Jonsbo N6 9-Bay NAS Case Coming Soon

The Jonsbo N6 is the latest entry in the company’s NAS oriented chassis range and introduces a more conventional tower layout while keeping the compact profile that has defined the N series. It offers space for nine drives, a choice of ITX or micro ATX motherboards, and support for both ATX and SFX power supplies. The design focuses on storage density, flexible component placement, and broad cooling support, while early user feedback highlights both the advantages of this layout and concerns around airflow across populated drive arrays.

Jonsbo N6 NAS Case Design and Storage

The N6 uses a steel construction with a compact tower profile that measures three hundred and five millimetres wide, three hundred and fifty three millimetres deep, and three hundred and eighteen millimetres tall including the base. The layout presents a straightforward front to back airflow path with vented panels on multiple sides. The exterior follows the same plain industrial style found across the N series and shows no decorative features beyond the functional ventilation cut outs.

Inside, the drive system is the primary focus. The chassis accommodates up to nine storage devices in either three point five inch or two point five inch formats. This is provided through a tray based system rather than the rubber strap mounts used in previous models. The move to trays is intended to improve ease of installation and reduce vibration transfer, while also enabling a more rigid structure for the drive cage.

The N6 keeps the drive stack in a vertical position with two pre installed one hundred and twenty millimetre fans located directly behind the drive bay. These fans draw air from the case interior across the disks and push it toward the rear.

This arrangement is simple to maintain and suits slow turning fans, although the distance between the intake vents and the drive surfaces remains a factor in how effectively the drives can shed heat under sustained load.

Clearance for cables and power distribution is arranged around the drive column. The chassis uses a backplane with multiple individual connectors rather than a consolidated high density solution. This maintains compatibility with standard cabling but does not improve the airflow restriction created by the backplane structure itself. User feedback suggests that this region may become the warmest part of the case when all drive positions are populated.

Jonsbo N6 NAS Case Motherboard, PSU and PCIe Support

The N6 supports both ITX and micro ATX motherboards, which places it between the smaller N3 and N2 and the larger N5 in terms of platform flexibility. The internal frame leaves enough room for boards with multiple PCIe slots, allowing storage builders to use additional controllers or network adapters without relying on ITX limitations. The orientation of the motherboard tray also keeps all major connectors accessible even when the drive cage is fully populated.

Power supply placement is more flexible than in previous Jonsbo NAS cases. The N6 accepts either a full sized ATX unit up to two hundred and twenty millimetres or an SFX unit up to one hundred millimetres. The PSU can be installed in the upper or lower region of the chassis depending on component choice. This arrangement gives builders more freedom to balance cable routing, airflow, and space for larger GPUs or add in cards.

The case includes four PCI expansion slots. This is sufficient for a graphics card plus one or two additional cards such as HBA or 10GbE. Support for GPUs up to two hundred and seventy five to three hundred and twenty millimetres means that mid range cards fit comfortably, although very large triple fan cards remain outside the intended scope. For systems without a GPU, the space is adequate for controllers with extended PCBs or rear facing connectors.

Clearances around the CPU area allow for cooler heights between sixty five and one hundred and sixty millimetres depending on the chosen PSU configuration. Larger tower coolers require the PSU to be placed in the alternate position to avoid interference. This creates a predictable trade off between cooling hardware and power supply size but provides enough flexibility for both air and AIO setups.

Jonsbo N6 NAS Case Cooling and Ventilation

The N6 provides a wide set of fan positions, with mounting support on the front, left side, right side, rear, and directly beside the drive cage. The layout allows two front fans at either one hundred and twenty millimetres or one hundred and forty millimetres, two fans on each side panel at one hundred and twenty millimetres, a single rear fan at one hundred and twenty millimetres, and two one hundred and twenty millimetre units that ship pre installed behind the drive stack. This creates a total potential of nine fans, although actual airflow efficiency depends on how the interior pathways are used.

The most significant airflow path concerns the disks. The pre installed fans draw air across the drive bay, but the distance between the intake vents and the drive faces, as well as the obstruction created by the backplane, can restrict flow.

Community feedback from earlier N series layouts indicates that this region can become the thermal bottleneck when all drive positions are filled. The presence of additional intake positions on the front and sides gives users options to supplement the drive cooling, but the design may still require tuning based on workload and ambient temperature.

The N6 includes an integrated three port manual fan controller with three speed levels. This provides basic control for builders who prefer not to rely on motherboard based curves or who are using several fans connected through splitters. While simple, the controller suits the straightforward airflow design of the chassis and offers a fallback option for users configuring large storage arrays or low noise systems.

Jonsbo N6 – Pros and Cons of the new NAS Case

The N6 introduces a denser storage layout and more flexible internal configuration than earlier compact models in the series. It supports mainstream power supplies, allows the use of longer GPUs and additional PCIe cards, and moves to a more practical tray based drive system. The expanded fan placement and the inclusion of a manual controller give users a wider set of ventilation options.

• Nine drive bays in a compact tower format
• Choice of ITX or micro ATX motherboards
• Support for ATX or SFX power supplies with two placement positions
• Four PCIe slots with room for mid length GPUs or HBAs
• Multiple fan locations including two pre installed units behind the drives
• Integrated three speed fan controller
• Straightforward internal layout with easier drive installation compared to older strap based designs

The main concerns raised by early users relate to airflow through the drive area and the continued reliance on a backplane that restricts ventilation. Although the case offers many fan positions, the cooling efficiency across a fully populated drive stack may still require user modifications. The use of Molex and individual SATA power connections and the absence of intake fans by default also limit thermal performance for high density configurations.

• Backplane design reduces airflow across the drive surfaces
• No dedicated front intake fans included
• Cooling performance for nine populated drives may require user adjustments
• Reliance on Molex and multiple SATA power connectors rather than consolidated cabling
• No indication of filtration on intake areas
• Limited information on pricing and regional availability

Jonsbo N6 vs N5 vs N4 vs N3 vs N2 NAS Case

The N6 positions itself between the high capacity N5 and the smaller N4 and N3 by offering nine bays in a mid sized tower footprint. It improves motherboard and PSU flexibility over the N3 and N2 while maintaining a smaller profile than the N5. The primary differentiators across the series are storage density, motherboard support, GPU clearance, and cooling layout.

The N6 adds a higher capacity option to Jonsbo’s compact NAS case range by pairing nine drive bays with support for micro ATX motherboards and full sized ATX power supplies. Its internal structure is straightforward and offers more flexibility than the company’s smaller models, although airflow across the drive area remains the defining limitation based on early observations. The design serves users who want a dense multi drive system without moving to a full tower enclosure, provided that attention is given to fan placement and thermal management.

When will the Jonsbo N6 Be Released, and where To Buy the N6 NAS Case?

The Jonsbo N6 has only just been announced by the brand and official availability is still TBC. Traditionally, these cases have been made available on eastern eTail outlets such as AliEpxress around 10 days after the official pages go live at Jonsbo, and around a month or so later on sites like Amazon globally (arguably at around 30-40% more expensive, as they factor in the international shipping – and the N6 will not be a small box! .You can find purchasing links for the Jonsbo N6 and the other cases in this series below. Availability varies by region, and some retailers list these models under different category headings, so check both local and international stores when comparing prices. AliExpress tend to appear first, but seriously always verify the model name and drive bay count before ordering, since several Jonsbo cases share similar exterior designs and the shopping UI of Aliexpress has a nasty habit of showing the wrong image for the product in question! Check them out below:

N2 Best for Low/Efficient NAS Deployment Lowest Price Point Quietest of the Range Smallest Physical Footprint Smallest Storage Capacity Only 1 PCIe Card Slot and Half Height	N3 Best for  a Power NAS Build + Bigger CPU Cooling Largest Storage Capacity + Full Size PCIe Cards Best Prosumer Deployment Best All Round for Storage vs Scale vs Price BIG Size and oddly tall TALL!	N4 Better MoBo Compatibility (MITX and MATX) Best Size vs Storage Option + 4x PCIe Slots Most Conventially Aesthetically Appealing Flexible Deployment Most Expensive PCIe Cards Must Be Half Height	N5 MATX and ITX SUPPORT Largest Storage Capacity @ 12 BAY UNPARALLELLED PCIE SUPPORT Tonnes of Cooling/airflow potential MASSIVE…JUST MASSIVE Most Expensive of the bunch	N6 Best for  a Power NAS Build + Bigger CPU Cooling Largest Storage Capacity + Full Size PCIe Cards Best Prosumer Deployment PROPER HDD TRAYS! BIG Size and oddly tall Noisiest System of the Three
======= Where To Buy? =======
$76 (Check Aliexpress HERE)	$99.42 (Check Aliexpress HERE)	$76.99 (Check Aliexpress HERE)	$148.99 (Check Aliexpress HERE)	(Check Aliexpress HERE)
$149 (Check Amazon HERE)	$170 (Check Amazon HERE)	$199* (Check Amazon HERE)	$249 (Check Amazon HERE)	(Check Amazon HERE)

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Jonsbo N10 NAS Case Review – A REAL M-ITX NAS Enclosure?

The Jonsbo N10 is a purpose-built NAS enclosure tailored for Mini-ITX builds that prioritizes a compact footprint, flash-based storage, and low-power operation. Announced at Computex 2025, the N10 represents a significant design departure from Jonsbo’s earlier N5 chassis by reducing overall dimensions to just 205mm in width and depth, and 108mm in height. This change reflects a broader trend in DIY NAS building—especially among users deploying SSD-only arrays or compact motherboards with embedded CPUs—who value minimal space usage without sacrificing component access or build quality. The enclosure supports up to four 2.5-inch SATA SSDs or HDDs mounted along its internal base, along with a FLEX 1U power supply (up to 150mm) and a low-profile CPU cooler not exceeding 38mm in height. Constructed from thick 3.3mm aluminum alloy panels and a 1.0mm steel interior frame, it offers durability alongside a neutral, industrial aesthetic that blends well in home and office environments. Given the increasing popularity of MITX NAS boards from brands like Topton and CWWK, which often include soldered CPUs and compact layouts, the Jonsbo N10 enters the market as a focused option for builders who need efficient thermal performance, portability, and enough internal expansion to support a hybrid SSD/M.2 architecture in a space-conscious package.

