RaidSonic IcyBox IB-NAS5220-B review

When configured as either RAID 0 or RAID 1, the IcyBox performed acceptably when reading both large and small files, although the results were slower than average. Meanwhile, its speeds when writing both large and small files were among the slowest we’ve seen from a two-disk NAS enclosure. The small cooling fan was annoyingly loud in a quiet room, and it didn’t get any quieter when we weren’t stressing the system by copying files or playing high definition video.

The IcyBox has a range of extra features, but some of them didn’t work very well in our tests. The iTunes 10.1.2 Windows software couldn’t find the iTunes server we set up on the NAS – hardly an unusual problem – but difficulties getting a UPnP server up and running are more of a concern. This is a shame as, despite its unremarkable performance in our file transfer speeds, we had no trouble streaming a 720p HD video clip stored on the IcyBox to a Windows PC.

We were also disappointed to find that the interface for downloading BitTorrent files independently of a computer is integrated into the main admin interface. This means you can’t give other users on your network access to the BitTorrent download manager without also giving them access to the other, more sensitive controls too.

Sharing both a USB printer and the contents of a USB disk across our network worked smoothly. However, the two USB ports are oriented vertically in close proximity to each other, so you may need an extension cable when plugging in a chunky USB flash drive.

It’s a shame that the IcyBox’s performance and extra features aren’t up to scratch. However, if these issues aren’t important, then the low-cost IB-NAS5220-B may still be the NAS for you.