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COOL M.2 & USB4 ADAPTERS IN 2026 (Who Are IOCREST and LEKUO?)

Par : Rob Andrews
10 avril 2026 à 18:00

New Cost-Effective USB4, M.2 and PCIe Adapters from IOCREST/Lekuo for 2026 Revealed

IOCREST, also marketed under the Lekuo name for consumer channels, is preparing a broader range of USB4, M.2, and PCIe expansion products aimed at users who need higher speed networking, storage expansion, or more flexible external PCIe connectivity. Based on the product information provided and the accompanying interview material, the current lineup combines shipping devices with several products still in development or not yet formally listed on the company’s official product pages, reflecting a portfolio that spans compact 10GbE adapters, SFP+ connectivity, multi-drive enclosures, and USB4 based PCIe breakout designs.

Lekuo USB4 to 10GbE Hub

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The Lekuo DTB3R61 is a compact USB4 hub that combines 10GbE networking with basic peripheral and removable media expansion in a single enclosure. It is built around a USB4 upstream connection and is intended for hosts that support USB4 or Thunderbolt 3/4/5, rather than older USB 3.x only systems. In practical terms, this positions it as a multi function dock for users who need wired 10GbE, a small number of USB ports, and SD or TF card access without moving to a larger desktop class dock.

The port layout is relatively simple, consisting of 1x 10GbE RJ45 port, 3x 5Gbps USB Type A ports, and a TF/SD 3.0 card reader. The supplied specifications list a 40Gbps host link, support for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and a compact metal chassis. Although your transcript refers to a fanless design, the specification sheet provided here states an aluminum alloy casing with fan assisted cooling, so that distinction should be treated carefully in the article unless you want to frame it as pre release versus final spec variation.

Specification Details
Product Name Lekuo 6 in 1 USB4 Hub
Model DTB3R61
Host Interface USB4
Host Compatibility USB4 / Thunderbolt 5 / Thunderbolt 4 / Thunderbolt 3
Legacy USB Support Does not support USB 3.2 / 3.1 / 3.0 / 2.0 hosts
Network Port 1x RJ45 10GbE
Network Speeds 10 / 100 / 1000 / 2500 / 5000 / 10000Mbps
USB Ports 3x USB A
USB Data Rate 5Gbps
Card Reader 1x TF/SD 3.0
Card Reader Speed Up to 104MB/s
Upstream Bandwidth 40Gbps
Cooling Aluminum alloy casing + fan
OS Support Windows / Mac OS / Linux
Included Accessories 40Gbps cable, user manual
Product Size 90.2 × 92.2 × 28.4mm

Lekuo USB4 to 2x25GbE Adapter

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This unreleased Lekuo adapter is one of the more bandwidth focused products discussed in the interview material, built around a USB4 host connection and 2x 25GbE network ports. Based on the information provided, the design uses an SFP based approach rather than RJ45, which is consistent with the higher thermal and signal demands of 25GbE. It is positioned as a compact external network adapter for systems that need significantly more throughput than 10GbE, while still relying on USB4 as the host side connection.

The transcript also indicates several design details that help distinguish this unit from more common USB or Thunderbolt network adapters. It is described as a silent design with no active fan, includes an external barrel power input, and features a physical power button on the enclosure. The company indicated that the product was expected around Q2 and priced below $200 at the time of filming, but as it is not yet listed on the official product page, those details should be treated as pre release guidance rather than final retail specification.

Specification Details
Product Name Lekuo USB4 to 2x25GbE Adapter
Model Not provided in supplied materials
Host Interface USB4
Host Compatibility USB4 / Thunderbolt host systems
Network Interface 2x 25GbE
Port Type SFP based 25GbE connectivity
Cooling Passive / no fan, based on interview statements
Power Input Barrel power input present
Power Control Physical on/off button present
Availability Status Not yet listed on official product page
Reported Launch Window Q2, as stated in interview
Reported Price Guidance Below $200, as stated in interview

Lekuo DTB3F21 USB4 to 2x10GbE Adapter

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The Lekuo DTB3F21 is a dual port USB4 network adapter designed around 2x 10GbE SFP+ connections. Unlike simpler USB to Ethernet devices that target single port RJ45 connectivity, this model is positioned for users who need higher density fibre or DAC based networking from a single external enclosure. The supplied specifications identify the Intel 82599 controller, placing it closer to a traditional server class 10GbE design than a lower cost USB NIC.

From the product information and transcript, this adapter is part of Lekuo’s broader push into USB4 based external networking, especially for systems that lack internal expansion but still need multi port high speed network access. The enclosure is described as compact and externally connected over USB Type C, with support across Windows, Windows Server, Linux distributions, and several enterprise networking features such as VLAN support, jumbo frames, interrupt moderation, and virtual machine queue support. In the transcript, a dual 10GbE version is also discussed alongside the dual 25GbE model as part of the same general product family.

Specification Details
Product Name Lekuo USB4 to Dual 10Gb Fiber SFP+ Ports Network Adapter
Model DTB3F21
Host Interface USB
Output Interface 2x SFP+
Motherboard Slot USB
Network Speed 10Gbps per port
Controller Intel 82599
Host Cable Type C to Type C
Product Size 142.5 x 69.5 x 25.6mm
USB Standard Universal Serial Bus 3.2 Revision 1.0 compliant
Ethernet Standards 10Gb/s and 1Gb/s Ethernet / 802.3ap, 10Gb/s Ethernet / 802.3ae, 1000BASE-BX
Jumbo Frames Up to 15.5KB
VLAN Support 802.1q
Offload Features TCP segmentation offload up to 256KB, IPv6 checksum offload, fragmented UDP checksum offload
Interrupt Support MSI, MSI-X, interrupt throttling
Virtualization Support Up to 64 virtual machines per port
Additional Features Flow control, multiple receive queues, dynamic interrupt moderation, DCB support
Operating Temperature 0°C to +55°C
Storage Temperature -40°C to +70°C
OS Support Windows 10/11, Server 2022, RHEL/CentOS 7.3/7.6/7.9/8.2/8.3, Deepin 15.11/20/20.6, Ubuntu 16.04.3/18.04.5 and later
Package Contents Adapter, user manual, Type C to Type C cable

Lekuo M.2 to 10G SFP+ Adapter

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Lekuo is also developing an M.2 to 10G SFP+ adapter, extending the same general idea seen in its M.2 to 10GbE RJ45 products toward fibre based networking. In the transcript, this product is described as a refined version of an existing concept rather than a completely new direction, aimed at compact systems that only have an M.2 slot available for expansion. That makes it relevant for small servers, mini PCs, and embedded platforms where a full PCIe slot is not available but higher speed network connectivity is still required.

The main distinction here is the move from copper 10GbE to SFP+, which allows use of fibre modules or DAC cabling depending on deployment requirements. That gives the adapter a different role from the RJ45 version, particularly in longer distance links or environments already using SFP+ switching infrastructure. Based on your notes, this product is not yet available on the official product page, so the current information is limited to what was shown and discussed during the visit rather than a finalized retail specification sheet.

