Specifications, Availability and Pricing

The new x59 Pro+ Series ships with the new Intel dual core Atom processor. The 659 Pro+ that we are reviewing today has a 1.8GHz processor and QNAP paired that with 1GB of RAM. The operating system is stored on a 512MB flash module, so boot up is fast and reliable. The main hardware feature, though, is the six hot swappable HDD bays, but users looking for even more expansion can utilize the two built in eSATA ports. Additional connectivity comes in the form of five (4 on the back + 1 on the front) USB 2.0 ports that can be used to add printers, UPS control and thumb drive transfers.

The front of the unit has QNAP's LCD display that can be used to configure the system or to check a handful of status pages. The system and drives are kept cool by two 90mm ultra quiet fans that allow channeled air to pass over each of the six drive bays and then through the internal components inside the NAS.

The six bay TS-659 Pro+ is a significant upgrade from any of the four bay units currently being offered by QNAP or their competitors. When all of the cards are on the table there really isn't a competing NAS on the market at this price point and with anything close to these hardware features. Of course, this kind of power comes at a cost and that is currently 1,249.99 USD at Newegg. I've seen several four and five bay NAS servers sell for this amount and in some cases even more, yet none of them, not even those from QNAP, were as advanced as the TS-659 Pro+.

Hardware advances are only half of the story, though. Let's take a look at where QNAP has made the largest gains over the past year.