The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra – The First 48 Hours

The MS-02 Ultra is the latest workstation from Minisforum, and is currently undergoing testing and review here at NASCompares. However, even after just 48 hours, a whole bunch of interesting design choices and unique qwerks to the arcitecture have emerged that I wanted to cover in the meantime before the full review is complete. The MS-02 Ultra essentially trying to recapture the magic and impact of the incredibly popular MS-01 – and it is attempting this by doubling, trippling and (in some cases) quadrupling the base specifications! The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra arrives as a compact workstation that incorporates a 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX processor, up to 256 GB of ECC DDR5 memory, internal 350 W power delivery, multiple PCIe expansion options, and a network configuration that includes dual 25GbE, 10GbE, and 2.5GbE. After 48 hours of initial testing, several hardware behaviors have emerged regarding thermals, acoustics, lane distribution, storage configuration, and chassis layout. The following sections outline these early observations, supported by confirmed specifications and hands-on inspection. Stay tuned for the full review, but at least for now, let’s discuss the early highlights and low lights!

Design of the MS-02 Ultra

The internal design of the MS-02 Ultra differs considerably from earlier Minisforum workstation models and moves away from the layout used in the MS-S1 Max. Although the system retains a slide-out internal frame, the mechanism is less streamlined than the earlier S-series implementation because of how densely the components are arranged.

The interior resembles a compressed micro-tower layout, with the CPU cooling assembly, PSU, PCIe risers, and storage positions layered closely together. A dual-fan ventilation chamber spans the frontal section of the chassis, pulling air through a vented intake and directing it across the primary cooling hardware before forcing it out the rear. This arrangement appears to be a necessary response to the higher thermal output of the Ultra 9 285HX and the inclusion of multiple expansion slots, both of which require more directed airflow than Minisforum’s previous compact workstation designs.

The placement of internal components reflects the limited spatial tolerance of the 4.8-liter enclosure. The internal 350 W PSU occupies a significant section of the lower frame and includes additional power leads intended for low-profile GPU or accelerator cards, something rarely present in machines of this size. The motherboard runs across most of the horizontal section and positions the CPU vapor-chamber cooler toward the middle, while memory slots, NVMe connectors, and the PCIe riser for the combo NIC occupy the remaining pockets of available space.

Because cooling pipes and the ventilation housing sit directly above the CPU-side memory slots, Minisforum added a custom angled heatsink to ensure airflow reaches these modules. This results in a serviceable layout but one that requires more deliberate disassembly, as the compact structure prioritizes component density and thermal guidance over ease of access or open internal spacing.

Early Heat, Noise and Power Use of the MS-02 Ultra

Initial thermal behavior suggests the MS-02 Ultra is managing its compact layout with a cooling strategy built around a dual-fan chamber and a six-heatpipe radiator assisted by phase-change material. During the first setup period, surface temperatures around the chassis varied, with readings near the side ventilation panels and case edges settling around the low-to-mid 40s, while the front intake area measured lower due to the direct airflow path.

Early internal temperature checks, taken before any sustained workloads were applied, showed values consistent with a system that is heavily packed but actively cooled across multiple zones. These readings align with Minisforum’s stated 5000 RPM maximum fan speed and the intention to maintain a 100 W to 140 W CPU power envelope depending on configuration. However, because these measurements were taken during routine preparation rather than stress testing, they provide only a preliminary indication of how the system will manage long-duration loads.

Noise levels during this early period ranged from the low 30s dBA while performing software installations and background operations, with no significant fluctuations unless brief bursts of activity occurred. This behavior suggests fan control may be tied primarily to BIOS-level thermal triggers rather than granular OS-side control, something that will require further testing.

Power consumption during light activity remained in the 50 to 60 W range, which is consistent with a workstation-class system running the Ultra 9 285HX while idle or handling moderate foreground tasks. Removing the dual-25GbE combo card or disabling its slot reduced power draw by roughly 10 to 11 W, highlighting the overhead associated with multi-lane NICs and onboard controllers. These early figures provide a baseline for comparison against heavier benchmarks that will be performed in the full review.

The 25GbE, 10GbE and WiFi 7 Network Card in the MS-02 Ultra

The MS-02 Ultra’s networking implementation is centered around a PCIe-based combo card that integrates dual 25GbE SFP+ ports with two additional M.2 NVMe slots. This card is installed in the PCIe 4.0 x16 position rather than the PCIe 5.0 slot, and it includes a dedicated controller with active cooling and heatsinks that cover both the networking and storage components.

Early inspection shows the card draws a notable amount of power, which corresponds with the increased thermal and electrical requirements of Intel’s E810-class 25GbE controllers. Because of this, Minisforum’s inclusion of dedicated airflow and structural reinforcement around the card is necessary within the constrained 4.8-liter chassis. The presence of this dual-purpose add-in card also means the MS-02 Ultra’s total NVMe count depends on whether the system is configured with the 285HX version, as the lower-tier CPUs remove the combo module entirely.

