Main trade-off
TerraMaster F4-425
The single network port tops out at 2.5GbE.
Head-to-head
TerraMaster F4-425 vs TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB: Plus adds SSD workspace beside the four-disk archive
The short answer
The F4-425 suits a four-disk archive. The F4-425 Plus gives a creator 16GB supplied memory, three M.2 slots and dual 5GbE ports for a separate fast workspace.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
Protected capacity with equal 12TB drives
F4-425 gives 36TB and F4-425 Plus N150 16GB gives 36TB before formatting in this example. Changing chassis does not increase this protected capacity.
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 F4-425
- Choose it for
- Your archive stays on four SATA drives
- You want 4GB for supplied ram
- Main trade-off
- The single network port tops out at 2.5GbE.
TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
- Choose it for
- You need three M.2 slots and 16GB supplied RAM
- 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 F4-425 and F4-425 Plus N150 16GB by protected storage, included networking and the exact SSD or application layout you need.
The Plus model changes the SSD, memory and network plan together.
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, F4-425 gives 36TB and F4-425 Plus N150 16GB gives 36TB before formatting in this example. Changing chassis does not increase this protected capacity.
- TerraMaster F4-425
- Similar
- TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
- Similar
A workstation already matching the faster included Ethernet port
Included port rates are 2.5GbE and 5GbE. Use the 100GB calculation alongside the actual client speed.
- TerraMaster F4-425
- Good
- TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
- Better fit
Several local services sharing the supplied RAM
TerraMaster F4-425 supplies 4 GB RAM and supports 16 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 F4-425
- Depends
- TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
- Better fit
Keep four SATA archive drives while adding an internal M.2 SSD mirror
A two-SSD pool leaves one M.2 slot free on the F4-425 Plus and all four SATA positions available. The F4-425 would need to consume SATA positions for an internal SSD pool, reducing hard-disk positions.
- TerraMaster F4-425
- Not suitable
- TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
- Better fit
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
Protected capacity with equal 12TB drives
F4-425 gives 36TB and F4-425 Plus N150 16GB gives 36TB before formatting in this example. Changing chassis does not increase this protected capacity.
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 320 seconds for F4-425 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, 2.5Gbps or 5Gbps. Ignore protocol overhead only for this lower-bound calculation. Optional adapters and aggregated ports are excluded.
Moving applications to SSD avoids consuming archive bays
A two-SSD pool leaves one M.2 slot free on the F4-425 Plus and all four SATA positions available. The F4-425 would need to consume SATA positions for an internal SSD pool, reducing hard-disk positions.
How we reached this conclusion
F4-425 Plus: 3 M.2 minus 2 = 1 spare M.2. F4-425: 4 SATA minus 2 SATA SSDs = 2 remaining SATA positions. Assumes supported mirrored SSD pools and separate HDD storage.
Choice A
TerraMaster, F4-425
F4-425
Four SATA bays give a growing archive more RAID layout choices than a two-bay mirror. A single 2.5GbE port and 4GB memory keep the specification focused on file storage.
- Best matched use
- A growing family archive with four drives
Checked facts
- 4 SATA drive bays and 0 M.2 slots
- 2.5GbE fastest included network port
- 4GB supplied RAM, expandable to 16GB
- Diskless NAS with Intel N5095 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 F4-425 | TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fastest included Ethernet port | 2.5GbE | 5GbE | The client, switch and storage must keep up before this port rate helps a transfer. |
| Supplied RAM | 4GB | 16GB | This is the installed memory budget before purchasing upgrade modules. |
| Supported RAM ceiling | 16GB | 32GB | This sets the manufacturer-supported upgrade ceiling for concurrent services. |
| M.2 storage slots | 0 | 3 | Plan SSD cache and storage pools separately from the SATA archive. |
| Processor | Intel N5095 | Intel N150 | Media engines, application architecture and concurrency depend on this platform. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose TerraMaster F4-425
- No M.2 storage slots are listed and the diskless enclosure requires a separate drive budget.
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...
Your archive stays on four SATA drives
Choose TerraMaster F4-425. Both models offer four SATA bays and the same RAID 5 capacity with equal disks. F4-425 remains suitable when separate M.2 storage and a 5 GbE link are unnecessary.
You need three M.2 slots and 16GB supplied RAM
Choose TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB. F4-425 Plus supplies 16 GB instead of 4 GB, three M.2 positions instead of none, and 5 GbE instead of 2.5 GbE. These affect services and storage layout, not the shared four-disk RAID capacity.
What matters in practice
How to make the call
Start with the required storage layout
The F4-425 suits a four-disk archive. The F4-425 Plus gives a creator 16GB supplied memory, three M.2 slots and dual 5GbE ports for a separate fast workspace.
Work through the drive budget
Using four equal 12TB disks in RAID 5 gives the same 36TB before formatting. Additional RAM and Ethernet capacity do not change this disk-protection calculation.
Check the actual client and application plan
The Plus ports double the single-port line rate. That matters when the client is upgraded and the chosen array can sustain the transfer, while a gigabit desktop leaves both models waiting on the same network limit.
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 F4-425 |
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| TerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB |
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Ready to choose?
Check the price. Read the owner reviews.
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TerraMaster F4-425
Your archive stays on four SATA drives
See price & reviews on AmazonTerraMaster F4-425 Plus N150 16GB
You need three M.2 slots and 16GB supplied RAM
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