Main trade-off
TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
The three M.2 slots do not turn the two SATA bays into a four-drive hard-disk array.
Head-to-head
TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB vs TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB: Four bays allow a larger internal RAID array
The short answer
The F2-425 Plus fits two HDDs plus SSD applications. The F4-425 Plus is the stronger fit when the archive needs a four-drive RAID array and the 16GB supplied configuration.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
Protected capacity with equal 12TB drives
F2-425 Plus N150 8GB gives 12TB and F4-425 Plus N150 16GB gives 36TB before formatting in this example. The difference is 24TB before filesystem overhead.
What this is based on
Assume every SATA bay contains a supported 12TB disk. Two-bay RAID 1 uses one disk of usable capacity. For three or more drives, RAID 5 usable TB = (drive count minus 1) × 12. This is an illustrative layout, not included storage or a backup.
Main trade-off
TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
The fastest included port is 5GbE, so a 10GbE client link cannot negotiate 10GbE to this chassis.
TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
- Choose it for
- You want a compact SATA mirror plus SSD storage
- You want 8GB for supplied ram
- Main trade-off
- The three M.2 slots do not turn the two SATA bays into a four-drive hard-disk array.
TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
- Choose it for
- Your archive needs four SATA bays or internal RAID 6
- You want 16GB for supplied ram
- Main trade-off
- The fastest included port is 5GbE, so a 10GbE client link cannot negotiate 10GbE to this chassis.
About this comparison
Compare F2-425 Plus N150 8GB and F4-425 Plus N150 16GB by protected storage, included networking and the exact SSD or application layout you need.
Choose SATA growth before choosing between these hybrid NAS models.
Winner by situation
Start with what you need it to do
A protected archive using 12 TB disks in every internal SATA bay
Using RAID 1 for two disks or RAID 5 for three or more disks, F2-425 Plus N150 8GB gives 12TB and F4-425 Plus N150 16GB gives 36TB before formatting in this example. The difference is 24TB before filesystem overhead.
- TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
- Good
- TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
- Better fit
A workstation already matching the faster included Ethernet port
Included port rates are 5GbE and 5GbE. Use the 100GB calculation alongside the actual client speed.
- TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
- Similar
- TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
- Similar
Several local services sharing the supplied RAM
TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB supplies 8 GB RAM and supports 32 GB. TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB supplies 16 GB and supports 32 GB. Compare the stated application memory requirement with the supplied configuration before budgeting for an upgrade. RAM capacity alone does not establish application speed.
- TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
- Depends
- TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
- Better fit
Build an internal SATA array that tolerates two drive failures
With equal 12TB SATA drives, the F4-425 Plus can provide 24TB before formatting in four-drive RAID 6. The two-bay F2-425 Plus cannot build an internal SATA RAID 6 array.
- TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
- Not suitable
- TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
- Better fit
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
Protected capacity with equal 12TB drives
F2-425 Plus N150 8GB gives 12TB and F4-425 Plus N150 16GB gives 36TB before formatting in this example. The difference is 24TB before filesystem overhead.
How we reached this conclusion
Assume every SATA bay contains a supported 12TB disk. Two-bay RAID 1 uses one disk of usable capacity. For three or more drives, RAID 5 usable TB = (drive count minus 1) × 12. This is an illustrative layout, not included storage or a backup.
100GB transfer at the included port ceiling
The line-rate lower bound is 160 seconds for F2-425 Plus N150 8GB and 160 seconds for F4-425 Plus N150 16GB. Real copies take longer. A 1GbE client makes the lower bound 800 seconds for both.
How we reached this conclusion
Decimal 100GB × 8 = 800 gigabits. Divide 800 by the fastest included port rate, 5Gbps or 5Gbps. Ignore protocol overhead only for this lower-bound calculation. Optional adapters and aggregated ports are excluded.
Two-drive protection changes the result
With equal 12TB SATA drives, the F4-425 Plus can provide 24TB before formatting in four-drive RAID 6. The two-bay F2-425 Plus cannot build an internal SATA RAID 6 array.
