The catch
QNAP TS-264-8G-US
Every onboard SSD socket is used up by two M.2 drives.
Side by side
QNAP TS-264-8G-US vs ASUSTOR AS5402T Compared: Room for four M.2 drives on ASUSTOR, room for a card on QNAP
Quick verdict
The TS-264-8G-US suits you when 8 GB of installed RAM or a supported PCIe network upgrade is the priority, and the AS5402T suits you when the storage plan depends on four built-in M.2 sockets.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Expansion room differs once a two-SSD mirror is in place
A planned SSD pool built from two M.2 drives takes every onboard M.2 socket on the TS-264. The AS5402T still has two free. The gap matters if a later SSD pool or cache is already on your shopping list.
Where this comes from
On QNAP, two planned M.2 drives occupy 2 of 2 sockets, and on ASUSTOR they occupy 2 of 4. This is a budget of physical sockets. It does not guarantee support for a chosen RAID or cache layout.
The catch
ASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2
A compatible RAM upgrade is needed to reach an 8 GB starting target.
QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- Why pick it
- Begin with 8 GB of RAM, no memory swap needed
- Keep room for a supported PCIe network upgrade
- The catch
- Every onboard SSD socket is used up by two M.2 drives.
ASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2
- Why pick it
- Fit more than two M.2 SSDs in the NAS itself
- Keep M.2 sockets free once a two-drive SSD mirror is in place
- The catch
- A compatible RAM upgrade is needed to reach an 8 GB starting target.
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What this page compares
See how QNAP TS-264-8G-US and ASUSTOR AS5402T stack up for a two-bay NAS, from SSD socket planning and installed RAM to a future network card.
Before looking at processor names, lay out the drives and expansion card you intend to use. Both NAS units start with two SATA bays and differ in how they grow past that shared starting point.
Day to day
How each one fits your routine
Tally the fast sockets you need for imports and backup rotation
Three fast USB connections are needed for a travel SSD, an always-attached backup drive and a second backup drive that rotates in. AS5402T has three USB Gen2 sockets. TS-264 has two Gen2 sockets and slower USB2 connections, so one device must be swapped in, moved to a slower port or handled some other verified way. ASUSTOR is the choice for the direct three-device routine. QNAP works if two fast attachments already cover the job.
Where this comes from
Do not give the third QNAP attachment the same interface ceiling as the first two. What this describes is a connection budget. It does not predict hard-drive copy speed or guarantee full-rate traffic at the same time.
A combination card may be needed on QNAP if you want more sockets later
A long-term plan that calls for extra M.2 storage and a faster network card forces a decision about accessories, because QNAP’s single PCIe slot cannot hold two separate cards at once. AS5402T already has four M.2 slots and may cover the storage side with no expansion card, yet that does not establish a faster Ethernet path. Decide based on the full supported layout, and verify the QNAP card’s compatibility first.
Where this comes from
On TS-264 you get two onboard M.2 slots and one PCIe Gen3 x2 slot, while AS5402T has four onboard M.2 slots. Verify that a combination card is compatible. Do not infer it from a card family or from another NAS model.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Two hard drives plus four M.2 SSDs, no add-in card needed
That layout is available onboard with the AS5402T. The TS-264 has just two onboard M.2 sockets.
- QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- Not suitable
- ASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2
- Better fit
Run a planned 8 GB workload from day one
The exact QNAP unit already has 8 GB, while AS5402T needs a compatible RAM upgrade to start at that target.
- QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- Better fit
- ASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2
- Depends
Leave room for an internal 10GbE card
A supported PCIe upgrade route exists on TS-264. AS5402T lacks a general expansion slot.
- QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- Better fit
- ASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2
- Not suitable
Set up an internal array of four hard drives
Both enclosures stop at two SATA drive bays. If you need four hard drives, pick a larger chassis.
- QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- Not suitable
- ASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2
- Not suitable
Plug in multiple USB peripherals
Against two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports on TS-264, AS5402T supplies three. Each peripheral's actual compatibility still needs checking.
- QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- Good
- ASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2
- Better fit
In practice
Differences you will notice
Expansion room differs once a two-SSD mirror is in place
A planned SSD pool built from two M.2 drives takes every onboard M.2 socket on the TS-264. The AS5402T still has two free. The gap matters if a later SSD pool or cache is already on your shopping list.
How we worked this out
On QNAP, two planned M.2 drives occupy 2 of 2 sockets, and on ASUSTOR they occupy 2 of 4. This is a budget of physical sockets. It does not guarantee support for a chosen RAID or cache layout.
If you need 8 GB from the start, the first purchase looks different
This exact TS-264-8G-US configuration already meets a workload plan that calls for 8 GB of RAM. AS5402T starts at 4 GB, so set aside budget for compatible memory and its installation. The published ceiling is 16 GB for both, with no model going higher.
How we worked this out
Here the exact 8G QNAP listing is compared with the 4 GB ASUSTOR configuration. As shipped, the gap is 8 minus 4, which is 4 GB. Each manufacturer publishes a 16 GB maximum.
