Terramaster F8 SSD PLUS Review

Terramaster F8 SSD PLUS Flash NAS Review

The Terramaster F8 SSD Plus is a compact NAS device designed to address the increasing demand for high-speed, flash-based storage solutions in the prosumer and small business markets. With the recent rise in popularity of flash NAS devices, several brands have entered the market, offering their own versions of high-performance, compact storage solutions. The Terramaster F8 SSD Plus aims to differentiate itself with a combination of efficient design, comprehensive software capabilities, and competitive pricing.

In recent months, other notable entries in this space include the Asustor Flashstor series, the UGREEN DXP480T, and QNAP’s TBS-574TX and TBS-464, all of which offer varying features and benefits targeted at users seeking reliable and fast NAS solutions. The Asustor Flashstor series is known for its sleek design and user-friendly interface, appealing to those who prioritize ease of use alongside performance. The UGREEN DXP480T, with its focus on robust connectivity options and versatile application, caters to users looking for flexible integration with various devices and networks. Meanwhile, QNAP’s TBS-574TX and TBS-464 bring advanced hardware options and powerful processing capabilities, making them suitable for environments where speed and multitasking are critical. In this review, we will explore the features, performance, and potential limitations of the Terramaster F8 SSD Plus. By comparing it to other recent solutions in the market, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of how well the F8 SSD Plus meets the needs of prosumers, content creators, small to medium-sized businesses, and other users looking for an efficient and capable NAS solution.

Terramaster F8 SSD PLUS NAS Review – Quick Conclusion

You really have to give Terramaster credit for the F8 SSD Plus, as it stands out impressively among the many brands entering the dedicated flash SSD storage market recently. Despite its compact size, it offers more storage than most competitors, though long-term users may be concerned about heat management. Terramaster has addressed this with effective heatsink placement, angled airflow, and necessary SSD performance adjustments to control temperature. While not perfect and lacking some high-end business features like ECC memory and network failover, it suits prosumers, enthusiasts, and small to medium businesses. Content creators, photographers, videographers, and those managing fast-moving databases will benefit from this system, despite the absence of some enterprise-level hardware. The TOS 6 software has improved significantly, offering a wide array of features such as flexible RAID, BTRFS support, multi-tiered backup, and more. Though the “Windows 11” aesthetic might not appeal to everyone, and there is a notable absence of ZFS, the ability to install third-party OS options like UnRAID and TrueNAS adds versatility. The Terramaster F8 SSD Plus is a capable, affordable, and impressive NAS solution, holding its own in a competitive market for 2024/2025, even if it doesn’t match the software flair of Synology or the aggressive hardware approach of QNAP.

SOFTWARE - 8/10

HARDWARE - 8/10

PERFORMANCE - 7/10

PRICE - 9/10

VALUE - 10/10

8.4

PROS

👍🏻Compact Size with High Storage Capacity: Despite its small footprint, the F8 SSD Plus can accommodate up to 8 M.2 SSDs, providing significant storage in a compact form factor.
👍🏻Effective Heat Management: The system features strategic heatsink placement, angled airflow, and SSD performance adjustments to manage heat efficiently.
👍🏻Affordable Price Point: Offers a cost-effective solution for a flash NAS system, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
👍🏻Versatile Use: Suitable for prosumers, enthusiasts, small to medium businesses, content creators, photographers, videographers, and those managing fast-moving databases.
👍🏻Improved TOS 6 Software: The latest TOS 6 software version includes a broad range of features such as RAID support, BTRFS, multi-tiered backup, and more.
👍🏻Support for Third-Party Operating Systems: Users can install third-party NAS software like UnRAID and TrueNAS, offering flexibility and customization options.
👍🏻Low Power Consumption: Utilizes an efficient Intel N305 i3 processor, which keeps power usage low while still delivering adequate performance.
👍🏻Quiet Operation: Despite being a pure SSD system, the fan noise is minimal, making it suitable for quieter environments.
👍🏻Good Connectivity Options: Includes a 10 GbE port and multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, allowing for a range of external connections and expansions.
👍🏻Environmentally Conscious Design: The packaging is mostly recyclable, and the use of external PSUs can help reduce heat and potential e-waste.

