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We liked
The TS-470 is an impressive desktop NAS with an enviable build quality that inspires confidence in the technology contained within. Performance is well up to expectations and can be further enhanced either by applying a choice of port trunking options across the four Gigabit network ports or by upgrading to 10GbE.
Storage can be expanded and with two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports the TS-470 is well equipped to support external backup devices and printers.
Cloud-based setup is a great feature and the latest QTS operating system is both functional and easy to get to grips with. Add in some of the optional apps and you can effectively replace a general purpose server with the QNAP appliance.
We disliked
Price is the biggest drawback with the TS-470, as similar NAS appliances are available for a lot less. The 10GbE network option initially seemed like a good idea but that, too, proved expensive, putting it beyond the budget of many small businesses. Moreover, those that can afford it are more likely to be after rack-mount rather than desktop storage products.
The SSD caching option is another nice touch but can seriously lower capacity and may not deliver as much of a boost as expected.
Final verdict
It's hard to argue against the QNAP TS-470 as a fast and very functional small business NAS appliance with storage expansion and networking options more usually associated with enterprise products. Unfortunately these add further to the already high price of the basic appliance and are unlikely to appeal to more than a handful of more demanding buyers.
Make no mistake, the QNAP TS-470 is a good NAS product that performs well, and it has lots of useful functionality beyond basic file sharing, but others can do much the same for less money.
A quick and very capable four-bay small business NAS with lots of features beyond basic file sharing plus a couple of enterprise-class upgrade options.