Jonsbo N10 NAS Enclosure Review – Quick Conclusion

The Jonsbo N10 is a compact, purpose-built Mini-ITX NAS enclosure designed for users prioritizing SSD-based storage in a low-power, space-efficient build. With a footprint of just 205mm square and 108mm tall, it offers four 2.5-inch drive bays, FLEX PSU support, and a solid aluminum-steel construction that balances durability with minimalism. Its layout is well-suited for embedded CPU boards and hybrid storage configurations, but tight internal spacing, a 38mm CPU cooler height limit, and the lack of PCIe card support require careful component selection. While cooling is handled by two built-in 40mm fans and ventilation across multiple panels, airflow in the upper cavity remains passive and somewhat restricted—posing thermal challenges for high-performance CPUs or 10GbE NICs. Setup is straightforward, though users must manually route all SATA data and power cables, as no backplane is included. The inclusion of helpful accessories such as a Molex-to-SATA adapter and magnetic top panel adds value, and the minimalist I/O—with a single USB Type-C—reinforces its role as a headless NAS unit. Ultimately, the N10 is not a catch-all solution, but for users building SSD-centric NAS systems with efficient MITX boards, it offers a tightly focused and well-executed platform with a strong balance of features and size.

BUILD QUALITY - 10/10

HARDWARE - 9/10

SCALABILITY - 7/10

PRICE - /10

VALUE - 10/10

7.2

PROS

Compact and space-efficient footprint (205 × 205 × 108 mm)
High-quality construction with 3.3mm aluminum and steel frame
Supports up to 4 x 2.5\" SSDs or HDDs
Includes 2 x 40mm built-in exhaust fans
Magnetic removable top panel for easier internal access
Front I/O includes USB Type-C
Includes Molex-to-SATA adapter and spare accessories in box
Ideal for embedded ITX boards with passive/low-profile cooling designs

CONS

No support for PCIe add-in cards due to internal clearance
Lacks SATA backplane; requires individual data/power cabling
Limited cooling upgrade options (no top/supplementary fan mounts)
FLEX PSU format may be expensive and noisy depending on model

Where to Buy a Product
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Note – You can see the comparison of the Jonsbo N2, N3, N4 and N5 in this article HERE

Jonsbo N10 NAS Enclosure Review – Case Design, Ventilation and Cooling

The exterior design of the Jonsbo N10 emphasizes minimalism and space efficiency. Measuring just 205mm wide, 205mm deep, and 108mm high, the case is almost a perfect cube in footprint, but with a shallow vertical profile that makes it easy to deploy on desks, shelves, or tight AV cabinets. The use of 1mm thick aluminum alloy on the outer panels not only provides a premium feel but also contributes to structural integrity without excessive weight.

Combined with the internal steel chassis, the enclosure remains sturdy under load while keeping its overall weight to just 1.6kg. From a visual standpoint, the clean lines and brushed finish—available in black or silver—are devoid of branding or unnecessary ornamentation, which suits its role as a discrete server or quiet storage box in professional or home setups.

Ventilation is a core part of the external layout, with venting present on nearly every surface of the chassis. Perforations on the side panels, rear, and base allow for passive air movement across internal components, helping to reduce thermal buildup. While the compact size limits the scope of airflow paths, Jonsbo has attempted to compensate by ensuring that each major face includes some form of ventilation.

The top panel, held in place magnetically, can be removed easily for additional airflow during installation or servicing. However, this panel itself includes no fan mounts or perforations, which may limit vertical heat dissipation unless the lid is removed or modded.

Cooling is primarily handled by two built-in 40mm x 20mm exhaust fans mounted on the rear panel, each rated at 5000 RPM. These fans are positioned to draw hot air away from the internal drive bay and motherboard area, effectively pulling air in through the side and base perforations and pushing it out the back.

While the fans are small, their high RPM ensures a reasonable volume of air is cycled through the chassis. During testing, this design produced moderate acoustic output—peaking at around 43-45 dBA at load when measured from the rear—and noise levels were generally acceptable for typical NAS operation, particularly with low-TDP motherboards and embedded CPUs.

That said, airflow through the top cavity of the enclosure is limited. While the base panel and lower chamber benefit from fan-assisted cooling directed over the SSDs and PSU, the upper portion—where the CPU cooler and any on-board NICs are located—relies entirely on passive convection.

This can lead to hot air stagnation around components like 10GbE controllers or active M.2 heatsinks, particularly in long uptime scenarios. In your testing, surface temperatures on the top panel reached 31–33°C after 24 hours of deployment, with internals climbing higher toward 55–56°C, especially around passive heatsinks with limited surrounding airflow.

The absence of additional fan mounting options or top-mounted exhaust fans means users have little room to expand the cooling setup. While some users may consider modding the top panel to add extra fans or mesh inserts, the stock configuration offers no support for such upgrades.

This makes thermal planning crucial, especially for users deploying more powerful CPUs like Intel’s i5-1240P or using motherboards with multiple onboard NVMe drives and high-speed networking. For more passive deployments, like those with low-power N305 or N355 CPUs and minimal drive activity, the default setup should be sufficient—though tight airflow margins should always be considered during build planning.

Jonsbo N10 NAS Enclosure Review – Internal Design

Internally, the Jonsbo N10 is laid out to support only the essentials, reflecting its role as a NAS-first chassis with limited internal expansion. The Mini-ITX motherboard tray sits centrally within the lower half of the enclosure, flanked on one side by the FLEX PSU bracket and on the other by the horizontal drive cage. Despite the symmetrical exterior, internal space is tightly constrained, and components must be carefully selected and installed in a deliberate sequence to avoid obstructing airflow or cabling paths.

The steel frame keeps the motherboard tray stable, but there’s little clearance between installed components, which becomes immediately apparent when routing power and SATA data cables across the system. Most of the case’s internal volume is claimed by either the drive cage or power supply, leaving minimal open airspace.

The four 2.5-inch drive bays are arranged in a single, fixed cage at the base of the unit. This cage does not feature any kind of backplane or hot-swap system—instead, users must manually screw each SSD into place using traditional mounting trays. Drives are accessed from the underside of the top panel after removing the magnetic lid, and their power/data cabling must be routed individually.

In small builds, this can quickly become a challenge. The case includes a Molex-to-SATA power adapter, which is a thoughtful addition for budget FLEX PSUs that lack four dedicated SATA power leads. However, data cable management remains the user’s responsibility. In builds using motherboards without breakout SATA connectors (such as SFF-8643 or SlimSAS), this results in a dense bundle of SATA leads running through an already cramped enclosure.

Clearance around the CPU socket is equally limited. The N10 supports CPU coolers up to 38mm in height, restricting users to ultra-low-profile models. This makes it well-suited for embedded CPU motherboards like the CWWK N150 or N355, which come with passive or ball-bearing heatsinks under 30mm.

However, builders looking to use socketed CPUs like the i5-1240P will need to carefully select compatible coolers and be mindful of airflow choke points. There is no room for PCIe devices internally, and although some MITX boards have slots, they are effectively unusable due to chassis constraints. Any notion of using riser cards or external PCIe breakouts (such as M.2 to OCuLink) is largely impractical within this case’s physical limits.

Connectivity on the Jonsbo N10 is intentionally minimal. The front I/O panel includes a single USB Type-C port positioned on the top-right edge of the chassis, routed internally via a standard front-panel header. There are no additional USB-A ports, audio jacks, or buttons present, in keeping with the case’s clean exterior aesthetic.

While this simplicity reinforces the N10’s focus as a headless or remote-managed NAS system, it does reduce options for users who might want to connect external drives, peripherals, or configure the system locally without reaching behind the unit. Builders relying on initial direct access may need to route peripheral cabling through the rear motherboard I/O or temporarily remove the top lid for setup.

The power supply format supported is strictly FLEX 1U, with units up to 150mm in length permitted. This rear-mounted PSU bracket is placed above the motherboard tray and next to the SSD cage, and the power supply’s fan helps assist with rear airflow in conjunction with the two pre-installed 40mm exhaust fans.

While FLEX PSUs are well-suited to compact enclosures, they can be noisy under load and tend to cost more than SFX or ATX equivalents—especially if aiming for 80+ Gold or higher efficiency ratings. The internal wiring must be routed carefully due to spatial limitations, and although the case does include a Molex-to-SATA power adapter, it does not include any SATA data cables, which users must supply themselves. PSU airflow is indirectly beneficial to nearby components, but cooling requirements should be factored into PSU selection to avoid thermal bottlenecks.

The N10’s primary storage capability comes from its four internal 2.5-inch drive bays. Positioned in a fixed steel cage, the bays are arranged horizontally and mounted via screws without any vibration dampening or tool-less features. As noted earlier, there is no backplane, so each drive requires a dedicated SATA data and power cable, which must be routed manually through tight internal spaces.

While the design clearly targets SSD usage due to thermal and vibration limitations, there is potential for 2.5-inch HDDs as well—though builders should be cautious of heat and noise. Some modders may consider fitting up to two 3.5-inch drives with minor modifications, but this would require bypassing manufacturer recommendations and limits compatibility to 8TB drives or smaller due to physical height constraints.

When paired with modern MITX boards featuring multiple onboard M.2 slots, the N10 can accommodate hybrid storage setups—though again, thermal planning remains crucial.

