Asustor AS6704T v2 Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ NAS Hardware Review, Worth Your Data?

Asustor has always sat slightly off to one side of the mainstream NAS conversation. It does not chase the same marketing angles as the bigger names, but it has consistently tried to combine features that other brands often keep separated by model tier. The Lockerstor series is a good example of that approach, mixing prosumer hardware touches such as a metal chassis, HDMI output and multiple SSD bays with a fairly traditional four bay NAS layout. The Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ is not a clean-slate redesign. Instead, it is a mid-range refresh of the existing Lockerstor 4 Gen2, built on the same underlying platform. The CPU remains the Intel Celeron N5095, memory starts at 4 GB of DDR4, the four internal M.2 NVMe slots are unchanged, and the chassis and physical layout are effectively identical. The meaningful update in this revision is networking, with the Gen2+ moving from dual 2.5GbE ports to dual 5GbE. That change is intended to raise the usable network headroom for single users and small teams, particularly where SSD caching or multiple clients are involved, without forcing buyers straight into 10GbE. At the same time, the broader market has moved on since the original Gen2 launched. 2.5GbE is now common at this price point, and the N5095, while still stable and capable, is no longer the standout CPU it was in 2022 and 2023, with newer low power Intel platforms offering better efficiency and raw performance. Taken as a whole, the Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ is best viewed as a targeted update designed to keep the existing Lockerstor platform relevant for longer. It does not attempt to redefine what a mid-range four bay NAS should be, but instead focuses on addressing network performance as storage media and workflows continue to push beyond the limits of 2.5GbE.

Asustor AS6704T v2 Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ NAS Review, Quick Conclusion

The Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ is a competent and largely familiar system. From a hardware perspective, it remains solid, well built and flexible, with few outright weaknesses in isolation. The metal chassis, internal expandability and feature set still compare well against many competing four bay NAS systems. However, this revision does not materially change the overall character or capability of the platform beyond networking. The move from dual 2.5GbE to dual 5GbE is the defining update. For users who already have compatible network infrastructure, or who are working close to the limits of 2.5GbE with multiple clients, SSD caching or larger hard drives, this upgrade does provide tangible benefits. For others, particularly those still on gigabit or mixed networks, the improvement may be largely theoretical in day to day use. At the same time, the unchanged use of the Intel Celeron N5095 is more noticeable now than it was at the original Gen2 launch. While it remains stable and well supported, it no longer stands out in a market where newer low power Intel CPUs offer better efficiency and performance at similar price points. Combined with pricing that now faces stronger competition, the Gen2+ feels more like a stopgap refresh than a forward looking update. Overall, the Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ is a capable NAS that makes sense primarily for users who value its physical design, internal expandability and Asustor’s flexible hardware policy, and who can take advantage of 5GbE networking today. It is less compelling as a general upgrade for existing Gen2 owners, or as a default recommendation in a crowded mid-range market.

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Asustor AS6704T v2 Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ NAS Review, Design

The physical design of the Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ is effectively unchanged from the earlier Gen2 model. Asustor has retained the same chassis, dimensions and layout, making this revision visually indistinguishable from its predecessor. This is a deliberate choice rather than an oversight, and it reflects Asustor’s preference for continuity in this product line.

The enclosure is almost entirely metal, including the outer shell and the individual drive trays. This gives the unit a robust, industrial feel and contributes to passive heat dissipation. It also differentiates the Lockerstor from many competing four bay NAS systems that rely more heavily on plastic for cost and noise reduction. The trade-off remains increased vibration and audible resonance when using higher capacity, faster spinning hard drives.

On the front of the unit, the Lockerstor retains its LCD display, a feature that has largely disappeared from this segment. The display provides system status information such as IP addresses, temperature readings and alert notifications. Beyond basic monitoring, it can also be used for initial system setup, allowing the NAS to be configured without a connected computer. While this will not replace web based administration for ongoing management, it remains useful for rapid deployment and troubleshooting, particularly when network access is limited.