Beyond the 25GbE configuration, the system includes onboard 10GbE and 2.5GbE RJ45 ports, the latter supported by Intel’s i226-LM with vPro capabilities, allowing BIOS-level remote management. The combination of high-speed SFP+, copper-based multi-gigabit ports, and embedded management options positions the system for lab, server, or virtualization roles rather than conventional desktop use.

Wireless capability is supplied via a WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 module connected through an M.2 E-Key slot, providing high-throughput wireless performance alongside its wired interfaces. Together, these connectivity features expand the system’s potential use cases, particularly for users planning to deploy virtualized environments or bandwidth-intensive tasks such as shared storage testing or multi-system clustering.

How m.2 Storage on the MS-02 Ultra is Done

The MS-02 Ultra distributes its four NVMe slots across two different locations, with two mounted on the mainboard and two integrated into the dual-25GbE combo card. The pair located on the system board are positioned on the underside, near the memory and CPU assembly, and both are listed as PCIe 4.0 x4 according to Minisforum’s documentation.

Early inspection suggests that one of these may have a PCIe 5.0 lane path available at the hardware level, though software restrictions or lane bifurcation rules may currently limit it to Gen 4 behavior. This is an area that requires further validation using a Gen 5 SSD, as the lane layout on the 285HX platform allows various allocation possibilities depending on how Minisforum assigned bandwidth between CPU, chipset, and expansion slots. These internal slots have modest vertical clearance, meaning SSDs with tall heatsinks cannot be used without removing or replacing the pre-fitted cooling structures.

The remaining two NVMe slots reside on the network combo card alongside the 25GbE controllers. These operate under different bandwidth rules depending on SSD capacity: drives up to 4 TB operate at PCIe 4.0 x4, while larger 8 TB models shift down to PCIe 3.0 x4. This behavior appears to be related to the card’s onboard controller and how its internal bifurcation splits resources between the NIC and storage lanes.

Physical space is also restricted on the card, requiring low-profile SSDs in certain positions to avoid obstruction of the cooling shroud and airflow channel. Minisforum includes an additional heatsink in the package for users installing their own drives, but using SSDs with taller factory heatsinks may be impractical. Altogether, storage layout on the MS-02 Ultra is functional and high-capacity, but with lane behaviors and physical constraints that require attention during configuration.

Memory on the MS-02 Ultra

The MS-02 Ultra provides four DDR5 SODIMM slots, but their distribution within the chassis is unconventional due to the system’s compact thermal layout. Two slots sit on the mainboard near the CPU-side M.2 positions, placed directly in the airflow path of the vapor-chamber cooler and its dual-fan assembly. Because of this, Minisforum has added a custom angled heatsink that draws air from the primary cooling channel across the modules and nearby components.

This arrangement is intended to compensate for the thermal density around the CPU area, where heat buildup would otherwise be more likely. These two slots support both ECC and non-ECC memory, though ECC functionality is active only on the 285HX model. Their placement suggests Minisforum prioritized consistent airflow over ease of access, making upgrades possible but less straightforward than on more open workstation layouts.

The remaining pair of SODIMM slots is located on the opposite side of the board, positioned away from the CPU cooling assembly and closer to the chassis frame. These modules have more breathing room but rely on passive airflow from the system’s general ventilation rather than a focused cooling path. All four slots support speeds up to 4800 MHz, with XMP profiles unavailable due to Minisforum’s implementation and Intel’s platform limitations.

During early testing, memory installation worked as expected, though the arrangement of these slots means users planning maximum 256 GB configurations will need to work within the physical constraints of the layout. Overall, the memory design reflects a tradeoff between supporting high-capacity ECC configurations and fitting the necessary cooling infrastructure into a small volume.

PCIe Card Support on the MS-02 Ultra

The MS-02 Ultra incorporates three PCIe slots arranged to maximize flexibility within its compact chassis: a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, and a PCIe 4.0 x4 slot. The PCIe 5.0 slot is left unoccupied by default, allowing users to install a low-profile GPU or accelerator card that fits within the airflow and power constraints of the 350 W internal PSU.

Minisforum includes auxiliary power cables within the system, which is uncommon for small-form-factor workstations and indicates that the chassis is intended to support cards that require supplemental power. Because of the chassis height and width, only dual-slot, low-profile cards with modest cooling requirements are viable, but this still introduces options for compute or media workloads that benefit from hardware acceleration.