The Jonsbo N10 delivers on its objective: to offer a compact, purpose-built NAS enclosure for Mini-ITX systems focused on SSD-based storage. It embraces the growing trend of low-power, embedded CPU platforms and caters directly to users building quiet, energy-efficient NAS devices for tasks like media serving, remote backups, or personal cloud storage. Its clean exterior design, robust aluminum-steel construction, and compact footprint make it appealing for constrained environments or unobtrusive desktop deployment. The inclusion of pre-installed fans, a Type-C front I/O, and even minor accessories like a Molex-to-SATA adapter add value to the out-of-box experience. However, its internal layout requires deliberate component choice and build planning due to significant space limitations and tight thermal margins.

While not designed for broad flexibility, the N10 excels in its niche. There is no support for PCIe add-ons or active top-panel cooling, and the absence of hot-swap bays or bundled SATA data cables may frustrate some users expecting turnkey solutions. That said, for those familiar with small form factor NAS building, these limitations are expected trade-offs for a case that prioritizes minimalism and focused utility. As pre-built NAS units continue to integrate soldered CPUs and non-upgradable memory, enclosures like the N10 offer a rare chance for builders to retain full control over their hardware stack—provided they’re willing to work within the tight confines of the design. In short, the N10 is not for everyone, but for those building compact SSD-focused NAS systems, it strikes a well-executed balance between form, function, and footprint.

Read the Jonsbo NAS Series Comparison Article on NASCompares Below (click below):

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N7 AMD 8845HS 2x 10GbE NAS Motherboard Review

The MINIROUTE N7 NAS motherboard, also sold under the CWWK brand, is a compact Mini-ITX board built around the AMD Ryzen 8845HS processor, targeting power users and professionals seeking a dense, high-performance platform for NAS or compact server deployments. With its Zen 4 architecture, integrated AMD Ryzen AI NPU (delivering up to 16 TOPS), and 8-core/16-thread configuration, the board aims to bridge the gap between consumer-grade ITX systems and commercial turnkey NAS solutions. It supports up to eight SATA drives via dual SFF-8643 ports, offers dual 10GbE RJ45 connections using Aquantia AQC113 controllers, and features modern expansion options including PCIe Gen 4, USB4 (40Gbps), and dual NVMe M.2 slots. The system is designed to accommodate DDR5 SO-DIMM memory up to 96GB (2×48GB), and includes support for triple 4K/8K video output. With a retail price of around $489–$509 depending on configuration, the N7 represents a fully DIY-focused solution, delivering a dense hardware feature set for users willing to assemble and fine-tune their own NAS stack. This review evaluates its physical design, storage implementation, hardware layout, connectivity, system performance under various workloads, and its broader viability as a platform for UnRAID, Proxmox, or ZimaOS deployments.

N7 AMD 2x 10GbE NAS Motherboard Review – Quick Conclusion

The MINIROUTE N7 (also marketed under the CWWK brand) delivers an unusually comprehensive blend of performance, connectivity, and storage capacity within the compact constraints of a Mini-ITX form factor, positioning it as one of the most capable motherboards in the DIY NAS and small-server market segment. Centered around the AMD Ryzen 8845HS processor, it provides 8 high-performance Zen 4 cores and 16 threads, along with full PCIe Gen 4 support, dual independent 10GbE RJ45 ports, native 8-bay SATA connectivity via SFF-8643, and dual M.2 NVMe slots running at full PCIe 4.0 ×4 speeds. This combination allows users to build a system capable of high-throughput file sharing, virtualized infrastructure, Docker containers, multimedia handling, and even AI-enhanced workloads if supported by the chosen software environment. Its inclusion of USB4 (40Gbps), bifurcation-ready PCIe x16 slot, and triple display outputs (HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C with DP Alt Mode) gives it rare versatility, allowing it to serve simultaneously as a NAS, hypervisor, and local-access media or control interface. These features, delivered without the need for PCIe add-in cards or external HBA controllers, simplify the build process and reduce total system cost when compared to equivalent prebuilt systems or workstation boards.

However, these strengths come with notable considerations. The board’s baseline power consumption is significantly higher than what one might find in ARM-based or low-power x86 embedded solutions, and thermals can become a concern under sustained load unless paired with an appropriate LGA1700-compatible cooler and adequate case airflow. Official ECC memory support is absent, which may limit its suitability for enterprise deployments requiring strict data integrity, even though ECC modules are detected in BIOS and several Linux-based NAS OS environments. The SFF-8643 connectors, while efficient and space-saving, add complexity for first-time builders who are unfamiliar with breakout cables or SAS-style drive setups. Despite this, experienced users will find the trade-offs acceptable in light of the raw capability the board offers. Whether you’re deploying TrueNAS SCALE with multiple VMs, using Proxmox for containerized services, or running UnRAID with GPU pass-through and AI indexing, the N7 provides enough bandwidth, I/O, and compute power to support demanding workloads in a footprint small enough to fit in virtually any modern NAS enclosure. For builders who prioritize flexibility, performance, and dense integration over energy efficiency or plug-and-play simplicity, the N7 emerges as one of the most forward-looking DIY NAS platforms currently available.

BUILD QUALITY - 9/10

HARDWARE - 9/10

PERFORMANCE - 8/10

PRICE - 8/10

VALUE - 8/10

8.4

PROS

High-Performance CPU: Ryzen 8845HS offers 8 cores, 16 threads, and strong single/multi-thread performance suitable for VMs and containers.
Dual 10GbE Ports: Independent 10GbE NICs with full PCIe Gen 4 ×1 allocation allow high-throughput networking without contention.
Support for 8 SATA Drives: Native 8-bay SATA support via dual SFF-8643 eliminates the need for add-on HBA cards in most NAS builds.
Dual NVMe Gen 4 Slots: Two M.2 2280 slots support full PCIe Gen 4 ×4 speeds for fast boot, cache, or tiered storage.
PCIe Gen 4 x16 Slot: Full-length slot with x8 signal and BIOS bifurcation enables GPU, RAID, or multi-NVMe card expansion.
USB4 Support: Includes one 40Gbps USB-C port for high-speed external storage or passthrough options in advanced OS setups.
Triple Display Outputs: HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C (DP Alt Mode) support up to 8K for local GUI or media server applications.
Compact ITX Layout: All features integrated into a 17cm × 17cm form factor, compatible with standard NAS and SFF cases.

CONS

No Official ECC Support: ECC DIMMs are detected but error correction is unverified, limiting its appeal in critical data environments. (correction, 8845HS Pro CPU DOES support ECC, not this one)
Moderately High Power Consumption: Idle power (~25W) and load (>60W) exceed typical low-power NAS boards, requiring active cooling.
SFF-8643 Complexity: Requires breakout cables and familiarity with SAS-style connectors, which may confuse first-time NAS builders.

N7 AMD 2x 10GbE NAS Motherboard Review – Design and Storage

The MINIROUTE N7 adheres to the Mini-ITX standard with a footprint of 17 × 17 cm, making it compatible with a wide range of compact NAS and SFF (Small Form Factor) enclosures. Despite its small size, the board manages to integrate an unusually dense set of components, routing power and data traces efficiently around the central CPU socket and key interface headers. The board requires both a standard 24-pin ATX and 4-pin CPU power connector, which is a practical choice for users reusing off-the-shelf ATX PSUs. The component layout is designed for vertical airflow, which aligns well with tower-style NAS chassis using top-down cooling. Passive heat dissipation is supplemented by a large copper heatsink preinstalled over the CPU and chipset area, although users will need to add a compatible LGA1700 cooler for effective thermal management in prolonged workloads.

Drive connectivity on the N7 is handled via two onboard SFF-8643 ports, each supporting up to four SATA 3.0 devices through breakout cables. These mini-SAS connectors route through onboard ASMedia ASM1164 controllers and offer up to 6Gbps per port, enabling up to eight storage devices across a single board without the need for a separate HBA card. Each SFF-8643 port is linked to a PCIe Gen 3 x1 lane, which limits peak throughput to just under 1GB/s per group of four drives.

While this isn’t a bottleneck in typical NAS workloads involving sequential reads/writes from hard drives, it may constrain performance with large SSD arrays or heavy mixed IOPS usage. Included in the box are two breakout cables for converting the 8643 ports to 4 × SATA each, streamlining setup and making the N7 more appealing for users assembling 6- to 8-bay NAS systems without additional add-ons.

The N7’s decision to use SFF-8643 instead of individual SATA headers is a deliberate choice that favors a clean internal cable setup, particularly in compact NAS cases with limited clearance or rear-mounted drive cages. This design also supports the use of add-on expansion modules such as CWWK’s 6-bay carrier boards or U.2 and M.2 SATA-to-SFF adapters, adding deployment flexibility for those planning to use a mix of HDDs and SSDs.

During physical inspection and test installation, the SATA connectors routed cleanly to the front of the board, minimizing crossflow interference for cooling and allowing for unobstructed access to RAM and NVMe slots. This layout, while compact, doesn’t obstruct airflow or block RAM or PCIe slot access even when all drive connections are populated.

Storage expansion is also supported via two M.2 NVMe slots: one mounted on the top side of the board and one underneath. Both slots support 2280-length drives at PCIe Gen 4 x4 speeds, providing ample bandwidth for SSD caching or fast boot devices. These NVMe drives are independent of the SATA controller and do not share lanes with the PCIe or USB4 ports, according to observed behavior during SSD testing. Read speeds on Gen 4 drives approached 5.1 GB/s, while write speeds hovered around 4.6 GB/s under sequential workloads. Thermals for these slots will depend on case design and airflow, as there are no included heatsinks for the M.2 bays—something users building 24/7 systems will want to address through motherboard-side or chassis-side cooling accessories.