Status LEDs are present alongside the display and drive bays, offering basic activity indicators. These are functional but secondary to the information provided by the LCD panel. A front mounted USB port with a dedicated copy button is also retained. This supports both manual and automatic backup tasks and has been upgraded in earlier Gen2 models to USB 3.2 Gen 2, allowing higher speed transfers to and from external storage devices.

The drive trays themselves are metal, ventilated and feature a locking mechanism. They support both 3.5 inch and 2.5 inch SATA drives and allow hot swapping where the configuration permits. The tray design prioritizes rigidity and airflow over acoustic dampening, which again reinforces the Lockerstor’s server-like character rather than a living room friendly one.

Ventilation is handled through a combination of tray perforation, side vents and a large rear mounted cooling fan. There have been minor adjustments over successive revisions to improve airflow around the M.2 area, but the overall cooling approach remains conservative and tuned for reliability rather than silence.

In summary, the design of the Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ will appeal to users who value durability, serviceability and physical controls. It does not attempt to modernize its appearance or reduce its footprint, and buyers sensitive to noise or aesthetics should be aware of the compromises that come with this design philosophy.

Asustor AS6704T v2 Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ NAS Review, Ports and Connections

The rear connectivity of the Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ closely resembles that of the earlier Gen2 model, with one important exception. The dual 2.5GbE ports have been replaced with dual 5GbE Ethernet, which represents the core purpose of this refresh. Everything else in the port layout remains largely the same, reinforcing that this is a targeted update rather than a rework of the platform.

The two 5GbE ports support standard Ethernet features including link aggregation and SMB Multichannel. In practical terms, this allows higher aggregate throughput when multiple clients are accessing the NAS simultaneously, or improved single client performance in supported environments. Asustor positions this as offering near 10GbE class performance without the cost or infrastructure demands of full 10GbE. In reality, the benefits depend heavily on the surrounding network hardware, client support and workload type. Users without compatible switches or clients will see little immediate advantage over 2.5GbE.

Alongside the Ethernet ports, the Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ retains its HDMI output. This is used with Asustor Portal, a parallel interface that allows direct interaction with media playback, virtual machines and containerized applications when the NAS is connected to a display. Unlike some competing implementations, this HDMI output is actively supported, though it remains a secondary interface compared to the browser based ADM environment. Two rear USB ports provide USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity for high speed external storage, adapters and peripherals.

A PCIe expansion slot is also present and remains an important part of the Lockerstor design. In the Gen2+ series, this slot is described as no longer proprietary, allowing broader compatibility with third party 10GbE network cards. This adds flexibility for users who expect to outgrow 5GbE in the future, although it still requires choosing between PCIe expansion and the preinstalled M.2 carrier board.

The combination of four SATA bays, four internal NVMe slots and dual 5GbE networking provides sufficient internal and external bandwidth for many small office and creative workloads. However, it is worth noting that modern hard drives and NVMe SSDs can quickly approach or exceed the limits of a single 5GbE connection. In environments where sustained maximum throughput is a priority, the optional move to 10GbE may still be the more appropriate long term choice.

Overall, the port selection on the Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ is well rounded and flexible. The addition of dual 5GbE meaningfully updates the networking capability of the system, but it does not fundamentally change how the device integrates into a network compared to the earlier Gen2.

Asustor AS6704T v2 Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ NAS Review, Internal Hardware

Internally, the Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ is almost identical to the earlier Gen2 model. Asustor has not revised the core platform, and the internal layout, controller architecture and expansion approach remain the same. This consistency simplifies evaluation, but it also makes the age of some components more apparent in the current market.

The system is powered by the Intel Celeron N5095, a quad core processor based on Intel’s Jasper Lake architecture. At launch, this CPU was widely adopted in mid range NAS systems due to its balance of power consumption, integrated graphics and general purpose performance. It operates at a 2.0 GHz base frequency with burst speeds up to 2.9 GHz. In 2026 terms, the N5095 is no longer a standout choice. Newer low power Intel CPUs offer improved efficiency and stronger CPU side performance at similar price points, particularly for non media workloads.

