LincStation E1 is a cheap NAS that supports up 2 HDDs + 2 SSDs (crowdfunding for $129 and up)

The LincStation E1 from LincPlus is a compact network-attached storage device that measures just 219 x 88 x 140mm (8.6″ x 3.5″ x 5.5″). But it’s a versatile little system with support for up to 76TB of total storage if you max out its four storage options: two bays for SATA hard drives and two M.2 2280 slots with support for up to two SSDs (limited to PCIe 3.0 x1 speeds).

It’s also designed to be affordable: retail prices are expected to start at around $219, but LincPlus is offering Super Early Bird pricing as low as $129 during a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign that kicks off today.

That makes this NAS considerably cheaper than the $399 LincStation N2 that Ian reviewed last year. So it’s not surprising that LincPlus cuts a few corners.

This model has 4GB of RAM instead of 16GB, and 64GB of onboard eMMC storage for the operating system instead of 128GB. It has two M.2 slots instead of four. And it has a single Gigabit Ethernet port instead of 10 Gigabit.

While all of those things will likely affect performance, perhaps the biggest difference is that the LincStation N2 has an Intel N100 processor, while the new LincStation E1 has a Rockchip RK3568 quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 processor.

Among other things, that will make it difficult for users to install an alternate operating system. It also affects the software tha t ships on this NAS. While the LincStation N2 comes with Unraid, the new E1 comes with a custom operating system called LincOS.

While LincOS should be able to handle basic tasks like allowing you to backup and access files from other devices on your network, act as a media server, and enable remote access, I’d probably be a bit wary of buying a cheap NAS with an Arm-based processor from a company that hasn’t been around for very long. Models with x86 chips are theoretically more flexible, as you can replace the operating system if you’re dissatisfied with the software that ships with it, but that’s not as easy to do models with Arm-based chips. For what it’s worth, NAS Compares reports that the software has the basic features you’d expect, even if it feels a bit like a work in progress.

Some other features for the LincStation E1 include a tool-free design that allows you to add or remove storage without a screwdriver, a fan for active cooling, WiFi 5 and Blu etooth 5, and a set of ports that includes: