INTRODUCTION

   A while back we promised to focus our reviews not only on mid/high end NAS Server models which are not very easy for most consumers to acquire but also to the more affordable low/mid end models designed mostly for use at home. What's really interesting however is that not only NAS Server sales seem to be on the rise around the globe but we also seem to be getting more and more questions regarding such devices every day by many people so it has become quite clear that this is becoming a very popular market. We have already reviewed the AS-608T and the AS-304T by ASUSTOR two NAS Server models which were many times better than we would had ever expected from a brand new manufacturer so having already covered their mid/high-end lines we decided to test the AS-202TE a dual bay NAS Server designed primarily for use at home.

   Founded in 2011, ASUSTOR Inc. is a leading innovator and provider of private cloud storage (network attached storage) and video surveillance (network video recorder) solutions. We are devoted to providing the world with unparalleled user experiences and the most complete set of network storage solutions possible.

   Although the AS-2xx line of NAS Servers by ASUSTOR happens to be their 2nd entry level one you may not see that the moment you lay your eyes on the specifications sheet of the AS-202TE model. So starting from the CPU ASUSTOR has used the brand new (was released in early 2013) Intel ATOM Dual Core CE5310 Processor model running at 1.2GHz (using the PowerVR SGX 545 IGP) and has decided to pair it with 1GB of DDR3 RAM (most rival units use 512MB). Other features include SATA III connectivity for the two bays, support for both 2.5 and 3.5 inch drives, two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet LAN and HDMI v1.4 output. ASUSTOR also makes the AS-202T model which comes outfitted with 512MB of DDR3 RAM instead of 1GB and lacks the HDMI output so for people who'd also like to use their NAS Server as a media player the more "powerful" AS-202TE is the obvious choice. Well we know firsthand how both the mid and high-end lines by ASUSTOR perform so the time has come to also see how their entry level line does.