The presence of integrated graphics remains relevant for hardware assisted video transcoding and HDMI based output, and the N5095 continues to handle typical NAS tasks, light virtualization and container workloads without issue. However, users planning heavier multi VM deployments or CPU intensive services may find the platform limiting compared to more recent alternatives.

Memory configuration starts at 4 GB of DDR4 2933 MHz SODIMM memory and can be expanded up to 16 GB. This is sufficient for most file serving, backup and multimedia tasks, and provides some headroom for virtualization and containers. ECC memory is not supported, which is worth noting given the pricing and the comparison to some competing systems in this segment.

One of the defining features of the Lockerstor platform remains the inclusion of four M.2 NVMe SSD slots. These support 2280 form factor drives and operate over PCIe Gen3. The slots can be used for SSD caching, dedicated storage pools, or a mixture of both, offering flexibility that is not universally available in this class. The practical throughput per slot is lower than modern x4 NVMe drives can deliver, but still significantly higher than SATA SSDs and more than sufficient for caching and high IOPS workloads. The NVMe slots are mounted on a dedicated PCIe carrier board that occupies the system’s expansion slot. This design choice means users must choose between using the four M.2 slots and installing a PCIe network card, unless a compatible combination card is used. While workable, it remains a compromise that should be considered when planning long term upgrades.

Overall, the internal hardware of the Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ remains capable and flexible, but it is clearly rooted in an earlier generation of mid range NAS design. The networking upgrade extends its usefulness, but it does not address the broader shifts in CPU and platform expectations that have emerged since the original Gen2 release.

Asustor AS6704T v2 Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ NAS Review, Software

The Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ ships with the latest version of Asustor Data Master, commonly referred to as ADM. Functionally, the software experience is the same as on the earlier Gen2 models, with no Gen2+ specific changes or features introduced as part of this refresh. Any improvements are the result of ongoing platform updates rather than hardware driven differentiation.

ADM presents a desktop style interface accessed through a web browser, with windowed applications, user accounts and a traditional file manager. It is straightforward to navigate and generally stable in operation. Performance on the N5095 platform is consistent and predictable, with no major responsiveness issues during typical file serving, backup or media management tasks.

Asustor continues to support both EXT4 and Btrfs file systems. Btrfs brings snapshot support and data versioning for shared folders and iSCSI volumes, while EXT4 remains available for users who prefer a simpler, lower overhead file system. Snapshot Center integrates with Btrfs to provide scheduled and manual snapshots, offering basic protection against accidental deletion or ransomware scenarios.

The application ecosystem in ADM remains broad but uneven. Core first party applications for storage management, backups, media indexing and basic virtualization are present and generally reliable. However, a number of advanced functions rely heavily on third party software. Virtualization, for example, is still built around VirtualBox rather than a native hypervisor. Container support is provided through Docker and Portainer, which is flexible but assumes a degree of user familiarity.

Multimedia support is one of ADM’s stronger areas. Applications such as LooksGood, Photo Gallery and SoundsGood provide local media management and streaming, and hardware assisted video transcoding is available through the Intel integrated graphics. HDMI output via Asustor Portal runs in parallel to ADM and allows direct playback and interaction with selected applications. While this remains more fully featured than some competing HDMI implementations, it is clearly secondary to the browser based interface and receives fewer updates.

Backup and synchronization tools are comprehensive in scope. ADM supports local and remote backups via rsync, USB devices, NAS to NAS replication and a wide range of public cloud services. DataSync Center and Cloud Backup Center consolidate many of these functions into centralized tools, though configuration can feel fragmented compared to more tightly integrated platforms.

Security features have expanded steadily since earlier releases. ADM includes a firewall, automatic IP blocking, antivirus scanning through ClamAV, two step verification and encryption options for shared folders and MyArchive volumes. These features provide a reasonable baseline for small business and advanced home users, though they rely on manual configuration rather than automated policy driven protection.

