How much storage fits in the Minisforum N5 Pro?
By Devin Chua · Data checked by Owen Nakamura · Updated · Prices checked The Minisforum N5 Pro takes 5 drives, up to 150 TB raw, but usable is the number that matters: 5 × 8 TB in RAID 5 gives 29.10 TiB for about CA$2,860 in drives, and it survives 1 drive failing. The gap from raw capacity is parity.
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Usable space in the N5 Pro, by RAID level and drive size
All 5 bays filled with same-size drives; usable space as the NAS reports it (TiB). Live drive prices are on the best drives for the N5 Pro page.
| Drive size | Raw | RAID 5 | RAID 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 × 8 TB | 40 TB | 29.10 TiB | 21.83 TiB |
| 5 × 12 TB | 60 TB | 43.66 TiB | 32.74 TiB |
| 5 × 16 TB | 80 TB | 58.21 TiB | 43.66 TiB |
| 5 × 20 TB | 100 TB | 72.76 TiB | 54.57 TiB |
| 5 × 24 TB | 120 TB | 87.31 TiB | 65.48 TiB |
| 5 × 30 TB | 150 TB | 109.14 TiB | 81.85 TiB |
Reserve NVMe space for AI models
Plan the N5 Pro’s storage in two tiers. The 5 bays hold files, photos and backups; AI models belong on the NVMe/U.2 tier, where they load in seconds. Every model on our list the N5 Pro runs comfortably at 96 GB comes to 148 GB on disk (12 models, the largest Llama 3.3 70B); an everyday set of four (Llama 3.2 3B, Qwen3 4B, Llama 3.1 8B, Gemma 3 12B) is 18 GB. A 500 GB NVMe drive holds either with room for new versions. NVMe picks for the N5 Pro ›
A worked configuration for the N5 Pro
WD Red Pro or Seagate IronWolf Pro in every bay is the recommendation for the N5 Pro. At 5 × 8 TB in RAID 5, the N5 Pro lands 29.10 TiB usable for about CA$2,860 in drives, gives up 8 TB to parity, and survives 1 drive failing. Step the same 5 bays of the N5 Pro up to 16 TB drives and it holds roughly twice that, at the CA$/TB the live table above shows.
RAID 5 or RAID 6 in the N5 Pro?
With 5 bays the N5 Pro gives a real choice. In RAID 5 it keeps 29.10 TiB of the 5 × 8 TB and survives one failure; RAID 6 spends one more drive for two. The trade tips with large drives: after a failure the N5 Pro must read every surviving drive in full to rebuild, which on 20 TB drives runs the better part of a day under peak load. So from 16 TB per drive up, RAID 6 is the calmer choice in the N5 Pro.
One rule holds on every NAS, the N5 Pro included: use CMR drives, not SMR. SMR drives rewrite overlapping tracks and collapse during a RAID rebuild, dragging a repair from hours into days.
Keep calculating
To see how much capacity is left after parity, the N5 Pro capacity calculator is preset to its 5 bays and RAID types. For the N5 Pro, the wider basics of choosing a drive are in the buying guides, and CMR versus SMR explains why SMR drives do not belong in a RAID array. Wondering what the N5 Pro can actually do: Plex, Immich, Docker, local AI? See what the N5 Pro can run.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum storage in the N5 Pro?
5 drives, up to 150 TB raw per the manufacturer. 5 × 30 TB drives, per Minisforum; the M.2/U.2 slots add up to 38 TB more (8 TB + 2 × 15 TB)
How much of the N5 Pro is actually usable?
In the N5 Pro, 5 × 8 TB in RAID 5 yields about 29.10 TiB, which is 32 TB in drive-maker terms, with 8 TB to parity. It shows less than the label because it counts in powers of two.
Can I fit larger drives in the N5 Pro later?
Yes, but on the N5 Pro classic RAID sizes to the smallest drive, so the extra space arrives only once every drive is replaced. There is no flexible RAID like SHR on this model.
Can I put third-party drives in the N5 Pro?
Yes. Minisforum publishes no drive compatibility list and no brand lock for the N5 Pro, so any CMR NAS drive up to its rated size 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)