CONS

👎🏻Lacks High-End Business Features: Missing enterprise-level features such as ECC memory and network failover, which are important for more demanding business environments.
👎🏻Single 10 GbE Port: Only one network port limits redundancy and failover options, potentially creating a bottleneck for data transfer.
👎🏻Aesthetic and UI Concerns: The new “Windows 11” aesthetic of TOS 6 may not appeal to all users, and the lack of the familiar TOS 5 desktop style might be a drawback for some.
👎🏻No Native ZFS Support: Although there are alternative file systems available, the absence of native ZFS support, which benefits SSD use with features like data integrity and snapshot capabilities, may be seen as a limitation.

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Terramaster F8 SSD PLUS NAS Review – Design

The retail packaging that the F8 arrives in is a touch snappier than the previous bland cardboard packaging that Terramaster has opted for in the past. Clearly, the brand has decided they want their systems to appear a little bit more on the shelves of your local retailer, not just eShops like Amazon. There are a lot of big bold statements and promises, and the packaging is predominantly cardboard, the majority of which is recyclable.

I’m also pretty impressed by the accessories kit that this system arrives with. The expected stuff is here: instruction manual, screws, documentation about the brand’s warranty, and even a screwdriver. That, alongside a mains cable, is also included straight out of the box.

Interestingly though, despite this being one of many M.2 NVMe SSD-based niches, I would argue that the Terramaster F8 goes a little step further in terms of provisioning for heat dissipation. Despite each of the M.2 slots only hitting Gen 3×1 speed, the brand has included some pretty high-quality M.2 heat dissipation heatsinks, alongside thermal pads and bands to attach the heatsinks to each individual drive. I am not a huge fan of the rubber band heatsinks, as they tend to be less durable under intense heat.

However, I am prepared to give the F8 a pass here, as not only are each of these bays only Gen 3×1 speed, and therefore heat generation is going to be limited, but the general quality of the heatsink and the pads for such a compact, affordable NAS kind of make up for it.

Returning briefly to that external power supply, the system utilizes a fairly common barrel 72W external PSU. I completely understand why a system that needs to be exceedingly concerned about heat generation would opt for an external PSU, which is indeed pretty common on desktop devices. However, it is 2024, and there are simply not enough NAS devices arriving these days with USB Type-C power delivery. I know this system requires more than your average phone charger USB, but there are plenty of affordable USB-C external PSUs in the market that, alongside being perfectly suited to compact systems like this, also allow for use down the line for other purposes and therefore reduced e-waste. I understand the counterargument that a NAS device is a 24/7 system, so therefore in its lifetime, reuse of a PSU at any time is practically zero. Nevertheless, I think we’ve long gone past the point when everyone should be opting for USB-C power delivery on their systems, and now that bigger USB PSUs are in the market, this only adds to this. It’s a small gripe, but I wanted to raise it for such a small portable system.

The design of the F8 SSD PLUS is pretty impressive! Arriving at pretty much the same size as any 1-Bay HDD NAS, this thing is bloody tiny! Arriving at half the size of the Asustor Flashstor 6 with its 6x M.2 and comparable to the TBS-464 with its 4x M.2, the F8 SSD Plus manages to squeeze in 8x M.2 into this case. As good as all that sounds, however, we really do have to talk about active cooling on this system. Later on, we will talk about passive heat dissipation, but this is going to be a system that needs to be pretty reactive to when the temperatures start to rise, and offload that heat as quickly as possible!

The top of the system features a fully ventilated panel that is the direct output to the system’s internal cooling. The system takes advantage of a completely vertical cooling system, with fans located at the base of the system that are pushing air over each of the individual components and storage heatsinks throughout the system, all of which are angled vertically to ensure air passes through them.

The twin fans are located and lined up at the base of the system and are fully controllable from within the Terramaster TOS 6 NAS software. Needless to say, I would still recommend leaving these set on automatic adjustments; a system will be far more reliable if you trust it to adjust the fans as needed. During general operation, the fan noise was not too bad and was surprisingly quiet for a pure SSD system. It was by no means silent, but I have definitely dealt with louder systems than this, and given the scale and level of storage inside, during heftier 10 GbE testing, I was pretty impressed by the noise level throughout.

