Qnap sticks a 2GHz ARM chip into a NAS box

STORAGE VENDOR Qnap has updated its mainstream range of one, two and four bay network attached storage (NAS) devices by sticking a 2GHz ARM chip into its TS-x19 II models.

Qnap's NAS boxes are well regarded due to their use of Linux and the ability to download a lot of software addons. In recent years the firm has expanded into the high-end NAS market, but now it has stuck a 2GHz Marvell ARM chip in its mainstream TS-x19 II units.

The Qnap TS-x19 II comes in one, two and four-bay configurations, with the 2Ghz ARM chip supported by 512MB of DDR III RAM. Network connectivity is provided by a gigabit Ethernet socket, with the four-bay TS-419 II having two gigabit Ethernet sockets.

Recently Qnap and other NAS vendors started to opt for Intel's Atom processor because earlier NAS boxes with ARM chips were not able to saturate gigabit Ethernet connection. Qnap claims that the 2GHz ARM chip in the TS-x19 II series is good for 109MB/s transmit and 75MB/s receive using the SMB protocol, and while that's not quite saturating a gigabit connection, it's certainly respectable after accounting for protocol overheads.

While Qnap might have to defend the network performance of its NAS units, by opting for an ARM chip power utilisation is extremely low. Qnap claims just 4W on standby and 7W in operation, though that figure doesn't include the power draw from hard drives.

Qnap says its TS-x19 II NAS units are shipping now, though did not reveal pricing to us. µ