The Intel i226-V 2.5G i5-12450H 6-Bay NAS Motherboard combines enterprise-grade networking, robust storage scalability (6x NVMe + 6x SATA3.0), and a 12th-gen Intel Core i5 processor for multitasking. With dual DDR5 slots and PCIe x4 expansion, it supports high-speed data transfers, virtualization, and firewall routing, making it ideal for small businesses and homelabs requiring reliability and future-proofing.
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Top 5 Mini PCs in 2025
| Rank | Model | Processor | RAM | Storage | Price | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GEEKOM Mini IT12 (Best Performance) | Intel i5-12450H (8C/12T) | 16GB DDR4 | 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD | $379.00 | Check Price |
| 2 | GMKtec N150 (1TB SSD) | Intel N150 (3.6GHz) | 16GB DDR4 | 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD | $191.99 | Check Price |
| 3 | KAMRUI GK3Plus (Budget Pick) | Intel N95 (3.4GHz) | 16GB DDR4 | 512GB M.2 SSD | $169.99 | Check Price |
| 4 | ACEMAGICIAN N150 (Cheapest 16GB) | Intel N150 (3.6GHz) | 16GB DDR4 | 256GB SSD | $139.99 | Check Price |
| 5 | GMKtec N150 (512GB SSD) | Intel N150 (3.6GHz) | 16GB DDR4 | 512GB PCIe SSD | $168.99 | Check Price |
What Are the Key Specifications of the Intel i226-V 2.5G i5-12450H Motherboard?
This Mini-ITX motherboard features a 12th-gen Intel Core i5-12450H processor (8 cores, 12 threads), dual Intel i226-V 2.5G LAN ports, 6x SATA3.0, 6x NVMe slots (PCIe Gen4), and 2x DDR5 DIMMs (up to 64GB). The PCIe x4 slot allows adding GPUs or network cards, while its 6-bay NAS design optimizes storage density for rack-mounted setups.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel i5-12450H (12MB cache) |
| RAM Support | DDR5-4800 ECC, 64GB max |
| Storage Ports | 6x SATA3 + 6x NVMe Gen4 |
Why Choose Dual DDR5 Memory for a NAS Motherboard?
DDR5’s 4800MHz base speed and 64GB capacity improve bandwidth for RAID controllers and network traffic handling. Error-correcting (ECC) support ensures data integrity during prolonged operations, while lower voltage (1.1V) reduces power consumption—critical for 24/7 NAS uptime.
DDR5’s improved bank group architecture allows simultaneous access to multiple data sets, which is particularly beneficial for ZFS-based storage systems handling concurrent read/write operations. The motherboard’s memory topology supports gear-down mode to maintain stability at higher frequencies while minimizing latency. For NAS applications requiring frequent metadata operations (e.g., video editing workstations), DDR5’s 32-bit burst length doubles DDR4’s efficiency in transferring large chunks of data.
| Memory Type | Bandwidth | Power Consumption |
|---|---|---|
| DDR4-3200 | 25.6 GB/s | 1.2V |
| DDR5-4800 | 38.4 GB/s | 1.1V |
What Are the Thermal Considerations for Sustained Workloads?
A 4cm PWM fan cools the i5-12450H under load, while NVMe heatsinks prevent throttling. For rack setups, ensure front-to-back airflow with 80mm fans. Undervolting via BIOS can reduce CPU temps by 8-12°C without performance loss, ideal for silent homelabs.
The motherboard’s thermal design incorporates temperature sensors near the VRM and chipset, allowing software like IPMI or Open Hardware Monitor to trigger fan speed adjustments dynamically. When using all six NVMe drives, consider staggered heatsink heights (5mm-7mm) to maintain airflow between stacked SSDs. In 40°C ambient environments, the CPU’s Thermal Velocity Boost can maintain 4.4GHz clock speeds for 56 seconds before throttling, making it suitable for burst workloads like database queries.
“This motherboard bridges the gap between SOHO and enterprise NAS. The i5-12450H’s thread count and DDR5’s ECC support let users run ZFS-based TrueNAS Scale with deduplication without hardware RAID cards. For SMEs, it’s a cost-effective way to deploy all-flash storage or hyperconverged infrastructure.” — Data Center Solutions Architect
FAQs
- Does this motherboard support ECC DDR5 memory?
- Yes, the i5-12450H and chipset support unbuffered ECC DDR5, ensuring error-free data handling in ZFS or RAID setups.
- Can I use this for a Proxmox or ESXi hypervisor?
- Absolutely. The 12 threads and 64GB RAM limit allow hosting multiple VMs, with PCIe passthrough for GPU/NIC assignments.
- What OS options are recommended?
- TrueNAS Scale, UnRAID, and OpenMediaVault are optimized for its storage layout. For routing, pfSense/OPNsense run flawlessly on the i226-V NICs.