The storage layout and capacity potential make the N7 particularly well suited for software-defined storage platforms like TrueNAS SCALE, UnRAID, and ZimaOS. RAID arrays, SSD cache pools, and hybrid tiered storage setups can all be constructed using the eight SATA and two NVMe interfaces. Although bandwidth on the SFF-8643 links is limited compared to dedicated HBA cards, the simplicity and integration on a Mini-ITX board are notable advantages. For users building an 8-bay NAS that includes SSD-based caching or boot storage, the N7’s native options reduce both hardware complexity and overall build cost. The only notable storage-related limitation is the lack of support for hardware RAID or U.2 ports natively, but given its price and form factor, the board aligns well with the needs of most advanced DIY NAS builders.

N7 AMD 2x 10GbE NAS Motherboard Review – Hardware

At the center of the N7 motherboard is the AMD Ryzen 8845HS processor, a Zen 4-based 8-core, 16-thread CPU designed for high-efficiency performance in mobile and embedded systems. With a base clock of 3.8GHz and a maximum boost clock of 5.1GHz, this chip provides considerably more computational headroom than most processors found in pre-built NAS devices or ITX boards at this price point. Its multithreaded performance is particularly well-suited for tasks like virtualization, multi-user services, parallel Docker workloads, and software-defined storage management.

The CPU also integrates AMD’s Radeon 780M graphics engine, based on RDNA 3 architecture, with 12 GPU cores clocked at up to 2.7GHz, which is more than adequate for media playback, transcoding, or even light GPU-accelerated applications under supported environments.

Furthermore, the inclusion of the AMD Ryzen AI engine adds another dimension to its capabilities, offering up to 16 TOPS of local inference performance—opening the door for AI-driven surveillance, metadata tagging, and potentially video analytics if supported by the NAS OS or containers used.

Memory support is provided through two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots, with default 5600MHz support and capacity up to 48GB per stick, enabling a maximum of 96GB of RAM. This high memory ceiling is advantageous for power users running memory-intensive services such as RAM-cached storage, ZFS-based deduplication, large-scale container deployments, or multiple virtual machines. Although the board does not officially support ECC memory, testing on platforms such as UnRAID and ZimaOS showed that ECC modules are recognized and initialized, albeit without clear confirmation of active error correction.

Later investigation showed that the PRO version of the 8845HS CPU does in fact support ECC, whereas the standard 8845HS here does not – which is a shame that there is not a separate configuration that includes this CPU available from the brand at an additional cost for users who consider ECC support a ‘deal breaker’. The SO-DIMM slots are well-positioned and unobstructed, allowing for tool-free upgrades or swaps without removing other components, which is especially important given the compact ITX layout and potential space constraints in NAS enclosures.

What sets the N7 apart from most Mini-ITX NAS boards is its thoughtful PCIe lane distribution, which takes full advantage of the 20 available PCIe Gen 4 lanes provided by the Ryzen 8845HS.

The full-length PCIe slot operates at Gen 4 x8 by default, but also supports bifurcation into dual x4 via BIOS for users installing expansion cards like dual-NVMe adapters or multi-port network cards.

Each M.2 NVMe slot is also connected via a dedicated PCIe Gen 4 x4 lane, ensuring maximum bandwidth of up to 8GB/s for modern SSDs, without any shared bandwidth with SATA or network interfaces.

The two onboard 10GbE RJ45 ports are served by separate Aquantia AQC113C controllers, each connected via their own PCIe Gen 4 x1 link, giving up to 2GB/s per port and ensuring full-duplex throughput without crosstalk.

This dedicated lane allocation across network, storage, and expansion interfaces is rare in compact boards and critical for users seeking consistent performance under concurrent high-load scenarios like multi-user file access, SSD-based caching, and active VM hosting.

Category	Specification
Model	MINIROUTE N7 / CWWK N7 NAS ITX Motherboard
Form Factor	Mini-ITX (17 × 17 cm)
Processor	AMD Ryzen 8845HS (8 cores / 16 threads, Zen 4, up to 5.1GHz)
GPU	AMD Radeon 780M (12 cores, up to 2.7GHz)
AI NPU	AMD Ryzen AI Engine (up to 16 TOPS)
Chipset	SoC (Integrated, no discrete chipset)
Memory Support	2 × DDR5 SO-DIMM (up to 96GB total, 5600MHz, non-ECC officially)
M.2 Slots	2 × M.2 2280 NVMe (PCIe Gen 4 ×4 each; top + rear-mounted)
SATA Ports	2 × SFF-8643 (8 × SATA 6Gb/s total via included breakout cables)
SATA Controller	2 × ASMedia ASM1164 (PCIe Gen 3 ×1 each)
PCIe Slot	1 × PCIe x16 (Gen 4 ×8 signal; bifurcation to 2 × x4 supported)
Ethernet Ports	2 × 10GbE RJ45 (Aquantia AQC113C-B1, auto-negotiating 10/5/2.5/1GbE/100M)
USB Ports	1 × USB4 Type-C (40Gbps), 3 × USB 3.2 Gen1 (5Gbps)
Internal USB	1 × USB 3.0 header, 1 × USB 2.0 header, 1 × Type-E header
Audio	1 × 3.5mm combo audio jack
Display Output	1 × HDMI, 1 × DisplayPort, 1 × USB-C (Alt Mode); up to 8K supported
Power Input	24-pin ATX + 4-pin CPU
Cooling	Passive copper heatsink (LGA1700-compatible; cooler not included)
Package Includes	2 × SFF-8643 to 4×SATA cables, I/O shield, screws, warranty card

N7 AMD 2x 10GbE NAS Motherboard Review – Ports and Connections

The MINIROUTE N7 motherboard delivers a well-rounded set of connectivity options, with a clear emphasis on high-speed networking and data transfer—features that are increasingly essential in modern NAS environments. Dominating the rear I/O are two 10GbE RJ45 ports, each backed by an Aquantia AQC113C-B1 controller and connected via independent PCIe Gen 4 ×1 lanes. This design ensures that each network interface operates without contention, allowing for sustained full-duplex bandwidth on both ports simultaneously.

The ports support all major Ethernet standards from 100M up to 10Gbps, enabling the board to adapt to diverse infrastructure including SMB networks, prosumer switches, and enterprise environments with 10GBase-T. For users setting up link aggregation (LACP), isolated network zones (i.e., separation of iSCSI and SMB), or even point-to-point replication between servers, these dual interfaces offer deployment flexibility typically absent on most consumer-grade ITX boards. While copper 10GbE does introduce higher thermal output compared to SFP+, the choice improves compatibility for users relying on standard RJ45 cabling and avoids the cost of optical transceivers.

On the USB front, the N7 integrates a versatile mix of legacy and next-generation interfaces to accommodate a range of peripheral scenarios. The single USB4 Type-C port supports up to 40Gbps data throughput, enabling fast access to NVMe-class external storage or high-resolution display output via DP Alt Mode. It also opens the door for emerging use cases such as external GPU enclosures, dock expansion, or USB4-to-10GbE adapters—particularly valuable for users running Linux distributions like ZimaOS or Proxmox, where hardware passthrough and device mapping are becoming more accessible.

Three additional USB 3.2 Gen1 (5Gbps) Type-A ports are located on the rear I/O and work as expected for more common devices like USB storage drives, UPS interfaces, or external backup systems. Internally, the board offers a USB 3.0 header for front-panel case ports, a USB 2.0 header for basic boot/recovery drives, and a Type-E header compatible with front-panel USB-C or TPM modules. During testing, USB Ethernet dongles including Realtek-based 2.5GbE and 5GbE models were recognized immediately under supported NAS OS environments, and native USB boot was stable across ZimaOS, UnRAID, and TrueNAS.

Display and peripheral audio output are also included, which broadens the board’s versatility beyond a pure headless NAS application. The board features three display output options: HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C via DP Alt Mode, all of which are powered by the integrated Radeon 780M GPU. These outputs can drive up to three displays concurrently, with resolutions up to 4K on all three or up to 8K on select single-display configurations.

This makes the board suitable for tasks like media center builds, HTPC-NAS hybrids, or running direct-access GUIs for NAS software like UnRAID’s web dashboard or Proxmox’s virtual console. The inclusion of these outputs also benefits users setting up the board as a temporary workstation or using the NAS in roles that require visual monitoring, such as security recording or local video playback via Jellyfin. Finally, a 3.5mm combo audio jack is available for users needing direct analog audio output—for example, for alerts, monitoring systems, or simple desktop playback. While not essential for most server roles, these extras enhance the board’s adaptability for multi-role deployments.

N7 AMD 2x 10GbE NAS Motherboard Review – Heat, Power and Speed Tests

The N7 motherboard, powered by the Ryzen 8845HS, exhibits performance characteristics closer to high-end desktop platforms than typical NAS or embedded ITX systems. Under idle conditions with no SATA drives connected, the system consumed around 25W of power—measured with the CPU utilization below 5%, one 10GbE port active but unused, and two NVMe SSDs idle. This baseline power draw is significantly higher than what one would expect from Intel N-series or low-wattage embedded solutions, but within expectations for an 8-core Zen 4 processor with multiple PCIe 4.0 devices powered.

During light workloads—such as file transfers, basic Docker container activity, and periodic system logging—power consumption rose to 35–40W, depending on active network interfaces and connected USB peripherals. Once under sustained load, such as running active VMs, accessing both NVMe drives simultaneously, and saturating both 10GbE ports, power consumption reached 62–64W, and could climb higher when SATA HDDs were connected. With full 8-bay drive setups, users should expect total system draw to increase by an additional 40–80W depending on drive type and workload.

