ASUSTOR is looking to reinvent its NAS product portfolio with the Nimbustor 2 Gen2 AS5402T, and the 2-bay NAS does just that. It’s powered by Intel’s proven hardware platform, has four M.2 slots (more than any other NAS in this space), and comes with 2.5 Gb Ethernet connectivity.
The biggest problem with ASUSTOR servers in the past has been software, and the brand was the target of a ransomware attack two years ago. As a result, it overhauled the software, tightened security measures, and introduced a host of new useful features.
ASUSTOR is betting on value to entice potential customers to choose the AS5402T over others in the segment, which is the best hardware package of any 2-bay NAS in the sub-$500 category. I’ve been using the AS5402T for just over three months, which is why I think it has a lot of potential.
ASUSTOR AS5402T: Pricing and Specs
ASUSTOR launched the AS5402T and the 4-bay AS5404T as early as May 2023, and the NAS is now available globally. The AS5402T retails for $369 on Amazon in the US and is available from all major retailers. In the UK, the NAS costs £374 ($473). ASUSTOR provides a three-year warranty for the NAS. Calling the product the Nimbustor 2 Gen2 AS5402T gets tiresome very quickly, so I’ll refer to it as the AS5402T for the rest of the review.
| category | ASUSTOR AS5402T |
|---|---|
| Internal drive bay | Two (24TB per bay), 3.5-inch HDD, 2.5-inch HDD/SSD |
| Network Interface | 2 x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet |
| USB port | 2 USB 3.2 Gen2, 10Gbps |
| eSATA port | Row 3 – Cell 1 |
| PCIe | Row 4 – Cell 1 |
| HDMI | Yes, HDMI 2.0b port |
| CPU | Quad-core 64-bit 2.0GHz Intel Celeron J5105 |
| plex transcoding | Yes |
| Memory | 4GB DDR4 non-ECC, upgradeable to 16GB |
| M.2 slot | 4. M.2 2280 standard |
| cool down | 1 x 70mm fan |
| aspect | 170×114×230mm |
| weight | 1.71 kg, 3.77 lbs |
ASUSTOR AS5402T: Design
NAS manufacturers usually don’t change the design of their products, and the same goes for the AS5402T. It shares the same design language as ASUSTOR’s earlier products, and its low-profile design means it blends easily into the background. There aren’t any vents on the sides, but there’s a 70mm fan on the back that does a good job of making sure the drive doesn’t get too hot.
However, ASUSTOR uses geometric patterns throughout, which looks quite good and gives the NAS a bit of personality. The NAS has two drive bays that slide out easily. The drive bay has a shield that magnetically attaches to the case. The rest of the AS5402T is designed in plastic with a matte texture that is less likely to attract dust, while the shield is made of glossy plastic and has a dust-absorbing effect.
There are status LEDs for the hard drive, network port, and USB port, and there’s a USB-A port on the left side. The 3.5-inch HDD can be installed without tools, but screws are required if installing a 2.5-inch SSD or HDD. One of the best features of the AS5402T is that it has four M.2 2280 slots. The downside is that accessing these slots isn’t easy; you need to remove the screws on the back of the case, take out the hard drive bay, and slide the front cover back.
This gives you access to the internals of the case, with the M.2 slot at the top. Installing the SSD is easy once you reach the slot, but the slide-out panel makes things even easier. There are vents above the M.2 slots that provide some degree of passive cooling, but I would have liked to see thermal pads installed under each slot. Considering you need a screwdriver to screw into the M.2 slot, ASUSTOR should have included a screwdriver in the box – just like the Ironmaster.
Other than this shortcoming, I didn’t notice anything wrong with the design. ASUSTOR has done a good job of maintaining design consistency with previous generations, and the fan on the back manages heat well without making too much noise.
ASUSTOR AS5402T: Ports
ASUSTOR is known for the high cost performance of its NAS servers, and the AS5402T is no exception. There are two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports on the back of the NAS, as well as dual USB-A ports. What I particularly like is the HDMI 2.0 port; this allows the NAS to be connected to a TV.
