UGreen NASync iDX6011 Pro NAS review: An AI-powered NAS combines workstation-class hardware with genuinely useful local AI

by · TechRadar

TechRadar Verdict

The iDX6011 Pro impresses with an easy setup and all the standard NAS options you’d usually expect from a mid-range NAS. The six-bay AI-enhanced NAS features an Intel Core Ultra 7, 64GB RAM, dual 10GbE, and dual Thunderbolt 4. This impressive spec enables offline AI local-language models, and the power can be further enhanced by connecting to a GPU or AI cloud services, enabling almost unlimited potential.

Pros

  • +Workstation-class NAS
  • +Offline audio transcription
  • +Touch screen info LCD

Cons

  • -AI needs Terminal knowledge
  • -File organisation needs a cloud API
  • -Some software instability

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UGREEN NASync iDX6011 Pro: 30-second review

The UGreen NASync iDX6011 Pro is substantial, measuring in at 349 x 260 x 212mm, it sits closer to an ITX PC case than anything you would ordinarily describe as a NAS, and lifting it out of the packaging highlights that this is a serious piece of kit that’s impressive design makes you want to keep it out on show rather than hidden away.

Once positioned in a prominent place in the office, the matte grey aluminium chassis and rounded edges give it a premium, stylish look that departs from the larger rack-mount aesthetics of more industrial NAS hardware. The design and aesthetics are perfect for any design or photo Studio space.

Getting started with the iDX6011 is as straightforward as the other UGreen NAS systems that I’ve looked at. Essentially, each of the six front bays is secured by a flathead key lock, which once pressed, releases so the tray can slide out. You then drop in a 3.5-inch hard drive all without the need for a single screw, then slide it back, and lock. The whole process takes under 30 seconds per drive.

For this review, I installed four 4TB Western Digital drives, configured in RAID 5 via the guided UGOS Pro setup, for a total of 12TB of usable storage, with one drive's capacity matched to the RAID 5 configuration. I used the two M.2 NVMe slots for caching and installed two 1TB sticks.

On the front of the machine is a small vertical 3.7-inch touch LCD that lets you flick through a few stats and information from the system. This is genuinely helpful and interesting, especially as you start to delve into the local AI to monitor resource usage.

One of the uses of this screen came into play during the initial setup, where I was able to quickly see the NAS IP address. It’s only a small thing, but genuinely helpful. The screen also provides a quick glance at CPU, GPU, NPU, RAM, storage, and network load without opening a browser.

Through the initial part of the test, I put the standard NAS functions to the test, and setting up storage for local and shared use worked well. I especially liked that I could use it as a local Dropbox to share files with clients without paying for an external service. I was also able to set up a local media server, although apps such as Plex aren’t currently in the main library, so you can either use JellyFin or Theatre, or use Docker or SSH through the terminal to install and set up.

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