QNAP TS-453B mini Unboxing and Setup Experience
I've always wanted a NAS for home use. I had my eyes on the QNAP TS-453B mini for a long time, but the price on JD.com stayed above 2000 yuan, making it not cost-effective for regular purchases, so I kept hesitating. Taking advantage of the 6.18 promotion, I successfully got the TS-453B mini for 1899 yuan.
Here are some unboxing photos:
TS-453B mini Specifications
- Cores: Quad-core
- Memory: 4GB
- Processor: 14nm Intel® Celeron® J3455 Quad-core 1.5 GHz processor, up to 2.3 GHz
- Hard Drive Interface: SATA III
- Drive Bays: 4
- Network Ports (RJ45): 2
- Network Speed: 10/100/1000Mbps
Compared to the Synology DS918+ with similar specifications from the neighboring brand, which costs over 4000 yuan, the QNAP TS-453B mini offers much better value for money.
Hard Drive Selection
Initially, I considered the Western Digital Red series, but there were many negative reviews online, and the reputation wasn't great. So, I bought the Western Digital (WD) Purple 4TB. The Red series focuses on NAS, while the Purple series focuses on surveillance, but both can be used for long-term read/write operations. However, the Purple series is cheaper (arrived at ¥589.00) and comes with an extra year of warranty (3-year warranty), so I went with the Purple series. Students with conditions can also choose the Seagate IronWolf.
Should You Do RAID?
There are many opinions online about whether to do RAID; some recommend it, others don't. I won't debate whether it's necessary. Personally, I think it depends on your specific scenario and needs. I did not set up RAID; instead, I chose to use QNAP's HBS 3 Hybrid Backup Sync to regularly and automatically back up important data.
Starting to Encounter Issues
After plugging in the hard drives and installing the system, I entered the QTS WEB desktop. It looks quite beautiful and has strong operability.
Cannot Open AppCenter
Then the problem arose: I found that the AppCenter (QNAP App Store) could not be opened, prompting "NAS cannot get APP information list. Please check your network settings." I can be very sure the network is normal; this is QTS's fault.
I consulted customer service, and they sent a document. Following the instructions, I set the region in "Control Panel - System - General Settings - Region" to Global, and then opening AppCenter worked fine.
Cannot Connect to Cloud Server
Don't panic, the problem isn't over yet. When adding MyQnapcloud, it prompted that it could not connect to the cloud server. Again, it's QTS's fault.
Again, following the customer service instructions, I went to the official website: https://www.qnap.com.cn/zh-cn/download?model=ts-453bmini&category=firmware to download the latest QTS firmware, and then manually updated the firmware in "Control Panel - System - Firmware Update" to solve the issue.
Usage Experience
The TS-453B mini casing uses PVC material, which is essentially a plastic shell, not a metal plate, so heat dissipation is not very good, but it's not a major issue.
Additionally, the QNAP system is a bit more complex to get started with compared to Synology. For beginners, the experience isn't as friendly, but there are many tutorials online that can be easily searched.
I've only had it for a few days, so I don't have more experience yet. I'll continue to tinker and share more later.
Purchase Address
The current lowest price is 1899 yuan, and the promotion is still ongoing. Those in need can go for it.
TS-453B mini Purchase Address: https://u.jd.com/UxKERg