- SZBOX M1 MINI Plus is part NAS, part soft router, part media center, possibly doing too much at once
- With 4 removable NVMes and 32TB storage, this tiny box punches far above its size
- Four 2.5GbE ports sound great, but can a $249 NAS deliver enterprise-level speed?
In the expanding market of compact network-attached storage (NAS) devices, the SZBOX M1 MINI Plus has emerged with an unusual combination of features that blur the line between a storage solution and a desktop PC.
The SZBOX M1 MINI Plus is available in two configurations: one powered by the energy-efficient Intel N100, and the other by the more powerful Intel Core i3-N305, which features an octa-core design and turbo speeds of up to 3.8 GHz.
This external unit supports up to four removable NVMe drives via front-facing PCIe 3.0 bays, offering up to 20TB of external storage, plus an additional internal NVMe slot. The i3 model allows users to scale storage further, up to 32TB using SSDs.
DisplayPort on a NAS: added value or overreach?
Equipped with four 2.5GbE LAN ports, the device signals a nod to enterprise-grade networking. This setup supports soft router functionality through Linux distributions like OpenWRT or iKuai, indicating SZBOX is targeting a technically savvy user base.
It also includes USB 3.0 and 3.2 ports for external drives and peripherals, an SD card slot, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for wireless connectivity.
Still, this level of network hardware is typically found in larger, more expensive systems. Whether the M1 MINI Plus can deliver performance on par with those systems, or simply overpromises, remains to be seen.
Its media-handling ambitions also warrant attention. On the rear panel are HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 connectors, both capable of 4K at 60 fps with HDR support.
This setup would make sense for a compact media center or light desktop PC. However, in the context of a NAS device, the inclusion of a DisplayPort feels somewhat out of place.
One might ask: Who’s actually plugging a NAS directly into a monitor, and for what purpose?
But SZBOX seems to enjoy unconventional combinations; its SZBOX S9, for instance, similarly blurs the line between tablet and mini PC.
On the software front, the SZBOX M1 MINI Plus ships with Windows 11, unless purchased as a barebones unit. Linux distributions are also supported, expanding its versatility.
As a result, the M1 MINI Plus can function as more than just a NAS, it could also serve as a basic workstation or multimedia hub, running Kodi, IPTV, or even retro gaming emulators.
That said, this hybrid identity might confuse more than it clarifies, raising questions about what the device is truly optimized for.
The SZBOX M1 MINI Plus is currently available for purchase on AliExpress for $249.
Via Androidpctv