Specification Details
Product Name Lekuo M.2 to 10G SFP+ Adapter
Model Not provided in supplied materials
Host Interface M.2
Network Interface 1x 10G SFP+
Port Type SFP+
Intended Use Adds 10GbE fibre connectivity to systems with available M.2 slot
Deployment Focus Compact systems, mini PCs, small servers
Design Status Shown during visit / discussed in transcript
Official Product Page Status Not yet listed
Cooling Not specified in supplied materials
Controller Not specified in supplied materials
OS Support Not specified in supplied materials
Included Accessories Not specified in supplied materials

Lekuo USB4 to 2x PCIe Gen4 x1 Slots Box

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This unreleased Lekuo USB4 expansion box is designed to expose 2x PCIe slots from a single external USB4 connection, using the same basic enclosure approach shown on the company’s 8x 1GbE adapter. In the transcript, the unit is described as a small PCIe dock originally used internally for testing, with the USB4 connection bridging to 2 separate PCIe paths inside the enclosure. The concept is straightforward: rather than delivering fixed networking or storage, it provides a more flexible external PCIe breakout for users who want to install their own cards.

That flexibility is the main point of interest here. The transcript suggests use cases such as network cards, SATA cards, and other compact PCIe devices, with bus power available over USB4 and a barrel power input included for cards that need more power than the host connection can provide on its own. Since this product is not yet listed on the official product page, the available information is still limited and some details remain unconfirmed. The requested naming of this section as a PCIe Gen4 x1 slot box reflects the intended lane configuration you provided, but that specific wording was not fully documented in the supplied official specification text, so it should be treated as based on your product notes.

Specification Details
Product Name Lekuo USB4 to 2x PCIe Gen4 x1 Slots Box
Model Not provided in supplied materials
Host Interface USB4
Host Compatibility USB4 / Thunderbolt host systems
PCIe Expansion 2x PCIe slots
PCIe Lane Configuration 2x PCIe Gen4 x1 slots
Enclosure Basis Uses casing shown on Lekuo 8x 1GbE adapter
Power Source USB bus power supported
Supplemental Power Barrel power input present
Intended Use External PCIe expansion for add in cards
Example Use Cases NICs, SATA cards, other low power PCIe devices
Cooling Not specified in supplied materials
Official Product Page Status Not yet listed
Retail Status Development / internal test derived design

Lekuo USB4 to 4 HDD and 1x Gen4 M.2 Box

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Lekuo is also preparing a multi drive USB4 enclosure that combines 4 HDD bays with a single PCIe Gen4 M.2 NVMe slot in the same chassis. Based on the transcript, this is a DAS rather than a NAS, so it is intended to provide direct attached storage expansion over USB4 instead of functioning as a self contained network appliance. The inclusion of the M.2 slot adds a layer of flexibility beyond a standard 4 bay enclosure, allowing for SSD caching, a dedicated fast volume, or a separate high speed workspace alongside the hard drive array.

The product is described as relying on software RAID rather than including a hardware RAID controller, and the transcript also notes a dual port TB4 style design for daisy chaining. At the same time, the core concept is clear: this is an external storage enclosure aimed at users who want a mix of larger capacity HDD storage and faster NVMe storage within a single USB4 connected device. As with several of the other products shown during the visit, this unit does not yet appear on the official product page, so the available details should be treated as pre release rather than final retail specifications.

Specification Details
Product Name Lekuo USB4 to 4 HDD and 1x Gen4 M.2 Box
Model Not provided in supplied materials
Host Interface USB4
Drive Bays 4x HDD bays
SSD Slot 1x PCIe Gen4 M.2 NVMe slot
Product Type DAS
RAID Software RAID
Hardware RAID Controller No
Daisy Chain Support Dual port TB4 style connectivity mentioned in transcript
Intended Use Direct attached storage expansion with mixed HDD and NVMe storage
Official Product Page Status Not yet listed
Retail Status In development / shown during visit
Cooling Not specified in supplied materials
OS Support Not specified in supplied materials
Included Accessories Not specified in supplied materials

Lekuo USB Expansion PCIe Card

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Lekuo is also developing a PCIe expansion card that combines USB and storage connectivity on a single board, aimed at systems where slot space is limited and adding multiple separate controller cards is not practical. In the transcript, the card is shown with 2x USB Type C ports, 1x USB Type A port, 4x SATA ports, and an integrated 2.5GbE network connection. Rather than focusing on a single function, it is intended as a compact multi purpose expansion card for small form factor systems, embedded builds, or storage focused PCs that still need additional external connectivity.

The card is described as operating over a PCIe Gen4 x1 connection, giving it a total host side bandwidth of 20Gbps to allocate across its various controllers. That does not mean every port can run at maximum speed simultaneously, but it does make the board suitable for mixed duty use where SATA connectivity, modest USB expansion, and basic 2.5GbE networking need to be consolidated into one slot. Based on the material you provided, this product was shown during the visit rather than backed by a full standalone specification sheet, so some lower level details remain unspecified.

Specification Details
Product Name Lekuo USB Expansion PCIe Card
Model Not provided in supplied materials
Host Interface PCIe
PCIe Link PCIe Gen4 x1
Total Host Bandwidth 20Gbps
USB Ports 2x USB Type C, 1x USB Type A
Storage Ports 4x SATA
Network Port 1x 2.5GbE
Intended Use Multi function expansion for compact systems
Example Deployments Small servers, small form factor PCs, embedded systems
Additional Connectivity Extra output cable mentioned for further USB expansion depending on case layout
Official Product Page Status Not specified in supplied materials
Retail Status Shown in transcript / development status not fully confirmed
Cooling Not specified in supplied materials
OS Support Not specified in supplied materials
Included Accessories Additional output cable referenced in transcript

Lekuo USB4 to 10G SFP+ Adapter

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Lekuo is also expanding its external 10GbE range with a USB4 to 10G SFP+ adapter, offering an alternative to the more common RJ45 based 10GbE designs already associated with the brand. In the transcript, this model is presented as a silent SFP based version of the company’s existing copper 10GbE adapter, intended for users who want fibre or DAC connectivity instead of 10GBASE T. That makes it more relevant for rackmount environments, structured fibre deployments, and users already working with SFP+ switching infrastructure.

The product appears to share the same broader design language as the other newer USB4 network adapters shown during the visit, including a compact metal enclosure, ventilation at each end, and an external power option. The transcript also notes a physical power button on this family of devices, which is relatively uncommon on compact external network adapters. As this specific single port USB4 to 10G SFP+ model is not included in the supplied formal product specification sheets, the current information is based on what was shown and described in the video rather than a final retail listing.

Specification Details
Product Name Lekuo USB4 to 10G SFP+ Adapter
Model Not provided in supplied materials
Host Interface USB4
Host Compatibility USB4 / Thunderbolt host systems
Network Interface 1x 10G SFP+
Port Type SFP+
Cooling Passive / silent design, based on transcript
Chassis Metal enclosure with ventilation at each end
Power Input Barrel power input mentioned in transcript
Power Control Physical on/off button mentioned in transcript
Intended Use External 10GbE fibre or DAC connectivity over USB4
Official Product Page Status Not yet listed in supplied materials
Retail Status Shown during visit / pre release context

Who Are IOCREST/Lekuo?