Unlike a number of other SSD systems in the market that choose to use metal external enclosures to act as further heat dissipation, Terramaster have stuck with a plastic external shell enclosure. I am kind of surprised by this, especially given the scale of the system, as well as the proximity of the individual heatsinks to the inner walls of the casing (just a few mm of space). Let’s discuss the ports and connections of the F8 SSD Plus.

Terramaster F8 SSD PLUS NAS Review – Ports and Connections

The system is pretty low on available ports, but the ports that are here are pretty meaningful. As the system runs on a modest Alder Lake processor, there are only nine lanes of PCIe to play with here, and therefore Terramaster had to be pretty selective and tactical about what devices and connections they provide here.

In terms of expandability, the system exclusively uses USB 3.2 Gen 2 10 Gb/s ports. There are two USB Type A connections:

As well as an additional USB Type-C connection. Terramaster supports numerous USB to 2.5G and 10G network adapters, external storage drives, UPS and Office hardware, and have an ever-growing range of expansion devices that range from traditional hard drives to even hybrid storage systems like the D5 and D8 Hybrid storage devices. Just connect to a JBOD device to one of these ports, and you could expand the initial F8 SSD Plus NAS storage exponentially!

In terms of default network connections, however, there is both good and bad news. The good news is that this system rocks out the gate with 10 GbE. A system that exclusively utilizes SSDs was always going to come under fire if it did not arrive with 10G networking, so we’ve dodged a bullet there! Realistically, of course, each one of the Gen 3×1 SSDs inside this system could almost completely saturate this connection, and once we start factoring in RAID configurations, then this 10G port may serve as a bottleneck. Nevertheless, at the system’s scale and price point, I’m really pleased with seeing a 10 GbE port.

That said, the fact the system only features a single network port really does bring this down a bit. It isn’t even that the system only features a single 10G external port instead of multiple, but the real problem is that the system doesn’t feature any kind of failover for higher/lower priority use, or as a failover in case the initial network fails. The F8 SSD Plus only featuring a single 10G port means that all operations between client devices and the F8 have to be conducted by this single output, which is going to result in that 1,000 MB per second bandwidth being carved up at times, as well as not allowing for any kind of failover or physical priority of service. I appreciate that the N305 would need serious tweaking in order to facilitate an additional 10G output, but this merely demonstrates some of the limitations that these more affordable SoC CPUs are prone to, and one of the caveats to keeping this system affordable. Technically, this is not the end of the world, but still a matter for concern. Additionally, thanks to the system arriving with a decent base of USB connections, you can still take advantage of $20-40 2.5G and 5G adapters to add further network ports via those USB ports.

The system also features an HDMI output that can reach 4K at 60 frames per second, but currently, Terramaster does not provide any HDMI parallel GUI or output. That means this HDMI output is only really for use if you use a third-party operating system such as TrueNAS or UnRAID, which Terramaster do officially support by the way!

As previously mentioned, the ports and connections on such a modest internal CPU base were always going to be difficult, and on the whole, I think Terramaster has done pretty reasonably well with what they’ve got here while maintaining the system’s price and value. Nevertheless, as good as having 10G is, that single port is a little bit of a pain. It is easy to overcome this with the use of USB 2.5G/10G network adapters, but still, it’s annoying. Let’s discuss the internal hardware a little bit more, shall we?

Terramaster F8 SSD PLUS NAS Review – Internal Hardware

The system’s external casing is held in place with a single thumb screw that is easy to remove from the base of the system, and in doing so will allow you to slide off the top of the enclosure easily. As the system takes advantage of M.2 SSDs, and not E1.S drives, hot swapping is not featured on this system, and changing drives on the fly would cause the system to crash.

Therefore, you are not going to have much cause to remove this external casing above and beyond adding further drives, replacing drives via a RAID repair, and maybe upgrading the memory at some point if you choose. Internally, we find pretty much everything built on a single PCB, with components strategically placed either side and in alignment with the base fans.