The PCIe 4.0 x16 slot is occupied in the 285HX configuration by the dual-25GbE plus dual-M.2 combo card, which introduces additional thermal and power considerations. This leaves the PCIe 4.0 x4 slot available for further expansion, provided the card used meets the system’s spatial limitations. The layout demonstrates Minisforum’s approach to balancing lane allocation between CPU, storage, and networking, especially given the 24 available PCIe lanes on the Ultra 9 platform.

Although the physical presence of three slots in such a compact volume is unusual, the arrangement is functional, and power delivery from the internal PSU supports moderate add-in card configurations. Users will need to consider airflow direction, card length, and slot occupation carefully to avoid restricting internal ventilation.

Conclusion and Verdict on the Minisforum MS-02 Ultra (So Far…)

The MS-02 Ultra presents a compact workstation design that integrates a high-core-count CPU, multiple NVMe storage options, high-speed networking, and an internal PSU within a tightly arranged chassis. Early testing indicates that the system’s thermal behavior, noise profile, and power draw are consistent with its component density, though the long-term performance of its cooling strategy requires extended benchmarking before reaching definitive conclusions. The design choices, such as the split placement of memory slots, the use of a large dual-fan cooling chamber, and the reliance on a densely packed internal layout, all reflect Minisforum’s effort to fit workstation-grade hardware into a constrained volume.

In terms of features, the dual-25GbE plus dual-M.2 combo card remains the most distinctive element, expanding the system’s potential for virtualized environments, NAS roles, and bandwidth-heavy workflows. PCIe allocation, memory configuration, and storage behavior introduce several considerations for users planning upgrades or specialized deployments. While these early observations indicate a capable and flexible platform, further testing is necessary to determine sustained thermal performance, PCIe stability under load, and real-world throughput of the networking and storage subsystems. The forthcoming full review will provide those extended results, but for now, the system presents a feature-rich design with several areas that merit deeper evaluation.

Where to Buy the Minisforum MS-02 Ultra?
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Terramaster D4 SSD USB4 Enclosure Review

The Terramaster D4 SSD is a four-bay all-flash storage enclosure designed for high-speed external data handling over USB4 connectivity, offering bandwidth of up to 40Gbps. It accommodates four PCIe NVMe M.2 2280 SSDs, allowing a maximum raw capacity of 32TB when fitted with 8TB drives, with larger capacities possible pending future verification. Aimed at professional workflows such as media creation, high-resolution video production, and post-production editing, it is also marketed for gaming environments where low-latency loading and direct game installation are desired. The enclosure does not feature built-in RAID capabilities, instead operating in single-drive mode and relying on the host computer or third-party software for RAID management when required. Measuring 138 x 60 x 140 mm and weighing 392grams, it offers a compact footprint suitable for desktop or mobile editing setups. With active cooling via dual smart fans, wide voltage power input for flexible deployment, and compatibility across USB4, Thunderbolt 3/4/5, and USB 3.x interfaces, the D4 SSD is designed to integrate seamlessly with both Mac and Windows systems, including use as a Mac OS boot drive or as direct expansion for NAS devices with supported ports.

Terramaster D4 SSD Review – Quick Conclusion

The Terramaster D4 SSD is a compact four-bay USB4 NVMe enclosure that delivers high transfer speeds through dedicated PCIe Gen4 x1 lane allocation per drive, managed by the ASMedia ASM2464PDX controller for consistent scaling across single or multiple SSD configurations. While it lacks built-in hardware RAID, this simplifies design, reduces power draw, and allows users to manage RAID through their host system or software tools, offering flexibility for performance or redundancy needs. In testing, it sustained multi-gigabyte throughput under prolonged load without thermal throttling, aided by its dual smart-fan cooling system and low-noise operation, making it suitable for studios and mobile production environments. Its wide voltage input range supports power from standard laptop and mini-PC adapters, and cross-platform compatibility extends to Thunderbolt 3/4/5 and USB 3.x systems, with support for multiple file systems across macOS, Windows, and Linux. Best suited for professionals in media production, post-processing, and high-resolution video editing, the D4 SSD offers a strong balance of speed, efficiency, and portability, though buyers should account for the cost of high-capacity NVMe drives and may wish to add heatsinks for heavy workloads.

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Terramaster D4 SSD Review -Design and Storage

The Terramaster D4 SSD adopts a compact and minimalist design that prioritises space efficiency while accommodating high-performance M.2 NVMe storage. The chassis is constructed with a combination of metal and reinforced plastic to balance durability with weight reduction, making it practical for desktop setups or mobile editing stations. Measuring 138mm in height, 60mm in width, and 140mm in depth, it has a footprint smaller than many portable RAID enclosures yet houses four internal M.2 2280 slots. Ventilation is a key part of the design, with perforations along the chassis and an internal airflow path from the bottom intake to the top exhaust. This airflow design is paired with a smart dual-fan system to keep temperatures stable under sustained workloads. The minimalist exterior is free of unnecessary styling, focusing instead on functionality and discrete operation in professional environments.

