Final Words & Conclusion

Conclusion

This marks the first time Asustor has launched a NAS with exclusive M.2 NVMe SSD storage. The Flashtor series showcases a stylish black design reminiscent of a gaming console, providing a fresh alternative to conventional NAS aesthetics. The Flashtor 6 and Flashtor 12 Pro share identical dimensions at 308.26 x 193 x 48.3 mm. Powered by Intel's Celeron N5105 (Jasper Lake) processor, both the Flashtor 6 and Flashtor 12 Pro benefit from this 10nm chip, which boasts four Tremont cores without Hyper-Threading and operates at a base clock of 2 GHz with a boost clock of 2.9 GHz. Due to its 10W power consumption and efficient cooling requirements, the Celeron N5105 is popular among NAS manufacturers. Asustor pairs this processor with a 4 GB SO-DIMM DDR4-2933 memory module, and both Flashtor models feature two SO-DIMM DDR4 memory slots, supporting a maximum capacity of 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) - the highest limit compatible with the Celeron N5105. Asustor's NAS devices also come equipped with 8 GB of built-in eMMC storage. This NAS boasts an impressive NVMe storage capacity, with PCIe Gen 3 x1 links delivering 10 Gbps each. Despite not having the latest PCIe Gen 4 technology or multiple lanes per SSD, this configuration is well-suited for a 10 Gbps NAS. We conducted extensive testing using various brands and generations of NVMe SSDs, and encountered no issues with whatever SSD we used. In fact, this NAS supports up to 12 NVMe 2280 M.2 SSDs, offering limitless storage possibilities. Truly remarkable performance.

Hardware

The Intel Quad-Core 10 nm Celeron N5105 CPU (Jasper Lake) remains to be a powerful enough quad-core processor with a turbo clock frequency of up to 2.9 GHz. This CPU offers fair performance and can easily handle the high-speed 10 Gbps jack. The CPu under heavy usage can run warm though, ~70 degrees C. The 4GB memory is however a wimpy starting point but can be upgraded to 8GB in dual-channel or even 2x 8GB configurations. What sets this CPU apart is its incredibly efficient ADM software stack, optimizing memory usage. Moreover, the presence of twelve NVMe M.2 slots provides exciting possibilities. Interestingly, the cost of NVMe storage is becoming more affordable compared to SATA3 SSDs, opening doors for future NAS units that prioritize NVMe M.2 for optimal performance and value. We particularly appreciate the versatility of M.2 NVMe units and the speed that comes with it.

Pricing

The Flashtor 6 and Flashtor 12 Pro are priced at $449 and $799, respectively. Asustor provides a three-year warranty for both models in the Flashtor series.

Energy Efficiency

In a single SSD setup, the NAS uses about 20 Watts of power, which is reasonable for a NAS. The Celeron (Jasper Lake) quad-core CPU is a nice match for the environment; that chip alone uses 10 Watts of power at full load. unfortunately the 10 Gigabit/s jack required quite a lot of energy as well. Then when you add in your M.2. NVMe SSDs at roughly 2~3 Watts each, you will have a pretty good idea of how much power your NAS uses. If we average out at 25 Watts then 25/1000x24x365= 219 kWh per year. Multiply that by say 35 cents per kWh and you're looking at a bill of roughly $77 a year. The unit also has a hibernation and power down modes. When in hibernation, the unit goes to sleep and uses less than one watt of power. To wake it up again, you can press a button or use WOL on your smartphone. This means that you can wake up the unit from outside your network. This is very helpful if you are traveling and don't want your NAS to be on all the time. ASUSTOR's NAS units use very little energy; it's the storage and how you use it that is responsible for the rest. Especially a lot of SSDs can use of a lot of energy when powered on and active 24/7/365.

Final Words

As far as I am concerned, the Flashtor 12 Pro (FS6712X) is a mighty unique deal. It offers impressive features, such as the 12 PCIe 3.0 M.2 slots for NVMe SSDs, speedy 10GbE connectivity, and an HDMI 2.0b port capable of 4K displays at 60 Hz. This NAS is based on the Intel N5105 CPU, equipped with only 8x PCIe Gen3 lanes. This allocation allows for one lane per SSD and one lane for every 2.5GbE port. We've been wondering how that works with our 12 SSD version, but after examining the PCB we noticed the 12x SSDs require the utilization of ASM1480 MUX chips and ASMedia PCIe switches to achieve sufficient connectivity. It works alright. Analyzing the potential areas of improvement for this NAS, there are several aspects that warrant attention. To begin with, the restricted number of PCIe lanes presents a limitation but it can manage well enough. In addition, the mechanism for accessing the bottom SSDs, which currently requires four screws, could be simplified for user-friendliness. Given the pricing bracket, it would be reasonable for the model to incorporate a minimum of 8GB RAM, considering the relative insignificance of the additional cost. 

Overall, we have been extremely pleased with the unit's performance. Under heavy loads, we noticed that the CPU could become slightly warm running to 70-75 Degrees C (still fine). One feature lacking in this NAS, particularly given its price range, is a convenient LCD status screen. It would also be beneficial to have a USB Type-C connector. My last gripe is RAM memory; 4 GB is on the shy side for this model, though sufficient. We also would like to see NAS manufacturers to consider adding more LAN connections and creating a switch inside the NAS. This would be a significant advantage in terms of connectivity. On average, the power consumption of the unit sits at 19-20 watts, which we consider to be relatively high for a 24/365 running device. It is worth noting that the SOC draws a maximum of 10 watts, indicating that the majority of the remaining power is likely consumed by the 10 GigE jack. Fast Ethernet jacks often require substantial energy. Despite these minor drawbacks, the product itself provides excellent storage capabilities. If you have or are about to establish a multi-gigE infrastructure at home, this NAS could easily serve as remote storage, even for game loading that'll work fine. The highly secure, stable, and extremely versatile ADM software suite further enhances its appeal. At present, this NAS meets any and all essential criteria and offers many additional benefits in its software suite. Overall, it is a highly recommended choice for storage purposes aimed at enthusiasts and creators.

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