QNAP TS-673A-8G-US review

QNAP · six-bay tower NAS · source-based assessment

The QNAP TS-673A-8G-US is a six-position desktop NAS with two 2.5GbE network jacks, two built-in M.2 sockets and room for two PCIe cards. Its most useful distinction from the four- and eight-bay members of the TS-x73A family is straightforward: it offers a middle native-bay count without becoming a rack appliance. This is a document-based assessment of QNAP’s U.S. product page, rendered specifications, package view, official Store identity result and 2021 family guide. I did not purchase, own, install or test the NAS, so I make no independent speed, noise, power-draw or reliability claim.

One 8G configuration, with retail identity bridged cautiously

QNAP’s current U.S. hardware selector exposes one TS-673A-8G profile: a four-core, eight-thread AMD Ryzen Embedded V1500B at 2.2GHz, 8GB of DDR4 SODIMM memory, two memory slots and a stated 64GB maximum. The active model page and current selector support treating it as a current-reference configuration in this library. That classification is not a support end date or a promise of stock. The U.S. Official Store result supplies the retail name TS-673A-8G-US and SKU TS-673A-8G-US-BDL, which bridge the family card to one exact U.S. identity rather than a second machine.

The SKU suffix is not a bill of materials. The Store item presents configurable order choices, and those can vary by selection and seller. Compare the exact product label and written contents on the order; do not assume installed drives, upgraded memory or a prepared storage pool from the name. The retail detail page was not directly accessible during this review, so I use its official result only to establish the name and identifier, not offer terms.

Six SATA bays are not eight

The current selector lists six 3.5-inch SATA bays and two additional M.2 2280 PCIe Gen3 x1 NVMe sockets. The latter are separate positions for supported SSD uses; they do not increase the internal SATA-bay count. QNAP says built-in M.2 SSDs are not hot-swappable and are not standard equipment. The current package view lists two M.2 heatsinks, but not the SSDs themselves. If the goal is bulk capacity or an eventual mirror, count only the six front drive positions and choose a documented storage layout for them.

There is a source discrepancy worth resolving before buying a particular disk. The current hardware selector lists 3.5-inch SATA hard drives and 2.5-inch SATA solid-state drives. QNAP’s 2021 TS-x73A guide additionally lists 2.5-inch SATA hard drives for the trays. That historical line is not a current compatibility guarantee: verify the exact drive model and firmware in QNAP’s compatibility information, and contact QNAP if a 2.5-inch HDD is essential. I keep that contested media type out of the supported operating-plan claims below.

The family guide is useful for scale, but its table is not the current specification: it distinguishes a four-bay TS-473A, this six-bay TS-673A and an eight-bay TS-873A. Those bay counts describe materially different storage headroom. Six can be a practical middle ground if four bays would be too tight but an eight-bay chassis is not justified; it should not be described as equivalent to either adjacent version.

Two 2.5GbE ports, one-port rule

QNAP lists two individual built-in 2.5GbE RJ45 ports. The model page describes up to 5Gbps with port trunking, but that is an aggregate arrangement, not a 5Gbps link on one jack and not a file-transfer rate for a single client. The finder therefore treats the faster individual base port as 2.5Gbps. If a requirement is 3Gbps or more on one built-in port, the unexpanded profile does not meet it.

There are two PCIe Gen3 x4 slots and QNAP lists optional 5GbE or 10GbE networking cards. These could change the expansion plan, but they are separate hardware and do not alter the base-port fact. Check the exact card’s QNAP compatibility, dimensions, high-profile fit and any slot-sharing limitations. Then trace the full path through the switch, client adapter and cable; a faster add-in card cannot raise a slower link elsewhere in the chain.

RAID 1 is a setup choice, not an included array

QNAP’s current six-bay software tables list RAID 1 for both QTS/EXT4 and the separate QuTS hero/ZFS alternative. Either can support an owner-created two-drive mirror after the buyer chooses an operating system, confirms compatible drives, installs them and creates the pool. Two bays are consumed by that pair, leaving four native positions outside the mirror for later expansion or a different independently planned group. A mirror addresses a drive-failure case; it does not protect against mistaken deletion, malware or loss of the whole unit. Keep another backup copy and practice restoring it.

Memory changes the QuTS hero decision. QNAP says the OS requires at least 8GB, matching the base profile, while inline data deduplication needs 16GB and 32GB or more is recommended for optimal performance. The 2021 guide calls the originally supplied 8GB module non-ECC; the current selector says ECC is supported and that dual-DIMM configurations require identical modules, and QNAP’s product-page note says ECC use requires replacing rather than mixing the preinstalled memory. Confirm the exact module requirement for any planned upgrade rather than assuming the stock DIMM is ECC.

QNAP also says the QTS and QuTS hero filesystems differ and that all drives must be removed before switching between them. That makes initial selection consequential: decide how the six bays will be used, whether ZFS features matter and how much memory is appropriate before loading data.

Measure the whole tower, not only the smaller spec

The current U.S. selector lists 7.09 × 10.41 × 11.01 inches (H × W × D) before a foot pad that may add up to 1.18 inches. The 2021 family guide lists 7.41 × 10.40 × 11.05 inches, and the published net weights also differ. The foot-pad note does not fully explain those differences. This matters for a shelf or cabinet, where a few fractions of an inch can affect fit. Measure the delivered enclosure and leave room for ventilation, drive-tray removal, cable bends and service access rather than relying on either reference as a guaranteed installed envelope.

QNAP’s current selector lists one 250W power supply, not redundant power. That rating is not a measured wall draw, and drive count or workload changes the electrical and cooling context. The official package view lists the NAS, cord, network cable, screws, tray keys, heatsinks and quick-start material; it does not list data drives. Confirm what the actual order includes and who provides written warranty support for the delivered unit.

Who should shortlist it?

The TS-673A-8G-US makes sense to investigate when six native positions, individual 2.5GbE links and optional expansion line up with the intended setup. It is less compelling if the buyer needs more than 2.5GbE from a base port, expects an installed drive set or wants redundant power without adding external infrastructure. The M.2 sockets may add flexibility, but they are not extra SATA bays or an automatic performance uplift.

• Verify each disk by exact model and firmware, with special attention to the current-selector versus older-guide disagreement over 2.5-inch SATA HDDs.
• Choose QTS/EXT4 or QuTS hero/ZFS before initialization; check memory thresholds for the features being considered.
• For a 2.5GbE target, confirm the switch, client and cable; do not use the aggregate trunking figure as a one-port promise.
• Measure the complete enclosure with its foot pad, airflow, cables and service access, and plan for one PSU.
• Compare the exact TS-673A-8G-US label and SKU against the written order; do not infer drives or installation from the Store suffix.

On the sources reviewed, this is a six-bay current-reference tower with a useful expansion path, but not a ready-made storage plan. Exact disk compatibility, the older documentation conflicts, memory choice, and the actual seller package remain buyer checks. Its bay count, link ratings and RAID menu are planning facts; they are not proof that an unverified disk, workload, installation or seller configuration will work as expected.