Thermal performance remained acceptable, but adequate cooling is essential. The preinstalled copper heatsink provides passive thermal coverage over the SoC, but a dedicated LGA1700-compatible active cooler is required for stable operation. During high CPU utilization tasks (including transcoding and virtualized workloads), the Ryzen 8845HS reached 75–85°C using a standard Jonsbo low-profile air cooler in a ventilated test chassis. NVMe thermals also hovered between 55–65°C under sustained read/write conditions, especially in the rear-mounted slot with limited airflow.

While the chipset and PCIe controllers did not show signs of throttling, compact case designs with poor airflow could reduce long-term reliability unless additional ventilation or targeted airflow is introduced. Thermal probes placed near the SFF-8643 headers showed localized warmth, but no hotspots significant enough to warrant concern, assuming the system is housed in a well-ventilated NAS chassis.

In real-world bandwidth testing, both 10GbE ports were able to sustain near line-rate transfers using iperf3 and large file transfers via Samba and NFS. When paired with two PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSDs, the system consistently achieved 5.0–5.1GB/s reads and 4.5–4.6GB/s writes under sequential file operations, using CrystalDiskMark and Linux-based fio. When both 10GbE ports were active and transferring simultaneously, total throughput approached 2.8–3.0GB/s across both interfaces, depending on storage configuration and NIC drivers.

The M.2 slots did not exhibit thermal throttling in short bursts, though write-heavy tasks over time may benefit from passive heatsinks or motherboard padding to manage drive temperatures. Notably, a minor anomaly was observed during direct SSD-to-SSD transfers within the system: despite both NVMe drives supporting Gen 4 x4, inter-drive transfers capped at ~900MB/s, suggesting a potential shared PCIe switch limitation or OS-layer bottleneck. However, this did not impact external transfer speeds or typical NAS operations.

For virtual machines and multimedia, the N7 showed strong capabilities. The Ryzen 8845HS handled 6 mixed windows and ubuntu simultaneous VMs with steady responsiveness and no observable instability in both Proxmox and UnRAID and could very easily have been scaled further, up to double figures with ease. CPU utilization remained below 60% during combined 6xVM and 2x 4K converted Jellyfin media playback testing. The integrated Radeon 780M GPU enabled smooth 1080p and 4K media playback using Jellyfin via hardware-accelerated rendering.

8K native playback was supported, though transcoding large 8K files pushed the CPU above 80% utilization, and real-time conversion proved unreliable. Light 4K transcoding was possible, though not as efficient as Intel Quick Sync or NVIDIA NVENC-based solutions. Still, for native playback and lightweight transcodes in a home or SMB setup, the board performs well. Combined with Docker and AI acceleration for metadata tagging or face recognition, the N7 can act as a capable hybrid NAS/media server platform when deployed with suitable software.

N7 AMD 2x 10GbE NAS Motherboard Review – Verdict and Conclusion

The MINIROUTE N7 (also known as the CWWK N7) establishes itself as one of the most functionally complete and performance-oriented Mini-ITX NAS motherboards currently on the market, delivering a dense hardware feature set typically reserved for much larger or more expensive systems. Featuring the AMD Ryzen 8845HS with Zen 4 architecture, dual 10GbE ports, PCIe Gen 4 expansion, and native support for up to eight SATA drives via onboard SFF-8643, the N7 is aimed squarely at users building serious NAS and virtualization setups from the ground up. The inclusion of dual NVMe slots, USB4 support, and bifurcation-ready PCIe x16 further positions this board as a future-ready platform for mixed storage, networking, and container workloads. Unlike many boards in this category, which sacrifice PCIe allocation or require additional HBAs for full drive connectivity, the N7 manages to deliver everything natively within a compact 17 cm × 17 cm layout. Compatibility with UnRAID, Proxmox, TrueNAS SCALE, and ZimaOS means that users have a wide selection of operating environments to choose from, whether prioritizing containerized applications, VM infrastructure, or ZFS-based data integrity.

However, the board’s capability comes with caveats that will be more apparent to experienced system builders. Idle and load power consumption are significantly higher than N-series Intel or ARM SoCs, which may not suit deployments aiming for low-energy, 24/7 operation with minimal thermal output. Thermal demands on the CPU and M.2 storage require effective active cooling, particularly in enclosed NAS cases with limited airflow. Officially, there is no ECC memory support, and although the board recognizes ECC DIMMs in BIOS and some operating systems, the absence of validated error correction will deter users in environments where data integrity is mission-critical. Additionally, while the SFF-8643 layout enables clean cabling for up to eight SATA drives, it assumes familiarity with breakout cables or SAS-style enclosures—potentially adding complexity for users migrating from consumer-oriented boards with standard SATA headers. That said, for advanced NAS builders, home lab enthusiasts, or small-scale professionals seeking a board that combines workstation-grade power, native 10GbE networking, and dense storage connectivity, the N7 represents a well-balanced and highly flexible foundation. Its price may be higher than entry-level ITX boards, but for those seeking high-throughput and virtualized workflows in a compact format, it is one of the most capable DIY platforms currently available.

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CWWK M8 MITX 10GbE NAS Motherboard & CPU Review

The CWWK M8 NAS motherboard, equipped with either the Intel Twin Lake N150 or N355 processor, is a compact Mini-ITX platform aimed at advanced home NAS builders and small office users looking for a cost-effective alternative to branded NAS systems. Measuring just 17 x 17 cm, it combines several high-end features such as an onboard 10GbE RJ45 LAN (via the AQC113C controller), dual 2.5GbE Intel i226-V ports, and support for up to eight SATA drives through dual SFF-8643 ports. The board also integrates two M.2 NVMe slots, a DDR5 SO-DIMM memory slot supporting up to 48GB, and a PCIe Gen3 x1 slot for modest expansion. Unlike many low-power ITX boards, the M8 includes support for Wake-on-LAN, PXE boot, and hardware monitoring, which makes it a viable candidate for 24/7 operations and remote deployment scenarios. With its efficient lane distribution—critical for balancing 10GbE, NVMe, SATA, and PCIe simultaneously—it delivers a level of I/O flexibility not commonly found at this price point, particularly in the sub-$300 range.

CWWK M8 10GbE NAS Mobo – Quick Conclusion

The CWWK M8 NAS motherboard strikes a practical balance between performance, expandability, and power efficiency, making it a compelling choice for DIY NAS builders looking for 10GbE capability without the complexity or cost of larger platforms. With support for up to eight SATA drives via dual SFF-8643 connectors, dual NVMe slots, and a DDR5 SO-DIMM socket (up to 48GB), it delivers a surprising level of storage flexibility in a compact Mini-ITX form factor. Performance across the 10GbE port is strong—achieving near-saturation read speeds and respectable write throughput—while NVMe and SATA access remain consistent thanks to a careful PCIe lane allocation strategy. Power draw remains modest, even when fully populated with drives and expansion cards, reinforcing its suitability for 24/7 deployments. However, limitations like Gen3 x1 NVMe speeds, a single RAM slot, and shared PCIe/E-Key lane usage should be considered by those seeking maximum expansion or high-end performance. Still, for its price, pre-installed CPU, and strong open-source OS compatibility, the M8 offers an unusually capable base for home servers, backup targets, or even Plex and Proxmox environments.

BUILD QUALITY - 9/10

HARDWARE - 9/10

PERFORMANCE - 7/10

PRICE - 10/10

VALUE - 10/10

9.0

PROS

10GbE RJ45 port (AQC113C) with full Gen3 x2 bandwidth
Dual 2.5GbE Intel i226-V ports with wide OS compatibility
Supports up to 8 SATA drives via dual independent SFF-8643 ports
Includes 2× M.2 NVMe 2280 slots, suitable for cache or boot use
Very low power draw (~20W under load with 10g+2xM.2, ~31W idle fully populated with HDDs)
Compact Mini-ITX form factor with well-organized layout
Exceptional Price vs H/W Level
Broad OS support (TrueNAS, Unraid, PVE, Linux, Windows, etc.)

CONS

PCIe slot and M.2 E-Key share a lane—only one usable at a time
M.2 NVMe slots limited to PCIe Gen3 x1 speeds
Single DDR5 SO-DIMM slot (no dual-channel support)

CWWK M8 10GbE NAS Mobo – Design

The physical design of the CWWK M8 motherboard is centered around the Mini-ITX standard, maintaining a compact 17 x 17 cm footprint that caters to space-conscious NAS builds. Despite its small form factor, the layout is methodically structured to maximize accessibility and airflow. Key components such as the dual SFF-8643 ports, NVMe slots, and RAM socket are positioned for easy cable routing and minimal overlap.

The CPU arrives pre-installed with a low-profile ball-bearing cooler, which is sufficient for the low 6W TDP of the N150 processor. There’s also a system fan header onboard with PWM support, allowing for basic thermal management in enclosed NAS chassis. The board is finished in a neutral white PCB, aligning with recent CWWK trends that blend aesthetic minimalism with function-first engineering.

Storage expansion is one of the most defining elements of the M8. It features dual SFF-8643 ports that, with breakout cables, provide connectivity for up to eight SATA III (6Gbps) drives.

These connectors are routed through independent ASM1164 controllers, each on a dedicated PCIe Gen3 x1 lane, ensuring that drive traffic is not bottlenecked through a single controller.

This separation also means users can confidently deploy SSDs or mixed SSD/HDD arrays without major performance drops under load. The board supports RAID configurations at the OS level via TrueNAS or Unraid, and is capable of delivering reliable throughput for multi-drive setups including RAID-Z, RAID5, or JBOD.

In addition to traditional SATA storage, the board includes two M.2 NVMe 2280 slots, each operating at PCIe Gen3 x1. While this limits peak performance to around 900MB/s per slot, it is sufficient for cache drives or SSD-based boot volumes, especially in NAS environments where latency and parallel IOPS matter more than raw sequential throughput. The placement of the NVMe slots, one top-side and one underside, helps distribute heat and gives builders flexibility in cooling strategy. Both slots are directly accessible, and installation doesn’t require removing other components, which is particularly useful during upgrades or replacements.