Overall, the ADM software platform is stable, functional and capable of supporting a wide range of use cases. It does not stand out for innovation or advanced automation, and it lacks some of the higher level, tightly integrated services offered by competitors. For users seeking a dependable and flexible NAS operating system that prioritizes core functionality over novelty, ADM remains adequate. For those placing heavy emphasis on software features and ecosystem depth, it may feel comparatively restrained.

Asustor AS6704T v2 Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ NAS Review, Conclusion

The Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ is best understood as a maintenance refresh rather than a new generation. Asustor has taken an existing and well established platform and updated it in one specific area, network connectivity, to better align with how storage performance and workloads have evolved since the original Gen2 launch. Outside of that change, the system remains fundamentally the same device. The move to dual 5GbE does meaningfully extend the usable lifespan of the Lockerstor 4 design for users who are already constrained by 2.5GbE, particularly in multi user environments or setups that make effective use of SSD caching and faster hard drives. For those users, the Gen2+ offers a tangible improvement without the immediate cost or complexity of moving to 10GbE. For others, especially those still on gigabit or mixed networks, the practical benefit may be limited.

At the same time, the unchanged internal platform is harder to ignore in 2026. The Intel Celeron N5095 remains stable and compatible with a wide range of workloads, but it no longer compares as favourably against newer low power CPUs now appearing in similarly priced systems. Combined with increased competition across this segment, the value proposition of the Gen2+ is narrower than it was when the original Gen2 launched. The Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ will appeal most to buyers who value its physical build quality, internal expandability, flexible storage configuration and Asustor’s relatively open hardware stance, including third party OS support. It is less compelling as an upgrade for existing Gen2 owners, and it is not a clear default choice in the current mid range NAS market unless its specific strengths align with the intended use case. In short, the Gen2+ succeeds in keeping the Lockerstor platform relevant for longer, but it does not redefine it.

PROs of the Lockerstor 4 Gen 2+ NAS

CONs of the Lockerstor 4 Gen 2+ NAS

Dual 5GbE networking provides higher aggregate and single client throughput than 2.5GbE when supported by the surrounding network Four internal M.2 NVMe slots allow SSD caching, SSD storage pools, or mixed configurations without sacrificing SATA bays Solid metal chassis and metal drive trays provide durability and assist passive heat dissipation HDMI output with Asustor Portal enables direct media playback, VM interaction and local management without a client PC Supports both EXT4 and Btrfs, including snapshot functionality for basic data protection and recovery PCIe expansion slot allows future upgrade to 10GbE, extending the usable lifespan of the system Flexible storage configuration, including use of NVMe drives as independent storage pools rather than cache only Hardware warranty remains valid when installing third party NAS operating systems, supporting advanced and DIY users

Intel Celeron N5095 is now dated relative to newer low power CPUs available at similar price points (eg N100, N150, N355, etc) right now ADM software is stable but lacks the depth, automation and flagship features found on some competing platforms PCIe slot is shared between NVMe carrier and expansion cards, forcing a choice without a compatible combo card Pricing faces stronger competition in 2026, reducing its appeal as a default mid range NAS option

 

 

How Good is the Terramaster TOS 6 NAS Software?

TerraMaster’s TOS 6 represents the company’s most comprehensive evolution of its NAS operating system, delivering an interface and architecture that is redesigned both visually and structurally. Replacing the earlier TOS 5, it builds on user feedback from the last three hardware generations and now arrives preinstalled on systems such as the F4-425 Plus, F2-425, and F6-424, as well as the all-flash F8 SSD Plus. The system adopts the Linux Kernel 6.1 LTS, which improves memory handling, file system performance, and hardware compatibility across newer Intel and AMD processors. With over forty new functions and more than three hundred individual refinements, TOS 6 is positioned as a more capable and robust platform for modern data storage and multi-user environments. TerraMaster’s objective with this version is to combine an accessible setup process with enterprise-style administration tools, allowing users to deploy features such as ACL permissions, SMB multichannel, Hyper-Lock WORM protection, and advanced RAID management within a simplified interface. Although still developing its ecosystem when compared with long-established NAS vendors, TOS 6 signals a step toward bridging the gap between budget and professional-grade systems.