IOCREST and Lekuo are effectively 2 market facing identities used by the same company. Based on the interview material, the business was founded in 2000 and has operated for more than 20 years in adapter, connectivity, and expansion hardware design. IOCREST appears more closely associated with the company’s long standing OEM and B2B activity, while Lekuo is the branding now being pushed more directly toward end users and consumer retail channels.

A key point from the interview is that the company states that most of its products are designed in house, including the internal engineering and development work behind its USB, USB4, M.2, and PCIe based solutions. It also describes its product planning as being driven by practical gaps in the market, particularly in compact systems where users need to add networking, storage, or expansion features that are not available on the base hardware. That helps explain why many of its products focus on niche but increasingly relevant use cases such as M.2 to 10GbE, USB4 to multi port networking, and external PCIe breakout designs.

The other defining part of the company’s position is that much of its historical business has been behind the scenes. In the interview, Lekuo states that before its more recent consumer push, most of its sales were B2B, with products often sold through partners, distributors, or other companies without prominent IOCREST or Lekuo branding on the product listing itself. The current shift appears to be less about changing what it makes and more about putting its own name in front of products that were previously sold in a more anonymous OEM style model.

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ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 : test complet du Lockerstor 4 Gen2+

Par : Webmail
16 mars 2026 à 07:00
ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 - ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 : test complet du Lockerstor 4 Gen2+

L’ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 (nom complet Lockerstor 4 Gen2+) constitue une évolution discrète du Lockerstor 4 Gen2. La dénomination peut prêter à confusion : les différences entre les références sont très ténues, le modèle intégrant simplement un « v2 » tandis que le nom commercial ajoute un « + ».

Du point de vue matériel, les changements restent très limités :

  • le v2 intègre deux ports réseau 5 Gb/s, au lieu de deux ports 2,5 Gb/s sur la version précédente ;
  • il dispose d’un port USB 2.0 supplémentaire à l’arrière.

Pour le reste, les spécifications demeurent identiques :

  • processeur Intel Celeron N5105 Quad Core ;
  • 4 Go de mémoire vive ;
  • 4 emplacements NVMe ;
  • la possibilité d’installer une carte réseau 10 Gb/s à la place de la carte d’extension NVMe.

Vous trouverez un tableau comparatif complet entre les deux modèles sur le site d’Asustor.

Le prix, en revanche, a évolué. La première génération était proposée autour de 700 € lors de notre test d’octobre 2022, tandis que la v2 est affichée à 833 € en mars 2026 ( probablement sous l’effet de l’inflation).

La question reste donc ouverte : cette évolution vaut-elle réellement la peine ?

IMG 7748 scaled - ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 : test complet du Lockerstor 4 Gen2+

Conditions des tests

Pour réaliser ces tests, je me suis équipé d’un switch UGREEN 2,5 Gb/s, ainsi que d’un adaptateur USB-C vers réseau 2,5 Gb/s de la même marque. Je ne suis malheureusement pas équipé de SSD NVMe et leur prix actuel ne m’a pas permis de tester cette partie du NAS. Cependant, les performances en NVMe ne devraient pas avoir significativement changés depuis notre test d’octobre 2022. J’ai donc configuré le NAS avec : deux SSD SATA de 2 To en RAID 1 et deux SSD SATA de 240 Go en RAID 0. J’ai créé des partages chiffrés et non chiffrés sur les deux grappes.

Contenu de la boite

  • Le NAS AS6704T v2 ;
  • 2 câbles réseau RJ45 Cat.5e ;
  • Les vis de fixation pour disques durs 2,5 et 3,5 pouces ;
  • L’alimentation externe et son câble ;
  • Un passe-câble à fixer à l’arrière afin de sécuriser le branchement au NAS et éviter que le câble ne se débranche en cas de manipulations ou d’un passage de votre chat 🙂 ;
  • Le guide de démarrage rapide.

À noter : aucun dissipateur thermique n’est fourni pour les éventuels SSD NVMe.

IMG 7749 scaled - ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 : test complet du Lockerstor 4 Gen2+

Point négatif, les plateaux pour les disques durs ne sont pas en montage sans outil pour les disques de 3,5 pouces contrairement à la plupart des concurrents. C’est dommage, d’autant plus qu’Asustor propose depuis des années une fonctionnalité assez intéressante, avec MyArchive. Il aurait été pratique d’avoir un montage sans outil pour faciliter le changement de disque d’archivage (par exemple, pour externaliser une sauvegarde), sans devoir acheter des plateaux supplémentaires ou utiliser un tournevis.

Le Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ est équipé d’une barrette de 4go de DDR4. Il y a deux emplacements sur la carte mère, dont un accessible en retirant juste le capot.

RAM upgrade AS6704T - ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 : test complet du Lockerstor 4 Gen2+

Le second se trouve de l’autre coté de la carte mère, et nécessite un démontage complet pour l’atteindre, cela peut se réaliser en une quarantaine de minutes en suivant cette vidéo du support officiel Asustor.

Le logiciel

Au moment d’écrire ces lignes, le Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ tourne sous ADM version 5.1.2.RE51 . L’interface a bien évolué ces dernières années, et même si Asustor n’a pas atteint Synology au niveau de l’ergonomie, on ne peut que les féliciter pour les progrès accomplis. Le magasin d’application est très complet, même si certaines applications sont quelque peu obsolètes, comme par exemple aMule qui n’a plus été mis à jour depuis plus de 4 ans.Capture decran 2026 02 20 a 16.24.11 1 - ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 : test complet du Lockerstor 4 Gen2+

Bien que l’application semble abandonnée par son développeur, ce n’est pas la dernière version qui est proposée dans le magasin Asustor. Cela pose la question de la pertinence de maintenir ce type d’applications dans un catalogue qui se veut sécurisé (un argument pourtant central de la marque).

Un autre point perfectible concerne l’intégration des machines virtuelles. Là où QNAP et Synology proposent des solutions maison bien intégrées, Asustor s’appuie sur VirtualBox, dont l’intégration au système reste plus limitée. Certes, le constructeur semble aujourd’hui privilégier les conteneurs Docker, mais il est dommage que les machines virtuelles soient relativement délaissées.

À l’inverse, l’intégration des conteneurs est particulièrement réussie. J’ai par exemple pu installer VaultWarden en deux clics depuis le magasin d’applications, et gratuitement. À titre de comparaison, la version équivalente sur QNAP nécessite de passer par le dépôt alternatif MyQNAP… et elle est payante.

Les performances

Avertissement : Pour ces tests, j’ai utilisé un MacBook Pro M1 avec un adaptateur USB-C Ugreen. J’ai obtenu des résultats surprenants : des vitesses d’écriture parfois supérieures à celles observées en lecture dans les configurations en RAID sans chiffrement. J’ai validé les résultats d’écriture en copiant des fichiers entre deux NAS (mon QNAP TS453D et le Lockerstor), connectés en 2,5 Gb/s. Les vitesses de lecture, en revanche, devraient être supérieures à celles relevées…  je mets donc un gros avertissement sur ces dernières.

Des tests iperf ont confirmé que le réseau atteignait des performances proches de la limite théorique du 2,5 GbE, sans toutefois la dépasser.

Capture decran 2026 02 24 a 17.12.41 - ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 : test complet du Lockerstor 4 Gen2+

Lors des transferts entre les deux NAS, les débits observés se situaient entre 2,45 et 2,47 Gb/s.