All three USB-A ports now use the USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard and can get the full 10Gbps of bandwidth, so if you want to connect an external drive to the NAS, you’ll get fast transfers. The biggest difference is the four M.2 slots on the NAS, so if you want to mix traditional HDDs with fast SSD storage, you can do that with the AS5402T.
Interestingly, the AS5402T reuses the same M.2 backplane as the more expensive AS6707T, and the HDD backplane is the same as the AS5302T. This does not affect the usability of the NAS in any way, and there are many other brands using the same hardware in their products. But considering the way ASUSTOR labels its model numbers on all its parts, it’s easy to see which servers they are designed for.
ASUSTOR AS5402T: Software
ASUSTOR became the target of a ransomware attack two years ago, and the brand overhauled its security measures following the incident. ASUSTOR Data Master (ADM)’s web-based interface suggests ways to strengthen the security of your NAS once you’re logged in, and it’s visually refreshed—it now has a unique gaming aesthetic and bold styling that looks great.
The interface still doesn’t look as polished as DSM, but ASUSTOR has done a good job and added a lot of features. Icon management is a bit intuitive and the settings could be better organized, but overall you get a ton of useful utilities, including Home Assistant, Tailscale, Plex, AdGuard, and more.
ASUSTOR also has a suite of mobile apps that let you back up photos and videos, and while they do a decent job, they need an overhaul.
ASUSTOR AS5402T: Performance
ASUSTOR continues to offer Intel hardware on its NAS chassis, and the AS5402T is equipped with the quad-core Celeron N5105, which is a considerable improvement over the N4xxx series. It’s very fast in day-to-day use and is an excellent choice if you want to set up a powerful Plex server.
Generally speaking, the AS5402T does a great job with hardware transcoding, making this one of the best home NAS servers if you want to use that feature with Plex. It’s better than the DiskStation DS224+ (my current 2-bay choice) for Plex streaming, and it handles high bitrate content particularly well.
The AS5402T has 4GB of DDR4 RAM out of the box, and there’s another SO-DIMM slot available that lets you add up to 8GB modules. ASUSTOR does not hinder the NAS in any way, so the best NAS drives will run on the AS5402T without any problems, including IronWolf Pro and WD’s Red Pro series. You can even plug the new 24TB IronWolf Pro drives into the NAS, but considering they currently sell for $549, you’re better off getting the 8TB IronWolf HDD.
I tested the AS5402T with dual 6TB IronWolf drives, and when moving data from a Windows computer’s SSD, it was easy to saturate the hard drive’s transfer rate. The fact that you get a 2.5GbE connection makes things even easier, and you don’t have to worry about network ports being the limit in the area.
ASUSTOR AS5402T: Competition
If you like the look of the AS5402T but want something with more drive bays, you should consider the Nimbustor 4 Gen2 AS5404T. It has the same Celeron N5105 hardware, the same number of rear ports, and the same memory and M.2 slots. The only difference is that you can plug in four 3.5-inch drives, but other than that, it’s the same as the AS5402T.
The DiskStation DS224+ is more affordable, but you don’t get anywhere near the same level of hardware. You don’t get any M.2 slots, you’re limited to Gigabit Ethernet, and there’s no hardware transcoding. Software features are a big part of the DS224+, but in terms of hardware it can’t compare to the AS5402T.
ASUSTOR AS5402T: Should you buy it?
You should purchase this product if:
- You want a powerful Plex home server
- You need enough M.2 slots
- You need great hardware and multi-gigabit connectivity
You should not purchase this product if:
- You need beautiful software
Overall, the AS5402T is one of the best home NAS servers in this segment. The hardware configuration of this NAS is excellent, and it’s clear that ASUSTOR is positioning it as a creator-focused model. The combination of M.2 slots and dual 2.5GbE connections make it an excellent choice if you want SSD storage in addition to mechanical drives.
While ASUSTOR’s software still needs some improvements, the brand has made a lot of positive moves in this area over the past 12 months. If you’re looking to set up a powerful Plex server and want the best hardware, the AS5402T is an easy recommendation.
With best-in-class hardware and plenty of M.2 slots, the AS5402T has everything you need to build a Plex server.