Description
The QNAP TS-673A-8G stands as a powerhouse in the desktop NAS category, bridging the gap between standard storage and enterprise-grade performance. Featuring the AMD Ryzen V1500B quad-core 2.2 GHz processor, this 6-bay unit is designed for intensive multitasking and high-bandwidth applications. With dual 2.5GbE connectivity and two PCIe Gen 3 slots, it provides a future-proof foundation for businesses and power users requiring reliable data management and virtualization capabilities.
This product is for:
- Creative Professionals: Ideal for video editors and photographers needing high-capacity storage with 2.5GbE speeds for direct file editing.
- Small to Medium Businesses (SMBs): Perfect for centralized file sharing, automated backups, and hosting multiple virtual machines.
- IT Enthusiasts: Users looking for a flexible platform that supports both QTS and the ZFS-based QuTS hero operating system for data integrity.
- Surveillance Operators: A robust choice for managing multiple IP camera feeds with high-speed write capabilities and expandable storage.
- Virtualization Labs: Engineers requiring a hardware-accelerated environment for Docker containers and VM GPU passthrough.
Detailed specifications:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1500B 4-core/8-thread 2.2 GHz processor.
- Memory: 8 GB SO-DIMM DDR4 (1 x 8 GB), expandable up to 64 GB (2 x 32 GB).
- Drive Bays: 6 x 3.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s, 3Gb/s (compatible with 2.5-inch drives).
- M.2 Slots: 2 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen3 x1 slots for NVMe SSDs.
- Network Ports: 2 x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports (2.5G/1G/100M).
- PCIe Expansion: 2 x PCIe Gen 3 x4 slots for 10GbE cards, QM2 cards, or entry-level GPUs.
- USB Ports: 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C.
Operating the TS-673A-8G offers a seamless balance between speed and stability. The inclusion of dual M.2 NVMe slots allows for Qtier auto-tiering technology, which intelligently moves frequently accessed data to high-performance SSDs. During heavy workloads, the Ryzen processor maintains low latency across virtualized environments. The ability to switch to QuTS hero provides peace of mind through ZFS features like self-healing and inline data deduplication, making it a versatile tool for long-term data preservation.
Compared to the TS-473A, the TS-673A offers two additional drive bays, providing significantly higher RAID flexibility and total storage capacity. While it shares the same Ryzen V1500B architecture as the TVS-h674 series, the TS-673A focuses on cost-effective expansion via PCIe slots rather than integrated high-end video output, making it a more focused choice for backend storage and server roles. It outperforms standard 1GbE NAS units by offering 2.5x the native networking speed out of the box.
Q&A:
- Can I upgrade the RAM in the QNAP TS-673A-8G? Yes, the unit features two SO-DIMM slots and supports up to 64 GB of DDR4 RAM, including ECC memory for enhanced data reliability.
- Does this NAS support 10GbE networking? While it comes with dual 2.5GbE ports, you can install a 10GbE PCIe expansion card in one of the two available Gen 3 x4 slots.
- What is the benefit of the QuTS hero operating system? QuTS hero uses the ZFS file system, which provides advanced data protection, compression, and snapshots to prevent data corruption and ransomware impact.
- Can I use M.2 SSDs for storage pools? Yes, the dual M.2 PCIe NVMe slots can be used for SSD caching to boost IOPS or as a dedicated high-speed storage pool.
- Is a GPU required for video transcoding? While the CPU can handle many tasks, installing a compatible NVIDIA graphics card in the PCIe slot enables hardware-accelerated transcoding and GPU passthrough for virtual machines.
