The NAS N100/N150 industrial motherboard is optimized for home NAS setups, offering 4 cores/4 threads processing, 4×2.5G i226 LAN ports, 6 SATA slots, M.2 NVMe support, and 15W low power consumption. It balances performance and efficiency, making it ideal for media storage, virtualization, and 24/7 operation. Its industrial-grade durability ensures reliability for data-heavy households.
Table of Contents
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 Makes the NAS N100/N150 Ideal for Home NAS Systems?
The N100/N150’s quad-core Intel processor handles RAID configurations and multi-device access smoothly. Four 2.5G Ethernet ports (Intel i226 controllers) enable 10G aggregate networking, crucial for 4K streaming and large file transfers. Six SATA III ports support high-capacity HDD/SSD arrays, while M.2 slots allow NVMe caching. Industrial-grade capacitors and fanless design ensure silent, durable operation.
This motherboard excels in multi-user environments where simultaneous access is critical. Its PCIe 3.0 interface supports hardware RAID cards for advanced redundancy configurations, while the integrated TPM 2.0 module enhances security for sensitive data. Thermal testing shows consistent performance at 40°C ambient temperatures, making it suitable for enclosed spaces like media cabinets. Compatibility with open-source NAS OS platforms like TrueNAS Scale and OpenMediaVault allows seamless integration into existing smart home ecosystems.
How Does the 4×2.5G i226 Networking Enhance Data Transfer Speeds?
Intel’s i226-V controllers provide 2.5Gbps per port with Jumbo Frame support and TCP/UDP offloading. Link Aggregation (LACP) combines ports for 10Gbps throughput, reducing bottlenecks during multi-user 4K video editing or backups. VLAN tagging prioritizes traffic, while SR-IOV virtualization improves VM performance. Real-world tests show sustained 280MB/s transfers across mixed workloads.
MSI 2024 Cubi N ADL Mini Desktop
The adaptive load balancing feature intelligently distributes traffic across ports, preventing saturation during peak usage. When configured with a managed switch, Quality of Service (QoS) rules prioritize time-sensitive applications like video surveillance streams or VoIP calls. The networking stack supports RSS (Receive Side Scaling) to optimize CPU utilization during heavy transfers, maintaining low latency for other services. Benchmark comparisons show 18% better throughput consistency compared to Realtek RTL8125 solutions under sustained loads.
Which Storage Configurations Work Best with 6 SATA Ports?
With 6 SATA III (6Gbps) ports, users can deploy:
- RAID 5: 5x 12TB HDDs + 1 hot spare (48TB usable)
- RAID 10: 4x 4TB SSDs (8TB mirrored/striped)
- Unraid: Mix 18TB HDDs and 2TB NVMe cache
- ZFS: 6x 8TB in RAID-Z2 (32TB usable, dual parity)
The motherboard supports hardware RAID via PCIe add-ons or software solutions like TrueNAS Core.
| Configuration | Usable Capacity | Redundancy | Read Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAID 5 | 80% | 1 disk | 550MB/s |
| RAID 10 | 50% | Mirrored pairs | 1200MB/s |
| ZFS RAID-Z2 | 66% | 2 disks | 900MB/s |
Can the M.2 Slot Improve NAS Performance?
Yes. The M.2 2280 slot (PCIe 3.0 x4) allows:
- NVMe SSDs as read/write cache (Intel Optane, WD Red SN700)
- Hosting VMs/containers without taxing HDD arrays
- Storing metadata for faster file indexing
- OS installation (Proxmox, Unraid) for quick boot times
How Does Low Power Consumption Benefit 24/7 Operation?
At 15W TDP, the N100/N150 reduces energy costs:
- Idle power: 8W (HDDs spun down)
- Active use: 22W (6 HDDs + 1 NVMe)
- Annual cost: ~$35 (at $0.15/kWh) vs 65W CPUs costing $146
“The N100/N150 redefines home NAS economics. Its hybrid storage approach lets users tier data across SATA HDDs and NVMe intelligently. With TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking) support, it’s future-proofed for smart home integration. We’ve seen 40% faster metadata ops versus Celeron J4125 boards.”
— DataCenter Solutions Magazine, 2023
Conclusion
The NAS N100/N150 motherboard delivers enterprise-grade networking and storage flexibility at consumer pricing. Its hardware capabilities cater to Plex servers, photo backups, and IoT hubs while minimizing power draw. For under $300, it outperforms pre-built NAS units costing twice as much, making it the top choice for DIY enthusiasts.
FAQs
- Does it support 10G Ethernet?
- While lacking native 10G, the 4×2.5G ports can be aggregated via LACP for 10Gbps total bandwidth. Add a PCIe 10G card if needed.
- Is ECC memory supported?
- No. The N100/N150 uses non-ECC DDR4 SO-DIMMs. For ECC, consider Xeon D-1500 boards.
- Can it transcode 4K videos?
- Yes. The UHD Graphics 24 EUs handle 2x 4K HDR streams via Plex/Jellyfin. PassMark score: 4800 vs 2200 on J4125.