Résultats en RAID 0

Cette configuration est déconseillée sur un NAS, mais elle a été utilisée ici afin d’extraire les performances maximales :

  • Ici sans chiffrement

ckerstor4gen2plus r1 - ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 : test complet du Lockerstor 4 Gen2+

 

  • Ici, avec le chiffrement activé
    Capture decran 2026 02 27 a 13.11.50 - ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 : test complet du Lockerstor 4 Gen2+

Résultats en RAID 1

En RAID 1 sans chiffrement, les performances ne chutent pas significativement par rapport au RAID 0.lockerstore4gen2plus r1 - ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 : test complet du Lockerstor 4 Gen2+

Même constat avec chiffrement activé : les performances restent comparables à celles du RAID 0 chiffré.

Capture decran 2026 02 24 a 17.20.21 - ASUSTOR AS6704T v2 : test complet du Lockerstor 4 Gen2+

Bruit et consommation

L’un des points les plus impressionnants de ce NAS reste son silence de fonctionnement. L’absence de disques mécaniques y contribue évidemment beaucoup, mais même sous charge élevée, le NAS demeure remarquablement discret.

Côté consommation électrique :

  • 20 W en utilisation normale avec 4 SSD SATA
  • 29 à 30 W au démarrage

Des valeurs très raisonnables pour un NAS de cette catégorie.

CONCLUSION
Pour répondre à la question posée en introduction (cette évolution en vaut-elle la peine ?) : la réponse est plutôt non. Si l’on s’en tient strictement au terme « évolution », les changements restent très limités. À l’exception de l’ajout de deux ports réseau 5 Gb/s et d’un port USB supplémentaire, il s’agit globalement du même NAS que le Lockerstor 4 Gen2 (sans le « + »). En revanche, pour quelqu’un qui souhaite s’équiper d’un premier NAS ou remplacer un modèle vieillissant, le Lockerstor 4 Gen2+ reste, à mes yeux, un excellent choix. Entre un magasin d’applications bien fourni, de bonnes performances, un prix compétitif face à la concurrence et une qualité matérielle solide, il dispose d’arguments sérieux. À cela s’ajoute une garantie constructeur de 3 ans, toujours appréciable sur ce type d’équipement. Les deux ports réseau 5 Gb/s constituent également un choix tourné vers l’avenir. Les débits réseau progressent rapidement, y compris dans les environnements domestiques. Il n’est plus rare aujourd’hui de voir apparaître des switchs 10 Gb/s dans les installations personnelles. Même si le 2,5 Gb/s reste largement suffisant pour la majorité des usages, comme le dit l’adage : « qui peut le plus peut le moins ». Enfin, si vous souhaitez échanger autour de ce modèle, un sujet dédié au NAS testé est déjà disponible sur le forum-nas.
Prix par rapport à la concurrence
Silence
Performances
Présence de 2 ports 5GBe
Garantie 3ans
Consommation contenue
Pas de montage sans outil pour les disques durs
Pas de dissipateur thermique pour les SSD NVMe
8

Beelink ME Pro NAS Review – BIG Thing in a Small Package?

Par : Rob Andrews
26 janvier 2026 à 18:00

Beelink ME Pro NAS Review

The Beelink ME Pro is a 2-bay NAS-style mini PC that aims to deliver a full home or small office storage setup in a much smaller chassis than most traditional 2-bay systems. It is sold in 2 main versions, based on the Intel N95 or Intel N150, and both ship with pre-attached LPDDR5 memory and a bundled NVMe SSD as the system drive. Storage expansion is a mix of 2 SATA bays for 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives, plus 3 internal M.2 NVMe slots (1 running at PCIe 3.0 x2 and 2 running at PCIe 3.0 x1), and networking includes 5GbE plus 2.5GbE alongside WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4. This review is based on several weeks of use and a set of structured tests covering temperatures over extended uptime, noise in idle and active states, power draw across different drive and workload combinations, and storage and network performance over both HDD and NVMe, with additional notes on the system’s internal layout and the practical limitations that come from its compact design.

Beelink ME Pro NAS Review – Quick Conclusion

The Beelink ME Pro is a very compact 2-bay NAS-style mini PC that combines 2 SATA bays with 3 M.2 NVMe slots and multi-gig connectivity, aiming to deliver a small footprint system without dropping features that are often reserved for larger enclosures. It is sold in N95 and N150 versions, both with pre-attached LPDDR5 memory (12GB or 16GB) and a bundled system SSD, and its internal layout uses 1 PCIe 3.0 x2 NVMe slot plus 2 PCIe 3.0 x1 slots, with 5GbE plus 2.5GbE Ethernet, WiFi 6, USB-C 10Gbps (with video output), HDMI 4K60, and a barrel-powered 120W PSU. In testing over extended uptime, external chassis temperatures stayed broadly in the mid-30C range with the rear around 38C, HDDs sat around 34C to 36C with modest 4TB drives installed, and NVMe temperatures rose sharply if the base thermal panel was removed, indicating the thermal pads and chassis contact are part of the cooling design and leaving no practical clearance for NVMe heatsinks. Noise in the tested setup remained in the mid-30 dBA range both at idle and under mixed access, power draw ranged from around 15W to 16W with no drives installed, 18W to 19W with only NVMe, about 22W to 23W with HDDs and NVMe idle, and peaked around 41W to 42W under a combined heavy workload. Performance was consistent with the hardware layout: HDD RAID1 throughput landed around 250MB/s to 267MB/s and will not saturate 5GbE, while NVMe could saturate the 5GbE link and internal testing showed about 1.5GB/s to 1.6GB/s reads and 1.1GB/s to 1.2GB/s writes on the PCIe 3.0 x2 slot, with the PCIe 3.0 x1 slots closer to roughly 830MB/s reads and 640MB/s to 670MB/s writes; media server use handled 4 simultaneous high bitrate 4K playback streams with CPU usage in the teens using Jellyfin. The main drawbacks are tied to the compact design choices: the RAM is not upgradeable, the chassis and storage fitting are very tight during installation, fan control outside BIOS was not straightforward in early testing, the NVMe slots are mixed speed by design, and the CPU options are closely spaced, meaning the upgrade decision is often about the bundled memory and SSD tier as much as the processor. Official messaging also says hot swapping is not supported, yet it worked during testing in a RAID1 scenario, suggesting a support-position limitation rather than a strict hardware block.

