QNAP TS-464
The QNAP TS-464 is a brilliant and powerful NAS, rocking an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM out of the box, and even two M.2 slots and a single PCIe expansion slot. It has everything you need to run a Plex Media Server, including dedicated HDMI output.
ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen2 (AS6704T)
The ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 Gen2 (AS6704T) is a very capable NAS for running Plex Media Server and then some, thanks to the Intel CPU, upgradable RAM, 2.5GbE networking, expansion support, and a great OS.
Intel-powered four-bay NAS enclosures can quickly become incredibly expensive, particularly for those buying their very first server. Looking at theQNAP TS-464vs. Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen 2 (AS6704T), both NAS cost in the region of $550 - $600, making them an expensive addition to the home or office. Where they shine is with their Intel processors and accompanying specifications, which include multiple M.2 SSD slots, PCIe expansion, HDMI output, and excellent operating systems.
Price, specs, and availability
Comparing the QNAP TS-464 vs. Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen 2 (AS6704T) for specifications reveals countless similarities between the two enclosures. They’re powered by the same family of processor, though Asustor has a slightly more powerful chip. They both take DDR4 RAM and have an officially supported capacity of 16GB, four drive bays, a PCIe 3.0 slot, M.2 slots, and 2.5GbE networking. As well as the processor, the AS6704T has an additional two M.2 slots for a total of four, making it ideal for installing super-fast M.2 storage.
This makes the Asustor NAS thebest NASout of the two for running intensive apps and services, but onlyjust,since the QNAP TS-464 has a capable processor inside its chassis. Should you have multiple devices to connect to the NAS via USB, the QNAP enclosure may be a better fit with its two USB-A 2.0 ports that join two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports. The Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen2 (AS6704T) only has two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2x1 ports.
Both enclosures are available through online retailers like Amaon and Newegg. The Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen 2 (AS6704T) is generally available for around $610, while the QNAP TS-464 can usually be found around $460.
Design and features
The QNAP TS-464 and Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen2 (AS6704T) are vastly different when it comes to design. QNAP’s NAS is a sleek-looking enclosure with an all-black metal build and a semi-transparent front panel to hide the four drive bays. A single gold strip is located to the right of this that houses the LED status indicators, a power button, and a single USB port. The Asustor AS6704T has an understated, vintage look to it with a small display and some buttons to perform basic functions.
Both NAS have four drive bays and two available DIMM slots for installing up to 16GB of RAM. These are the officially supported capacities, but we’ve seen NAS owners upgrade RAM beyond what’s stated by manufacturers. The QNAP TS-464 has two available M.2 slots for installing SSDs and enabling caching support. Asustor offers four M.2 slots and these can be used for caching, expanding the storage pool, or a combination of both. Accessing the M.2 slots on the Asustor NAS requires the removal of the outer shell. The process on the QNAP NAS is easier with two bay doors located on the bottom panel.
The array of ports on the rear of these two enclosures is also similar, consisting of a single HDMI port, 2.5GbE networking, DC input, and USB ports. QNAP has the upper hand here with the additional two USB 2.0 ports. Both would make for a solid foundation to store data and run services at home or in the office.
Software and performance
The QNAP TS-464 is powered by QNAP’s QTS operating system and the Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen 2 (AS6704T) runs Asustor’s ADM software. Both of these operating systems are powerful and user-friendly, allowing just about anyone to set up and manage their NAS in no time. Designed to emulate a traditional desktop PC experience, you’ll feel right at home with QTS and ADM if you’ve spent any number of hours on Linux, macOS, or Windows. Countless apps are available through their respective app stores, which can be downloaded and installed with a single click.
Having such similar specifications, it’s difficult to spot a difference in performance. The operating systems run light and well without any sluggish moments. The processors are capable of handling the high bandwidth offered through the two 2.5GbE connections with ample headroom for optional 10GbE upgrades. These are pricey enclosures and performance is excellent without upgrading anything inside the NAS. The ability to effectively quadruple the 4GB of DDR4 RAM can really boost the performance of either NAS.
Which NAS is best for Plex?
Thebest NAS for Plexout of the two would be the Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen 2 (AS6704T), but only just. The Intel Celeron N5105 found inside the Asustor NAS is a mobile chip with a lower TDP, but has the same number of cores and clock speeds. It also has a slightly faster GPU with eight additional execution cores. QNAP’s TS-464 has the Intel Celeron N5095, which only misses out on the execution cores, but still has a very good integrated GPU and is more than capable of transcoding 4K media through Plex.
Having an Intel processor is a must for NAS to effectively transcode media on the fly. Both of these enclosures pass with flying colors and would make for excellent starter Plex NAS, allowing you to catalog all your purchased media and stream it anywhere in the world. The addition of an HDMI port on the TS-464 and AS6074T also allow the NAS to output video directly to a TV, which removes the need to transcode altogether.
QNAP TS-464 vs. Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen 2 (AS6704T): Which NAS is best?
QNAP offers good value with the TS-464, something that’s almost unheard of with the company, as its catalog of enclosures are usually more expensive with better specifications. Doing so makes the QNAP TS-464 the better value option out of the two. Not everyone will require four M.2 slots for faster storage, nor will they require the better Celeron processor, which is where this NAS truly shines. It has an HDMI port and more than enough performance and connectivity to run Plex comfortably, as well as handle countless simultaneous connections.
The Asustor Lockerstor 4 Gen2 (AS6704T) is the more powerful NAS out of the two and the price reflects that. Should you feel comfortable spending slightly more on a server, you’ll receive a faster Intel CPU, an additional two M.2 slots, with the rest of the specifications being almost identical. Powered by a different operating system, both QNAP’s QTS and Asustor’s ADM software are brilliant to use and incredibly powerful for home or office deployment. This would be the better NAS for high-traffic environments with a longer shelf life.
