Best M.2 NVMe for the TerraMaster F2-425
By Devin Chua · Data checked by Owen Nakamura · Updated The TerraMaster F2-425 has no M.2 slots, so an NVMe cache is not possible on this model — no m.2 slots. nvme and 5gbe come only with the f2-425 plus. Over its 1 × 2.5GbE, that is barely a loss: a single CMR drive already saturates the link, and a cache only helps data you read repeatedly. If cache or a fast NVMe pool matters to you, choose a model with M.2 slots.
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Want to know whether the F2-425 fits your actual storage plan? Open the NAS Builder with this model weighted.
Do you actually need NVMe on the F2-425?
An NVMe cache accelerates random I/O — the many small, scattered reads and writes you get when lots of users, a database or virtual machines all hit the array at once. It does almost nothing for the workload the F2-425 is built for: sequential file transfers, device backups and everyday storage. On this model the 1 × 2.5GbE connection is the real ceiling, so a cache sitting in front of the drives would have no headroom to give — the network fills up long before the disks become the bottleneck.
Put the money where it moves the needle instead. A RAM upgrade helps this box more than any cache would (see RAM for the F2-425 and how much RAM a NAS needs), and larger CMR drives with the best CA$/TB, sized in the drive-count calculator. If you genuinely need a cache — a busy multi-user array, 10-gigabit networking, or a database/VM workload — that is simply a different class of NAS: an Intel model with M.2 slots and faster networking. Our SSD cache guide explains when a cache earns its place and when it does nothing, and drives by model lists the boxes that have the slots.
What sets the F2-425 apart
The cheapest x86 two-bay with 2.5-gigabit networking. With two equal-size drives TRAID gives no advantage over RAID 1; it only gets interesting once you add a larger drive later.
The TerraMaster drive policy on the F2-425
unrestrictedOpen. TerraMaster explicitly does not restrict drive brands.
The F2-425 at a glance
| Bays | 2 × 3.5-inch SATA and 2.5-inch SATA SSD |
|---|---|
| Maximum raw capacity | 60 TB 2 × 30 TB, per the manufacturer |
| Processor | Intel N5095 (4 cores, 2.0 GHz) |
| Memory | 4 GB, DDR4 SO-DIMM, no ECC (1 slot) 16 GB official |
| M.2 NVMe | none No M.2 slots. NVMe and 5GbE come only with the F2-425 Plus. |
| Network | 1 × 2.5GbE |
| Operating system | TOS 6 |
| RAID types | TRAID, TRAID+, Single, JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1 TRAID also makes use of mixed drive sizes. |
Keep calculating
To see how much capacity is left after parity, the F2-425 capacity calculator is preset to its 2 bays and RAID types. For the F2-425, the wider basics of choosing a drive are in the buying guides, where we also explain why CMR rather than SMR is mandatory in any RAID array. Wondering what the F2-425 can actually do — Plex, Immich, Docker, VMs? See what the F2-425 can run.
Frequently asked questions
How many M.2 slots does the F2-425 have?
None. No M.2 slots. NVMe and 5GbE come only with the F2-425 Plus.
Is an NVMe cache worth it in the F2-425?
Not possible — the F2-425 has no M.2 slots. Over its 1 × 2.5GbE a cache would add little anyway, since a single drive already saturates the link.
Can I put third-party drives in the F2-425?
Yes. TerraMaster locks no drive brand on the F2-425 — its compatibility list is guidance, not a gate — so any CMR NAS drive works.
Devin Chua works out which drives, RAM and NVMe cache fit which NAS model at nasdrives.ca, and what the RAID choice means for usable capacity, checked against what is in stock on Amazon.ca.
Data checked by Owen Nakamura, Technical editor (data checking)