Blackmagic Cloud Store Mini Power Consumption and Noise
For our power consumption and noise figures we are using the internal AC to DC power instead of using an external 12V power supply. This is simply because that is what we expect most users will use given it is a built-in power supply.
At idle, we got 17-18W, and 35dba in our 34dba noise floor studio. Under load, we could get the unit up to around 30W and when powering it on, the fan would hit 41dba momentarily before falling back down to very quiet operation.
Overall, this is a fairly quiet and low-power device. We have had it running in our studio about 4 meters from the set, and it is not audible, especially compared to the air conditioning in an Arizona summer.
Key Lessons Learned
We purchased this unit for $845, but then it increased in price to around $1800, and is currently selling for around $999. (B&H affiliate link.) At sub $1000, this is a decent deal as four 2TB SSDs generally sell for a bit more than $500 alone, then you get the system as well.
It is tempting to compare this to a full-featured NAS like the TerraMaster F8-SSD Plus NAS. That usually sells for under $650, but you can check the Amazon Affiliate price here and look for coupons/ discounts. Of course, the TerraMaster is a full NAS with an OS, the ability to set up RAID for redundancy, and the ability to handle eight SSDs. The drawback is less network connectivity and greater complexity. For a lot of our readers, the TerraMaster is a far superior choice, especially when the Blackmagic is priced over $1200.
Even the CWWK X86-P6 NAS we reviewed with the Intel N150 can get competitive with a much lower price and the ability to run as a full NAS with QuickSync video transcoding offload.
At the $1800 or so list price, you have to want easy above all else. Under $1000, it starts to become a neat option for those who want to simply plug the storage in and forget it. We have ours sitting off a sub-$200 MikroTik CRS304-4XG-IN in the studio (Amazon Affiliate link) where it is connected to a Mac Studio and Mac Mini, both with 10Gbase-T. That is a low-cost and simple setup for those who shun complexity.
One thing is clear though, the addition of the new users and share permissions, while not as robust as other NAS software out there, is a major step in the right direction. Kudos to Blackmagic’s team for adding this feature so we could use it here.
Final Words
There are probably two different kinds of STH readers who will view this review and have wildly differing opinions on how good this is. For a lot of people, setting up a NAS, even with the guided GUIs that we have today, is simply too much work. They are just trying to get shared network storage. For those folks who want portability and SSDs, this is exactly what they want. To other folks, this type of solution simply whiffs on basic NAS features like being able to set RIAD levels. STH’s main YouTube channel will likely pass 1 million subscribers next month, and as much as we like simplicity for video production, it is hard to argue with having more control. Still, when it is under $1000, it can be compelling, and the option of adding 4TB SSDs for 16TB can be attractive.
In some ways, this feels similar to the Blackmagic Cloud Dock 2 or Blackmagic Cloud Pod in its simplicity and elegance of what it delivers. In other ways, this is perhaps the best executed product from a design vision of the three. Perhaps our wish for this to have actual NAS features beyond just exposing a network share and setting permissions is because the unit is so well executed otherwise. Still, that ability to add users, share folders, and permissions is a big upgrade. Previously, the Blackmagic Cloud Store setup app did not even have an option for Security. Now, this device is far from complex, but it is far more usable with this software update.
As a quick aside, we know folks will probably want to see the 12-drive Cloud Store Max with 100GbE. Unfortunately, that is a bit outside of our budget to buy for one of these reviews.
8TB Raw for $990, which includes the hardware and software? This seems like an excellent deal for anyone looking for NAS-lite or DAS style system.
If you aren’t in video prod, you may not know them, but BMD is a big US co so this isn’t some fly by night Chinese NAS. I’d want more, but the user and shares is a huge factor now
18W at idle? That’s way too much for a tiny SoC, 4 SSDs, even with 10GbE. Either they didn’t bother with proper power management or the components are extremely old (like Intel X520 which doesn’t support EEE). It’s a shame you didn’t take off the heatsinks to check which components are used.
Are there screwholes and room for rack ears for a 10″ or even a 19″ rack?
Paul – to rack mount you need BMD’s shelf which can be split to house several different bits of their kit on the same shelf. The thermal design is designed to pass the heat sideways through all the devices on the shelf. BMD kit is known for running hot though, so I’d probably put the NAS as the first one in the chain.
Also Reed – BMD is Australian.
BMD a huge US company? You obviously don’t work in video production! A fantastic AUSTRALIAN company, always has been
I looked at the manufacturer’s website. The four SSDs are configured as RAID0.
May issue with BMD gear is reliability. I’ve had 21 of 22 pieces of a product have their internal power supplies fail over the course of a few years. The warranty process for them was a pain and in the end it was simply easier to mod their gear to use external 12V power supplies which permitted them to run cooler and surprisingly more reliable.
Outside of that one major blip, they’ve been decent. What has gotten me excited is that they have a video production focused 10 Gbit switch out.