TM F8 SSD Plus vs. CyberData CF56 Pro

[Enquiries]

Hi,

I really enjoy watching your videos – thanks for the great content!

I’m currently looking for a NAS/server solution that could be considered an all-in-one powerhouse: quiet, compact, scalable, and future-proof. We’re in the process of building a new house and setting up the entire network infrastructure based on Ubiquiti, including 10G networking.

At the moment, I’m testing an F8 system running Xpenology. While the hardware is decent, I’m finding that TOS just isn’t mature enough for my needs.

I’m torn between the NAS systems mentioned in your video title.
What’s your personal recommendation or experience?

Best regards,
Stephan

[ed]

Between the TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus and the CyberData Vault CF56 Pro, you’re really looking at two ends of a similar ambition: compact, all-SSD NAS hardware with the option to break out of vendor lock-in via third-party OS like TrueNAS, Xpenology, or UnRAID.

Here’s how I’d compare them:
• Build Quality & Noise: The CF56 Pro has a slight edge in terms of thermals and fan control. It uses more server-grade internal design and can stay quiet under load when set up right. The F8 SSD Plus is also quiet, but thermal saturation can creep in under sustained I/O.
• Expansion & Flexibility: The CF56 Pro gives you stronger PCIe expandability and more confidence in 10G upgrades or GPU acceleration down the line. If you’re thinking about long-term flexibility (e.g., adding Jellyfin, VMs, or AI modules), that might be the safer bet.
• Software Support: You already mentioned TOS being a bit of a weak point — and I’d agree. The CF56 Pro generally pairs better with TrueNAS SCALE or UnRAID, especially since TerraMaster’s newer TOS versions still feel half-baked when you go beyond basic storage.
• Price-to-Performance: The F8 SSD Plus is slightly more affordable and more plug-and-play if you’re planning to stick with stock software (though you mentioned you’re not). But the CF56 Pro justifies its extra cost with better cooling, more reliable BIOS/firmware, and fewer compatibility hiccups in third-party OS installs.

My Take:

If your focus is on future-proofing, performance, and versatility, I would lean toward the CyberData CF56 Pro. It’ll scale better with your network, and it won’t box you in later if your needs grow beyond just storage and basic Plex use. Especially since you’ve already got 10G in your home network plans, that extra PCIe flexibility really matters.