Designed for use as a private cloud server, the Buffalo LinkStation 720 (LS720D, $349.99 for the 4TB base configuration we tested) is a two-bay network attached storage (NAS) device that comes with drives preinstalled and offers multi-gig networking. It’s very easy to install and configure, and it performed well in testing. But it’s not as fast as our Editors’ Choice winner, the Asustor Drivestor AS1102T, nor does it offer any of the supplemental apps that you get with most other NAS devices.

Preinstalled Drives for Easy Setup

The LinkStation 720 uses a black, tool-free enclosure that measures 5.0 by 3.4 by 8.1 inches (HWD). Behind a removable panel on the front are two hot-swappable drive bays. In the configuration reviewed here, they're each populated with 2TB drives, for a total of 4TB. Buffalo also sells an 8TB configuration for $449.99 and a 16TB version for $539.99. Many other competing NAS devices require you to purchase and install your own hard drives.

To the right of the bays are power and Function LEDs, a Function button, and a USB 3.2 Type-A port. The Function button initiates Direct Copy, which allows you to back up data from USB devices. Around back are a 2.5GbE LAN port, a USB 2.0 port, a USB 3.2 port, an Init/Reset button, a power port, and a power switch. Inside, a single fan keeps all of the internal components cool. Missing is an HDMI port for direct video output, although the Drivestor AS11002T also lacks one.

The LinkStation 720 is powered by a hexa-core CPU running at 1.3GHz and 2GB of memory. Our 4TB unit came configured for RAID 1, but you can order any capacity and have it configured for RAID 0, RAID 1, or JBOD. Inside the box are the NAS drive, a LAN cable, a power adapter and power cord, and a Quick Start guide.

The LinkStation 720 can be managed from your phone using the Buffalo Smartphone Navigator mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Or, you can manage the device using the more traditional web console. Both are easy to use, but neither offer the third-party apps that you get with other NAS devices such as the QNAP TS-233, the Asustor Drivestor 2 AS1102T, and the Synology DiskStation DS220j. Many NAS devices offer a hundred or more apps for extensive customization and management of your network storage.

Still, even without apps, the 720's web console does allow you to view and change basic settings, as well as configure the storage drives. The Dashboard view displays system status information including network activity, CPU usage, memory usage, and storage usage. 

On left side of the Dashboard is a menu where you can access settings for File Sharing, Storage, Cloud Storage, Applications, Network, Backup, and Management. In File Sharing, you can set up folders, create users and groups, enable restrictions for folders, configure SMB and FTP settings, and allow web access to your data. The Storage menu is where you go to add and format internal and USB drives, configure RAID settings, and check drive health. The Cloud Storage menu offers settings for syncing up with Dropbox, Microsoft Azure, and Microsoft Azure cloud services. Network settings is where you go to configure IP address, SNMP, Workgroup/Domain, and Proxy Server settings. Here, you can also ping a target IP address. 

Finally, the Backup menu lets you create backup schedules and configure Time Machine and Direct Copy settings, and the Management menu offers settings for power management, email notifications, notifications, and updates. Here you can also set a sleep timer and view system logs. The Applications menu has just one entry, and that’s for enabling the built-in DLNA server for sharing multimedia files.

Setting Up the LinkStation 720: Installation's a Cinch

I chose to use the web console for installation, which was fast and easy since the LinkStation 720 comes with drives preinstalled and configured for RAID 1. I connected the NAS to my router using the included LAN cable, powered it up, and opened a browser on my desktop PC, which was also connected to the router. I typed d.buffalo.jp/LS720D/ in the browser address bar, which launched a download menu from which I selected NAS Navigator2 (Windows). I installed the software and started the program, and the LinkStation 720 was immediately recognized. I clicked on the drive and configured the time zone, and then went to the Dashboard. From there, I ran a firmware update and was ready for testing. 

The LinkStation 720 performed admirably on our file transfer performance tests, in which we measure read and write speeds by transferring a 4.9GB folder containing a mix of music, video, photo, and office document files from the NAS to a connected desktop system and back again.

The LinkStation 720's write speed of 85MBps was faster than the TerraMaster F2-210 (70MBps) but a bit slower than the QNAP TS-233 (87MBps). The Asustor AS1102T led with a score of 89MBps. On the read test, the LS720D managed 80MBps, once again beating the TerraMaster F2-210 (77MBps) but not the QNAP TS-233 (87MBps) or the Asustor AS1102T (89MBps).

Where Have All the Apps Gone?

If you’re in need of a two-bay NAS device to back up your data and share it in your own personal cloud, the Buffalo Linkstation 720 (LS720D) will fit the bill. It comes with preinstalled, preconfigured storage drives and is a snap to install. It also delivered solid file transfer performance in our tests.

The main deal breaker for enthusiasts who like extensive customization options is the lack of an app library. True, the LinkStation 720 comes with built-in tools for synchronizing and sharing data using Dropbox, Microsoft Azure, and Microsoft OneDrive, and it offers multimedia sharing via a DLNA server utility. But it doesn’t provide access to a catalog of server, office-productivity, and entertainment apps that you get with our Editors’ Choice pick for two-bay NAS drives, the Asustor Drivestor 2 AS1102T.

You'll want to opt for that model, or a Synology or QNAP equivalent, if a robust app ecosystem (and the flexibility of use that follows from that) matters more to you than having hard drives preinstalled in your NAS chassis, ready to go. But for a basic-use, plug-in-and-go NAS solution, the LinkStation 720 acquits itself just fine.