Review: Buffalo LinkStation 520

by Parm Mann on 4 December 2015, 15:30

Tags: Buffalo Technology

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Conclusion

...the LinkStation 520 is a pint-sized box that's simple to setup and able to offer the features most likely to resonate with home users.

There's an incredible array of functions available to today's NAS solutions, but such versatility is often reflected in premium price tags and for the average consumer you have to wonder: how many of these fanciful features are likely to be used?

Knowing that its software is neither advanced nor mature enough to go toe-to-toe with various players in the premium space, Buffalo is taking a more sensible approach by making available the NAS essentials in a competitive package that doesn't break the bank.

Priced from £155 for a 2TB configuration, the LinkStation 520 is a pint-sized box that's simple to setup and able to offer the features most likely to resonate with home users. These include PC and Mac backups, managed downloads, built-in media servers and just enough performance to service an entire family's devices.

This is by no means the fastest NAS, and the feature set isn't as flexible as pricier alternatives, but if you're looking to centralise your data and are willing to accept a few limitations, Buffalo's LS520 ticks most of the right boxes and does so at an agreeable fee.

The Good
  
The Bad

Simple to setup
Compact form factor
Competitive pricing
Ideal for NAS newcomers

  
Power switch awkward to reach
Temperamental HDD spin down



Buffalo LinkStation 520

HEXUS.where2buy

The Buffalo LinkStation 520 NAS is available to purchase in a choice of capacities from Dabs and Ebuyer.

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At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.


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HEXUS Forums :: 2 Comments

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Posted by Slogbelly - Sun 27 Dec 2015 18:05
Looks like a very nice unit. Performance would be fine for small scale things, but my “goal” is to have a 4 or 5 bay unit and implement Raid 5.
Posted by Splashman - Wed 24 Feb 2016 20:25
This unit is not a standard NAS Share. Don't buy it if you want to have multiple users and limit which shares, directors, files each user has read/write, read only, or no access rights. It is really a private storage area for multiple users where each user has there own storage - private to themselves. There is a Public share - where all users have access. But don't think about this as a standard NAS share system. It really have very limited use… give the product a pass. it rates 3 thumbs DOWN to me!!!