Conclusion:

The Thecus N2310 2-bay NAS server is a solid option if you are looking for a 2-bay device that doesn't waste your time and money with fancy extras and just gets down to serving your files. While I prefer to have more drives in order to implement a more robust RAID solution, having two drives will let you implement a RAID1 array for redundant storage. For a small network this could be a good setup for sharing files and streaming media, and testing proved it will allow you to read or write at up to almost 90MB/s.



The only negatives to discuss are what I might consider extras. Some of the more interesting NAS based apps that were listed on the Thecus site aren't compatible with this model, and searching the Thecus site for apps can mislead you about compatibility. The mobile app they offer will let you connect your Android or Apple device to your NAS server, but it takes some effort to get setup and it isn't the slickest app I have ever used. But, taking the N2310 for what it is, a budget friendly home / small office NAS server, bells and whistles shouldn't be expected.

The Bigbruin.com Shopping Engine finds the Thecus N2310 at Amazon.com for a price that is very active. As of yesterday it was $134, then $140 this morning, and now mid afternoon on the same day I am seeing $149. All of these prices are low, but at $134 I was definitely impressed. To me, there is no sense trying to build up something with parts on hand (or new parts) if you were looking to build a storage server on the cheap. Thecus has done all the hard work for you, and all you need is a pair of 3.5" hard drives to finish the project.

In the end, the Thecus N2310 2-bay NAS server earns the Bigbruin.com "Recommended" and "Good Value" awards for offering a simple, but solid performing networked attached storage server at an impressively low price.



Pros:

» Very attractive price
» Solid performance - tested at close to 90MB/s read and write
» USB 3.0 port functions at USB 3.0 speeds
» Would be a very good choice for simply sharing files / media on a small network

Cons:

» Admin interface is a bit slow and basic
» Mobile app is basic

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