DESIGN - 9/10
HARDWARE - 8/10
PERFORMANCE - 8/10
PRICE - 8/10
VALUE - 8/10


8.2
PROS
👍🏻Very compact footprint for a 2-bay NAS class system (166 x 121 x 112mm, metal chassis)
👍🏻2x SATA bays (2.5-inch or 3.5-inch) plus 3x M.2 NVMe slots in the same enclosure
👍🏻Multi-gig wired networking: 5GbE + 2.5GbE, plus WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4
👍🏻Strong idle efficiency in testing with drives installed and idle (about 22W to 23W)
👍🏻Noise stayed in the mid-30 dBA range in the tested HDD and NVMe configuration
👍🏻NVMe performance is sufficient to saturate the 5GbE link, with the PCIe 3.0 x2 slot clearly faster than the x1 slots
👍🏻Chassis thermal design appears effective under typical always-on use, with external temps broadly in the mid-30C range
👍🏻Practical service access features: magnetic rear cover, base access for M.2, stored tool in the base, reset and CLR CMOS available
CONS
👎🏻RAM is fixed (no SO-DIMM), so memory cannot be upgraded after purchase
👎🏻Very tight internal tolerances make drive and bracket insertion less forgiving during installation and changes
👎🏻Mixed NVMe slot speeds (1x PCIe 3.0 x2 and 2x PCIe 3.0 x1) and no 10GbE option

Where to Buy the Beelink ME Pro NAS:
  • Beelink ME Pro (N95 + 12GB + 128GB) $369 – HERE
  • Beelink ME Pro (N150 + 16GB + 512GB) $529 – HERE
  • Beelink ME Pro (N150 + 16GB + 1TB) $559 – HERE

Beelink ME Pro NAS Review – Design & Storage

The ME Pro is built around an all-metal unibody chassis that prioritizes footprint over easy internal spacing. In physical terms it sits noticeably smaller than many mainstream 2-bay enclosures, and in my comparisons it looked roughly 20% to 25% smaller next to typical 2-bay units from brands like Synology and TerraMaster. The front panel styling leans into a speaker-like look, and it has been compared to a Marshall speaker design, which is likely intentional given the mesh and badge layout. Functionally, that front area is not a speaker, and the design choice is mostly about appearance and airflow rather than adding any front-facing audio hardware.

From a storage perspective, the ME Pro is a hybrid layout rather than a traditional “2-bay only” NAS. It supports 2 SATA bays for 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives, and Beelink positions it as supporting up to 30TB per SATA bay, giving a stated 60TB HDD ceiling. Alongside that, it has 3 internal M.2 NVMe slots with a stated 4TB per slot limit, which Beelink frames as up to 12TB of SSD capacity. Taken together, that is the basis for the commonly quoted 72TB maximum figure, although most buyers will treat that as an upper boundary rather than a typical real-world configuration due to drive cost and heat considerations.

The SATA bays are accessed from the rear by removing a magnetic cooling mesh cover, then sliding out the drive bracket assembly. The trays are screw-mounted rather than tool-less, and the manual specifies different screw types depending on whether you are installing 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives. In practice, it is possible to physically place a drive in a tray without fully fastening it, but the design clearly expects proper screw mounting for stability and vibration control. The device also includes silicone plugs intended to reduce vibration and protect the drives, and the overall bay system is designed to sit very flush once reassembled.

One unusual design detail is that each HDD tray includes a thermal pad intended to draw heat away from the drive’s underside. That is not common on many 2-bay systems, and it suggests Beelink is trying to compensate for the compact enclosure by using direct contact points for heat transfer. The tradeoff is that this design pushes the product toward precision fitting, and it aligns with the wider theme of the ME Pro being tightly engineered rather than roomy.

If you typically choose NAS hardware where drive swaps are quick and frequent, this approach will feel more like a compact appliance that expects occasional changes, not a platform designed around constant drive rotation.

The compact chassis also affects how storage installation feels in the hands. Because clearances are tight, inserting the drive bracket and getting everything seated can feel less smooth than on larger 2-bay boxes, even though it looks clean once it is in place. This tightness is likely part of how Beelink is managing airflow paths and vibration control in such a small enclosure, but it still means you have less margin for error during installation. Overall, the storage design is best described as space-efficient and deliberate, but it asks for patience during assembly and it rewards users who install drives once and leave the configuration largely unchanged.

Beelink ME Pro NAS Review – Internal Hardware

The ME Pro is sold in 2 CPU variants, based on Intel’s N95 or N150, both 4-core and 4-thread chips with integrated graphics. In practical NAS terms, these CPUs sit in the low power mini PC category rather than the heavier desktop class, so the platform is designed around efficiency and compact integration rather than raw compute headroom. In your testing and general use, that design target showed up as stable day-to-day responsiveness for typical NAS tasks, plus enough iGPU capability for common media server workloads when paired with the right software stack.

Memory is integrated rather than socketed. The configurations pair the N95 with 12GB LPDDR5 4800MHz and the N150 with 16GB LPDDR5 4800MHz, and there is no user-accessible SO-DIMM slot to expand it later. In the context of a small NAS, this matters less for basic file serving and backups, but it becomes more relevant if the device is expected to run multiple containers, heavier indexing, or virtual machines. Because the memory is fixed at purchase, the CPU choice is also effectively tied to your long-term memory ceiling.

Internally, the platform is constrained by limited PCIe resources, which affects how the storage and networking are wired. In the review you noted the CPU platform has 9 lanes available, and the device uses a split approach across its internal components rather than giving every subsystem the same bandwidth. The NVMe area reflects this most clearly, with 1 slot operating at PCIe 3.0 x2 while the other slots operate at PCIe 3.0 x1, which makes slot choice part of performance planning for any workload that leans heavily on NVMe. This lane budgeting also helps explain why the system lands at 5GbE plus 2.5GbE rather than a single 10GbE port, since 10GbE would typically add pressure to an already tight allocation.

Controller choices are mixed rather than uniform, and you called that out as unusual. The 5GbE port uses a Realtek RTL8126 controller and the 2.5GbE port uses an Intel i226-V controller, which is not a common pairing in the same chassis. On the storage side, the SATA side is handled by an ASMedia ASM2116 controller, and in your notes you referenced it operating on a PCIe 3.0 x1 link, which is still sufficient for 2 SATA bays in most real-world use. These choices are relevant for OS compatibility and driver maturity, particularly if the unit is being used with NAS focused platforms rather than the included Windows 11 installation.

Cooling is one of the main internal design decisions that enables the smaller enclosure. Instead of a traditional rear fan placed at the drive backplane, the system uses a CPU fan working with a vapor chamber arrangement, and airflow is routed so that it also passes over other internal heat sources rather than treating the CPU as a separate cooling zone. In your thermal testing, you observed that the front panel area ran warmer than the rest of the chassis due to the WiFi hardware placement, and you also saw a noticeable rise in NVMe temperatures when the base thermal panel was removed, which supports the idea that the chassis panels and pads are intended to be part of the heat management system. Power is delivered via a barrel connector using a 120W external PSU, which provides headroom for spin-up and load, but it also means this is not a USB-C powered design.

Beelink ME Pro NAS Review – Ports and Connections

Up front, the ME Pro keeps things simple: a power button and a single front-mounted USB port for quick access. This suits the NAS-first intent, where most interaction is remote, but it also sets expectations for local use. If you plan to attach multiple peripherals directly to the unit, you are quickly pushed toward using a hub or relying on network-based management rather than treating it like a conventional mini PC with generous front I/O.

Most connectivity is placed at the rear and along the base section of the chassis, which also helps keep cables routed in one direction when the unit is placed on a desk or shelf. Wired networking is split across 2 Ethernet ports, a 5GbE port and a 2.5GbE port, and the unit also includes WiFi 6 plus Bluetooth 5.4. That mix allows both a standard single-cable setup and more flexible layouts such as separating traffic across the 2 wired links, or keeping WiFi available for temporary placement, troubleshooting, or scenarios where pulling Ethernet is not straightforward.

