QNAP launches small NAS system for many 2.5-inch HDDs, M.2 SSDs and E1.S blades

Anyone looking for a NAS system with multiple RAID levels usually has to resort to rack systems or large 3.5-inch hard drive systems. At Computex, however, QNAP demonstrated that another solution is possible. The as-yet-unnamed device houses ten drive bays in a chassis that would normally only accommodate three 3.5-inch drives. QNAP focuses primarily on 2.5-inch bays, of which there are eight. These are capable of holding either hard drives or SSDs. In addition, there are two smaller bays, which are rare in this product class.

According to QNAP, two 2280 SSDs can be added using adapters for M.2 SSDs. 22110 SSDs likely won’t fit. The same applies to smaller SSDs. However, with the common 2280 format, users already have a wide selection. The adapters, however, are not simple adapters. They comply with the E1.S SSD Blade standard, which explains why 22110 SSDs do not fit; the Blade standard is only slightly longer than such SSDs. On the other hand, two high-end server SSDs can be inserted directly.

The E1.S format, while practical, is yet to gain traction in the consumer market, making corresponding SSDs very expensive. This NAS system likely isn't a perfect fit for that format, but it is at least prepared for an E1.S future.

Although information about the system is in short supply, we do know something about the ports. For example, the rear panel features an SFF-8088 connector for connecting mini-SAS cables, allowing for the integration of additional hard drives. Two 10GbE RJ45 ports, several USB ports and an HDMI port are also on board. The CPU is also known: an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, paired with at least 32 GB of RAM, which can be doubled if needed.

QNAP is yet to announce a price for the NAS system, which is planned for release in the fourth quarter of 2026.