Storage scaling is enhanced through the modularity of the board’s SFF-8643 interfaces. As discussed in your review, these ports can be adapted not just to standard SATA breakouts but also to additional M.2 or U.2 devices with the correct adapter cards. This creates potential for hybrid NAS setups—using SATA for bulk data storage and NVMe for hot data or VM usage. Such versatility in drive mapping is rarely offered at this price point, and makes the board viable not only for home media servers but also for lab environments or light virtualized storage nodes.

One lesser-known but practical addition is the inclusion of a MicroSD (TF) slot on the PCB. While it’s not ideal for installing major OS platforms like TrueNAS Core, it can be useful for loading bootloaders such as Unraid or for system config backups. Importantly, the TF slot is recognized natively by most operating systems and appears as a usable storage device without requiring extra drivers. It also enables simple out-of-band recovery or local snapshot scripts in more advanced workflows. Combined with the available internal USB port, the board allows multiple low-impact boot or recovery paths to coexist alongside primary storage deployments.

CWWK M8 10GbE NAS Mobo – Ports and Connections

The CWWK M8 motherboard is equipped with a well-rounded selection of external and internal I/O ports that support a broad range of NAS and server use cases. Most notably, it includes one 10GbE RJ45 port powered by the AQC113C controller and two additional 2.5GbE ports via Intel i226-V chips.

These networking options allow the board to operate in multiple roles simultaneously, such as high-speed file sharing over 10GbE while maintaining service management or redundancy via the dual 2.5GbE ports. The inclusion of Intel network controllers ensures wide compatibility with open-source operating systems like TrueNAS and Unraid, as well as ESXi and PVE, making it a suitable base for software-defined networks, VLAN tagging, or bonded interface configurations.

On the USB front, the M8 provides a combination of high-speed and legacy options. It includes 1× USB Type-C (10Gbps) and 1× USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A (10Gbps) ports for external storage or fast USB peripherals. There are also 2× USB 2.0 Type-A ports located at the rear I/O and an internal USB 2.0 header, which is useful for OS boot drives such as Unraid.

Internally, the board also features a USB 3.0 header and a Type-E header, allowing front-panel USB 3.x support if the chassis includes such connectors. These ports give builders the flexibility to attach boot media, backup targets, or even USB-based UPS management tools without additional hardware.

For video output and direct display use, the M8 includes 1× HDMI 2.0 and 1× DisplayPort 1.4, both capable of 4K@60Hz output. These are connected via the integrated UHD graphics included with the N150/N355 CPU. While these outputs are generally not essential in a headless NAS environment, they provide value in cases where the system is used as a hybrid HTPC/NAS, or when diagnostics and BIOS access are needed without SSH or remote management tools. The GPU is also supported for hardware video decoding, making the board a viable base for light Plex or Jellyfin deployments that rely on integrated graphics acceleration.

Internally, the board features several headers that further expand its flexibility. Alongside the previously mentioned USB and fan headers, there’s an M.2 E-Key slot for wireless modules, which shares PCIe lanes with the x1 PCIe slot and cannot be used simultaneously. The board also includes an SD card (TF) slot which appears natively in supported OSes—suitable for bootloaders or small backup tasks.

While not suited to high-throughput use, it does provide an alternative storage option in embedded or recovery scenarios. The arrangement and accessibility of these ports are well considered for such a small form factor, ensuring that builders can access almost all essential functionality without relying on riser boards or USB hubs.

CWWK M8 10GbE NAS Mobo – Internal Hardware

At the heart of the M8 motherboard lies a choice between two Intel Twin Lake processors: the N150 and the N355. The N150 is a quad-core, four-thread CPU with a base architecture derived from the Alder Lake-N family, running at up to 3.6GHz and featuring a modest 6MB cache. It operates at a remarkably low TDP of 6W, making it suitable for passive or semi-passive cooling environments.

The N355, on the other hand, doubles the thread count and bumps performance further, albeit at a slightly higher price. Both CPUs are pre-soldered to the board and arrive with a compact, ball-bearing fan assembly that supports quiet, efficient cooling. These processors are not meant for heavy computation but offer enough power for file server duties, light containerization, and even modest Plex media serving—with the N150 proving capable of 4K playback in testing.

Memory support is handled via a single DDR5 SO-DIMM slot, officially supporting up to 48GB at 4800MHz. While dual-channel operation is not available, DDR5’s higher base bandwidth helps compensate for this limitation in real-world usage. The board accepts standard non-ECC modules and will clock down any faster memory to the platform’s 4800MHz limit.

For NAS and virtualization users, this constraint is acceptable, though power users may note that memory upgrades are capped to a single slot. That said, 32GB or 48GB configurations are more than adequate for common use cases like running TrueNAS Scale with Docker containers, or spinning up a few VMs in Proxmox.

The board’s PCIe lane distribution is particularly deliberate given the constraints of the Twin Lake architecture, which provides just 9 usable PCIe lanes. Despite this, the M8 balances connectivity by allocating PCIe Gen3 x2 bandwidth to the 10GbE port, ensuring full 10Gbps throughput with bandwidth overhead. The SATA controllers each receive dedicated PCIe Gen3 x1 lanes, and each M.2 NVMe slot is similarly mapped at x1 speed.

The remaining lane is shared between the M.2 E-key (for Wi-Fi/BT modules) and the physical PCIe x1 expansion slot. This means that users must choose between Wi-Fi upgrades or additional PCIe peripherals—a typical tradeoff on ITX boards, but worth noting during build planning.

From a system management perspective, the board supports UEFI-only boot modes and includes features such as Auto Power-On, Scheduled Power-On, PXE boot, Wake-on-LAN, and Secure Boot, making it suitable for remote deployment or integration into managed environments. The board includes thermal monitoring via BIOS and OS-level tools, with fan control limited to one system fan header supporting PWM. These features, while basic, are sufficient for home server use or edge deployment in micro data centers. The compact ITX layout also makes the board a candidate for embedded use in custom NAS chassis or OEM enclosures with constrained airflow or proprietary mounting.

CWWK M8 10GbE NAS Mobo – Performance and Power Tests

During benchmarking and real-world tests, the N150-based M8 motherboard demonstrated performance levels consistent with expectations for an ultra-low-power NAS platform. Sequential read speeds over the 10GbE interface approached saturation during synthetic ATTO Disk Benchmark tests, particularly with a 256MB block size, where throughput consistently exceeded 950MB/s.

Write performance, however, plateaued slightly lower, averaging between 650–700MB/s for 1GB and 4GB file tests. These figures are typical for systems utilizing Gen3 x1 NVMe SSDs and efficiency-focused CPUs like the N150, where write-intensive operations are more limited by CPU capability than disk throughput. Larger transfers or workloads involving compression will see slightly more variation, but in most scenarios, read performance remained stable and consistent.

Using a RAID 1 array of Seagate IronWolf drives connected via the dual SFF-8643 SATA ports, the board achieved average write speeds of 550–580MB/s, with occasional peaks in read performance reaching up to 800MB/s, though these were not sustained.

These results reflect the benefit of having each SATA group routed through a separate ASM1164 controller, ensuring that bandwidth isn’t choked under RAID configurations or multi-drive reads. In practical terms, this makes the board well-suited for file-serving tasks, Time Machine backups, or media library hosting, with no obvious contention across interfaces during simultaneous read/write operations.

NVMe performance was constrained by the PCIe Gen3 x1 link per M.2 slot, which limited theoretical throughput to under 1GB/s. Tests confirmed read speeds of around 720MB/s and write speeds of approximately 520MB/s in sustained transfers. While not ideal for high-performance VM storage or video editing scratch disks, these speeds are more than adequate for cache duties or container storage. Importantly, the board maintains predictable performance across both NVMe slots, and thermals were manageable under active load without throttling, thanks in part to the pre-attached CPU cooler and accessible airflow pathways on the board’s surface.

In terms of power efficiency, the system consumed approximately 19–20W under load when configured with the N150 CPU, 8GB of DDR5, two NVMe SSDs, and a 10GbE connection in active use. When idle but fully populated with four SATA drives and an expansion card installed (but unused), power draw settled at around 31.4W. This confirms the board’s suitability for 24/7 operation without requiring high-capacity PSUs or custom thermal management.

CWWK M8 10GbE NAS Mobo – Verdict and Conclusion

The CWWK M8 motherboard delivers a rare combination of high-speed networking, broad storage expandability, and low power consumption, all within a Mini-ITX footprint. It manages to balance PCIe lane allocation across 10GbE, dual NVMe, and eight SATA drives without compromising basic performance, thanks to deliberate hardware pairing and thoughtful board layout. The use of separate SATA controllers, a well-provisioned 10GbE controller on Gen3 x2 lanes, and native UEFI support reflects a clear intent to make this a serious option for NAS enthusiasts and advanced home users. Its ability to sustain near-saturation speeds on the 10GbE connection and provide usable NVMe throughput makes it a capable base for TrueNAS, Unraid, or Proxmox environments—whether for home backup, Plex media hosting, or light VM workloads.

However, there are trade-offs. The limited PCIe expandability, single RAM slot, and Gen3 x1 constraints on NVMe performance may not meet the needs of high-end workstation builders or enterprise deployments. Additionally, the shared PCIe lane between the M.2 E-key and the PCIe slot limits simultaneous use of both interfaces, which could affect those hoping to add both Wi-Fi and a PCIe peripheral. Still, for its price point and target use case, the M8 delivers well above average. It avoids many of the bottlenecks seen in competing low-power boards and manages to do so at under $300 with a pre-installed CPU. For users building a power-efficient, high-bandwidth DIY NAS with flexible drive options and capable base specs, the CWWK M8 stands out as a strong contender.

