TerraMaster may not be the first name you think of for prosumer storage devices, but they are making significant inroads in the enthusiast and semi-professional markets with their powerful, yet affordable network and local storage devices.

TerraMaster F5-422 front drive bays

At IFA 2019, TerraMaster demonstrated their latest F5-422 NAS. This storage system is for users who demand performance, security, and flexibility from their systems, at a realistic price. It features:

  • Intel 1.5GHz quad-core processor
  • 4GB DDR3 RAM
  • 1 x 10Gb Ethernet port
  • 2 x Gigabit network interfaces
  • 2 x USB Type-A host ports
  • 1 x full-size female HDMI output

The F5-422 has four core data protection and security features:

  • Automatic backups
  • File system snapshots
  • AES hardware encryption
  • Network transport layer encryption
TerraMaster F5-422 rear fans

Depending on your requirements, you can install an SSD cache and up to five 14TB HDDs. All the popular RAID formats work as you’d expect, including RAID 0, 1, and 5. Thanks to the 10 gigabit Ethernet port, you can achieve read and write speeds greater than 650MB/s and 670MB/s respectively with mechanical hard drives, and there's support for over 500 different remote users. This makes it possible to use this NAS as a centralised storage facility for 4K video editing, or other shared media production services.

These dual gigabit network interfaces work alongside the 10 gigabit interface to provide a resilient connection to your network. The ports are for network aggregation and failover, letting you choose between redundant access to your data in case of a network failure, or increased speeds offered by a dual-channel network connection.

TerraMaster F5-422 back and top view

TerraMaster also showcased their latest TerraMaster Operating System, or TOS for short. Version 4.1 offers you complete control over every aspect of the NAS. You can configure the network interfaces, check the health of your drives, configure a database or web server, and manage user accounts. You can learn more about TOS in our F2-221 review.

We’re big fans of TerraMaster here at MakeUseOf, and for good reason. Their systems are reliable, affordable, and available with a huge choice of different connections, sizes, and capabilities. TerraMaster have come a long way since their early models, and their passion for continuous improvement of their products is outstanding. They consistently listen to feedback and look for ways to improve their products. The F5-422 is availble direct from Terramaster for $599.99.