Internally, the storage layout is based entirely on NVMe architecture, with each of the four bays supporting PCIe Gen4 x1 bandwidth allocation. This ensures each SSD has dedicated lane access to maintain predictable throughput, rather than sharing limited controller bandwidth as seen in some lower-cost enclosures. The D4 SSD supports up to 8TB per drive, giving a maximum raw capacity of 32TB, though higher capacities may be supported as larger consumer and enterprise NVMe drives are verified. This design choice prioritises performance consistency and reduces the risk of bottlenecks, particularly when drives are accessed simultaneously for large file transfers or multi-stream media editing.

The enclosure is not equipped with a hardware RAID controller, meaning all drives operate in independent single-disk mode by default. Users wishing to configure RAID 0, 1, or other levels must do so using their operating system’s built-in storage management tools or third-party RAID software. This approach reduces internal complexity, lowers power draw, and avoids thermal buildup from additional processing hardware, but shifts configuration responsibility to the user. For some workflows, particularly those involving high-performance NVMe SSDs, host-managed RAID can still deliver substantial speed gains without affecting compatibility.

For cooling, the D4 SSD uses an active design with two 50mm temperature-controlled fans. These are managed by four onboard temperature sensors, adjusting fan speeds based on workload and heat generation. The airflow design is optimised to pass directly over the NVMe modules and the mainboard’s heat-generating components. While the unit does not include NVMe heatsinks by default, there is space to install aftermarket options if desired. Terramaster’s decision not to bundle heatsinks reflects a balance between cost and compatibility, as different SSDs have varying thermal needs, and some users may prefer specific heatsink designs.

From a noise and usability standpoint, the D4 SSD is intended to operate unobtrusively in environments such as home offices, studios, and editing suites. In standby mode with SSDs installed, the noise level is measured at 19dB(A), making it quieter than many desktop PCs and suitable for near-silent workspaces. Combined with its small physical footprint, this makes it a storage device that can be positioned close to the user without being a distraction, even under full load during extended transfers or media rendering sessions.

Terramaster D4 SSD Review – Internal Hardware

Inside the Terramaster D4 SSD, the hardware is built around a dedicated USB4 bridge controller, the ASMedia ASM2464PDX, which is designed to maintain high throughput across multiple NVMe drives without the lane bottleneck issues found in some lower-cost enclosures. Each M.2 slot is wired for PCIe Gen4 x1 bandwidth, providing up to 2,000MB/s potential per drive, which is then aggregated and managed through the USB4 interface.

This design ensures predictable scaling in both single-drive and multi-drive use, with performance closely tied to the host system’s RAID or file management configuration. The PCB is perforated in multiple areas to enhance passive airflow in conjunction with the active cooling fans, helping to maintain SSD performance during sustained workloads such as large file transfers or continuous video editing.

The storage slots themselves support PCIe NVMe M.2 2280 SSDs, making the D4 SSD compatible with a wide range of consumer and professional-grade drives. While the official capacity limit is listed as 8TB per drive, the enclosure is not restricted by proprietary firmware, allowing for potential support of larger modules as they become available. The absence of hardware RAID keeps internal processing simple, reducing latency and power draw, while allowing the enclosure to work equally well in macOS, Windows, and certain NAS expansion scenarios where the RAID logic is handled externally. Additionally, the enclosure supports multiple file systems including NTFS, APFS, exFAT, FAT32, and EXT4, depending on the host environment.

Power delivery to the enclosure is handled through a 24W external adapter, with a wide input voltage range of 12V to 20V for compatibility with common laptop and mini-PC power supplies. This not only makes it more versatile for travel or integration into mobile production setups but also reduces the need for proprietary adapters.

The included USB4 Type-C cable is 0.8m in length and rated for up to 80Gbps, significantly higher than the device’s 40Gbps requirement, ensuring minimal signal degradation over time. Thermal and power management are monitored by four internal sensors, which regulate the fan speeds to balance cooling and noise.

Terramaster D4 SSD Review – Connectivity

The Terramaster D4 SSD keeps its external connectivity simple, focusing on delivering the highest possible throughput over a single interface. The primary connection is a USB4 Type-C port located on the rear of the unit, providing up to 40Gbps of bandwidth when used with a compatible host device. This interface also ensures backward compatibility with Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 5, and USB 3.x standards, although maximum speeds will vary depending on the protocol supported by the connected system. This approach makes the D4 SSD suitable for a wide range of setups, from modern Mac computers and high-end Windows workstations to certain NAS devices that offer USB4 or Thunderbolt connectivity for expansion.

The unit does not draw power from the USB4 connection, which is essential given the requirements of running four NVMe drives under load. This separation ensures stable power delivery regardless of the workload, preventing thermal throttling or performance drops caused by insufficient bus power.