Of course, the first thing we need to discuss is the SSD bays. There are four M.2 2280 length slots on either side of this PCB. The F8 does not require full population in order to be used; indeed, you can run the F8 on as little as a single 2280 M.2 SSD if you choose, and then use the RAID expansion capability of TOS to gradually add drives over time as and when your budget and storage requirements decide. I was originally expecting the PCB to feature 8 M.2 SSD slots on one side of the PCB and the CPU/memory/network controller to all live on the other side. However, I think the way they have laid these components out makes a great deal more sense and spreads out the heat generation quite evenly.

Each slot is a Gen 3 slot that is downgraded to Gen 3×1 speed. That means that each has a potential 1,000 MB per second bandwidth. The TOS software allows for multiple storage pools and volumes as needed, so SSDs are not all locked into a single pool, and instead, you can create multiple smaller storage pools that are made up of several Gen 3×1 SSD drives. This will allow you to leverage the individual performance of each drive quite well, and given the N305 being a more efficient CPU and therefore not really able to harness the true RAID potential of multiple Gen 3×4 drives together, will also help offset any performance losses that all eight SSDs in a single pool might have resulted in. Also, let’s not forget that this system also includes all of the M.2 SSD heatsinks you are going to require, and they are very easy to install and screw down. Be cautious to use SSDs that already feature their own heatsinks, as the space allocated inside the F8 is pretty limited, and even when I installed the FireCuda 530 with its rather modest pre-attached heatsink, I was not able to replace the external casing correctly.

The system runs on an Intel Alder Lake N305 i3 processor. This is an 8-core, 8-thread CPU that features a decent base of integrated graphics. Also, the TDP of this processor is surprisingly low, especially for an Intel i3, and means that despite this system’s high-performance potential, the power consumption should be impressively low. Terramaster has already utilized the N305 in the F4-424 Pro NAS, and it worked very well.

It is worth remembering though, as mentioned earlier, that the N305 is designed to be very efficient, and alongside a very low base clock speed (that can be boosted significantly when needed), it only features nine lanes of PCIe to distribute across the system. This is the main reason why the SSDs in the F8 are all set to Gen 3×1 speed, as there are just simply not enough lanes to allocate to the rest of the system, and short of some impressive PCIe switch controller use internally, after those SSD slots and the 10 GbE connection, there is virtually nothing left to the rest of the system.

One of the earliest clues to this is that the system only features a single SODIMM supporting up to 32 GB of DDR5 memory. Terramaster has already rolled out this system to the maximum on the PLUS series model. On the one hand, it’s really good that they have included the maximum 32 GB on this model, and this is pretty much what the CPU can maximum use anyway, although other users have of course tried to install larger. But there are definitely going to be users who will complain that the system does not arrive with ECC memory, something of a staple in more storage veteran circles, and given the speed at which data is going to be moving around here, there is definitely an argument for ECC memory being needed. However, that is simply not supported on this processor, and therefore the introduction of ECC memory support on the F8 SSD PLUS would require a complete overhaul of the CPU choice, and almost certainly a large bump in the price point and power consumption. So although ECC memory would have been nice, I understand why Terramaster did what they did here.

The system’s operating system is loaded from a USB drive bootloader located inside the system, directly onto the storage media. So unlike TrueNAS, which requires a dedicated drive for its operating system, Terramaster installs TOS on the storage of the system on those M.2 SSD bays. This does not remove any of the drives from storage use and is simply an internal partition. Of course, there are pros and cons to this approach. One, you aren’t losing an SSD drive to a very light operating system that simply takes up a handful of gigabytes. The con of course is that it makes it tremendously difficult to migrate drives in and out of systems over time when the operating system lives on the original drives, and you cannot simply take out a single drive that houses the TOS configured operating system with all of your settings onto a new server easily without taking all of the existing storage media at the same time!

