The Drobo 5N, a 5 drive true NAS device from Drobo, is currently earning 4.2 stars from Amazon reviewers. This is one of the best ratings for NAS devices currently for sale on Amazon. It is also quite a comeback for Drobo after being somewhat slammed by reviews for the too-slow Drobo FS, the previous Drobo NAS device.
The Drobo 5N, like all Drobo devices, is designed for ease of use and setup. Reviewers are generally impressed with the new Drobo's fast response over a network and quick setup. One of the most detailed reviews includes these test results:
Blackmagic Speed Test (Using 3GB Test)
-----------------------------------------------Reference Drive - WD My Passport 2TB (Connected over USB 3.0 to iMac)
- Write - 66.6 MB/s
- Read - 66.9 MB/sDrobo 2nd Generation (Connected via FW800) - WD Green Drives
- Write - 36.3 MB/s
- Read - 33.4 MB/sDrobo FS - WD Green Drives
- Write - 25.7 MB/s
- Read - 38.4 MB/sDrobo 5N with Crucial m4 128GB SSD - WD Green Drives
- Write - 74.9 MB/s
- Read - 93.3 MB/sDrobo 5D with Crucial m4 128GB SSD - WD Green Drives
Initial Setup Test
- Write - 111.5 MB/s
- Read - 95.8 MB/sAfter 1 Week
- Write - 178.2 MB/s
- Read - 189.1 MB/sSynology DS1512+ - WD Red Drives
- Write - 83.6 MB/s
- Read - 109.0 MB/s
The reviewer thinks that the Drobo 5N is not really as fast as he thought it would be. However, these speeds are really quite fast, especially compared to the older (discontinued) Drobo FS. If I were in the market for a 5 drive NAS, the Drobo 5N would now be on my short list.
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