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Minisforum’s AI NAS S5-304 is now available after its Computex 2026 debut. It combines five M.2 NVMe bays, 10GbE networking and a fanless chassis measuring 176.5 × 154 × 60 mm. The headline capacity is up to 40TB, but the advertised entry prices are for a 0TB system, so buyers must purchase the SSDs separately.
What the Minisforum S5-304 is
The S5-304 is a compact, all-flash network-attached storage system built around Intel’s Wildcat Lake platform. Its five M.2 NVMe slots are dedicated to user data; separate system storage keeps the operating system from consuming one of those bays. With five 8TB drives, Minisforum rates the enclosure for up to 40TB of installed flash capacity.
That figure is a maximum across the five bays, not guaranteed usable space. Filesystem overhead, snapshots and whatever storage-pool layout you choose will reduce available capacity. Minisforum has not published a complete qualified-SSD list, so check the current regional product page and drive compatibility before ordering.
Specifications at a glance
| Specification | S5-304 detail |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core 3 304, 5 cores and 5 threads, up to 4.3GHz |
| Memory | 12GB LPDDR5X, fixed and not upgradeable |
| Drive bays | Five M.2 NVMe slots |
| Maximum stated capacity | Up to 40TB across five drives |
| Networking | 10GbE and 2.5GbE Ethernet, plus Wi‑Fi 7 |
| High-speed I/O | Two USB4 ports |
| Dimensions | 176.5 × 154 × 60 mm |
| Weight | 1.8kg on the European selector |
| Cooling | Fanless |
| Operating system | MinisCloud OS |
Pricing, storage and regional availability
Notebookcheck reported on October 15, 2026, that the US configuration without SSDs costs $599. Minisforum’s regional selectors show a 0TB configuration at CA$820.90 in Canada and a €659 sale price in the European Union. These prices are for the bare system shown in each region; five NVMe SSDs are an additional expense, and currency, tax, shipping and promotions can change the final total.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
No cited source confirms a complete official Amazon listing. If you shop through a marketplace, verify the seller, region, warranty, included accessories and whether the listing is the S5-304 rather than another Minisforum model. Availability and pricing can change independently by country.
Why an all-flash, fanless NAS matters
Low noise for desks and living spaces
There is no cooling fan in the S5-304. That makes it attractive for a bedroom, studio, home-theater cabinet or workstation where hard-drive vibration and fan noise are distracting. NVMe storage also removes the mechanical seek noise associated with conventional NAS hard disks.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Low latency and 10GbE throughput potential
Flash storage can deliver much lower access latency than HDD arrays, particularly for databases, photo catalogs, virtual-machine images and many small files. The 10GbE port gives a suitably equipped network a faster path to the storage than 1GbE; the 2.5GbE port provides a lower-speed option for existing equipment. Actual transfer rates depend on the SSDs, pool configuration, client hardware, cables, switches and protocol overhead.
The Tool Desk
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The S5-304 ships with MinisCloud OS, which includes ZFS snapshots, LZ4 compression, multi-user isolation, Docker applications, AI photo albums and one-click remote access. ZFS snapshots can provide point-in-time recovery for accidental edits or deletions, while compression may reduce the space consumed by compressible data. Remote access should be configured with strong accounts and only the exposure required for your use case.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Minisforum also positions the platform for local AI workloads. In its Computex announcement, Director of Brand & Marketing Emily Yeh said the company combined high-performance hardware with its self-developed MinisCloud OS to provide “private, enterprise-grade intelligence” with data privacy in mind. The same announcement describes local data analysis and cooperation among multiple AI agents for small and midsize businesses and other professional organizations. Those statements describe the platform’s intended capabilities; the practical speed and model support will depend on the software available for the S5-304.
Is 12GB of memory enough?
For file sharing, backups, snapshots, a media library and a modest number of Docker services, 12GB of LPDDR5X can be workable. The memory is soldered, however, and Minisforum’s selector explicitly says it cannot be expanded. That makes the S5-304 a poor fit for buyers who expect to grow into many containers, large databases, or several virtual machines.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
Plan the workload before buying: keep container counts and memory limits conservative, leave headroom for ZFS caching and system services, and treat virtualization as a light-duty use rather than the primary reason to choose this NAS.
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Does it include SSDs, and what drives fit?
The advertised US, Canadian and European configurations described above are 0TB or “without SSDs.” You must supply the storage drives. The hardware accepts five M.2 NVMe SSDs; Minisforum has not published a complete qualified-drive table in the available product information. When selecting drives, confirm the physical M.2 size, controller and capacity support on the current S5-304 specification page, and buy five drives that are appropriate for sustained NAS workloads rather than assuming every consumer module is validated.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Populate the bays only after deciding whether your priority is maximum capacity, redundancy or performance. The 40TB headline assumes five 8TB drives and does not specify a particular ZFS pool layout, so usable capacity and fault tolerance depend on that configuration.
Good fits and important limits
Best suited to
- Quiet home or small-office file storage where flash latency is valuable.
- Photo, video and other creative libraries accessed over 10GbE.
- Local media servers and home-theater setups that benefit from silent operation.
- Docker-based services that fit comfortably within a fixed 12GB memory budget.
- Users who want Wi‑Fi 7, USB4 and both 10GbE and 2.5GbE in a very small enclosure.
Limitations to weigh
- The system price excludes all five SSDs, which can exceed the enclosure cost.
- Memory cannot be upgraded for future Docker or virtual-machine expansion.
- 40TB is a raw maximum, not a promise of 40TB usable after filesystem features or redundancy.
- Fanless operation reduces noise but makes drive choice, placement and ambient temperature important.
- Regional prices and availability are volatile, and the cited figures are not interchangeable between countries.
Bottom line for buyers
The S5-304 is compelling when silence, compact dimensions and fast flash storage matter more than expandable memory or inexpensive bulk capacity. Its five NVMe bays and 10GbE interface create a strong foundation for low-latency file services, creative work and local applications. It is less attractive as a long-term virtualization host or as a budget NAS once five suitable SSDs are added. Compare the complete drive-inclusive cost and your expected memory requirements before committing to the 40TB headline.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
