Introducing the Drobo Mini
The Drobo Mini is a compact, 4-bay storage array designed for small businesses and prosumers who want protected storage in a portable form factor. It was first released in November 2012 by Drobo, a company known for making data storage devices that are easy to use and maintain.
Some of the key features of the Drobo Mini include:
- Compact size – Measures 7.3 x 7.1 x 1.8 inches and can be tucked away on a desk or shelf.
- 4 drive bays – Supports up to 4 2.5-inch SATA HDDs or SSDs.
- BeyondRAID – Drobo’s proprietary RAID technology that protects data without complexity.
- Single or dual disk redundancy – Options to safeguard data from up to 2 drive failures.
- Easy to use – Dashboard interface simplifies setup and management.
The Drobo Mini is targeted at prosumers, small office/home office users, and small businesses that want an easy-to-use, high capacity storage solution. With its portability and BeyondRAID protection, the Drobo Mini allows these users to protect important data without needing IT expertise.
Drobo Mini Specifications
The Drobo Mini offers up to 480 GB of storage capacity with four 2.5″ drive bays that support SSDs or HDDs (hard disk drives). The storage is expandable by inserting larger drives into the hot-swappable drive bays.
The physical dimensions of the Drobo Mini are 7.3″ x 1.8″ x 7.1″ (18.54 cm x 4.57 cm x 18.03 cm) and it weighs just under 3 lbs (1.3 kg) without drives installed.1
For connectivity, the Drobo Mini has dual Thunderbolt ports, a USB 3.0 port, and an mSATA port for optional SSD cache. This allows for daisy chaining multiple devices as well as fast performance over Thunderbolt or USB 3.0.
The Drobo Mini is compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 and higher, Windows 8 and higher, certain Linux distributions, and iOS and Android for mobile monitoring via the Drobo Dashboard app.2
Drobo Mini Pricing Overview
The Drobo Mini has an MSRP of $649 for the empty 4-bay enclosure without any hard drives included. This makes it one of Drobo’s more affordable models geared towards consumers and small businesses looking for an entry-level desktop RAID storage solution.
The Drobo Mini is frequently available at discounted prices from various retailers. It can often be found on sale for $499 – $599. For example, B&H Photo currently offers the Drobo Mini for $549 (source).
The largest factor affecting the Drobo Mini’s price is that the hard drives must be purchased separately. A complete functioning Drobo Mini with 4 hard drives installed can cost $800 – $1200+. The specific drive capacities and models selected will determine the total price.
It’s best to shop around online or wait for promotions to find discounts on the enclosure itself. The hard drives can then be purchased separately based on needs and budget.
Where to Buy a Drobo Mini
The Drobo Mini is available from several major online retailers as well as directly from Drobo.
On Amazon, the Drobo Mini typically sells for around $350-400 depending on the specific model and seller.
At B&H Photo Video, prices are similar, ranging from $349 for a refurbished 4-bay Thunderbolt model up to $399 for a new unit.
Adorama also carries the Drobo Mini starting at $349 for refurbished units.
You can purchase the Drobo Mini direct from Drobo’s website as well. Their pricing is in line with major retailers.
Overall, expect to pay between $350-400 for a new or refurbished Drobo Mini depending on the seller, accessories included, and discounts available.
Factors Affecting Drobo Mini Pricing
The biggest factor affecting the price of a Drobo Mini is the amount of storage capacity included. The Drobo Mini itself starts at around $650 without any hard drives installed https://www.cnet.com/reviews/drobo-mini-review/. Adding higher capacity drives like 4TB or 6TB drives will increase the overall price significantly. Many retailers offer bundled packages with the Drobo Mini and a set of hard drives pre-installed, which can save money compared to buying them separately.
Retailers frequently offer discounts and sales on the Drobo Mini, especially during holiday shopping seasons. Watch for temporary price drops around Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other peak sales periods. Both the standalone unit and bundled packages are often eligible for discounts of $50-100 or more.
Buying a gently used or refurbished Drobo Mini can be a way to get the device at a lower price point. Models sold through Amazon Renewed or the official Drobo Outlet eBay store often cost $100-200 less than a brand new device. Just be aware that warranty coverage may be reduced on refurbished models.
Drobo Mini Storage Upgrades
One of the key benefits of the Drobo Mini is the ability to expand storage over time by adding additional hard drives. The Drobo Mini originally shipped with four drive bays, allowing you to start with as little as 1TB of total storage across all drives (if using 1TB drives) and expand to up to 4TB initially (if filling all four bays with 1TB drives).