For general external connectivity, the ME Pro includes a USB-C port rated at 10Gbps for data and it supports video output, but it is not used for power input. Power is delivered through a barrel connector and the unit ships with a 120W external PSU, which provides comfortable headroom and removes any questions around USB-C PD negotiation. Alongside USB-C, it includes 1 USB 3.2 port rated at 10Gbps and 2 USB 2.0 ports at 480Mbps, which covers basic keyboard, mouse, UPS signalling, or low bandwidth accessories, but it is still a small selection compared with many mini PCs.

For local display and basic audio, there is 1 HDMI output rated up to 4K 60Hz and a 3.5mm audio jack. The manual also calls out a reset hole and a CLR CMOS function, which is useful context for users who intend to experiment with different operating systems, boot media, or BIOS settings, since recovery options are clearly exposed rather than being hidden inside the chassis. Overall, the port selection feels intentionally weighted toward networking and core connectivity, with enough display and USB support for setup and troubleshooting, but not a layout aimed at heavy local peripheral use.

Beelink ME Pro NAS Review – Noise, Heat, Power and Speed Tests

Testing was done over several weeks of general use and targeted measurements, with a focus on temperatures, noise, power draw, and storage and network throughput. The typical configuration used for the core measurements included 2 SATA HDDs and 3 installed NVMe drives, with the system left running for extended periods and accessed regularly throughout the day. In addition to network file transfers, I also checked internal storage performance directly over SSH to separate storage limits from network limits.

On thermals, external chassis temperatures after a 24-hour period of operation with regular hourly access sat around 34C to 35C across most sides. The base area was a little warmer at roughly 34C to 38C, and the rear section around the motherboard and vapor chamber area was around 38C. The installed HDDs sat around 34C to 36C in that same period, using 4TB IronWolf drives, so not high power enterprise class media. The front panel area peaked higher than the rest of the enclosure, which aligned with the internal placement of the WiFi hardware near the front of the chassis.

The NVMe area showed the clearest example of how much the chassis panels and pads matter. With the base thermal panel in place, the panel itself sat around 36C over the same extended uptime. When that panel was removed, temperatures on the NVMe drives rose noticeably, with the PCIe 3.0 x2 slot drive reaching around 45C to 46C and the PCIe 3.0 x1 slot drives sitting around 38C to 41C. The difference suggested that the base panel and thermal pad contact are doing meaningful work as part of the heat path, and it also reinforces that there is no practical clearance for NVMe heatsinks in this chassis.

Noise levels were measured in a modest drive configuration, and they stayed in the mid-30 dBA range in the test environment. With the HDDs idle and the system otherwise sitting in standby, noise came in around 36 dBA to 37 dBA. With both HDDs being accessed simultaneously and NVMe activity occurring, it sat around 35 dBA to 38 dBA. The system uses a compact fan approach tied to the CPU cooling path, and one limitation I ran into is that I did not find a straightforward way to control the fan outside the BIOS during early testing, including attempts via SSH, which reduces fine tuning options for users who want tighter acoustics control.

Power consumption was tested in several stages to isolate the impact of installed storage. With no HDDs or NVMe installed and the system powered on, it drew around 15W to 16W. With 3 NVMe installed and no HDDs, it rose to around 18W to 19W. With 2 HDDs and 3 NVMe installed but all media idle, it sat around 22W to 23W.

Under a heavy combined workload with HDD and NVMe activity plus the CPU at full utilization, power draw reached around 41W to 42W, which reflects a worst case state rather than typical idle or light service operation.

For throughput, 2 HDDs in a RAID1 style setup were able to deliver around 250 MB/s to 267 MB/s, which is consistent with what you would expect from 2-bay HDD performance and means the HDD side will not saturate a 5GbE link.

NVMe storage over the 5GbE connection was able to reach full saturation of the network link in testing, so the network became the limiting factor rather than the SSD. Internal NVMe testing over SSH showed the expected split between slots, with the PCIe 3.0 x2 slot delivering roughly 1.5 GB/s to 1.6 GB/s reads and 1.1 GB/s to 1.2 GB/s writes, while the PCIe 3.0 x1 slots delivered around 830 MB/s to 835 MB/s reads and roughly 640 MB/s to 670 MB/s writes with more variability.

On media server use, 4 simultaneous high bitrate 4K playback streams ran with CPU usage in the teens, using Jellyfin. One extra operational note from testing is that while official messaging indicates hot swapping is not supported, I was able to remove and replace a drive in a RAID1 environment without powering down and continue the rebuild process, which suggests the limitation may be a support stance rather than an absolute hardware block.

Beelink ME Pro NAS Review – Conclusion & Verdict

The ME Pro’s main practical strengths are the space-efficient chassis, the combination of 2 SATA bays with 3 internal NVMe slots, and a connectivity set that includes 5GbE plus 2.5GbE and WiFi 6. In measured testing it delivered controlled external temperatures under typical always-on use, mid-30 dBA noise levels in the tested configuration, and power draw that stayed in the low-20W range at idle with drives installed, rising into the low-40W range under a full combined workload. Storage performance matched the internal design limits: HDD throughput was solid but not enough to saturate 5GbE, while NVMe performance split clearly between the PCIe 3.0 x2 slot and the PCIe 3.0 x1 slots, with the faster NVMe slot capable of saturating the 5GbE link in network transfers.

The main limitations are tied to the same compact, integrated approach that makes it unusual. Memory is fixed at purchase with no SO-DIMM upgrade path, NVMe cooling relies on chassis contact and leaves no clearance for heatsinks, and the lane allocation results in mixed NVMe slot speeds rather than uniform bandwidth across all 3 slots. The launch CPU options also remain close enough that the decision is often as much about bundled memory and SSD tier as it is about a clear performance tier shift. For buyers who want a small, always-on NAS with mixed SATA and NVMe storage, multi-gig networking, and reasonable thermals, noise, and power characteristics, the ME Pro aligns with that goal, but it is less suitable for users who expect frequent hardware changes, want expandability in RAM, or prefer a more conventional 10GbE-first network design.

PROs of the Beelink ME Pro NAS CONs of the Beelink ME Pro NAS
  • Very compact footprint for a 2-bay NAS class system (166 x 121 x 112mm, metal chassis)

  • 2x SATA bays (2.5-inch or 3.5-inch) plus 3x M.2 NVMe slots in the same enclosure

  • Multi-gig wired networking: 5GbE + 2.5GbE, plus WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4

  • Strong idle efficiency in testing with drives installed and idle (about 22W to 23W)

  • Noise stayed in the mid-30 dBA range in the tested HDD and NVMe configuration

  • NVMe performance is sufficient to saturate the 5GbE link, with the PCIe 3.0 x2 slot clearly faster than the x1 slots

  • Chassis thermal design appears effective under typical always-on use, with external temps broadly in the mid-30C range

  • Practical service access features: magnetic rear cover, base access for M.2, stored tool in the base, reset and CLR CMOS available

  • RAM is fixed (no SO-DIMM), so memory cannot be upgraded after purchase

  • Very tight internal tolerances make drive and bracket insertion less forgiving during installation and changes

  • Mixed NVMe slot speeds (1x PCIe 3.0 x2 and 2x PCIe 3.0 x1) and no 10GbE option

 

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Beelink ME Pro NAS – Should You Buy?

