Buffalo TeraStation TS3420R
Score: 74/100
Terramaster F4-424 Pro
Score: 87/100Rankings
The TerraMaster F4-424 Pro is a high-performance 4-bay NAS aimed at business and media-centric use, featuring an 8-core Intel i3-N305 CPU, 32 GB DDR5 RAM and dual 2.5 GbE ports, supporting 4K 60 fps transcoding and NVMe caching.
A secure, rack-mountable 4-bay NAS with built-in drives, 2.5 GbE networking and strong encryption, aimed at small offices and home labs, but constrained by modest memory and lack of performance-enhancing features.
| Attribute | Buffalo TeraStation TS3420R | |
|---|---|---|
32 TB | 88 TBbest | |
4best | 4best | |
2.5 Gbpsbest | 2.5 Gbpsbest | |
— | 8best | |
1 GB | 32 GBbest | |
| ↓ lower better | 100 W | 33 Wbest |
| ↓ lower better | — | 21 dBbest |
3 yearsbest | 2 years |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | Buffalo TeraStation TS3420R | |
|---|---|---|
Security(1) | ||
OS Compatibility | Windows, macOS, Linux | TOS 5.0 |
Performance(3) | ||
CPU Model | Annapurna Labs Alpine AL214 | Intel Core i3-N305 |
System Memory (GB) | 1 GB | 32 GB |
Power Consumption (Active) (W) | 100 W | 33 W |
Build & Design(2) | ||
Weight (kg) | 7.7 kg | 1.905 kg |
Warranty Period (years) | 3 years | 2 years |
Connectivity(1) | ||
Supported Network Protocols | TCP/IP, SMB, AFP, NFS, FTP, SFTP, WebDAV | IPv4/IPv6, CIFS/SMB, NFS, FTP, SFTP, HTTPS, SSH, iSCSI, SNMP |
Storage & Capacity(3) | ||
Maximum Raw Capacity (TB) | 32 TB | 88 TB |
RAID Support | RAID 0,1,5,6,10,JBOD | TRAID, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10, JBOD, Single |
Supported Drive Types | 3.5" SATA III | 3.5" SATA HDD, 2.5" SATA HDD, SATA SSD |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers view the TeraStation Essentials as a solid, security-focused NAS that delivers enterprise-grade features at a modest price, highlighting its built-in drives, 2.5 GbE port and comprehensive warranty, while noting the omission of iSCSI, failover and SSD caching as trade-offs for its lower cost.
Everyday users praise the device for its straightforward, out-of-the-box setup, reliable support and robust security, but commonly express concerns about limited memory, the default RAID5 capacity reduction and the lack of performance-enhancing features such as SSD cache or 10 GbE.
Professional reviewers praise the F4-424 Pro for its unmatched CPU power, abundant DDR5 memory, and advanced media capabilities such as 4K 60 fps transcoding with AV1 support. The dual M.2 slots and TRAID flexibility are highlighted as strong differentiators, while the plastic enclosure, lack of 10 GbE, and limited physical security features are noted as drawbacks.
Everyday users appreciate the fast performance, smooth 4K streaming, and the convenience of NVMe caching, often noting the ample RAM as a major plus. Recurring complaints focus on the non-upgradable memory, the cheap-feel plastic chassis, and the missing front USB and security lock.
“Pre-configured RAID5 with four 2 TB drives for immediate plug-and-play deployment”
“Only 1 GB DDR3 RAM may limit performance under heavy concurrent access”
“Hybrid cloud integration with Amazon S3, Dropbox, Azure and OneDrive”