The only other physical interface elements are the cooling ventilation openings, the power button, and status indicators. The ventilation is positioned to support the enclosure’s top-to-bottom airflow, with exhaust positioned to avoid heat recirculation. The power button is recessed to prevent accidental shutdowns, and the indicator lights provide a quick visual status of drive activity. While the D4 SSD avoids additional ports such as USB hubs or SD card readers, this streamlined design prioritises stability and speed for storage operations, aligning with its role as a dedicated high-bandwidth storage enclosure rather than a multifunction docking station.

Terramaster D4 SSD Review – Performance and Tests

In practical testing, the Terramaster D4 SSD demonstrated performance levels consistent with the capabilities of its USB4 interface and internal PCIe lane allocation. When fitted with a single PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD and connected to a compatible Windows host system, sequential transfer rates reached around 1,480MB/s for reads and 1,140MB/s for writes in CrystalDiskMark, with mixed 70/30 read/write workloads averaging 1,286MB/s.

AJA System Test results with a repeated 1GB file showed roughly 1,400MB/s read and 1,300MB/s write, while ATTO Disk Benchmark recorded peaks of 1.57GB/s read and up to 1.5GB/s write.

These results represent roughly three-quarters of the theoretical maximum per-lane Gen4 x1 performance, with minor variations attributable to SSD model and host configuration.

With four SSDs installed and configured in RAID 0 via Windows Disk Management, throughput scaled significantly.

In AJA testing, read speeds reached 2,500MB/s and writes 2,300MB/s. CrystalDiskMark produced 2,047MB/s reads and 1,927MB/s writes in sequential tests, with mixed workloads at around 1,799MB/s.

ATTO testing peaked at approximately 2.93GB/s read and 2.66GB/s write. These figures are below the absolute maximum possible for USB4 but remain strong for a host-managed RAID array without dedicated hardware acceleration.

The results indicate that with a more capable RAID implementation, sustained speeds above 3GB/s would be achievable, making the D4 SSD suitable for high-bandwidth applications such as multi-stream 4K or 6K video editing. Thermal performance was another key testing area given the high-speed NVMe drives involved. Under sustained load with all four SSDs active, the enclosure’s dual-fan cooling system maintained stable operating temperatures without noticeable thermal throttling. Noise output, even at maximum fan speed, remained low enough for close-proximity use in an editing suite or home office. The absence of included NVMe heatsinks did not lead to significant overheating in tests, though installing aftermarket heatsinks could be beneficial for prolonged heavy workloads or in warmer environments.

Power consumption measurements showed efficient operation relative to its performance. With all drives in hibernation, draw was close to 1W; in standby, it was 3–4W; and at full load, the system used only 5–6W. This efficiency, combined with the wide voltage input support, makes the D4 SSD practical for mobile production setups and continuous desktop use without significant power overhead. Compatibility was confirmed across both macOS and Windows systems, with macOS tests achieving up to 3,257MB/s reads and 3,192MB/s writes using four Samsung 990 PRO 4TB SSDs in RAID 0 on a Mac mini with an Apple M4 chip.

Terramaster D4 SSD Review – Verdict and Conclusion

The Terramaster D4 SSD positions itself as a compact, high-speed, and flexible all-flash enclosure for users who require consistent bandwidth and expandable capacity over USB4. Its PCIe Gen4 x1 lane allocation per drive, paired with the ASMedia ASM2464PDX controller, ensures that performance scales predictably from single-drive use to fully populated configurations without the bottlenecks common in lower-end enclosures that multiplex lanes. While the absence of built-in hardware RAID will be seen as a limitation for users wanting an all-in-one solution, the decision to leave RAID management to the host system helps keep the enclosure’s design simpler, power consumption lower, and thermal output under better control. This host-managed approach also allows greater flexibility in choosing software RAID solutions optimised for specific workflows, whether for performance (RAID 0), redundancy (RAID 1), or other advanced configurations. Combined with its small footprint, professional-grade cooling, and wide voltage input range, the D4 SSD fits naturally into both fixed and mobile setups where reliable sustained throughput is essential.

From a value and application standpoint, the D4 SSD’s test results put it among the faster multi-bay USB4 NVMe enclosures currently available, especially given its ability to sustain multi-gigabyte transfers under prolonged load without thermal throttling. It is particularly well-suited to professionals in media production, post-processing, and high-resolution video editing who need large, portable, and quiet storage capable of handling multiple uncompressed video streams in real time. The unit’s quiet operation, even when all drives are active, makes it practical for use in audio-sensitive environments, and its compatibility with Thunderbolt 3, 4, and 5 as well as USB 3.x protocols expands its usability across a wide variety of systems. Potential buyers should, however, factor in the additional cost of populating all four slots with high-capacity NVMe SSDs and consider adding aftermarket heatsinks for continuous heavy workloads, as none are included. For those who already operate in environments where RAID is managed externally or within the operating system, the D4 SSD represents a balanced combination of speed, efficiency, and build quality that should appeal to both Windows and macOS professionals seeking long-term, high-performance storage expansion.