How we reached this conclusion
RAID 6 requires at least four drives and consumes two drives worth of parity. Four minus two, multiplied by 12TB, gives 24TB. A two-disk mirror tolerates one member failure.
Choice A
TerraMaster, F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
A compact hybrid NAS with two SATA bays, three M.2 slots and two 5GbE ports. It suits a small SSD workspace beside a bulk-storage mirror.
- Best matched use
- Two hard drives plus a separate SSD workspace
Checked facts
- 2 SATA drive bays and 3 M.2 slots
- 5GbE fastest included network port
- 8GB supplied RAM, expandable to 32GB
- Diskless NAS with Intel N150 processor
Choice B
TerraMaster, F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
Four SATA bays, three M.2 slots and 16GB supplied memory make room for a bulk array and SSD-backed applications. Dual 5GbE ports suit an upgraded home or small-office network.
- Best matched use
- A four-drive archive with an SSD application pool
Checked facts
- 4 SATA drive bays and 3 M.2 slots
- 5GbE fastest included network port
- 16GB supplied RAM, expandable to 32GB
- Diskless NAS with Intel N150 processor
Meaningful differences
What changes the fit
| What changes | TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB | TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| SATA drive bays | 2 | 4 | This changes the disk layouts possible inside the main enclosure. |
| Supplied RAM | 8GB | 16GB | This is the installed memory budget before purchasing upgrade modules. |
| SATA bays with supported expansion | 2 | 4 | Expansion requires separately purchased compatible hardware and a supported pool layout. |
| Internal SATA RAID 6 layout | Two SATA positions cannot form RAID 6 | At least four SATA positions available | A four-drive RAID 6 layout can tolerate two member failures, at the cost of two drives worth of parity. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
- A client and switch capable of 5GbE are required to use the faster port rate. Drives are sold separately.
If you choose TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
- This record is the N150 16GB listing. The N95 and other memory variants need separate checks. Drives are sold separately.
Recommendation switch
The decision flips if...
You want a compact SATA mirror plus SSD storage
Choose TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB. F2-425 Plus provides two SATA bays and three M.2 positions. Choose it when the hard-drive mirror meets the archive forecast and extra SATA bays have no defined job.
Your archive needs four SATA bays or internal RAID 6
Choose TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB. F4-425 Plus provides four SATA positions. Four equal 12 TB disks can yield 36 TB in RAID 5 or 24 TB in RAID 6 before formatting, unlike the two-bay model.
What matters in practice
How to make the call
Start with the required storage layout
The F2-425 Plus fits two HDDs plus SSD applications. The F4-425 Plus is the stronger fit when the archive needs a four-drive RAID array and the 16GB supplied configuration.
Work through the drive budget
Both include three M.2 slots and dual 5GbE ports. Those features do not justify choosing the larger model on their own. The meaningful step is the extra pair of SATA bays.
Check the actual client and application plan
A four-drive array can retain two-drive protection with RAID 6, subject to the supported RAID configuration. A two-drive mirror cannot retain access after both members fail. Keep an independent backup in either plan.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- Capacity examples use equal 12TB drives before formatting, snapshots and filesystem overhead.
- Ethernet calculations are lower bounds. Disk performance, network protocol and other traffic add time.
- Memory capacity does not certify application speed or a VM count.
What the facts say
What the comparison shows
Useful conclusions from the current NAS devices comparison, followed by the checked facts used to reach them.
Compared set
Only 8 of 32 models checked match every need here: “Start with four drives” and “Survive one drive failure”.
8 matching models from 32 checkedSee the checked facts and calculation notes
Match countThe count uses the current product-to-need assignments for “Start with four drives” and “Survive one drive failure”. A need with no documented match does not count.
| Product | Needs matched | Checked facts | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|
| TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB |
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| TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB |
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Ready to choose?
Check the price. Read the owner reviews.
Open either model on Amazon to check the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
TerraMaster F2-425 Plus N150 8GB
You want a compact SATA mirror plus SSD storage
See price & reviews on AmazonTerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
Your archive needs four SATA bays or internal RAID 6
See price & reviews on AmazonLinks open in a new tab.