Given Terramaster’s reputation as the more affordable and smaller brand in the network-attached storage market, at least in comparison to Synology and QNAP, I’m hugely impressed by the design work that has happened here. It would have been so, so easy to just buy an off-the-shelf ready-made ITX motherboard and try to play around with it in order to achieve the goals of the F8. But instead, they clearly designed this from the ground up, and it is genuinely a very unique hardware design both inside and out. That said, it is by no means perfect, and they have really backed themselves into a corner here by choosing that CPU. I completely understand the logic, trying to maintain an affordable price point for an all-flash NAS system, but it really lacks some of the oomph that’s needed to allow those SSDs to spread their wings. But let’s not forget, the F8 is a turnkey solution, which means that alongside the hardware you also get a full NAS operating system included. Let’s talk a little bit about the TOS 6 NAS software.

Terramaster F8 SSD PLUS NAS Review – TOS 6 Software

The Terramaster F8 SSDs arrived with the latest TOS 6 NAS software. This software has been in beta for the majority of 2024, following up on TOS 5.1, and introduces a myriad of new features. The Terramaster TOS NAS software includes pretty much everything that you’re ever going to need now in a modern NAS solution, short of ZFS. You name it, it’s here, such as:

• Support of multiple RAID configurations
• SSD Caching and SSD storage pools
• Support of Write Once Read Many (WORM)
• BTRFS or EXT4 volumes
• Two-factor authentication and a dedicated MFA app
• Client sync tools
• A multi-tiered and multi-platform backup app
• AI-powered photo recognition tool
• DLNA/UPnP multimedia streaming server app
• Container deployment app
• Virtual machine tool
• Surveillance camera application
• Native browser file explorer
• Dedicated mobile app for iOS and Android to control the system

Expanded Key Features and Improvements in TOS 6

• Linux Kernel 6.1 LTS Upgrade: Transitioning to the latest Linux kernel version, TOS 6 benefits from improved scheduling algorithms, enhanced memory management, superior file system support, optimized network performance, advanced security features, and better power management. This upgrade facilitates a more robust and efficient system, capable of handling the demands of both home and enterprise environments with ease.

• Revolutionized Docker Manager 2.0.16: This release introduces Docker Compose project management, adding a new dimension to container orchestration on TNAS devices. The addition of a container terminal and system notifications for Docker image operations streamlines container management. These enhancements, combined with UI and functionality optimizations, cater to developers and IT professionals seeking a versatile platform for containerized applications.

• File Manager Overhaul: With user feedback and industry best practices in mind, the File Manager has been retooled to offer an intuitive, efficient file navigation and management experience. Features such as enhanced directory navigation, column display mode for deep folder hierarchy exploration, tabbed browsing, adjustable thumbnail sizes, and a suite of new file operation tools significantly elevate user productivity.

• Online Disk Wiping: This new utility offers a straightforward solution for securely erasing all data from disks directly within the TOS interface, facilitating easy preparation of drives for repurposing or disposal without the need for external tools.
• Cloud Drive Mounting: Seamlessly integrate cloud storage services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and more directly into TNAS. This feature enhances the flexibility of data access and management, allowing for efficient data synchronization and sharing between local and cloud storage.

• Security and Privacy Control (SPC): Introducing a robust security framework designed to prevent unauthorized execution of programs on TNAS devices. SPC enhances the overall security posture by ensuring only vetted and authorized applications can run, significantly reducing the risk of malware and ransomware infections.

• SMB Multichannel Support: By enabling multiple network connections for SMB file sharing, TOS 6 ensures higher data transfer speeds, improved reliability, and enhanced redundancy. This feature is particularly beneficial in multi-user environments where network performance directly impacts productivity.
• Direct Data Drive Mounting: Offering unparalleled convenience, this feature allows users to access data on external drives without the need for disk reformatting or repartitioning, preserving existing data while extending the storage capabilities of TNAS devices.
• Storage Pool Migration: Streamlines the process of migrating storage pools between TNAS devices, aiding users in hardware upgrades or replacements without the hassle of data migration or system reconfiguration.
• Advanced ACL Permissions: Delivers granular access control with 13 additional customizable permissions on top of the standard read, write, and deny options. This advanced permission management system enables precise control over data access, ensuring data security and compliance.

