Sections
- Page 1 Seagate NAS Pro 4-Bay Review
- Page 2 Performance, Value and Verdict Review
Seagate NAS Pro 4-Bay – Performance
What’s right up there with the latest Netgear and Synology devices, however, is performance. The Pro 4 uses its beefy hardware well and positions itself right amongst the fastest NAS in its class.
As the graphs show, this means transferring large files across a network will max out the bandwidth of Gigabit Ethernet both in terms of read and write. This equates to 111MBps read and 110MBps write, with the fractional difference to the Synology DS415 Plus within a margin of error. Gigabit is the problem, not the Pro 4, and few are going to bother with the hassle of getting a switch to access Link Aggregation. 10GbE desperately needs to start coming down in price.
Equally impressive is the Pro 4’s handling of small files. To challenge both CPU and RAM we transfer a 2GB folder of over 2000 files across our test network, and here the Pro 4 excelled. Average read speeds of 46.8MBps push it right up with the very fastest mid-range NAS, and although its average write speed of 31.3MBps is only the third fastest result we’ve seen, it’s still no slouch.
Of slightly more concern is noise. QNAP and Netgear still rule the roost as the noisiest mid-range NAS makers – although the quiet Netgear ReadyNAS 104 hints at better things – but the Pro 4’s a little louder than we’d like at 28db idle and 33db under load.
These figures still make the Pro 4 suitable for the living room, but you’ll notice it if you focus on it.
Should I buy the Seagate NAS Pro 4-Bay?
With the Pro 4 strong in nearly all categories, price has a big part to play, and here Seagate makes a big impression.
An unpopulated version of the Pro 4 (STDE100) has yet to launch in the UK, but a 4TB version costs just £379. This compared with £450 for the Synology DS415 Plus and £375 for the DS414 makes it great value. Meanwhile Netgear’s ReadyNAS 314 comes in at £419 unpopulated.
The snag is that Seagate supplies four 1TB drives instead of a single 4TB drive or pair of 2TB drives. That said, a 16TB fully loaded version of the Pro 4 remains very reasonable at £749 (4x 4TB).
Verdict
Seagate makes its rivals sit up and take note with the Pro 4. It has a nicely minimalist design, is well made, fast and very well priced. Synology’s more expensive DS415 Plus and DS414 offer more for a bigger outlay, but if you are on a budget the Pro 4 is tough to beat.
Next, read more Peripheral Reviews
Trusted Score
Score in detail
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Performance 8
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Value 10
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Features 7
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Build Quality 8
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Usability 7
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Design 7
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