Terramaster D4 SSD NAS
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PROs of the Terramaster D4 SSD

CONs of the Terramaster D4 SSD

High-speed USB4 interface with up to 40Gbps bandwidth, delivering strong multi-bay NVMe performance.   Dedicated PCIe Gen4 x1 lane allocation per slot ensures predictable scaling without lane-sharing bottlenecks. Compact and lightweight chassis with active cooling and low noise output, suitable for quiet work environments. Cross-platform compatibility with Thunderbolt 3/4/5 and USB 3.x, supporting multiple file systems for macOS, Windows, and Linux use. Low power consumption, even under full load, making it efficient for continuous operation.

No built-in hardware RAID functionality, requiring RAID to be managed by the host system or third-party software. No included NVMe heatsinks, which may be needed for sustained heavy workloads. Performance dependent on host system capabilities and RAID configuration, limiting maximum speeds in some setups.

 

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Terramaster D1 SSD Review – Performance Made Sustainable?

The TerraMaster D1 SSD Plus is a compact, single-bay M.2 NVMe enclosure designed to deliver high-speed direct-attached storage over USB4, with a focus on professional workloads that demand both speed and stability. Aimed at users working with large, high-resolution files such as 4K and higher video editing projects, RAW photo archives, and heavy multimedia workflows, it supports transfer rates of up to 3,853MB/s read and 3,707MB/s write when paired with a compatible PCIe Gen 4×4 SSD. This performance level allows a 3GB file to transfer in around one second under optimal conditions, significantly reducing waiting times in post-production processes. The enclosure is compatible with a broad range of connection standards, including Thunderbolt 5/4/3 and USB4/3.2/3.1/3.0, making it adaptable to both modern and legacy system configurations. Measuring 112.5 × 60 × 33 mm and weighing 246g, it features a fully enclosed aluminium alloy body with passive cooling, designed to keep temperatures stable during sustained workloads without introducing fan noise. Additional onboard safeguards provide short-circuit, voltage surge, and electrostatic discharge protection, while its unibody construction aims to withstand continuous use in demanding environments. With no pre-installed SSD, the D1 SSD Plus supports M.2 2280 NVMe drives up to 8TB, giving users the flexibility to choose their own storage based on performance or capacity priorities.

Terramaster D1 SSD Review – Quick Conclusion

The TerraMaster D1 SSD Plus is a compact, bus-powered USB4 enclosure built for sustained high-speed storage with a focus on stability, thermal efficiency, and cross-platform compatibility. Using the ASMedia ASM2464PDX controller with a PCIe Gen 4×4 lane configuration, it can fully exploit 40Gbps bandwidth when paired with a suitable SSD, maintaining 3,000MB/s+ read and 2,500MB/s+ write speeds without throttling during prolonged workloads. Its fully aluminium passive cooling design keeps drive temperatures around 44–45°C under heavy use while remaining completely silent, making it suitable for both desktop and field use. Supporting capacities up to 8TB, multiple file systems, and connection standards including Thunderbolt 5/4/3 and USB 3.x, it integrates easily into macOS and Windows workflows. However, the short 0.3m USB4 cable can limit positioning flexibility, and performance is heavily dependent on choosing a PCIe Gen 4×4 SSD, with no official compatibility list provided. Overall, it offers strong build quality, sustained performance, and portability, making it a capable option for professionals and power users seeking reliable high-speed external NVMe storage.

Terramaster D1 SSD NAS
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Terramaster D1 SSD Review – Design and Storage

The D1 SSD Plus adopts a minimalist, industrial-style design built entirely from aluminium alloy, providing both structural durability and efficient passive heat dissipation. Its solid unibody construction not only makes the device more resistant to daily wear but also allows for a larger heat-spreading surface compared to typical plastic or hybrid enclosures. Measuring just over 11 cm in length, it remains small enough for mobile use while retaining the thermal mass needed to handle sustained high-speed transfers without performance throttling. The matte finish helps reduce the appearance of fingerprints and scratches, making it better suited to frequent handling in professional environments.

Internally, the unit supports a single M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe SSD, accommodating capacities of up to 8TB in a single slot. The choice to limit support to NVMe, rather than SATA-based M.2 drives, ensures the interface is not a bottleneck to the USB4 connection. The enclosure uses a PCIe Gen 4×4 lane allocation, meaning that while it can achieve impressive transfer speeds, installing a Gen 3 drive will limit throughput to roughly half the rated maximum. This makes SSD selection critical for users seeking top performance, especially in workflows involving large sequential file transfers or high-speed scratch disk usage.