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Are Chinese DIY NAS Devices Worth Your Time, Money, and Data?

Over the last 2 years, I have discussed at length multiple different Chinese-built NAS solutions in one form or another. From DIY NAS motherboards from brands like Topton and CWWK to pre-built solutions arriving both with and without NAS software from brands like Ugreen, Terramaster, Aoostar, and more. Thanks to the miniaturisation and power efficiency improvements in a multitude of different kinds of PC hardware, a lot of brands originally developing mini PCs, tablets, and laptops have started including developments towards NAS systems in their portfolios. Some brands, like Ugreen and Terramaster, have gone into this with significantly more energy than others, including and further developing their very own NAS software that is included with the hardware. But regardless of whether you are looking at a Chinese DIY NAS that does or does not include its software, it still raises the question of whether these solutions are worth your time and money. Are they as reliable as some of the long-established players providing solutions from Taiwan or the US? Can you trust it with your data? Let’s discuss.

Chinese NAS Brands That I Recommend

These are the brands I would personally recommend if you are considering a China-based NAS brand. These are 6 brands that I have used many of their products (NAS and others) that I have found the best experiences with, as well as, on balance,e the best online support and communication. No brand is perfect, and look hard enough and you will find good and bad on any brand, really, but these are six examples of brands that stand out from the others.

Buy Here on Amazon – Visit Their Own Store	Buy Here on Amazon – Visit Their AliExpress Store
Buy Here on Amazon – Visit Their AliExpress Store	Buy Here on Amazon – Visit Their AliExpress Store
Buy Here on Amazon – Visit Their AliExpress Store	Buy Here on Amazon

The TL;DR – Are Chinese DIY NAS Devices Worth It?

• Chinese NAS popularity is rising due to affordability, broader hardware variety, and greater accessibility in Asia.

• Brands like Ugreen and Terramaster have built their own NAS software, adding credibility to their name in the eyes of consumers and long-term support potential that a lot of other options seem to tangebly lack.

• Mini PC brands (e.g., Minisforum, GMKTec) are repurposing their platforms into NAS devices, leveraging existing consumer trust.

• Many Chinese NAS systems are hardware-only, allowing users to install platforms like TrueNAS or UnRAID.

• DIY-friendly: Chinese NAS devices often support third-party OS installs without voiding warranty—unlike many Western brands.

• Hardware value: You can expect up to 25–30% lower prices compared to similar US/Taiwan/Japan-made systems.

• Tech culture: China has a more tech-literate consumer market, visible in high street and airport advertising.

• Security concerns exist, largely due to past incidents of spyware or malware embedded in hardware from some Chinese vendors.

• Using trusted open-source OS platforms can reduce risks—but can’t fully eliminate them if vulnerabilities are in firmware/hardware.

• Not all Chinese brands are equal—research brand background, online presence, and operational transparency.

• Some no-name brands just rebrand OEM hardware (e.g., from CWWK), but offer poor support and minimal warranty backing.

Support issues include:

• No regional presence

• Language/cultural barriers

• Long RMA turnaround

• Tax/import delays for returns

Brands with better reputations for support include: CWWK, Jonsbo, and Terramaster.
Be wary of AliExpress-only brands with no official website or global support—these often lack accountability.

Ultimately: Yes, you can buy a NAS from China—just stick to reputable brands, do your research, and stay security-conscious.

$169 n150 4x M.2 NVMe SSD NAS – The GMKTek G9

Why Have Chinese NAS Systems Rapidly Grown in Popularity?

The easy answer to this would be to say that they tend to be a lot cheaper than NAS products that are built in the US, Europe, or surrounding Eastern countries like Taiwan or Japan. Indeed, that is true, and you tend to find that NAS systems made in China are typically offered at great value price points and hardware value compared to anywhere else in the world. However, the popularity of Chinese NAS systems is actually a little bit more nuanced and about a lot more than simply money.

The UGREEN DXP NASync Series Now Globally Available

For a start, some of the brands that are currently moving into providing their own network-attached storage solutions are brands that already had a well-established presence in homes and offices around the globe for other peripherals. A great example of this would be Ugreen. Ugreen has provided accessories for PCs, power adaptors, and portable docking stations for quite a few years and is probably one of the most recognisable names for this kind of technology from China around the world.

The Aoostar WTR N305 4 Bay NAS Drive

Therefore, in early 2024, when the brand announced it was entering the world of NAS in the Western world, the brand already had a fairly solid and well-documented audience in place. That is likely why the brand, although still pretty good value, is actually slightly more expensive than the majority of other Chinese NAS brands.

The Terramaster F6-424 Max NAS – 2x 10GbE, 2x Gen 4×4 M.2 NVMe & Intel i5 CPU

Alternatively, you have brands like Terramaster, who have been in the network-attached storage industry for over half as long as the likes of QNAP and Synology, and during that time have built up a fairly solid audience base long before the arguably heavy influx of smaller, lesser-known brands entering the world of NAS from China.

The Terramaster F6-424 Max NAS – 2x 10GbE, 2x Gen 4×4 M.2 NVMe & Intel i5 CPU

Chiefly purchased for its hardware until now, Terramaster is a brand that has a fairly comprehensive and well-detailed software platform in TOS. Of course, both of these brands provide much better value for money than alternatives in the market from other countries, but in a lot of cases, people are purchasing these solutions for more than just the bottom-line price.

The Lincplus Lincstation N1 & N2 4x M.2 and 10GbE NAS

Alternatively, there is the now heavily saturated market of mini PC vendors who have modified a lot of their existing production and systems to now leverage towards storage. In many cases, some of these brands—such as Minisforum and GMKTec—already have a healthy relationship with consumers thanks to their mini PCs, and that brand awareness has clearly transferred over to NAS products.

The Minisforum N5 Pro NAS – AMD i9 HX370 / ECC Memory / 10+5GbE / 5 SATA and 3 M.2 NVMe

The other thing that makes these Chinese NAS products very appealing to new and even old NAS buyers is that a lot of them arrive without software included. This allows users to get just the hardware at a lower price and then go ahead and install software such as TrueNAS or UnRAID, because they want to take advantage of those more flexible (if slightly more intimidating) platforms. The majority of NAS products that arrive from other countries tend to arrive with their own NAS software included and, more often than not, do not allow the warranty to continue being supported if you install a third-party operating system. Whereas practically all NAS products that are developed in China tend to allow you to use third-party operating systems—even when they include their own OS (again, see Terramaster and Ugreen).

What Are the Benefits of Chinese NAS Systems?

Ultimately—and it’s kind of a shame that this is the headline here—but it is, of course, that NAS systems from China will generally give you much better hardware at a lower price tag. That isn’t to say that these systems are always going to be universally the lowest price, but it is simply that the average price tag of the system configuration and hardware, compared across multiple regions, will generally always end in the product being cheaper when it is manufactured in China.

UGREEN DXP8800 PLUS NAS – 10GbEx2, Intel i5 CPU, Gen 4×4 NVMe

More often than not, whether you’re looking at a fairly modest entry-level Intel Celeron / Intel Alder Lake / Intel Twin Lake-based NAS system or scaling it up all the way towards Intel Core and AMD Ryzen systems, you will tend to find that NAS solutions built in China are as much as 25 to 30% lower in price than those made in the rest of the world.

The UnifyDrive UP6 6x NM.2 NVMe SSD Portable NAS

I guess you could also add that if you are based in the Eastern part of the world, there are also tremendous benefits to these solutions being so readily available and accessible. Indeed, on a recent trip to Shenzhen, I noticed how there were significantly more DIY NAS solutions available on the high street and in the tech malls than anywhere else in the world. A big part of this is that the general average standard understanding of tech hardware is higher out there than in a lot of Western regions. That isn’t to say that we don’t have a tremendously high volume of users who understand this kind of technology in the US and Europe, but the way it is framed to the consumer is notably different.

So, for example, if you walk around an airport in China, Hong Kong, or Taiwan, you will often see advertisements of a pretty technical nature with regard to CPUs and graphics cards on the back of trolleys, billboards, and on the sides of public vehicles. Whereas in America and Europe—although this is still not completely absent—adverts are much more focused on the end product, such as phones, tablets, laptops, and domestic client hardware.

Why Are People So Concerned About Chinese NAS System Security?

It is a pretty bloody valid concern! In recent years, tensions between large countries with regards to trade have been on the rise—one of the biggest being the US–China trade war, which, although it has ebbed and flowed over the last seven or eight years, is actually something that has existed for a few decades now. It largely boils down to the import and export of this kind of technology. However, the breaking point came when several Chinese products were found to contain spyware and malware that was hard-baked into the hardware and allowed for remote collection of user data. Numerous brands were implicated, and the fact that there is a degree of ambiguity between numerous Chinese brands in the eyes of the world—regarding how many of them cross over at the point of manufacture and how many of them are on the same production line filtering toward various brands—all added up to increased tensions and, eventually, several companies and organisations being barred from sale in the US.

Source – https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366622023/NCSC-issues-warning-over-Chinese-Moonshine-and-BadBazaar-spyware/

How much this has been respected by certain Chinese players in the past—I am not going to blanket-tarnish all Chinese brands with this, as that would be both unfair and hugely incorrect. Nevertheless, a small group of bad apples has certainly soured the mood for many when it comes to purchasing Chinese NAS products in terms of security, especially when it is noted that these systems will be on 24/7, contain all of your data, and, in many cases, are directly or indirectly connected to the internet depending on your own personal setup.