Interested in Buying a Terramaster NAS? Support the work we do here at NASCompares, by using the links below. The Terramaster F4-425 PLUS ($569) – Amazon HERE – AliExpress HERE – B&H HERE The Terramaster F8 PLUS ($599-699) – Amazon HERE – AliExpress HERE – B&H HERE The Terramaster F2-425 ($369) – Amazon HERE – AliExpress HERE – B&H HERE We receive a small commission on anything you purchase from Amazon, AliExpress or B&H when using these links, and it results in you being able to passively support your favourite websites and creator, completely for free!

Terramaster TOS 6 – Design, GUI and UX

TOS 6 introduces a significantly redesigned interface that emphasizes simplicity and consistency while retaining the technical depth expected from a NAS management platform. The desktop layout has been decluttered, removing excess icons in favor of a single navigation bar that centralizes access to applications, settings, and the new “Start” shortcut menu. This layout, combined with subtle animation effects and theme customization options such as Night Mode and accent color selection, is intended to make the environment less visually overwhelming than previous releases. While the interface feels smoother and more responsive, some users may still find it utilitarian compared to the polished design language of DSM or QTS. Nevertheless, the decision to reduce visual clutter and allow personalized dashboards marks a meaningful progression toward a more user-centric control experience.

The control panel, which is the backbone of the system’s configuration layer, has undergone extensive structural improvement. It now allows users to jump between related settings without closing the current menu, effectively halving the time required to perform complex administrative tasks. The inclusion of a keyword search bar further simplifies access to hundreds of configuration options ranging from network tuning to caching policies. Real-time monitoring panels, including the resource manager and storage manager, remain integrated into the main interface, but TOS 6 refines them with more accurate live updates and adjustable widgets.

This customization extends to the new system dashboard, where users can drag and rearrange data modules to match their monitoring preferences. Despite these improvements, the GUI still presents a text-heavy design, particularly in areas dealing with drive management, which could be challenging for newcomers.

The user experience, while substantially enhanced, continues to cater more toward technically proficient users than beginners. Nearly every system element is accessible from the web interface, with contextual right-click menus providing file and folder actions similar to desktop OS environments. This native browser-based functionality eliminates the need for third-party explorers for most operations and allows complete administrative control without client software. However, the interface’s dense arrangement of settings can still appear intimidating for users expecting guided wizards or visualized workflows.

TerraMaster’s focus on efficiency and configurability, rather than aesthetic guidance, reflects a deliberate design choice favoring control and transparency. For experienced users, this approach offers depth and predictability, but it remains less forgiving to casual or first-time NAS owners.

Terramaster TOS 6 – Storage Services and File Services

Storage management within TOS 6 has evolved into a far more granular and flexible system. The platform supports both traditional RAID configurations and TerraMaster’s adaptive TRAID and TRAID+ systems, which allow mixed-capacity drives to be combined while retaining redundancy across one or two disks. This feature makes expansion and migration easier, particularly for users gradually upgrading storage capacity. RAID rebuilding efficiency has also improved through “fast repair,” a mechanism that prioritizes only data-occupied sectors rather than empty disk space, substantially reducing recovery times after drive replacement. The system now separates the operating system from storage volumes entirely, allowing users to install the OS on one or two designated drives, typically SSDs, to improve response speed and cache access performance. This separation not only increases system responsiveness but also helps to protect data pools from corruption caused by OS-level failures.

The volume creation process is more flexible than in previous iterations, supporting both Btrfs and EXT4 file systems alongside iSCSI targets for raw block-level storage. Btrfs, in particular, benefits from the Linux 6.1 kernel’s improved memory handling and snapshot reliability. The inclusion of Hyper-Lock WORM (Write Once, Read Many) in both Compliance and Enterprise modes offers organizations the ability to lock data for specific periods or indefinitely, preventing modification or deletion to meet audit or regulatory requirements.

