Final thoughts and rating
As the first seven-bay NAS solution to grace our labs, we don't yet have a direct competitor to which it can be fairly compared. Nonetheless, our initial impressions are good. Despite raising storage capacity with a massive seven drive bays, the N7700 performs admirably in our test suite and is able to hold its own when compared to lesser five-bay units.
Features such as multiple file system support, stackability and iSCSI - along with a near-£1000 drive-less price tag - put the unit firmly into the enterprise bracket. For the die-hard home enthusiast seeking a media server capable of storing over 10 terabytes of data, though, it's always an option when costs matter not.
The N7700 ultimately delivers on its promise of raising the bar. It has a greater storage capacity than any NAS we've ever tested, it sports a quicker 1.86GHz Intel Celeron M processor, it's donning a feature list that'll put most others to shame, and it's all well built, too.
Unfortunately, and as with many other NAS products, we experienced a number of software headaches during usage, and the N7700 remains far from a consumer-friendly product. Software quirks aside, though, this is a high-end NAS solution that ultimately delivers high-end features and performance.
The good
Great-looking design
Responsive admin panel and good all-round performance
Plenty of high-end functionality
The not so good
An enterprise-orientated product that's priced out of reach
for many home consumers
Software still in need of further refinement
Audible alarm can be annoying
HEXUS Rating
HEXUS.net scores products out of 100%, taking into account technology, implementation, stability, performance, value, customer care and desirability. A score for an average-rated product is a meaningful ‘50%’, and not ‘90%’, which is common practice for a great many other publications.
We consider any product score above '50%' as a safe buy. The higher the score, the higher the recommendation from HEXUS to buy. Simple, straightforward buying advice.
Thecus N7700 (above average)
HEXUS Where2Buy
The Thecus N7700 can be purchased from Scan.co.uk* at a cost of £949.89.
*As always, UK-based HEXUS.community discussion forum members will benefit from the SCAN2HEXUS Free Shipping initiative, which will save you a further few pounds plus also top-notch, priority customer service and technical support backed up by the SCANcare@HEXUS forum.
HEXUS Right2Reply
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