closes and opens with a touch-latch. Also on the front of the unit are the power button, USB 3.0 port, sync button, and LED indicator lights. On the side of the unit is a Thecus logo that lights up during use, which looks pretty spiffy. The back of the unit has a large exhaust vent, HDMI-out port, the SPDIF Audio-out port, gigabit LAN port, two USB 2.0 ports, and the power port. The top of the unit is clean white, but has a nice exhaust vent. The bottom of the unit has a few exhaust vents as well as rubber feet to keep your NAS in place.
The N2560’s HDMI-out as well as SPDIF Audio-out ports so that you can actually plug the NAS directly into your TV and stream movies directly from the Intel-based processor using an XBMC app that you can download to the NAS. Thecus also has mobile apps, called T On the Go, which you can use to access your NAS remotely. Another nice feature of the N2560 is that it comes with Acronis True Image to help the user backup his/her data. Speaking of data backup, the N2560 is also able to work with cloud backup services like Dropbox.
Check out the gallery below to see all of the photos of the N2560:
Overall, Thecus’ N2560 has impressive specs for the money, and would make a good entry-level NAS. Although I’m not convinced that all of the plastic will hold up over time, the design is pleasing to the eye and it’s easy to swap drives in and out.
The Thecus N2560 mid-level home NAS system will be available in May or June 2014.
MSRP: $339.00
What I Liked: Nice looking clean design; Intel Atom based processor; Generous 2GB of RAM; Mobile access to your NAS; Lots of app choices.
What Needs Improvement: Be careful which hard drives you choose, as they must be compatible.
Source: The Thecus N2560 was a manufacturer provided review sample