We have taken a look at a decent number of network attached storage servers over the last year or so, and I am always interested in having a look at the different approaches that can be taken from model to model and brand to brand. In this review we have a fairly unique device in the form of the
Thecus W4000+. This is a Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 Essentials based device that runs on a dual core Intel Atom with 4GB of DDR3 memory. While it offers four 3.5" bays for storage drives, the operating system is housed on a separate 60GB Kingston brand SSD.
As shown in the promotional image above, the W4000+ looks like what I have come to recognize as a Thecus device, with the prominent features including an LCD screen and locked/vented bay doors for the four hard drives. Before taking a closer look at the unit provided for review, let's take a quick look at some of the features and specifications taken from the
official product page on the Thecus website...
Features:
» Top Storage for 1-50 Employee Business
» Office 365 & Microsoft Azure: Cloud Service Integration
» Active Directory Domain Services: Scalable, Secure User Management
» Data Deduplication: Performance Optimization
» Enhanced Boot Drive: Embedded 60GB SSD
» Windows License Included
» Available with 2 GB of DDR3 RAM (W4000) or 4 GB of DDR3 RAM (W4000+)
Specifications:
» Processor: Intel® Atom™ D2701 (2.13GHz Dual Core)
» System Memory: 2GB DDR3(W4000)/4GB DDR3(W4000+)
» Memory expandable up to: 4GB Memory Compatibility List
» Embedded Boot Drive: 60GB SSD
» Drive Bays: 4
» Form Factors Supported: 2.5" / 3.5"
» LAN Interface:
» RJ-45x2: 10/100/1000 BASE-TX Auto MDI/MDI-X
» WOL supported
» USB Interface:
» USB 2.0 host port x2 (back x2)
» USB 3.0 host port x2 (front x2)
» HDMI Output: HDMI port (back x1)
» VGA Output: VGA port (back x1)
» Audio: Line output
» Disk Interface:
» 4 x SATA for internal
» 1 x eSATA for external
» Power Supply: External power adapter
» PCI-e x1 Slot: 1 (1 lane)
» System Clock: Battery-backed up system clock
» Power Management: Auto power on after shutdown due to power loss
» Buzzer: Adjustable frequency alarm
» Buttons: Power button
» Environment:
» Temperature: 5°C to 40°C
» Humidity: 0 ~ 80 % R.H. (Non-condensing)
» Chassis Tower: Metal Chassis
» Dimensions (HxWxD): 192 x 172 x 250 (mm)/ 7.56 x6.77 x 9.84 (in)
» Weight (Kgs): 6.6
The information above details that there are two models available... the W4000 with 2GB of memory and the W4000+ with 4GB of memory. 2GB of memory is typically sufficient for a Unix based NAS, but since this is a Windows based device, that extra memory might be a very welcomed upgrade. While we'll be checking out the W4000+, it may be of interest to note that the W4000 typically sells for about $50 less, and the memory is user upgradable.
