ASUSTOR NIMBUSTOR 4 (AS5304T) four-bay NAS review

The ASUSTOR NIMBUSTOR 4 (AS5304T) is a four-native-bay desktop NAS with two rated 2.5-Gigabit Ethernet ports and HDMI 2.0a. Its main distinction from the NIMBUSTOR 2 is two more SATA positions, not a faster single-port rating. This is a document-based assessment, not a hands-on test; the exact retail suffix, seller bundle and drive/firmware pairing remain unverified.

What is documented for this model

ASUSTOR’s product-specific hardware record identifies NIMBUSTOR 4 (AS5304T), product ID 62. The English-U.S. model comparison independently lists four SATA drive bays, 4 GB of DDR4-2400 memory and two 2.5-Gigabit LAN ports. ASUSTOR’s support-status table marks AS5304T Generally Available and Supported and shows a three-year warranty field. That does not confirm a live U.S. offer or seller warranty; verify the exact unit and receipt.

Four native SATA positions and their capacity tradeoff

The chassis has four internal SATA positions for 3.5-inch HDDs or 2.5-inch SATA HDDs or SSDs. Its QIG describes removing the front panel, sliding out each tray and fitting a SATA disk; initialization erases existing drive data. The hardware table gives 72 TB raw as four 18-TB drives and says capacity varies by RAID type. That is a raw sum, not usable space after a layout or proof that a drive/firmware pairing is approved. Check ASUSTOR’s current compatibility list using the exact drive model before ordering.

Four positions permit more layouts than the two-bay AS5202T, but the base package is not a prebuilt array. The U.S. comparison lists Single, JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6 and RAID 10. A two-drive RAID 1 uses two bays and leaves two physically open; it does not protect against deletion, ransomware, theft or loss of the whole enclosure. Decide how much capacity to trade for redundancy before selecting disks, and keep a separate recoverable backup regardless of layout.

Two 2.5-Gigabit ports are not one 5-Gigabit port

The hardware table lists two individual 2.5-Gigabit Ethernet ports. ASUSTOR advertises up to 5 Gbps with link aggregation and compatible network equipment. That multi-link arrangement does not raise either port’s rating to 5 Gbps or establish a one-client transfer rate. A switch, cable and client must also support the intended path. The finder therefore treats 2.5 Gbps as the maximum rating of one port, not a measured speed.

Three USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports and one HDMI 2.0a output add local-device options. ASUSTOR describes HDMI playback and decoding, but actual results depend on the application, media, display and software version; none was tested here. HDMI does not replace the NAS network connection, and USB ports are not extra drive bays.

Memory, package contents and placement

The exact hardware table lists one installed 4-GB DDR4 SO-DIMM, two total slots and an 8-GB maximum using two 4-GB modules. The QIG warns that third-party memory is not guaranteed and recommends against self-installation if the owner is unfamiliar with the work. Treat an upgrade as a compatibility and warranty check. The package list names the NAS, cord and 90-W adapter, two Cat 5e cables, sixteen screws for 2.5-inch HDDs, a cord bracket and guide; it does not list data drives. Retailer-added bundles were not checked.

The U.S. comparison gives dimensions of 170 × 174 × 230 mm (H × W × D) and a 2.2-kg chassis weight. It lists 27 W operating, 12.6 W during disk hibernation and 1.4 W in sleep; these are manufacturer figures, not measurements here. Leave room for the rear fan and cables before placing the unit in a confined shelf.

How it differs from related ASUSTOR choices

Compared with the two-bay NIMBUSTOR 2 (AS5202T), this model adds two native SATA positions and starts with 4 GB rather than 2 GB of documented memory; both have dual 2.5-Gigabit ports and HDMI 2.0a. Extra bays do not automatically mean more useful capacity, and a mirror still needs backup.

The four-bay DRIVESTOR 4 Pro Gen2 (AS3304T v2) is a closer bay-count comparison: it also has four native bays, but one built-in 2.5-Gigabit port, fixed 2 GB memory and no HDMI. These are configuration differences, not a performance ranking; neither comparison establishes stock or price.

Important source conflicts and buying checks

Official sources disagree about the AS5304T processor: the hardware page describes a J4105 quad-core part at 1.5 GHz with a 2.5-GHz burst, while the U.S. ADM 4.2 and 2022 comparison sheets list a J4125 at 2.0 GHz up to 2.7 GHz. The product datasheet page uses both part names. No exact U.S. suffix or board-revision bridge resolves the conflict, so the CPU and clocks are left unknown and not used for performance claims. Verify the unit label if it matters.

Expansion claims also need care. The hardware table advertises up to 16 bays and 320 TB raw with an expansion unit, while the product datasheet page describes three AS6004U units and 216 TB total. The sources do not reconcile those figures to a supported exact accessory and revision, so only four built-in bays are counted here. Before buying, check the package, drive list, RAID plan, network equipment and expansion accessory against current manufacturer documentation.