QNAP's upgrade path comes down to a single slot
TS-264 can get a network path beyond its built-in 2.5GbE ports from a supported 10GbE card, though the card takes up its only general expansion slot. The AS5402T has no way to take that internal card. If you are counting on QNAP for both upgrades, check the exact card and any combined SSD requirements first.
How we worked this out
Per QNAP's published specs, there is one PCIe Gen 3 x2 slot, with optional faster Ethernet available through expansion cards. No general PCIe slot exists on AS5402T. Allocating a card is a hardware constraint and says nothing about measured transfer speed.
Option A
QNAP, TS-264-8G-US
QNAP TS-264-8G-US
This two-bay NAS has two built-in NVMe slots, dual 2.5GbE and a PCIe slot that takes supported SSD or network expansion. The current 8G configuration selected here comes with 8 GB RAM.
- Best for
- Begin with 8 GB of RAM, no memory swap needed
Facts we checked
- SATA bays for drives: 2 bays
- Onboard M.2 sockets: 2 NVMe sockets in M.2 2280
- RAM, installed and maximum: 8 GB installed and 16 GB maximum
- Slot for general expansion: 1 PCIe Gen 3 x2 slot
Option B
ASUSTOR, AS5402T
ASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2
A 2-bay chassis whose fastest documented network path is 2.5 Gbps.
- Best for
- Fit more than two M.2 SSDs in the NAS itself
Facts we checked
- SATA bays for drives: 2 bays
- Onboard M.2 sockets: 4 NVMe sockets in M.2 2280
- RAM, installed and maximum: 4 GB installed and 16 GB maximum
- Slot for general expansion: No general PCIe slot for expansion
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | QNAP TS-264-8G-US | ASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2 | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| SATA drive bays | 2 bays | 2 bays | Neither chassis can host an internal array of four hard drives. More M.2 sockets do not create extra positions for 3.5-inch hard drives. |
| Built-in M.2 sockets | 2 M.2 2280 NVMe sockets | 4 M.2 2280 NVMe sockets | Two more M.2 drives fit in the AS5402T with no card required. Before buying them, check which SSDs are approved and which storage modes are supported. |
| Installed and maximum RAM | 8 GB installed, 16 GB maximum | 4 GB installed, 16 GB maximum | After a compatible upgrade both reach the same published ceiling, but QNAP begins with 4 GB more memory. |
| General expansion slot | 1 PCIe Gen 3 x2 slot | No general PCIe expansion slot | A supported expansion card fits in QNAP. AS5402T has no equivalent slot, so no internal network card can be added later. |
| Built-in Ethernet | 2 ports at 2.5GbE each | 2 ports at 2.5GbE each | Going past gigabit speeds takes a compatible switch and client with either one. Two ports do not guarantee a 5 Gbps transfer to a single client. |
| USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports | 2 ports | 3 ports | For attached peripherals, AS5402T has an extra high-speed USB port. Counting ports tells you nothing about how much storage throughput is available simultaneously. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With QNAP TS-264-8G-US
- The only general PCIe slot is taken by a network expansion card.
With ASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2
- A later internal network card has no general PCIe slot to go in.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
You need more than two onboard M.2 sockets
Go with ASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2. Four sockets come with AS5402T and none uses up a general expansion slot.
The plan includes a supported internal network card for faster speeds
Go with QNAP TS-264-8G-US. Only TS-264 has a PCIe slot, and the exact card still needs its compatibility confirmed.
You need four internal SATA drives
Neither model fits. Each chassis has two bays, and M.2 sockets cannot stand in for hard-drive bays.
Decision guide
How to decide
Settle the SSD layout before you buy disks
Either chassis has all of its hard-drive bays taken by a pair of SATA hard drives. Say the plan also calls for two mirrored M.2 SSDs and another pair serving a separate purpose. The AS5402T has four onboard sockets to hold them, while the TS-264 would need a different compatible expansion plan. Check the operating system's pool and cache rules as well as the physical sockets.
Starting RAM versus future RAM
The QNAP offer in question is the 8G model, which already meets an 8 GB starting target. The AS5402T includes 4 GB, so reaching that target means adding a memory module, checking compatibility and installing it as part of the ASUSTOR purchase. Both top out at a published 16 GB maximum, which means the QNAP head start does not raise the ultimate ceiling.
Faster networking is a whole-system matter
Two 2.5GbE ports come on each. The QNAP adds a slot for a compatible faster network card, which pays off when your workstation, switch and storage layout can support the change. That card takes the only general expansion slot. Port totals and a 10GbE card label should not be read as a promised file-transfer speed.
What this page can’t tell you
- For this pair, there was no matched transfer, Plex transcoding or noise test to draw on.
- RAID covers some drive failures but is no replacement for a separate backup.
- Having the physical sockets does not mean every pool or cache combination is supported.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the NAS devices we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| QNAP TS-264-8G-US |
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| ASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2 |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
QNAP TS-264-8G-US
Begin with 8 GB of RAM, no memory swap needed
See price & reviews on AmazonASUSTOR Nimbustor 2 Gen2
Fit more than two M.2 SSDs in the NAS itself
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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