TOS 6 System Enhancements

TOS 6 introduces a slew of system-wide enhancements aimed at delivering a more stable, secure, and user-friendly NAS operating environment:

• Performance and Stability: With the new Linux kernel and system optimizations, TOS 6 offers improved system stability and performance, ensuring that TNAS devices can handle intensive tasks and larger volumes of data more efficiently.
• Hardware and Innovation Support: Prepared for the future, TOS 6 includes support for the latest hardware innovations, such as Intel’s “Meteor Lake” chips, and introduces new data structures and error decoding capabilities for enhanced data processing and system reliability.
• Enhanced Security Measures: Building upon TerraMaster’s commitment to security, new features like customizable HTTPS certificates, optimized firewall rule settings, and the innovative SPC module significantly enhance the protection of user data against external threats.
• User Interface and Usability Improvements: From a streamlined desktop design and simplified navigation to a new “Start” menu and customizable user avatars, TOS 6 focuses on creating a more engaging and personalized user experience.
• Comprehensive Application and Service Enhancements: The update enriches the application ecosystem with new functionalities, improved file services, and advanced storage features, catering to a wide range of user needs from media indexing and scheduled task notifications to cross-platform data interoperability and USB storage device health management.

Through these extensive features and improvements, TOS 6 not only advances the capabilities of TNAS devices but also sets a new standard for NAS operating systems, offering a sophisticated platform for storage, management, and security that meets the evolving needs of both individual and enterprise users. If you want to learn more about TOS, you can watch the TOS 5 review from NASCompares below OR you can read the FULL TOS 5 Review HERE:

Despite practically every modern NAS software appliance now being available or supported on TOS 6, it has to be stated that it still lags behind Synology in terms of software responsiveness, cohesion, and presentation in the UX across different apps at any given time, and just always feels a little bit more hurried than Synology DSM. Synology pushes the majority of their finances into the development of their software platform, massively to their credit, but this does result in the general held opinion that the Synology hardware tends to be a little bit safer and a little less exciting. Terramaster has clearly tried to find something more of a middle ground between the two, and instead provide fully featured software that, although you will need to be patient at times, still gets the job done and is still very responsive and vibrant.

Finally, it’s worth keeping in mind that Terramaster does not object to or withhold hardware warranty from users who want to go ahead and install third-party NAS software on their systems. That means that if you still don’t find Terramaster’s TOS 6 software to your liking, you can go ahead and install the likes of TrueNAS SCALE or UnRAID and take advantage of those! The system has that internal USB with the TOS bootloader, so you can always reinstate TOS at any time. Hell, if you just remove the SSD and install a third-party operating system, and down the line, you want to return to the Terramaster software, you can just reinstall the SSDs you removed earlier, and the system will go back to its original Terramaster TOS deployment with ease. I’m not suggesting that Terramaster should get any kind of credit for the likes of TrueNAS or UnRAID, but I do think it’s worth highlighting that some brands do have a tendency to withhold hardware warranty support if you choose to install a third-party OS on your hardware. So I’m pleased to see that Terramaster are sticking with supporting third-party operating system use.

Terramaster F8 SSD PLUS NAS Review – Conclusion and Verdict

You really have to give Terramaster credit here for this system. With so many brands trying to enter the world of dedicated flash SSD storage in the last year or so, the F8 SSD Plus is hands down one of the most impressively designed options out there. Somehow arriving with more storage than most options out there, whilst also being the smallest. Long-time storage veterans are definitely going to ponder temperatures and operational heat when the system has been up and running for long periods of time, but Terramaster has clearly factored this in too with a vast amount of tactical heatsink placement, angled airflow, and painfully necessary SSD performance reductions in order to stop the cart before the horse bolts in terms of heat! The Terramaster F8 SSD Plus is by no means a perfect SSD NAS! Not by a long shot in fact! As long as you keep it realistic in terms of what you expect an eight-bay SSD system of this scale and price point to be able to do, I do not think you will be disappointed! Just make sure to remember that this is not an enterprise piece of kit, and is geared far more towards the prosumer, the enthusiast, and perhaps the small/medium business user.

