TerraMaster F4-424 Pro Review: i3-N305, 32GB, 2.5GbE
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⚡ Key Specifications
- ▸ Intel Core i3-N305 (8C/8T, up to 3.8GHz)
- ▸ 32GB DDR5 memory (official max: 32GB)
- ▸ Dual 2.5GbE for multi-gig LAN workloads
- ▸ 4 SATA bays + 2x M.2 2280 NVMe slots
- ▸ HDMI 2.0b + USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps)
TerraMaster F4-424 Pro at a glance
The TerraMaster F4-424 Pro is a 4-bay NAS for users who want more than entry-level file sharing: dual 2.5GbE, 32GB DDR5 out of the box, and an Intel i3-N305 that has enough headroom for containers, backups, and media workloads. If your bottleneck today is gigabit networking or weak NAS CPUs, this model targets exactly that pain point.
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Is the F4-424 Pro actually faster than typical 1GbE NAS boxes?
In the right network, yes. TerraMaster markets up to 283MB/s sequential performance under RAID 0 test conditions and positions the dual 2.5GbE ports for up to 5Gb aggregate bandwidth. Real results depend on your drives, RAID layout, and switch/NIC setup, but this hardware class is meaningfully ahead of many 1GbE-only boxes.
Compared with alternatives like the Synology DS423+ Review: A 4-Bay Plex NAS That Works, the TerraMaster approach is more aggressive on raw hardware specs and less focused on a polished software ecosystem.
Can it handle Plex, Docker, and homelab services without choking?
For most home and small-office scenarios, the i3-N305 plus 32GB RAM combo gives enough compute margin for mixed workloads. In community reports, users commonly run Plex plus additional containers on this platform.
The caveat is software preference: several power users replace TOS with Unraid, TrueNAS, or Proxmox for better control. That flexibility is a strength for tinkerers, but it also means setup complexity can be higher than turnkey NAS platforms.
What are the practical limitations before you buy?
- TerraMaster’s software experience is more polarizing than Synology DSM.
- Link aggregation helps multi-client throughput, but single-session speed still depends on your client NIC and switch path.
- HDMI 2.0b is useful for direct media output use cases, but many NAS buyers will still run fully headless.
If your top priority is low-friction setup and mature apps, you may prefer the Synology DS923+ Review: Expandable 4-Bay NAS for SMB. If your priority is stronger hardware-per-dollar, the F4-424 Pro is a compelling option.
"I absolutely love it, in saying that I am not using their OS, I an using TrueNAS Scale and it rocks! I can transcode anything with plex with ease ( i have 1.8TB of 4k bluray rips) & never any issues... I can't rate this thing enough!"
"Unraid runs off of the USB and apps e.g. appdata, domains, system, should be kept on the M.2's. Yep. Argument can be made that your VMs run on cache as well but it depends on how big the disks are and how big the VMs are."
"I'm using the 424 Pro, got unraid running on it without a problem. There isn't enough clearance to remove the old USB drive that comes with it that has their OS on it, unless you remove two screws from the back (so i couldn't go back to their OS). All in all, it was painless."
"You wouldn’t really want a VM inside a VM. You’d be better off running Proxmox bare metal and then virtualise your NAS OS and pass the drives through. I’ve got the F4-424 Pro but use UnRaid on it."
"Ok I fount a workaround, but is not usable. It boot to Unraid even I press F12 to select Boot device. If I dont press nothing, it boot to Terramaster original OS. It never boot automatically to Unraid."
"I have the T6-423 terramaster and as a NAS, it’s great. The limitations are the TOS, it sucks. I suggest loading TrueNAS Core unless you are planning on running Plex directly off the NAS itself."
Pros and Cons
Pros
5- Strong CPU and memory configuration for a 4-bay NAS class
- Dual 2.5GbE provides better multi-user throughput than 1GbE-only models
- 4 SATA bays plus 2 NVMe slots gives flexible storage layouts
- Community-validated with Unraid/TrueNAS/Proxmox deployments
- HDMI 2.0b and USB 3.2 Gen2 expand non-headless use options
Cons
4- Software experience (TOS) is less mature than DSM/QTS for some users
- Boot and migration behavior can be tricky when moving to third-party NAS OS
- Single-client transfer speed still depends on full 2.5GbE network path
- Price positioning is in high-tier NAS territory
Verdict
The TerraMaster F4-424 Pro is a hardware-forward NAS that makes sense when your workflow has outgrown budget 1GbE appliances and you want room for containers, media services, and faster LAN transfers.
Buy this if: you want dual 2.5GbE, 32GB RAM, and freedom to run TOS or community OS stacks in a single 4-bay chassis.
Skip this if: you want the most polished NAS software experience with minimal tinkering and long-established app ecosystem depth.
Related Reviews
- UGREEN NASync DXP4800 Plus Review: 10GbE 4-Bay NAS
- Synology DS423+ Review: A 4-Bay Plex NAS That Works
- Synology DS923+ Review: Expandable 4-Bay NAS for SMB
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