UnifyDrive UT2 is a pocket-sized NAS with 2 NVMe slots, WiFi 6, and 2.5 GbE LAN (crowdfunding) – Liliputing

The UnifyDrive UT2 is a pocket-sized storage device that looks like a portable drive that you can plug into a computer with a USB cable. And it can be used that way. But it’s also a full-fledged network attached storage device designed for use at home or on the go.

Basically, the UT2 is a compact computer with a Rockchip RK3588C processor, support for WiFi and Bluetooth, a decent set of ports, a battery that lets you use the system when it’s unplugged (or for uninterruptible power supply functionality when plugged in), and two M.2 2280 slots for PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs. You can connect it to your home or work network over WiFi 6 or a 2.5 GbE wired connection. But you can also use it as a WiFi access point, making it easy to transfer files even when you’re not connected to the internet. And that just scratches the surface of what this little system can do. There are a few important things to keep in mind before pulling out your wallet though.

The first is that while UnifyDrive has sent out working prototypes to reviewers like NASCompares and YouTubers like Luke Edwin, (who’s video was sponsored by UnifyDrive, you can’t actually buy one yet. It’ll go up for pre-order in late September through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign with reward levels starting at around $399 for a unit without any SSDs. UnifyDrive says that pricing hasn’t been finalized yet, so it could be different when the Kickstarter campaign goes live.

Retail pricing is expected to start at $599, which makes the UT2 relatively expensive when compared with other 2-bay NAS solutions or portable SSDs. There’s just about nothing else on the market that combines so many functions into one compact device though, which might help justify the high price tag if you’re someone that could actually make full use of those functions.

The two M.2 slots allow you to install a single SSD, two SSDs arranged in a RAID 0 configuration (so that all of your files are mirrored across both drives for redundant backups), or a custom UDR Selective RAID mode, which lets you designate certain files and folders to be mirrored, which could theoretically offer the best of both worlds – redundant storage for important files, but additional space for less important files.

Once equipped with SSDs, you can use the UT2 in a variety of different ways:

• One-tap Backup: Insert an SD card or CFExpress card to instantly back up photos, videos, or other files from your camera or other devices.
• Direct Attached Storage: Plug the UT2 into a computer with a USB cable for use like a portable hard drive or SSD.
• Mobile NAS: While running on battery power, you can enable the UT2 WiFi access point and connect computers, phones, tablets, or other devices for direct, wireless device-to-device data transfers. The battery should provide up to an hour of run time.
• Home (or work) NAS: Plug the system into your router with a 2.5 GbE Ethernet cable or connect via WiFi 6 and the system works like any other NAS, with support for SMB, WebDAV, FTP, DLNA, and other functions. In this mode the battery also works as a UPS, allowing the system to keep running in the event of a power failure, and automatically perform a safe shutdown after a specified period of time (1, 5, 10, or 30 minutes).

The device runs a custom operating system called UDOS, or UnifyDrive Operating System that’s installed on the 32GB of eMMC storage. You can control the UT2 using mobile apps for Android or iOS, and there’s also a desktop interface that allows you use an HDMI or USB-C cable to plug the device directly into a display and use it as a media player – the UT2 even comes with a wireless remote control.

While UDOS is a newcomer to the NAS operating system space, NASCompares reports that the pre-release version of the operating system has excellent mobile apps that make it easy to configure and control the system. There are also a number of built-in apps, including one that uses AI-based image recognition for enhanced photo searches, some apps for media streaming, and file management and networking apps.

Some features are still considered works in progress, like Cloud Backup support for Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. And the UnifyDrive website mentions Docker support, allowing you to install Linux apps like Plex or Jellyfin in a container. But it’s unclear if that feature is ready or still under development. UnifyDrive plans to push regular software updates throughout crowdfunding (and hopefully after crowdfunding has ended as well).

While the device’s 8GB of LPDDR4x storage is more than you get with most entry-level NAS systems, the fact that it’s not user replaceable could eventually prove a limiting factor for this device. And while it’s nice that there are two M.2 slots with support for SSDs that offer read/write speeds up to 1,000 MB/s, there are only two slots, which could pose a problem if you fill up those drives and/or want to add additional drives for more redundant backups.

But you can add external storage thanks to the two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports. Any storage devices that are plugged in should be accessible to connected devices.

Ultimately if you’re looking for a NAS that’s up and running 24/7 and constantly connected to your network, you’d probably be better off buying a system that’s designed specifically for that purpose. You’ll probably end up spending less money and may have the option to add more than two hard drives or SSDs depending on the model you use.

But if you’re someone who wants a portable do-it-all device that you can use to back up photos or access files on the go, which can also be used as a home or office NAS, and which you can also connect to an external display for direct use as a media player or even a basic desktop, then this is a single gadget that can do all of those things.

It’s a compact device that’s not much bigger than a smartphone (or maybe two smartphones stacked atop one another), and lighter than many tablets. And it should be reasonably durable since SSDs have no moving parts and there’s an optional silicon bumper case.

There is a fan inside that provides active cooling. Reviews I’ve seen indicate that it’s audible, but fairly quiet compared with the fans you’ll hear on some larger NAS systems. But perhaps the most important things to keep in mind about this device are that it’s a first product from a new company, and that’s being sold first through a crowdfunding campaign.

The fact that UnifyDrive has sent working hardware that ships in a well-designed package to reviewers indicate that the hardware is pretty much ready to go. But software is still a work in development, and there’s no way to guarantee that all features will be available at launch (or ever). And, as with any crowdfunding campaign, there’s always a chance that the campaign will fail to deliver on one or more promises… it’s not unheard of for companies to raise a substantial amount of money during crowdfunding and then deliver half-baked products… or deliver nothing at all.

Still, the $399 estimated price during crowdfunding does seem a lot more attractive than the expected $599 retail price, so if the UnifyDrive UT2 scratches a particular itch you have… and if you can afford to gamble a little, it might be worth backing the campaign when it goes live later this month. A preview page is already available.

Source: bing.com