Content creators, photographers, videographers, and those that want to manage a fast-moving database in a small group of users are definitely going to feel the benefits of the F8 SSD Plus. But the absence of higher-tier business features in terms of hardware, such as ECC memory and no network failover out of the box, are going to be a pain for those bigger users that have bigger demands. The TOS 6 software is, on the whole, better than it’s ever been in terms of feature set, functionality, and responsiveness. I am still not really in love with the “Windows 11” aesthetic, and definitely miss the TOS 5 desktop style that has become something of a staple of the NAS software industry, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it. At this point, there really are very few things available in the NAS market in terms of software that are not available here. A flexible RAID system in T-Raid, support of BTRFS, a multi-tiered backup software, multiple client tools, support of Write Once Read Many, volume encryption, two-factor authentication, isolation mode, the list goes on and on. It would be easy to critique the system in saying that it lacks ZFS (with numerous inline features that really benefit SSD use), but then you also remember that Terramaster allows users to use third-party operating systems like UnRAID and TrueNAS, which means that these are not completely off the table anyway!

Overall, I’ve got to say that the Terramaster F8 SSD Plus is a fantastically capable, affordable, and impressive desktop flash NAS system, and in a growing competitive marketplace for these kinds of devices, Terramaster has done a phenomenal job in their introduction of a new SSD-targeted solution in their portfolio. It may lack some of the software pizzazz of a Synology or aggressive hardware of a QNAP, but it manages to do its own thing very well, and as long as you keep your expectations realistic, this is a phenomenal NAS for 2024/2025.

PROs of the F8 SSD PLUS NAS	CONs of the F8 SSD PLUS NAS
Compact Size with High Storage Capacity: Despite its small footprint, the F8 SSD Plus can accommodate up to 8 M.2 SSDs, providing significant storage in a compact form factor. Effective Heat Management: The system features strategic heatsink placement, angled airflow, and SSD performance adjustments to manage heat efficiently. Affordable Price Point: Offers a cost-effective solution for a flash NAS system, making it accessible to a wide range of users. Versatile Use: Suitable for prosumers, enthusiasts, small to medium businesses, content creators, photographers, videographers, and those managing fast-moving databases. Improved TOS 6 Software: The latest TOS 6 software version includes a broad range of features such as RAID support, BTRFS, multi-tiered backup, and more. Support for Third-Party Operating Systems: Users can install third-party NAS software like UnRAID and TrueNAS, offering flexibility and customization options. Low Power Consumption: Utilizes an efficient Intel N305 i3 processor, which keeps power usage low while still delivering adequate performance. Quiet Operation: Despite being a pure SSD system, the fan noise is minimal, making it suitable for quieter environments. Good Connectivity Options: Includes a 10 GbE port and multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, allowing for a range of external connections and expansions. Environmentally Conscious Design: The packaging is mostly recyclable, and the use of external PSUs can help reduce heat and potential e-waste.	Lacks High-End Business Features: Missing enterprise-level features such as ECC memory and network failover, which are important for more demanding business environments. Single 10 GbE Port: Only one network port limits redundancy and failover options, potentially creating a bottleneck for data transfer. Aesthetic and UI Concerns: The new “Windows 11” aesthetic of TOS 6 may not appeal to all users, and the lack of the familiar TOS 5 desktop style might be a drawback for some. No Native ZFS Support: Although there are alternative file systems available, the absence of native ZFS support, which benefits SSD use with features like data integrity and snapshot capabilities, may be seen as a limitation.

Need More Help Choosing the right NAS?

Choosing the right data storage solution for your needs can be very intimidating and it’s never too late to ask for help. With options ranging from NAS to DAS, Thunderbolt to SAS and connecting everything up so you can access all your lovely data at the touch of a button can be a lot simpler than you think. If you want some tips, guidance or help with everything from compatibility to suitability of a solution for you, why not drop me a message below and I will get back to you as soon as possible with what you should go for, its suitability and the best place to get it. This service is designed without profit in mind and in order to help you with your data storage needs, so I will try to answer your questions as soon as possible.

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