The UnifyDrive UT2 is a compact network-attached storage (NAS) device powered by the Rockchip RK3588C processor. It supports WiFi 6, and Bluetooth, and has multiple ports for connectivity. Equipped with two M.2 2280 slots for PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs, it offers up to 16 TB of storage. The device can connect to networks via 2.5 GbE or WiFi and also function as a WiFi access point, allowing file transfers even without an internet connection. A built-in battery provides uninterruptible power supply (UPS) functionality, enabling continued operation when unplugged.
Designed for both home and mobile use, the UnifyDrive UT2 offers AI-driven storage management in a portable form factor. Its versatile networking options allow remote access, backups, and on-the-go file transfers. Despite its size, it delivers robust functionality, serving as a full-featured NAS solution in a variety of settings.
I didn’t find any significant differences between the Rockchip RK3588 and RK3588C. This is the first product we’ve covered with the RK3588C at CNX Software. However, we’ve previously reviewed several Rockchip RK3588-based NAS devices and boards, including the Radxa ROCK 5 ITX, TS-AI642 AI NAS, and FriendlyELEC CM3588. If you’re interested in similar solutions, feel free to explore these products.
The UnifyDrive UT2 specifications:
- SoC – Rockchip RK3588C octa-core 64-bit Arm processor
- CPU
- Quad-core Cortex-A76 @ 2.4GHz
- Quad-core Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz
- GPU – Mail-G610 MC4 compatible with OpenGLES 3.2, OpenCL 2.2, and Vulkan1.2
- AI accelerator – 6 TOPS NPU
- CPU
- System Memory – 8GB LPDDR4x
- Storage
- 32GB eMMC 5.1 HS400 flash memory for OS
- 2x M.2 2280 slots for PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs up to 16TB
- 1x UHS-II, SD/TF Cards support (TF Card Adapter Needed)
- 1x CFExpress Type-B/A (Type A Adapter Needed)
- Display – 1x HDMI 2.1 port and 1x Type-C port supporting up to 8K video
- Networking
- 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 port
- 802.11ax WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0
- USB
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C for data and video
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
- 1 x USB Type-C port for power input
- Power
- Input – 33W power input (12V/2.75A)
- 2,200 mAh lithium-ion rechargeable battery provides up to an hour of run time
- Dimensions and weight
- Without silicon case – 170 x 85 x 21mm | 306 grams
- With silicon case – 174 x 90 x 28mm | 371 grams
The UnifyDrive UT2 is a compact NAS designed for reliable data management. It features two M.2 slots that allow for flexible storage options, including support for a single SSD or a RAID 1 configuration for mirrored file redundancy. Additionally, it offers a custom UDR Selective RAID mode, enabling selective mirroring of important files while optimizing storage space for less critical data.
The device includes a built-in UPS battery for uninterrupted power and a U-shaped airflow design for efficient cooling across both SSDs and the chipset. It supports AP mode for direct wireless file access without an internet connection and WiFi mode for improved data transfer speeds and stable network connectivity, ensuring smooth performance during intensive tasks.
The device runs on UDOS (UnifyDrive Operating System), pre-installed on 32GB of eMMC storage. It can be controlled via Android and iOS mobile apps or a desktop interface. Additionally, the UT2 can function as a media player by connecting it to a display using HDMI or USB-C, with an included wireless remote for easy navigation. It also supports cloud backup with Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive, and offers Docker support, allowing the installation of Linux apps like Plex or Jellyfin within containers.
The company includes a remote control, USB Type-C cable, screwdriver, power adapter, HDMI cable, Ethernet cable, and two batteries with the UT2. UnifyDrive has launched its Kickstarter campaign for the UT2, revealing early bird pricing for the portable NAS at $399 for backers during the funding period. For more details, visit the Kickstarter product page or check the official product page.
Sayantan Nandy, an electronics engineer with over four years of hands-on experience in PCB design, circuit development and power electronics, is proficient in EAGLE CAD, Ki-Cad, and Altium. He has a proven track record of delivering efficient and effective systems. His expertise extends from R&D, and prototyping to production support, making him a valuable asset to any engineering team.
Support CNX Software! Donate via cryptocurrencies, become a Patron on Patreon, or purchase goods on Amazon or Aliexpress
The “AI-Driven” marketing crap totally ruins the whole description of the product, it turns a possibly good idea into yet another scam… I’m also seeing that it claims to have 4xA76 @2.4 GHz. I don’t know if that’s a difference between 3588C and 3588, to offer “2.4 GHz” instead of “up to 2.4 GHz” or if this is just another marketing lie, given the “AI” lie already. We’ll have to wait for some people to get trapped to know, but at this price it will probably take some time. After all it’s like a Rock 5B+ with a battery and a thin enclosure.
> The “AI-Driven” marketing crap
…is about cataloguing/finding media files and as such something ordinary people nowadays almost expect.
If you head over to Kickstarter they managed to attrack almost thousand backers. And there you find also another marketing gem in the FAQ about ‘security measures’: ‘Encryption (from UT2 to the SSDs), 2FA, and a zero-backdoor policy.’
> > The “AI-Driven” marketing crap
> …is about cataloguing/finding media files
Indeed, I’ve watched the first video with forced ads every 10s when you skip uninteresting areas, and it’s clearly not convincing at all.
> and as such something ordinary people nowadays almost expect.
If true, that’s becoming concerning. I’m seeing this as the best way to fill gigabytes with write-once photos that the author will never figure how to recover every time they’re misclassified.
> If you head over to Kickstarter they managed to attrack almost thousand backers.
Yes and I’m not that much surprised, there’s definitely demand for more portable NAS devices. The few that were made in the past had terrible performance, limited storage or were super expensive. This one might at least show decent performance, but the price…
> And there you find also another marketing gem in the FAQ about ‘security measures’: ‘Encryption (from UT2 to the SSDs), 2FA, and a zero-backdoor policy.’
Ah nice finding! At least the zero-backdoor “policy” is honest, it’s not a guarantee, it’s just that they don’t purposely set up backdoors (some product vendors do).
Not sure what a rk3588c is as I thought it was rk3588 vs rk3588s and don’t remember the rk3588c being mentioned as this apart from its a rk3588 with the 4 lane pcie3.0 as opposed to just a single lane of pcie2.0 on the rk3588s.
Its the price as $399 seems steep as does a 2-1 pcie adapter not exist for RK3588 boards as if so it would be half that price for the full system and less…
> Not sure what a rk3588c is
Obviously some RK3588 variant (like RK3588M) based on PCIe usage on this thing.
RK3588 exposes four Gen3 lanes + three Gen2 lanes (the latter multiplexed with SATA/USB3) while RK3588S/RK3582/RK3583 expose two Gen2 lanes also multiplexed with SATA/USB3.
Weeeell, you can run some basic inference on this thing to let it analyse your photos overnight (or over many-many nights) to catalogue it Google Photos style. If it is what they really mean – why not?
The shortest YT review I found (7 min if you skip unboxing and hardware explanations) is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zanWw53NwS8
For the CFExpress/UHS-II slots alone this could be something for media producers (especially while travelling)
Yeah I thought the same, though it’s a bit expensive as a backup drive for your photos when traveling, and always presents the risk of seeing them all stolen at the hotel (and losing all your contents if you didn’t setup an instant sync with a remote server or their cloud). It’s possible that they’re counting on the mobility aspect to drive users to their own paid backup solution by the way, as it could make a valid business model targetting travelers.
Oh great, another vendor operating system that I’m sure will be kept up to date and provide perfect configuration of the device!
(I’m betting that the graphics renderer will be llvmpipe)