Volume-level encryption can be enabled during creation, giving administrators the option to protect sensitive data without affecting system-level performance. The management interface also displays real-time disk health data and S.M.A.R.T. metrics, alerting users to failing drives through the Message Center and email notifications, minimizing downtime and data loss risks.

TOS 6’s file service layer emphasizes both accessibility and speed. SMB multichannel support, combined with link aggregation, allows the operating system to utilize multiple Ethernet ports simultaneously to multiply throughput on supported models, improving large file transfer rates in multi-user environments. Shared folder management includes advanced ACL permissions, extending beyond traditional read/write rules to thirteen distinct access types, providing fine-grained control for business use.

Native support for protocols such as SMB, AFP, NFS, FTP, and WebDAV ensures compatibility with Windows, macOS, and Linux systems, while local mounting enables users to attach external drives or even cloud-mapped directories that synchronize automatically. File management within the web interface now features a tab-based navigation system, a first among NAS platforms, enabling quick copy and move operations without opening multiple windows, reinforcing TerraMaster’s focus on operational efficiency.

Terramaster TOS 6 – Backups and Synchronisation

Backup management in TOS 6 consolidates all related tools into a single unified interface accessible from the desktop or the control panel. This centralized hub simplifies navigation between local, remote, and cloud-based backup options while maintaining compatibility with third-party systems. The platform supports Rsync for cross-NAS synchronization, Time Machine for macOS clients, and TerraMaster’s own Centralized Backup utility for deploying and scheduling protection across multiple TNAS and remote servers. Administrators can configure recurring snapshot tasks on individual volumes or shared folders, define retention policies, and even lock snapshots to prevent deletion within a specified period. While these snapshots are not substitutes for full backups, they provide a lightweight recovery mechanism that minimizes data loss in cases of user error or ransomware infection.

Local backup utilities have been expanded to support directory-level duplication, USB external drives, and iSCSI targets. This enables administrators to replicate data within the same device, between drives, or toward another NAS through the internal network. Although backing up within a single system cannot substitute true redundancy, it offers additional flexibility for temporary mirroring or fast internal restores. For users operating hybrid environments, TOS 6 integrates with major cloud providers using its CloudSync feature, which allows continuous bidirectional synchronization between TNAS and services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and WebDAV storage. Mounted cloud directories appear as native local folders, simplifying file interaction and ensuring that any modifications are reflected remotely. The mounting mechanism also allows automatic synchronization of remote data without external applications, further streamlining multi-location workflows.

In terms of automation and security, backup tasks in TOS 6 can be scheduled to run incrementally or in real time, minimizing bandwidth usage and system load. Each task includes verification and logging, with the ability to send alerts on failure through the Message Center or by email. The inclusion of Hyper-Lock WORM at the backup level ensures archived backups cannot be altered for a defined compliance period, an important feature for business environments managing regulated data. Despite the lack of the same polish found in Synology’s Active Backup or QNAP’s Hybrid Backup Sync, TerraMaster’s solution achieves a comparable range of features for small-scale and mid-tier operations. The combination of flexible snapshot scheduling, cloud integration, and data-integrity verification makes TOS 6 a notable step forward from earlier releases and closes much of the functionality gap that existed between TerraMaster and its larger competitors.

Terramaster TOS 6 – Applications, Client Tools and Services

The application ecosystem in TOS 6 has expanded both in variety and integration depth, blending TerraMaster’s own utilities with third-party and open-source solutions. The App Center serves as the central hub for installing, updating, and managing applications, ranging from productivity tools and cloud clients to virtualization and multimedia services. Many of these applications are developed in-house, such as the Centralized Backup, File Manager, and Photo Gallery utilities, while others leverage established third-party frameworks like VirtualBox for virtualization and Portainer for container management. Users can deploy Docker containers directly from the interface or access the full registry for advanced workloads, making it possible to host additional media servers, AI indexing tools, or web applications. Although the ecosystem remains smaller than Synology’s Package Center or QNAP’s App Center, the available selection covers nearly all core NAS functions that general users and small business environments would require.