The passive cooling system is one of the more notable aspects of the D1 SSD Plus’s design. Instead of an active fan, the aluminium chassis itself acts as a heatsink, with thermal pads positioned to draw heat away from the SSD and controller. During testing with repeated large file transfers, drive temperatures peaked at around 44–45°C, and the enclosure exterior measured approximately 41–42°C, remaining well below thermal throttling thresholds. This approach eliminates moving parts, improving reliability and making the device completely silent, a benefit for audio-sensitive production environments.

From a portability perspective, the D1 SSD Plus is supplied with a compact 0.3m USB4 Type-C cable and a soft carry bag for transport. The short cable supports 40Gbps data rates and up to 240W power delivery, though its length may be restrictive for certain setups, such as when connecting to desktop systems positioned under a desk. Weighing just 246grams without a drive, it is light enough to be carried daily yet solid enough to feel substantial in use.

In terms of safety and operational protection, TerraMaster has included components to guard against short circuits, power surges, and electrostatic discharge. These measures, combined with the robust chassis, aim to keep the enclosure operational even in less controlled environments such as on-location shoots or travel-based editing sessions. For storage expansion scenarios, it can act as either a primary drive for active projects or a fast external repository for completed work, depending on the installed SSD’s performance and endurance characteristics.

Terramaster D1 SSD Review – Internal Design

Inside the D1 SSD Plus, the primary component enabling its performance is the ASMedia ASM2464PDX controller. This USB4-to-PCIe bridge is widely used in high-speed external enclosures, offering stable throughput and supporting PCIe Gen 4×4 lane allocation to the installed SSD. TerraMaster is unusually transparent in publicly listing the controller model and lane configuration, information that many manufacturers omit. This clarity helps users understand the real-world performance limits and the importance of pairing the enclosure with a compatible SSD to reach the quoted speeds.

The M.2 slot supports the 2280 form factor exclusively and is physically keyed for NVMe drives, preventing the installation of incompatible SATA models. Internally, thermal pads are pre-positioned to ensure consistent contact between the SSD and the aluminium housing, which doubles as a heatsink. This direct contact method maximises heat transfer efficiency, enabling the enclosure to sustain high-speed operation without thermal throttling. The lack of an active fan reduces power draw and potential mechanical failure points, aligning the product with professional needs for quiet and reliable operation.

The enclosure draws power entirely from its USB4 connection, operating at 5V and consuming up to 7.5W during active read/write workloads. In idle or hibernation mode, this drops to around 5.5W. The absence of a dedicated power supply simplifies setup and enhances portability, though it also means that connection stability is dependent on the host device’s USB port quality and adherence to USB4 or Thunderbolt specifications. This bus-powered approach makes the D1 SSD Plus practical for mobile workstations, ultrabooks, and modern desktops without spare power connections.

Terramaster D1 SSD Review – Connection and Bandwidth

The D1 SSD Plus features a single USB Type-C port located at the rear of the enclosure, serving as its sole data and power interface. This port supports USB4 at 40Gbps, ensuring maximum compatibility with modern high-speed standards while maintaining backward support for Thunderbolt 5/4/3 and USB 3.x generations. This allows the enclosure to integrate into a range of environments, from the latest Apple Silicon systems to older Windows workstations. However, TerraMaster notes that certain Thunderbolt 3-equipped Windows PCs may lack complete USB4 protocol support, which can prevent the device from being recognised unless connected to a different port.

The included 0.3m USB4 cable is rated for the full 40Gbps bandwidth and supports up to 240W of power delivery, even though the enclosure itself draws only a fraction of that power. Its short length makes it well-suited for portable laptop-based workflows but less ideal for desktop systems that require longer reach. Users seeking more flexibility may need to source a third-party cable with equivalent specifications to maintain the enclosure’s full performance potential.

Given the high-speed nature of USB4, signal integrity is critical. The D1 SSD Plus uses a reinforced internal connector to reduce wear and maintain a stable connection over repeated cable insertions. Combined with the aluminium body’s shielding properties, this helps minimise data errors and interference, which is particularly relevant when transferring large multimedia files or working directly from the drive in editing software.

Terramaster D1 SSD Review – Tests

In synthetic benchmarks, the D1 SSD Plus achieved results close to its advertised maximums when paired with a high-quality PCIe Gen 4×4 SSD. Using an AJA 1GB test file loop, sustained read speeds were observed between 3,000 and 3,100MB/s, with writes maintaining 2,550 to 2,600MB/s.

Peak measurements during testing reached 3.55GB/s for reads and 2.8GB/s for writes, confirming that the enclosure can deliver high throughput consistently without early throttling. Mixed workload tests, such as a 70/30 read/write access pattern, still sustained around 2,500MB/s, indicating balanced performance even under varied data operations.

