Final Thoughts

QNAP has always taken their SMB business seriously and have now been able to offer these products with the transfer rates found in their entry level enterprise models. For many years there has been a decent sized divide between these two markets when it comes to performance, but that line has now been blurred. The TS-459 TurboNAS is at the top of the upper levels for SMB, but with other products like the TS-439 II using Atom processors now the technology and performance increases are sure to make their way down the ladder.

When it comes to the cost of the TS-459, TS-439 II and TS-419P, we see quite a divide. The 459 that we reviewed today has a cost of 899, whilst the 439 II is at 849 and the 419P was 599 USD when we reviewed it. Certainly there is a sizable cost difference, but that also comes with a sizable performance difference as we have shown here today. Once you start to calculate the amount of time needed to transfer data in the office and apply a cost to the time spent waiting, we can start to see how spending more upfront on the faster model will equate to long term cost savings. These savings may, over time far outweigh the initial cost since these units are built to provide many years of service and the need for replacement is often as long as ten years out.

QNAP has done a very good job when it comes to adding new software and features to their NAS products and this includes models made years ago. The latest software for the TurboNAS line includes support for Bit Torrent downloads, IP Camera feeds and a host of other features that make their NAS products far more than just file servers. Even calling a QNAP NAS a file server is downplaying the roles they take over in your network or office. It is typical these days to see a single unit acting as a file and web server while also working as web space for developers and even your associates personal music storage that everyone streams music out of while keeping it a secret from the network admin.

Administrators looking to keep enterprise levels of control need not worry since the same tools found in QNAP's flagship models are also found in the TS-459 TurboNAS. The QNAP software system is easy to configure for both large workgroups as it is for small offices and home businesses looking to gain entry level enterprise performance with enterprise level features.