Many customers choose to start small with only 1 or 2 drives installed, and then add additional drives later on as their storage needs grow. The Drobo Mini supports up to 4TB maximum in the 4-bay model, allowing you to upgrade by adding larger capacity drives over time.
The BeyondRAID technology that Drobo uses enables expanding storage in this flexible manner, since it abstracts the hard drives into a single large virtual drive. So you can mix and match drives of different sizes and just keep adding more until all bays are filled.
Drobo Mini Accessories
The Drobo Mini can be enhanced and expanded with a variety of accessories available for purchase separately. Some of the key Drobo Mini accessories include:
- Extra hard drives – Additional 3.5″ SATA I/II/III hard disk drives can be added to increase the overall capacity. Drobo offers drives specifically tested and optimized to work with the Drobo Mini.
- Cables – Drobo Mini comes with 1 USB 3.0 cable. Additional cables can be purchased like Thunderbolt cables or longer USB cables for connectivity.
- Drobo Mini Rack Mount Kit – Allows installing the Drobo Mini in a standard rackmount chassis. Fits within 1U rack space.
Prices for Drobo Mini accessories purchased separately are in the $20-$150 range depending on item. Cables tend to be on the lower end around $20-50 while hard drives are on the higher end from $100-150 each. The rack mount kit is around $60-80.
Key places to purchase Drobo Mini accessories include the Drobo website, Amazon, and authorized Drobo resellers. Buying accessories bundled together with the main unit can offer savings compared to purchasing separately.
Drobo Mini Warranty
The Drobo Mini comes with a standard 2-year warranty that covers any defects in materials or workmanship. Drobo also offers an extended 3-year DroboCare warranty for purchase.
The standard 2-year warranty provides hardware coverage as well as 90 days of complimentary technical support. With the DroboCare extended warranty, you receive an additional year of hardware coverage as well as phone and email support for the full 3 years.
According to the Drobo Mini Getting Started Guide, the standard warranty does not cover damage from improper use, unauthorized modifications, external causes (such as natural disasters), or secondhand purchases without proof of purchase.
To take advantage of the warranty, you will need to provide proof of purchase from an authorized Drobo reseller. You can initiate a warranty claim by contacting Drobo support and providing your serial number.
Drobo Mini Alternatives
Those looking for a small NAS alternative to the Drobo Mini may want to consider options like the Synology DS220+, QNAP TS-230, or Asustor AS5202T. These 2-bay NAS devices are similar in size and capacity to the Drobo Mini, while offering modern features and performance.
The Synology DS220+ is a popular alternative praised for its intuitive DSM operating system with helpful applications for media, backups, security, and more. It supports up to 32TB of storage with two HDDs and has an Intel Celeron quad-core CPU. The QNAP TS-230 also has a quad-core CPU and two bays, and provides business-oriented features like snapshots and hybrid backup. For media enthusiasts, the Asustor AS5202T has HDMI output for direct media playback.
Those wanting Thunderbolt connectivity like the Drobo Mini may prefer the Promise Pegasus32 R4, which has 4 bays and two Thunderbolt ports. When it comes to ease of use and software experience though, Synology, QNAP, and Asustor have an edge over Drobo.
Overall, these alternative 2-bay NAS devices offer comparable capacity to the Drobo Mini in a similar form factor, but with more modern components, features, and support. For those wanting a simple and compact NAS, they represent excellent alternatives to consider.
Final Thoughts
The Drobo Mini is a compact, versatile storage solution for home and small business users. With its starting price of around $300, it provides an affordable entry point into Drobo’s proprietary BeyondRAID storage technology. While you can spend significantly more on upgrades, even the base model Mini offers excellent capacity and protection compared to a single external hard drive.
For home users seeking an easy-to-use backup solution, the Drobo Mini is highly recommended. Its automated data protection features ensure your data is safe without the complexity of traditional RAID setups. If you need more storage capacity, upgrading the hard drives is a simple process that doesn’t require any technical expertise.
For businesses, the Drobo Mini works well for small server rooms and offices. It provides central shared storage for a few users to access files and applications. The optional memory upgrade also improves performance for demanding environments. While larger businesses may require more advanced NAS devices, the Drobo Mini is an excellent entry-level network storage device.
In summary, the Drobo Mini is a versatile, affordable data storage solution for personal and business users alike. Its unique BeyondRAID technology provides the simplicity of a single drive along with the protection of RAID. If you’re looking for reliable, compact storage, the Drobo Mini is difficult to beat.