Buffalo LinkStation Pro Quad 4TB review

The Pro Quad has numerous features which make it much more than just a file server. We had no trouble using it as an iTunes music server or to share a USB laser printer and the contents of a USB drive across our network. The front USB port is recessed which could make plugging in chunky USB drives and cables tricky, although this is fixed easily enough by simply removing the front panel, so making the port more accessible, or using a small USB extension cable. Streaming video stored on the Quad Pro over our network wasn’t quite as trouble-free as we hoped. HD video often dropped frames unless we paused the video first for a minute or two to let it buffer.

Files stored on the Pro Quad can be accessed remotely from any internet-connected computer. This can be done by configuring the Pro Quad as an FTP server, although it’s simpler to use the NAS’s web interface, or the iOS or Android apps, instead. Both methods may require adjusting your router’s firewall.

There’s a lot of like about the LinkStation Pro Quad, from its quiet operation and slew of useful extra features to its low 9p cost per gigabyte. Unfortunately the very slow small files performance means some file transfer jobs will need to be left running overnight, so we can’t recommend it unconditionally.