CrystalDiskMark results mirrored the AJA findings, with sequential read speeds consistently exceeding 3,000MB/s and writes holding near 2,600MB/s in repeated trials. These figures place the D1 SSD Plus among the faster single-bay USB4 enclosures currently available, particularly in its ability to sustain speeds over prolonged activity. The stability here is largely attributed to the passive aluminium cooling, which prevented temperature-induced drops in transfer rates that are common in less thermally capable designs.

Real-world file transfers also reflected strong performance. A 100GB mixed-content dataset consisting of video clips, high-resolution images, PDFs, and documents transferred in 63 seconds, averaging 1.58GB/s over the duration. While this figure is lower than synthetic benchmark peaks, it remains well above the speeds of typical USB 3.2 enclosures, providing tangible time savings for users moving large batches of files. The ability to maintain high sustained write speeds is particularly beneficial for workflows such as direct-to-disk recording or continuous large dataset backups.

Temperature monitoring during performance testing showed the installed SSD peaking at 44–45°C after over five minutes of sustained large file writes, with the enclosure’s exterior registering around 41–42°C. These results suggest that the cooling system is sufficient to handle extended workloads without user intervention, making the D1 SSD Plus a viable option for scenarios where the drive may be used heavily for prolonged periods, such as editing directly from the external storage.

Terramaster D1 SSD Review – Verdict and Conclusion

The TerraMaster D1 SSD Plus positions itself as a high-speed, bus-powered USB4 enclosure that places equal emphasis on sustained performance, heat management, and compatibility across multiple connection standards. Its integration of the ASMedia ASM2464PDX controller with a PCIe Gen 4×4 lane configuration ensures that it can fully utilise the available 40Gbps bandwidth when paired with a suitable SSD, avoiding the thermal throttling that can undermine performance in less capable enclosures. TerraMaster’s decision to openly publish controller details, lane allocation, and maximum tested speeds gives technically minded buyers more confidence in what the enclosure can achieve, and helps explain why it maintained stability during repeated multi-gigabyte transfer tests in your review. The combination of a compact footprint, aluminium passive cooling, and complete silence during operation makes it suitable not only for static desktop setups but also for field work, where portability and reliability matter. With support for capacities up to 8TB and a choice of file systems including NTFS, exFAT, APFS, and EXT4, it can be easily integrated into both macOS and Windows workflows without major reconfiguration.

There are, however, practical considerations for prospective buyers. The included 0.3m USB4 cable, while capable of full 40Gbps data rates and 240W power delivery, is short enough to be inconvenient for tower PC users or multi-device workstations, and replacing it with a certified high-speed cable may be necessary in such environments. Furthermore, although the enclosure can accept any PCIe NVMe M.2 2280 SSD, achieving top-tier performance depends on selecting a PCIe Gen 4×4 drive, as using Gen 3 or slower-lane SSDs can halve the potential throughput. Your review also highlighted that while TerraMaster frequently notes the importance of Gen 4 drives, they do not provide detailed compatibility charts or recommend specific models, which could help less experienced buyers avoid suboptimal results. In practice, the D1 SSD Plus delivers a combination of sustained speed, thermal efficiency, and solid build quality that positions it as a strong choice for video editors, media professionals, and advanced home users who require portable storage without sacrificing reliability or performance.

Terramaster D1 SSD NAS
Amazon in Your Region for the Terramaster D1 SSD @ $109	B&H for the Terramaster D1 SSD USB4 Drive @ $109.99

 

PROs of the Terramaster D1 SSD

CONs of the Terramaster D1 SSD

High Sustained Performance – Maintains 3,000MB/s+ read speeds and 2,500MB/s+ write speeds under extended workloads without thermal throttling. Transparent Technical Specs – Clearly states controller model, lane allocation, and maximum tested speeds, aiding informed SSD selection. Robust Passive Cooling – Fully aluminium chassis with integrated heatsink keeps SSD temperatures around 44–45°C under load. Broad Compatibility – Works with USB4, Thunderbolt 5/4/3, and USB 3.x systems across macOS and Windows. Portable and Silent – Compact (112.5 × 60 × 33 mm), fanless design makes it easy to carry and noise-free during operation. Flexible SSD Choice – Supports PCIe NVMe M.2 2280 drives up to 8TB with multiple file system formats (NTFS, exFAT, APFS, EXT4).

Short Supplied Cable – 0.3m USB4 cable may be impractical for certain desktop or fixed workstation setups. Performance Depends on SSD Selection – Using Gen 3 or slower-lane SSDs can reduce speeds by up to half. No Drive Compatibility List – Lacks detailed recommended SSD model chart to guide optimal performance choices.

 

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