Page 8 - Final Thoughts and Conclusion
As I write this final page for the Thecus N2560, there are a few things that come to mind. First of all, the software, ThecusOS 6, can be described with a word I have already used before: Functional. The overall GUI is not the prettiest of the bunch with a very plain but consistent theme. While I will not award it anything for the design, using the embedded operating system is intuitive and easy to use. Finding what you need without hassle is a definite plus in my books, and Thecus has many features matching up with competition from ASUSTOR or QNAP. Even though the Thecus N2560 was launched with two other pieces of software, Intelligent NAS and T-OnTheGo, these options for accessing your NAS are still quite limited, and require improvement before it can be considered a good alternative to the standard web browser, Linux-based ThecusOS 6. To be honest, I don't see why you want to get rid of the web browser in the first place. It is a solution that works, and it can work very well.
The lack of installable applications is slightly disappointing, but with time, this can be remedied. All Thecus needs to do is to encourage other parties to invest in their software. Media support is a limited to XBMC, and lacks some options like web browsing. I would love to see this implemented in future iterations of this device. It is important to note that the Thecus N2560 is designed to be a home oriented system, and thus will lack some of the features found in business grade network attached storage devices, and this is fine, considering the niche of the product.
In terms of hardware and design, it looks great in my personal opinion. Who can really argue about the Thecus N2560’s looks? While it may not be the best choice of materials, it attracts some attention in comparison to its competitors. Whether you place it in your backroom where your other computers are or in the family room with your TV plugged in, the Thecus N2560 can fit in. As well having both HDMI out and a digital audio output means the N2560 can integrate easily into your home electronics. It does away with the industrial look ASUSTOR and QNAP likes to use. Unfortunately, the glossy surface alone is prone to scratches and the entire body, due to its plastic construction, could easily snap. This makes the Thecus N2560 a “black box” (Or in this case, a white box) solution that allows users to easily plug and play. All they have to do is pop in the drives, plug in the Ethernet and power cable, and hurray, it is done. Upgradeability of parts is understandably not a feature of the N2560, and majority of users will not need to worry about it. For the home user, you will find the Thecus N2560 delivers competitive file performance, emits very little amounts of noise, and is green friendly to boot. Obviously, everyone wants their device to be faster, but the N2560 is still able to hold its own in comparison to the ASUSTOR AS-202TE, a similar device with similar internals but slightly slower performance results.
From a reliability standpoint, I can only expect good things from Thecus. While we have not ran the N2560 for too long of a period, I did not have any issues during our daily operation of the network attached storage system. Utilizing the NAS with ThecusOS 6 was, for the most part, uneventful, but the eye candy could definitely be worked on. For a price tag of around $330 at press time, it is a bit pricey for a two-bay storage solution built primarily out of plastic with an operating system that falls a bit short of the competition in user experience, but if you are looking for a good looking starter network attached storage with feature to boot, the Thecus N2560 could be an viable option.
Thecus provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks; but should be considered before purchasing.
6/10 means A product with its advantages, but drawbacks should not be ignored before purchasing.
-- Final APH Numeric Rating is 6.2/10
Please note that the APH Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other sites.
The Thecus N2560 is a good looking home server that delivers commendable file performance with low power consumption. Hardware build quality and software usage experience could use some refinement, however.
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Page Index
1. Introduction and Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware (External)
3. A Closer Look - Hardware (Internal)
4. Configuration and User Interface, Part I
5. Configuration and User Interface, Part II
6. Configuration and User Interface, Part III
7. Performance and Power Consumption
8. Final Thoughts and Conclusion
