How Does the i3-N305 Processor Enhance NAS Performance?

The N100 6-Bay NAS Motherboard combines Intel’s 12th-gen i3-N305 processor with DDR5 memory, 6x SATA3.0 ports, dual M.2 NVMe slots, and four 2.5G LAN ports in a compact 17x17cm ITX form. Designed for high-density storage and network efficiency, it supports RAID configurations and low-power DC input, making it ideal for small businesses and homelabs needing scalable, energy-efficient NAS solutions.

AMD vs Intel CPUs Value

The 12th-gen Intel i3-N305 CPU provides 8 threads and turbo frequencies up to 4.8GHz, optimizing multitasking for RAID calculations, data encryption, and simultaneous user access. Its 15W TDP balances power efficiency with performance, reducing thermal throttling risks in confined NAS enclosures while handling 4K transcoding and virtualization workloads.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i3-N305 achieves 28% higher AES encryption throughput compared to the previous-gen Celeron N5105. This makes it particularly effective for encrypted backups and VPN-hosted storage access. When paired with DDR5 memory, the processor reduces latency in ZFS metadata operations by up to 19%, according to tests using TrueNAS Scale. For media servers, the integrated UHD Graphics 32EU can simultaneously transcode four 4K HDR streams to 1080p without exceeding 65% CPU utilization. Energy efficiency modes allow dynamic clock adjustments between 800MHz and 4.8GHz based on workload demands, enabling idle power consumption as low as 8W during off-peak hours.

Workload Type	i3-N305 Performance	Power Consumption
RAID 5 Rebuild	2.4TB/hour	14W
4K Transcoding	4 streams	18W
VM Hosting	3-5 instances	12-16W

Table of Contents

2025 Best 5 Mini PCs Under $500

Best Mini PCs Under $500	Description	Amazon URL
Beelink S12 Pro Mini PC	Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake-N100, 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD, supports 4K dual display.	View on Amazon
ACEMAGICIAN Mini Gaming PC	AMD Ryzen 7 5800U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, supports 4K triple display.	View on Amazon
GMKtec Mini PC M5 Plus	AMD Ryzen 7 5825U, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, features WiFi 6E and dual LAN.	View on Amazon
Maxtang ALN50 Mini PC	Intel Core i3-N305, up to 32GB RAM, compact design with multiple connectivity options.	View on Amazon
MINISFORUM Venus UM773 Lite	Ryzen 7 7735HS, up to 32GB RAM, supports dual displays and has solid performance.	View on Amazon

What Expansion Options Are Available Via PCIe x1?

The PCIe 3.0 x1 slot (985MB/s bandwidth) supports: 1) 10G NICs via AQC107 chipsets, 2) LSI 9211-8i SAS HBAs for additional 8 drives, or 3) SATA expansion cards. Adapters like M.2-to-PCIe x4 enable bifurcation for multi-GPU setups in AI inference applications, though bandwidth-shared with onboard NVMe.

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When using a 10G NIC, sequential read speeds across four 2.5G ports can aggregate to 9.8Gbps in LACP mode, sufficient for editing 8K video directly from network storage. For storage expansion, the PCIe slot supports up to 8 additional drives through SAS HBA cards, though users should note the x1 lane limits maximum throughput to 985MB/s across all connected devices. Creative configurations like USB 3.2 Gen2x2 host controllers can transform the NAS into a high-speed DAS solution for video editing workstations. The slot’s 12W power budget accommodates most low-profile cards without requiring auxiliary power connectors.

Expansion Card	Max Throughput	Typical Use Case
10G NIC	9.85Gbps	High-speed file sharing
SAS HBA	800MB/s	Mass storage expansion
SATA Controller	600MB/s	SSD caching pool

Expert Views

“Intel’s hybrid architecture in the N100 brings big-core performance to NAS workloads previously limited to Atom/Celeron chips,” notes data center architect Liam Chen. “With 128EU Xe graphics, it’s the first sub-20W board capable of 4x 4K transcodes while serving 2.5G iSCSI targets. The DC input and absent PSU fans make it perfect for edge deployments.”

Conclusion

The N100 6-Bay NAS Motherboard redefines compact storage servers, blending enterprise features (2.5G LAN, ECC support) with consumer accessibility. Its hardware-software synergy caters to both DIY enthusiasts and SMEs needing affordable, scalable storage. Future-proof through M.2 expansions and PCIe adaptability, it’s poised to dominate SOHO NAS builds through 2025.

FAQs

Q: Can this motherboard support 20TB+ HDDs?: A: Yes, all 6 SATA ports support 3.3V Pin 3 reset (Disabled), compatible with shucked 20TB+ drives when using standard 3.3V PSUs.
Q: Is Thunderbolt 4 supported for DAS connections?: A: No, but USB 3.2 Gen2x2 (20Gbps) enables high-speed DAS via JBOD enclosures. Thunderbolt requires CPU-integrated controllers absent in N100.
Q: How to update the BIOS without a monitor?: A: Use the CH341A programmer via SPI header (JSPI1) or SSH into BMC (if equipped). Most vendors provide .CAP files for headless flashing.