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CEO – Neowin.net
Neowin
Aug 31, 2024 09:00 EDT
with 0 comments
The Times They Are A-Changin’ yes.. I say it because this is the second all-SSD NAS I have been sent to check out, and I guess we’ll be seeing a lot more of them now. It makes sense in a home setup if you can afford the initial investment. Anyway, enough about boring things like cost; let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Aiffro sent me the K100 All-SSD NAS; yes, that is what they call it because, well, it is an all-SSD NAS.
Now for the disclaimer, I have some experience with NAS, having owned a QNAP TS-253Be, a Synology DS720+, and currently using a Synology DS923+. My use of these devices has primarily been for local and cloud backups and running my home theater system with a Plex Pass that was kindly gifted by Vishal. I am an enthusiast of SSD storage and even went as far as modifying the default setup of a DS720+ to run all my applications on an SSD volume. However, the complications Synology introduced, including unexpected unmounts of the SSD volume, made it less appealing for a system meant to run smoothly without constant adjustments.
All the NAS devices I have owned are suited for media, perfectly capable of supporting applications like Plex for streaming over my local network. Beyond that and setting up some Docker containers when detailed guides are available, my experience with network-attached storage devices continues to evolve.
Here are the critical specifications:
1x RJ45
1x HDMI 1.4
2x Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps, Data only)
2x Type-A 2.0
1x DC in
14.1oz (399.7g)
As mentioned in the preceding information, this NAS features commendable specifications. It is equipped with an Intel Processor N100, launched in the first quarter of 2023. Although it’s at the lower end of the N-series range, it supports 10-bit HEVC and VP9 encoding/decoding, along with hardware-accelerated AV1 decoding. Additionally, the processor supports HDMI 2.1, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and various memory types including LPDDR5, DDR5, and DDR4, all within a remarkably low max TDP of 6W.
Interestingly, the K100 includes an HDMI 1.4 port, even though its CPU is compatible with HDMI 2.1. It lacks a secondary network port and Wi-Fi functionality.
The packaging appeared quite worn. Despite the long journey from China, the packaging process humorously resembled a set of Russian nesting dolls, revealing another layer of K100 packaging once the top box is removed.
In the box
Unfortunately, it arrived with a U.S. power adapter. Luckily, I had a U.S. to EU adapter on hand, allowing me to set it up right away. However, there were no HDMI or LAN cables included, which seemed like a notable oversight.
The device resembles a Mini PC, sporting an aluminum alloy finish everywhere except the plastic bottom cover. At first glance, you might mistake it for a Mac Mini if not for the prominent AIFFRO logo centered on top of the K100.
The unit is remarkably compact. For perspective, I placed it upright and set a 2.5-inchTEAMGROUP QX 4TB 3D NAND QLC SATA III SSD beside it, along with a preinstalled 256GB M.2 SSD stretched over the top side of the K100. It’s clear that it’s designed to be unobtrusive in any space.
On the front panel is a singular power button that emits a green light when activated. Instructions clarify that this light may turn red to signify disk usage or operational processes. The device features smoothly rounded corners, eliminating any sharp edges.
The rear of the unit houses an upper ventilation slot for the CPU fan. Directly underneath, from left to right, one will find a 2.5 GbE Ethernet jack, an HDMI 1.4 outlet, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports as well as two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, and a Type C port for power connectivity. Notably missing is a Kensington Security Slot, which is an unfortunate exclusion for any data storage unit, as I see it.
The sides of the K100 include large gridded vents designed to dissipate heat efficiently.
Lastly, the bottom features rubber feet attached by an adhesive flap. Those familiar with Mini PCs will recognize the setup: removing the rubber pads reveals four screws necessary to access the internals of the K100.
After detaching the bottom plastic enclosure, the removal of an additional four screws is essential to liberate the metal shield [refer to the second image above]. Once flipped, this shield reveals thermal pads, coming into play especially when the four M.2 slots are in use. To my surprise, a pre-installed 256GB SSD was present. However, a closer examination revealed the absence of a USB flash drive, typically found in NAS devices for boot loader storage.
Unscrewing the metal shield also allows the motherboard to be freed as it lacks other securing measures. After detaching and flipping it, it’s evident that the memory is non-upgradable and soldered directly onto the motherboard, devoid of any additional slots. The removal of three screws releases the fan, akin to those found in laptops or Mini PCs, and exposes the CPU heatsink and the soldered 8GB memory chips.
Additionally, the absence of WiFi eliminates any concerns about cable management during disassembly.
BIOS
The K100 Pro features an Aptio BIOS provided by American Megatrends, allowing users to configure numerous settings, including the boot sequence, which is particularly crucial—a detail I will revisit later.
Initial Setup
As mentioned earlier, our K100 model came equipped with a 256GB M.2 that surprisingly had Windows 11 23H2 fully activated. Curious, I inquired with my contact whether this was standard, and they clarified that not all units come this way; it is possible to purchase the K100 with or without the 256GB M.2 pre-installed. Typically, the drive would come empty.
This setup enabled me to conduct a disk benchmark and verify the unusual hardware configurations using CPU-Z.
As demonstrated by the benchmark, performance peaks with PCIe 3.0 x2 lane speeds up to a maximum of 2 GB/s, as confirmed by CPU-Z. Therefore, you might consider opting for the more budget-friendly PCIe 3.0 SSDs rather than the pricier PCIe 4.0 or the latest 5.0 M.2 SSDs.
Actual Setup
TEAMGROUP provided us with four MP44Q 4TB NVMe SSDs. These drives, which support PCIe 4.0 x4 and are priced at $216.99, are available on Amazon or Newegg. These are slightly excessive for our needs since our NAS only accommodates PCIe 3.0 x2 (2GB/s) speeds, but they were readily available for use.
TrueNAS?
Initially, I attempted to set up TrueNAS on an unused WD SN750 500GB using an instructional video, but encountered persistent errors during the installation process. I discovered through both official and community documentation that using a USB flash drive for this purpose was discouraged, and that TrueNAS should be installed on a dedicated, unpartitioned disk. This requirement implied losing one of the available four bays in my K100 chassis.
While looking for solutions to a “cannot link fstab” error, which yielded few results, and analyzing community advice on TrueNAS installation, I found the tone somewhat unwelcoming for beginners. This experience, coupled with the issues faced, led me to reconsider my options and switch to…
Unraid.
I followed a tutorial for installing Unraid, downloaded the Unraid USB Creator, and prepared a 64GB Sandisk Ultra USB. After setting up my system to boot from this USB in the BIOS of my K100, everything worked smoothly. Notably, Unraid supports booting from USB flash drives, making it an advantageous alternative.
The four M.2 disks remained adequately cool due to the ample ventilation present in the K100.
Following the setup of the Unraid system and allotting four 4TB disks to an Array, which took approximately 1.5 hours for verification and validation, I found it impressively efficient as it automatically recovered all previously configured shares and even reinstated the two applications (Plex and LuckyBackup) and plugins that were installed on the LincStation N1. Unraid definitely impressed with its seamless process.
Once I logged into Plex and recognized my server, everything was operational. Plex handled streaming of Dolby Vision content across my network effortlessly. It’s important to note that if you intend to use the K100 as a directly connected HTPC, the HDMI 1.4 port may restrict streaming capabilities to your TV to 4K @30 Hz. In such instances, leveraging the K100 primarily as a network-connected Plex Server is advisable since the CPU supports contemporary media formats.
One slightly irksome feature of the K100 was its tendency to emit a noticeable bright light on its right side during data transfers. This can be particularly distracting in dark environments, thus should be considered when deciding on its placement, especially if it’s to be used as an HTPC.
A recent CrystalDiskMark test performed on a network drive connected to a Windows 11 23H2 PC via a 2.5 GbE hub showed satisfactory results.
While I am inclined to appreciate this NAS, it exhibits several peculiar production choices that stand out.
Notably, this is the first NAS I’ve evaluated that lacks an integrated flash drive, typically an internal USB thumb drive, which is essential as it frees up other storage connections for different uses. Without this, installing an operating system like Windows or TrueNAS could occupy an M.2 slot. My solution was to use an external USB stick as the Unraid bootloader, connected to a USB 2.0 port.
Another concern is the inclusion of USB 2.0 and HDMI 1.4 ports in a device released in 2024. It’s perplexing to see such dated technology alongside advanced components like the N100 processor and DDR5 memory. Additionally, limiting the four M.2 slots to PCIe 3.0 x2 feels like an unnecessary restriction, creating a mix of cutting-edge and outdated technologies.
Lastly, you have to remove eight screws to manage the M.2 slots. No thought was given here about the need to quickly swap out a defective drive or expand with additional SSDs. The M.2 slots also include screws which are tiny, so the whole process is a bit of a pain. A system like the one used in the LincStation N1 is definitely the better option.
For only around $350 (see below), this certainly won’t break the bank, and for that, it includes the ultra-energy-efficient Intel Processor N100 which only came out last year, 4800MT/s DDR5 memory and four internal M.2 slots.
Although you can get the K100 for $405 (discounted from $449) on the official site, right now, you can score it for just $349 on Amazon (that’s after applying a $100 in-page coupon), which certainly makes it more of an enticing offer, possibly offsetting the few negatives this NAS comes with that I mentioned earlier.
This NAS has a special use case, I think. It’s perfectly okay as a backup cloud, powerful enough to host your media and VMs, manage your cameras and control your home automation if you don’t care about loading it up with tens of terabytes of disk space. Large-capacity SSDs are still very expensive, so you will have to factor that into your purchase decision.
Things that impress me about it are the superb aluminum alloy build quality, the fact it is quiet and uses a modern Intel N100 Processor with DDRR5 memory and 2.5GbE connectivity, plus it includes two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) ports, so you can expand storage even further without losing any performance. Had it included a few more modern internals that truly complement the CPU and DDR5 memory, it could have been truly great, but for now, I’ll say that it’s just good.
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Steven Parker · Aug 25, 2024 6 comments
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