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Add to SafariWhen comparing Apple AirPort Time Capsule 2TB vs QNAP TS-128, the Slant community recommends QNAP TS-128 for most people. In the question“What are the best NAS enclosures under $300?” QNAP TS-128 is ranked 4th while Apple AirPort Time Capsule 2TB is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose QNAP TS-128 is:
This is one of the cheapest dual core, 1GB (RAM) single-bay NAS units you can get.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro An Apple a day...
This is the perfect solution if you are a heavy Mac, iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV user. Store movies, music, backups, and more using Time Machine. Access all of that information just as simply, using the built in software for Mac. It really is a calming feeling when all of your tech just talks to each other without you having to go through extra effort.
Pro Its a time capsule
The software is set up to integrate more transparently with Apple's Time Capsule features of MacOS and iOS, reducing some of the setup needed for a non-Apple brand NAS.
Pro Good value for money
This is one of the cheapest dual core, 1GB (RAM) single-bay NAS units you can get.
Pro Intuitive, easy set-up process
This unit doesn't come with hard disks preinstalled. To get it set up, you just have to insert the hard disks, plug in the unit, connect it to your router and switch it on. After that, just log on to myQNAPcloud and you’ll have full access to the NAS through the web interface. The interface is extremely intuitive and user friendly. Even a beginner will enjoy it.
Pro Performance is enough for casual home use
This unit comes with a 1.1GHz dual core ARM processor and 1GB of DDR3 RAM. Its specs are enough for casual home use, like web browsing or movie watching. On the other hand, more demanding tasks, like media transcoding, would require something beefier in terms of performance.
Pro Integrates with cloud services
This NAS can integrate with popular cloud services, like Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Yandex Disk, and others, making data transfers very quick and hassle-free.
Pro Can be turned into a media server
Plex media server software is available for this NAS and can effectively turn it into a media server. Though note that the NAS won't be performant enough to transcode media on the fly.
Pro Can be used for surveillance
The TS-128 comes with two free surveillance camera licenses and can store data from up to eight surveillance cameras.
Pro Impressive third-party application support
The amount of available third-party applications is quite impressive. There's a varied selection, including media applications, cloud storage apps, as well as mobile and desktop companion apps.
Pro Low power consumption
Running this unit 24/7 doesn't cost much: it idles at 5.03 Watts and operates at approximately 8.96 Watts. Even in operational mode, this unit would consume approximately 78.5 KWh total in one year.
Cons
Con Combining multiple needs increases impact during a failure
With both router and backup / NAS in one device, if either part fails you risk losing both services. I had one and had the hard drive fail, which would have meant losing my wireless service while it was out to be repaired, so in the end I lost my backup / central network share capability.
Con Cross compatibility issues with PCs
Apple is notorious for not allowing easy cross compatibility with PC's. That doesn't stop you from connecting your PC to it, you just have to go through some extra steps.
Con Lack of storage
Not much a way of upgrade options. Unless you are savvy and willing to forgo a manufacturers warranty, then the sky is the limit.
Con Lost data can’t be recovered
When buying a single bay NAS unit, keep in mind that a drive failure will result in total and permanent data loss. To avoid this, consider investing in a DAS (direct-attached storage) as well. The DAS can be attached to the QNAP TS-128 via USB. It has built-in software to allow you to actually set up automatic NAS backups to DAS (such as once a week). This ensures your data remains safe, though it also entails extra costs.