Source: https://www.security.com/threat-intelligence/us-china-espionage/

This is one of the main reasons why a lot of users will purchase a Chinese NAS product specifically if it does not arrive with any kind of included operating system. A lot of users would rather trust established and Western-orientated NAS brands such as TrueNAS and UnRAID, as these have a proven track record of firmware updates and security tools, but also have recognised vulnerability and security disclosure programs that they work with to be held accountable in the event of any security incident being recognised. Nevertheless, on numerous occasions, it has been noted that security vulnerabilities—and the aforementioned spyware, when it has been recognised—have been hard-baked into the hardware components and physical controllers, which means that regardless of the NAS software you use, some of these devices still have the potential to contain security vulnerabilities.

Now, playing devil’s advocate, it could actually be possible for any hardware manufacturer in any country in the world to implement these kinds of security breach methodologies into their hardware. When you really break it down, the architecture of a NAS device—regardless of where it is built in the world—is going to be largely similar to that of a standard PC, and therefore the opportunities for exploitation and manipulation are still going to be on the table. Nevertheless, although it has been recognised that different regions of the world have had their own bad actors who have introduced vulnerable devices into the market unbeknownst to end users, there is still no avoiding that the lion’s share of the manufacturers found culpable for this have been based in China.

However, we also have to be slightly reasonable in that, given the larger share of hardware that is manufactured and distributed from China, then statistically, they are always going to have the larger number of incidents. The propaganda machine of numerous nations will always be at play to present a particular picture of the safety of imported devices, but all that aside, it does still seem that—despite instances of systems with inbuilt vulnerabilities decreasing all the time—they do crop up more frequently in products made in China than anywhere else in the world.

Here – https://www.tomshardware.com/desktops/mini-pcs/mini-pc-maker-ships-systems-with-factory-installed-spyware-acemagic-says-issue-was-contained-to-the-first-shipment/

Should this be a reason to completely disregard purchasing a NAS solution from China? No, I don’t think so. I think it is a good reason to investigate the brand or organisation that you’re choosing to purchase from. I think it is a good reason to investigate how long a company has been in operation and to find out more about their offices and operations before making a purchase. And I do think it is all the more reason why organisations should not automatically assume that any piece of hardware from anywhere in the world is automatically the most secure out of the box, and should be implementing their own firewalls, VPNs, authentication methods, and security protocols regardless.

Remote Accessing My Chinese NAS – Alternatives to the Host OS

If you’re hesitant to use the default remote access features provided by your Chinese-made NAS due to privacy, transparency, or security concerns, you’re not alone—and thankfully, there are much safer and more trusted options available.

One of the most popular and user-friendly tools in this space is Tailscale, a modern mesh VPN built on WireGuard. Tailscale allows you to securely access your NAS (or any other device on your network) from anywhere in the world—without the need for risky port forwarding, dynamic DNS, or vendor cloud logins. With just a few clicks, you can create a private, end-to-end encrypted network between your NAS, phone, tablet, and computers, all managed via a clean web dashboard. It works across firewalls, NAT, and even CGNAT (carrier-grade NAT), which makes it ideal for less technical users looking for peace of mind when accessing their files remotely.

For those who want more customization or are working in slightly more advanced environments, there are other powerful self-hosted or cloud-assisted VPN solutions worth considering. Tools like ZeroTier allow for flexible, programmable virtual networks with global peer-to-peer routing. Meanwhile, OpenVPN and WireGuard (standalone) offer rock-solid, time-tested security for users comfortable with deploying and managing their own VPN servers. These services can be installed directly on your NAS or hosted on another home server or Raspberry Pi on the same network, offering complete control over who gets access and how. If you’re running TrueNAS, UnRAID, or even Debian/Ubuntu-based DIY NAS software, many of these can be installed natively or through Docker containers. This means you can completely bypass the vendor-supplied cloud services, eliminating a major attack surface while retaining secure access from anywhere.

Here are some of the most reliable and widely recommended remote access alternatives:

• Tailscale – Simple, secure mesh VPN using WireGuard; ideal for non-technical users

• ZeroTier – Virtual network overlay with programmable access control and P2P routing

• WireGuard (standalone) – Lightweight, fast, and secure VPN for advanced users

• OpenVPN – A well-established, highly configurable VPN solution

• Dockerized Access Tools – Solutions like Headscale (Tailscale self-hosted), PiVPN, or Cloudflare Tunnel

• Cloudflare Tunnel (Argo Tunnel) – Secure reverse proxy with public access protection

• FRP (Fast Reverse Proxy) – Lightweight self-hosted tunnel service often used in Chinese networks

• Syncthing – Peer-to-peer file sync tool for remote file access without VPN (for specific folders)

Using any of these tools, you can confidently disable or ignore the default remote access features provided by your NAS vendor and instead implement a hardened, trusted, and fully auditable solution. In doing so, you’re minimizing potential exposure, maintaining privacy, and ensuring that your remote access setup is under your control—not in the hands of a third-party vendor.

Should Users Be Concerned About Support?

Alongside the ever-present concerns around security, the other big issue that users tend to mention about purchasing Chinese NAS products is to do with support. It’s not unusual for a product or solution that you purchase in the market to not have a local or regional office that you can talk to in the event of hardware faults or software difficulties. Just because a product is manufactured in China doesn’t mean it’s the only one that suffers from the geographical hurdles of purchasing a system built in a completely different country than your own.

For example, there are plenty of American manufacturers that do not have any regional offices in Europe, and most support is provided remotely. In those cases, what puts support for products made in China into a different category for many is:

1. Language and cultural differences in communication between end users and the brand, and

2. The logistical difficulties of replacing a malfunctioning device with a replacement or repair.

Most of us are quite familiar with—and are happy to accept—that issues occur in the day-to-day operations of most large-scale mass manufacturing production lines. Even high production lines with a 0.01% failure rate, once you break into the million units, are still going to result in a handful of users who might receive a unit that is less than fully operational. But alongside the delays of swapping a bad device for a good one, other hurdles such as time zone differences and potential tax issues upon devices travelling internationally need to be considered. Many of these issues are not any one country’s fault and are just part and parcel of global trade that’s ever-present in any technology. However, it is how certain Chinese brands negotiate these many hurdles when selling goods to the US and Europe that very quickly sets apart the good organisations from the bad ones.

In my years reviewing and installing different Chinese NAS solutions, some brands have definitely stood out more than others in terms of their support. For example, in the past 2 years, I have heard significantly more positive warranty/repair threads for CWWK, Jonsbo, and Terramaster than I have for brands like GMKtec, B-Link, or pretty much any brand that only seems to exist on AliExpress and Alibaba but has practically no in-house website or Western presence. That isn’t to say that those first few companies I mentioned have a 100% success rate—definitely not. Some simple Googling will always find you both good and bad instances. However, broadly, I’ve had better feedback from people I have provided support for and from numerous NAS subreddits for those brands than I have for some of the lesser-known and far more isolated organisations.

Another point to highlight is that some of the lesser-known brands are simply reusing existing designs and hardware architecture provided by an original manufacturer and relabelling it as their own. For example, CWWK manufactures a large amount of the hardware solutions you may see in the market, but it just so happens that they are sold to contractors and lesser-known providers who then apply their own manufacturer’s badge.

Where this becomes a problem with support is that if you encounter an issue with your hardware, the relabelled and rebadged name that’s been applied to that CWWK product can only provide limited support and even weaker hardware repair, as they are heavily reliant on the original manufacturer and their own production lines.

In these cases, I once again heavily recommend that if you are going to purchase any Chinese NAS product, that you go to the source. And circling back to the issue of security I mentioned earlier on, you tend to find that when spyware has been found on some hardware systems, it has been due to software that was applied to the hardware after it left the original manufacturer—more often than not, applied within an .exe found autoloading in the included copy of Windows.

So once again, double-check that the brand you’re talking to is the original manufacturer before you purchase a Chinese NAS solution, and double-check that they have some kind of Western presence first. It may seem almost obvious and naïve to say this, but ultimately, a lot of these organisations operate on tremendously thin profit margins. This means that the cost of manpower and hiring sufficiently skilled people to create these Western websites and English-understood points of sale is often left by the wayside by the less scrupulous organisations, as they simply do not have a clear enough print-to-profit or long-term strategy to provide solutions they can trust in order to engage with this.

Should I Buy a NAS from China?

The short answer? Yes, I think you can. You should be as security-aware as (frankly) you should be with any NAS product—as any 24/7 data storage solution is only one vulnerability away from being compromised. But as long as you know the risks and understand that support is not going to be as “next day” as it would be if you purchased a local product, I do genuinely think that you are okay to buy a Chinese NAS solution from the more well-known and reputable brands in the market. If the brand doesn’t have much of an online presence outside of China—even doesn’t really have much of its own website outside of AliExpress, Amazon, or Alibaba—avoid them like the plague! Because those brands that aren’t prepared to make even the token effort to have much of an online presence outside of a retail website have certainly not got the profit margin to provide any kind of meaningful support and are more likely to cut corners. Worse still, it is those organisations that have such slim profit margins that are almost certainly going to be the ones that may be more susceptible to influence in installing exploitative or malware software components on their systems for an additional backhand payment.

Chinese NAS Brands That I Recommend

These are the brands I would personally recommend if you are considering a China-based NAS brand. These are 6 brands that I have used many of their products (NAS and others) that I have found the best experiences with, as well as, on balance,e the best online support and communication. No brand is perfect, and look hard enough and you will find good and bad on any brand, really, but these are six examples of brands that stand out from the others.

Buy Here on Amazon – Visit Their Own Store	Buy Here on Amazon – Visit Their AliExpress Store
Buy Here on Amazon – Visit Their AliExpress Store	Buy Here on Amazon – Visit Their AliExpress Store
Buy Here on Amazon – Visit Their AliExpress Store	Buy Here on Amazon

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This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below

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If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here  

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