Client connectivity is also a strong component of the system’s service design. The TerraMaster desktop client for Windows and macOS allows users to discover NAS systems on the network, manage synchronized folders, and create automated transfer tasks. This complements the browser-based interface by offering a faster method for initiating replication jobs or file transfers between devices. Mobile applications are available for remote access, providing basic file management and media browsing functionality, though they remain limited compared to the desktop experience. One notable improvement in TOS 6 is the ability to download client tools directly from within the App Center rather than navigating to external links, streamlining deployment and maintaining version consistency across environments.#

In the area of multimedia and AI-driven services, TerraMaster has continued to refine its photo and video indexing utilities. The AI Photo Recognition tool, embedded within the Photo Gallery application, performs facial and object detection to organize content by identity or category. It uses metadata and machine learning libraries to recognize patterns across uploaded images, enabling faster search and auto-tagging capabilities. Video and photo thumbnails can be displayed directly within File Manager, which now supports large or small thumbnail scaling depending on user preference. For users requiring broader streaming capabilities, the system includes native support for Plex and Jellyfin through the App Center, allowing local or remote playback using widely adopted external platforms rather than proprietary ones. HDMI output remains inactive on TerraMaster NAS units, so these integrations rely solely on network streaming protocols.

System maintenance and troubleshooting services have also received attention in TOS 6. The platform’s security advisor can perform automated vulnerability checks, flagging weak passwords, exposed ports, or outdated configurations. Isolation Mode remains one of its more practical safety features, instantly disconnecting all non-administrative users and disabling PHP-based third-party apps to prevent intrusion. When users encounter system errors, they can utilize the integrated issue reporting tool, which generates diagnostic logs and can enable temporary remote support for TerraMaster engineers through an authentication key.

Although this feature should be used sparingly, it represents a more direct support pathway than previous versions. Taken together, these improvements show a gradual shift in TOS 6 toward professionalization, improving reliability and ease of management while still allowing extensive customization for experienced administrators.

Conclusion and Verdict

TOS 6 demonstrates that TerraMaster’s NAS platform has matured into a far more capable and structured ecosystem. The software now integrates a wide range of features that were once missing or underdeveloped, from advanced storage management and ACL permissions to cloud synchronization and AI-driven media tools. The interface redesign brings a measurable improvement in usability, and the decision to rebuild the system on the Linux Kernel 6.1 LTS ensures better hardware compatibility and long-term stability. However, it remains evident that the user experience still leans toward a more technical audience, with complex menus and limited guidance compared to the automated workflows found on Synology DSM or QNAP QTS. The system performs reliably, but its presentation and documentation could still benefit from refinement to fully appeal to non-specialist users.

Overall, TOS 6 is TerraMaster’s most complete and confident release to date, delivering a noticeable leap in speed, data protection, and operational consistency across the company’s NAS lineup. It now offers enough depth for small businesses, IT enthusiasts, and hybrid work setups while remaining open to third-party operating systems for those seeking additional flexibility. The platform still trails behind the larger ecosystems in app diversity and cloud integration polish, yet the progress made in this generation positions TerraMaster as one of the more serious alternatives in the mid-range NAS market. For users who value functionality and system control over visual refinement, TOS 6 provides a stable and expandable foundation that indicates TerraMaster is steadily closing the gap with its more established competitors.

Interested in Buying a Terramaster NAS? Support the work we do here at NASCompares, by using the links below. The Terramaster F4-425 PLUS ($569) – Amazon HERE – AliExpress HERE – B&H HERE The Terramaster F8 PLUS ($599-699) – Amazon HERE – AliExpress HERE – B&H HERE The Terramaster F2-425 ($369) – Amazon HERE – AliExpress HERE – B&H HERE We receive a small commission on anything you purchase from Amazon, AliExpress or B&H when using these links, and it results in you being able to passively support your favourite websites and creator, completely for free!

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