Buffalo TeraStation TS3210DN
A simple, functional NAS, but it feels like a dinosaur next to this month’s flashier, more multi-talented offerings
SCORE ✪✪✪✪✪ PRICE 2 x 1TB, £319 (£383 inc VAT) from pcpro.link/276bts
The TeraStation TS3210DN is an oddity. From its size, you’d assume it was a four-bay unit, but the lockable drive door swings open to reveal just two horizontal bays. It’s not clear why the unit’s so large, although one factor is the internal power supply, which allows the TS3210DN to be powered by a regular kettle lead rather than an external adapter.
Those aren’t the only unusual things about the TeraStation. Uniquely this month, it’s sold only in pre-populated form – our review model came with two 1TB WD Red drives, which explains the price. Subtract the cost of those and you can compare the TeraStation to two-bay units costing around £250. Be warned, though – if you want to install larger disks, the maximum supported capacity is just 4TB per drive.
The TeraStation also has an unusual web interface, which uses menus and tabs rather than a desktop model. It’s efficient to get around, but not exactly elegant. Then again, it can afford to be simple, as it doesn’t need to worry about apps and plugins: like the LinkStation 520, the TeraStation TS3210DN doesn’t support add-ons.
To be fair, all the major file-sharing protocols are included and, unlike the LinkStation, the TeraStation supports iSCSI and works with Active Directory. On the other hand, there are no media server capabilities whatsoever – no DLNA, no iTunes, no nothing. The TeraStation’s only concessions to consumer technologies are support for Time Machine and integration with Dropbox.
Despite the large case, the TeraStation only finds room for two USB 3 connectors at the back; at the front there’s a row of LEDs, along with a mystery button labelled “FUNCTION”. This, it turns out, can be used to copy data from a USB drive, dismount a USB drive or trigger a RAID rebuild, depending on when and for how long you press it. You’d better keep the user manual handy.
In all, the TeraStation stands out from the crowd – but not for positive reasons. After you’ve tried out a drive from Synology or Qnap, moving to the TS3210DN feels like a step back in time, to an age when network appliances were bulky, underpowered and inflexible. There’s no need for that today: whatever your needs, a different box will serve them better, and most likely cheaper.