Buffalo Linkstation Duo 1TB review

This Buffalo's a perfectly useable NAS, but those in search of oodles of features would do better looking elsewhere Tested at £190.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

This Buffalo is a nice little piece of kit, but we think its lack of features might drive others elsewhere

Pros

  • +

    Ultra-simple set-up

  • +

    quiet operation

  • +

    easy to swap drives

Cons

  • -

    Lack of features

  • -

    just one USB connection

  • -

    isn't calbirated for xBox 360 or Squeezebox

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Buffalo's all-singing-all-dancing Terastation has long been a favourite here, and with the LinkStation Duo the company has tried to distil that into a more compact, affordable and consumer-friendly package.

Whether you opt for this 1TB model, or one of the two or four terabyte versions, your dinky all-black case will contain two hard disks of equal capacity.

These can be set to RAID 0 in order to get the full useable space, or RAID 1 so that one disk backs up the data on the other.

You can access the drives by unclipping the front cover, and they're very easy to swap if a drive dies – or if you simply need even more storage.

Another simple way to increase storage is to add an external hard disk. The Buffalo has just the one USB connection, so if you do attach one of these you'll have to do without a shared printer.

This USB connection can also be used to directly copy files from a USB stick, but this is fiddly to do.

Unfussy and affordable
While we're on the subject of niggles, we'll also point out that the LinkStation isn't calibrated to work with Squeezebox or Xbox 360. There may be work-arounds for these, but it's going to take some fiddling.

Of course, for many people, none of that will matter. In which case you can simply appreciate the impressive gigabyte-to-to-pound ratio, ultra-simple setup and quiet operation.

Calibration via web browser is very straightforward, and you can access your files (or upload more) from any web-connected computer. You can even play your music from your iPhone, so long as it's in an Apple-friendly format.

So, if it's unfussy and affordable you're after, the Buffalo will do very nicely, but remember that you'll find more features elsewhere.

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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