Par : Rob Andrews
5 janvier 2026 à 16:26

The Beelink ME Pro NAS – Should You Buy

After the surprising hit that was the Beelink ME Mini NAS in 2025, a lot of users were looking forward to seeing what the brand would do next in the NAS space. In January 2026, the brand responded with the launch of the Beelink ME Pro: an Intel N95/N150 powered system with DDR5 memory, 5GbE plus 2.5GbE connectivity, 2 SATA HDD bays, 3 M.2 NVMe bays, and one of the smallest physical footprints in this device class that I have seen. I have a full detailed review in progress on the ME Pro, but even after several days of use, several pros and cons have already emerged that may influence whether this is the right purchase for a homelab. While the review comes together, this article will outline the good, the bad, and the weird aspects of the Beelink ME Pro NAS.

Where to Buy the Beelink ME Pro NAS:
  • Beelink ME Pro (N95 + 12GB + 128GB) $369 – HERE
  • Beelink ME Pro (N150 + 16GB + 512GB) $529 – HERE
  • Beelink ME Pro (N150 + 16GB + 1TB) $559 – HERE

Bonus Point: Really Nice Logistics Design

This is a minor point, but it is worth noting how the ME Pro arrives. The chassis box is unusually small for a 2-bay NAS, and at first glance it can look like the packaging contains little more than the unit itself. In practice, the accessory items are stored inside the drive bracket area in small internal boxes, which helps avoid loose parts moving around in transit and reduces wasted packaging volume.

The device also arrives with the M.2 thermal pads already positioned in place, so the initial storage installation process is more direct. It is not a major buying factor, but it is a practical packaging decision that avoids the excessive empty space and material waste that is common in this product category.

Reasons you Should Buy the Beelink ME Pro NAS

The ME Pro is positioned as a compact, high-connectivity 2-bay NAS that also provides NVMe expansion and local display capability, with hardware aimed at users who want more than basic file serving in a small footprint. It combines dual-port networking, integrated wireless connectivity, and multiple internal storage options in a chassis designed for straightforward access and cleaning, while also introducing a motherboard drawer concept that Beelink claims will support future platform upgrades. If those priorities match your setup goals, the ME Pro has several practical advantages that can justify its price and design choices.

#1 Man alive – this 2 Bay NAS is TINY!

The ME Pro’s most immediate differentiator is its physical footprint. The chassis measures 166 x 121 x 112mm and uses an all metal unibody design, which is notably smaller than most 2-bay NAS boxes that also include NVMe storage and dual network ports. In person it reads closer to a compact mini PC enclosure than a traditional NAS, and that difference matters if you are placing it on a crowded desk, a media shelf, or anywhere you are trying to keep cabling and hardware out of the way.

That compactness is not just cosmetic, it directly shapes how the hardware is arranged and how it feels to work with. Storage bays, the NVMe area, networking, and the cooling hardware are densely packed, so clearances are tight and the device is designed around precision fit rather than roomy access. The upside is that it is easy to place in small spaces without needing the usual NAS sized footprint. The tradeoff is that installations and maintenance are likely to feel more constrained than they would on a larger, more conventional 2-bay enclosure.

#2 Arrives with 5GbE and WiFi6, when everyone else is still on 2.5GbE

On networking, the ME Pro ships with 2 wired Ethernet ports and integrated wireless. The wired setup is a 5GbE Realtek RTL8126 port alongside a 2.5GbE Intel i226-V port, and the unit also includes WiFi 6 plus Bluetooth 5.4. For a compact 2-bay NAS, that is a broader mix of connectivity than the many systems that still top out at dual 2.5GbE, and it gives you more options for how the device fits into an existing home or small office network.

In practical terms, this provides flexibility rather than guaranteeing a specific performance outcome. A 5GbE port can be useful for faster transfers if you already have compatible switching or direct attach options, while the 2.5GbE port can serve as a secondary link for a different subnet, failover, or a separate device path depending on the OS and network configuration you choose. WiFi 6 is not a replacement for wired networking in a NAS role, but it can be relevant for temporary placement, initial setup, or use cases where running a cable is not straightforward, and the manual indicates the antenna is integrated into the front panel design rather than using an external antenna.

#3 Maintenance and Internal Access is a work of art!

The ME Pro is built around user access rather than treating the internals as a sealed appliance. The manual’s process is simple: remove the magnetic cooling mesh cover, unscrew and pull out the hard drive bracket, and use the bottom access panel to reach the M.2 slots. A screwdriver is stored in the base under a silicone pad, so the tool required for basic access is physically included with the device. The ports and recovery related features also acknowledge user servicing, with items like a reset hole and a CLR CMOS function shown in the manual.

In day to day handling, the layout is designed to slide out and reassemble in a specific order, and it generally supports the idea of quick cleaning and drive installation without full disassembly. At the same time, access relies on small screws and tight tolerances, so it is not a tool-less experience. In your first impressions, the mechanism for sliding the internal assembly out felt solid and precisely aligned, but you also noted that the included tool is very small and can be fiddly to use. The result is a design that prioritizes compact service access, but still expects careful handling during installation and maintenance.

#4 Great Base Memory Quantity at a time when RAM costs are BONKERS

From the start, the ME Pro is configured with either 12GB LPDDR5 4800MHz on the N95 models or 16GB LPDDR5 4800MHz on the N150 models, rather than shipping with a minimal memory pool that immediately pushes users toward an upgrade. In practical NAS use, that baseline capacity is relevant because it can influence how comfortably the system handles common add-ons such as containers, light virtualization, background indexing, and multiple concurrent services, depending on the operating system and workload. It also reduces the likelihood that memory becomes the first immediate bottleneck for typical home and small office setups.

The tradeoff is that this approach is linked to the way the memory is implemented. In your inspection of the unit, you noted there is no SO-DIMM slot and the RAM appears soldered to the board, which means users are effectively choosing their memory tier at purchase rather than treating it as a later upgrade (more on that in a bit). This makes the initial configuration choice more important, especially for buyers who already know they will run heavier applications or multiple VMs over time.

#5 Genuinely unique modularisation and upgradability in a pre-built solution, which I have ever seen

The ME Pro’s most unusual design claim is the swappable modular motherboard. Beelink markets the system as supporting interchangeable boards across Intel, AMD, and ARM options, using a drawer style layout intended to let the main compute board slide out rather than being permanently fixed inside the chassis. The product page frames this as a way to avoid replacing the entire enclosure when you want a different CPU platform, and instead treat the chassis, drive housing, and general structure as the long-term part of the purchase.

In practical terms, this concept will only matter if Beelink actually sells the alternative boards at sensible pricing and maintains availability over time, but the physical architecture appears to be built around the idea. Your first look showed a clear internal separation between the board assembly and the rest of the enclosure, and you also observed hints of planned scale-up hardware, such as layout markings that suggest different future storage or platform variants. For buyers who like the idea of extending a system’s usable life without a full rebuild, the ME Pro is one of the few pre-built NAS style devices currently trying to formalize that upgrade path rather than leaving it to a full case swap.

Reasons You Might Want to Skip the Beelink ME Pro NAS

The ME Pro’s compact design and connectivity focused feature set come with tradeoffs that will matter to some buyers more than others. Several of the core choices are linked together, meaning you get the small chassis, the storage density, and the modular drawer approach, but you also accept limits around upgrades, physical handling, and how the platform is configured from the factory. This is not a device where every part is meant to be user replaceable or easily swapped in the way a DIY small form factor build would be.

It is also worth treating the launch configuration and roadmap as part of the buying decision. The product is being introduced with very similar Intel CPU options and fixed memory tiers, while the company is already pointing toward future AMD and ARM variants and possible expanded layouts. For some buyers, that is a reason to wait until the wider range exists and the upgrade parts are actually available. For others, the current design constraints are enough to prefer a more conventional 2-bay NAS that is larger, simpler to work on, and has clearer long-term upgrade paths.

The RAM is FIXED (i.e cannot be upgraded or changed)!!!

The ME Pro uses LPDDR5 memory (12GB on the N95 models, 16GB on the N150 models), and based on the internal layout you inspected, there is no SO-DIMM slot for user upgrades. In other words, the memory appears to be soldered to the motherboard rather than installed as a replaceable module. That makes the initial purchase configuration more important than on many small NAS builds where memory can be upgraded later as needs change.

The practical impact shows up when your usage grows beyond basic file storage. If you plan to run multiple containers, heavier indexing tasks, or virtual machines, memory headroom can become a limiting factor long before CPU or network does, depending on the OS and services you deploy. With this platform, there is no simple path to increase RAM after purchase, so anyone unsure about future requirements may prefer a system with upgradeable memory, or may want to treat the 16GB model as the safer long-term option by default.

The design is so, so very tight!

The ME Pro’s small enclosure is achieved through very tight internal tolerances. That is visible in how the drive bracket, motherboard drawer area, and storage zones are packed together, and it influences the overall experience during installation and servicing. The system relies on screw mounting for drives rather than a click-in tray approach, and while the manual provides clear steps, the process assumes careful alignment rather than quick, tool-less handling. This level of precision fit is likely part of how Beelink is trying to control airflow and improve thermal transfer in a compact space, and it also aligns with their noise and vibration messaging around tightened mounting and silicone dampening.

In the first impressions, that tightness showed up most clearly when inserting and removing components. Slotting the hard drive bracket and drives could feel rough at times, with very little clearance to work with, and the internal assembly can require a firmer push to seat correctly. Even if the compact fit is helping with heat dissipation and vibration control, it remains a very tight build, and it is less forgiving if you are frequently swapping drives, testing different storage combinations, or repeatedly opening the chassis. The end result is a device that looks clean and flush when assembled, but can feel constrained during hands-on work compared with a larger enclosure with more physical margin.

Launching the N95 version and N150 version was an odd choice (i.e very similar processors)

At launch, the ME Pro is offered in N95 and N150 variants, and on paper these CPUs sit very close to each other. Both are 4-core, 4-thread Intel N-series parts with 6MB cache, and the headline frequency difference is modest: up to 3.4GHz on the N95 and up to 3.6GHz on the N150. For many NAS workloads that are constrained by storage or network throughput rather than CPU, this kind of gap may not translate into a clearly different experience, especially once real world thermal and power limits are applied.

This tight spacing makes the product stack less clear than it could be, because the pricing difference between the entry and higher tier configurations is not simply paying for a meaningfully different platform. In practice, buyers are also paying for the memory and SSD tier attached to each CPU option, and in your case the non-upgradeable memory makes that choice more permanent. If the goal is to segment the lineup, the N95 and N150 pairing may feel like a small step that leaves some users waiting for a more distinct higher performance option rather than choosing between two closely related CPUs. Given the noise that Beelink has made about this expanding range, that only further encourages some users who think these CPUs a little timid, to remain on the fence a bit longer….

There are other CPU/Architecture versions coming

As mentioned, Beelink is already signalling that the ME Pro chassis is intended to outlive the initial Intel configurations. The official product messaging highlights a swappable modular motherboard concept and explicitly references future boards beyond the current Intel N-series options, including AMD and ARM. In your first look, you also noted visible hints inside the unit that suggest the internal layout has been planned with other variants in mind, rather than being a one-off design limited to the launch hardware.

For buyers, this creates a timing question. If those alternative boards and models arrive soon, they may offer clearer performance separation, different feature priorities, or a better match for specific workloads. At the same time, the current purchase decision depends on what is available today, not what is promised, and the value of the modular approach only becomes real once the upgrade boards can actually be bought at reasonable pricing. Until the roadmap becomes a shipping product line, some users may prefer to wait, while others will simply evaluate the current N95 and N150 models on their own merits.

Mixed M.2 Speeds at PCIe 3.0 x2 and PCIe 3.0 x1? Was 10GbE and uniform lanes discussed instead?

The ME Pro’s 3 M.2 NVMe slots are not equal. Slot 1 is PCIe 3.0 x2, while slots 2 and 3 are PCIe 3.0 x1, and the manual specifically recommends using slot 1 for the system drive because it is the fastest slot. In practical terms, this creates a tiered NVMe layout where one drive has higher potential bandwidth than the other 2, which can influence how you plan cache, containers, VM storage, or scratch workloads. It also means peak NVMe performance depends heavily on which slot you choose, not just the SSD you buy.

That design choice raises an obvious tradeoff question: whether the platform would have been better served by a different allocation, such as keeping all 3 M.2 slots at PCIe 3.0 x1 in exchange for other connectivity, or prioritizing a different network tier such as 10GbE (though arguably, it might well have to sit at 3×1 and potentially be bottlenecked to 800-900MB/s, unless that lowered the m.2 to x2 bays). The ME Pro already includes 5GbE plus 2.5GbE, so the networking is not low end, but the mixed NVMe lane widths still make the storage side feel uneven by design. For a NAS focused build, the practical impact will depend on real testing: whether the internal topology causes contention under mixed loads, and whether the faster slot meaningfully benefits common tasks once network and SATA throughput are considered.

Conclusion & Verdict – Should You Buy the Beelink ME Pro NAS?

The Beelink ME Pro is a compact 2-bay NAS platform that combines SATA storage with 3 M.2 NVMe slots, dual wired networking, and integrated wireless in an enclosure that prioritizes density and internal access. It also introduces a modular motherboard drawer concept that, if supported with real upgrade boards over time, could change how long the chassis remains useful compared with typical pre-built NAS systems. As a hardware package, it is aimed at users who want high connectivity and mixed storage options without moving to a larger box.

At the same time, several of its main limitations are set at purchase and cannot be easily changed later. The memory appears fixed, the internal fit is very tight during drive and bracket handling, and the launch CPU options are closely spaced rather than clearly separated performance tiers. The NVMe layout is also mixed speed by design, which affects how you should plan drive placement and workloads. Whether these tradeoffs are acceptable depends largely on how much you value the enclosure size, the network ports, and the promised modular roadmap versus the more conventional upgrade flexibility of larger or more established NAS designs.

Where to Buy the Beelink ME Pro NAS:
  • Beelink ME Pro (N95 + 12GB + 128GB) $369 – HERE
  • Beelink ME Pro (N150 + 16GB + 512GB) $529 – HERE
  • Beelink ME Pro (N150 + 16GB + 1TB) $559 – HERE

 

 

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