Radxa is back with an updated version of its Taco NAS board, and it’s designed for anyone who wants to turn Raspberry Pi hardware into a serious home storage server. The newest model, Radxa Taco V1.61, is now available for preorder at $65, although you’ll still need to factor in the separate cost of the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 to complete the build.
Unlike typical Raspberry Pi add-on boards that are made for the standard Raspberry Pi layout, the Radxa Taco is built around the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5. That choice is important because it lets the board go beyond simple storage expansion and add stronger networking and connectivity options—two things that matter a lot when you’re building a fast NAS for backups, media libraries, or a home lab.
One of the biggest highlights is the dual Ethernet setup. You get two network ports: one tops out at 1Gbps, while the other supports up to 2.5Gbps. For a NAS, that faster 2.5GbE connection can make a real difference. Even traditional hard drives can push enough throughput to max out a regular gigabit connection in many real-world scenarios, so having 2.5GbE helps the system keep up when transferring large files, serving multiple users, or streaming high-bitrate media across your network.
Wireless isn’t ignored either. The board includes an M.2 2230 slot, allowing users to install a compatible Wi-Fi and Bluetooth card if a wired connection isn’t ideal for their setup.
Storage is where the Radxa Taco really leans into NAS territory. The design supports up to five separate drives, with compatibility for both 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch storage. That covers full-size desktop hard drives, smaller laptop-style drives, and SATA SSDs—giving you plenty of options depending on whether you want maximum capacity, better performance, or a balance of both.
For system setup, there’s also a microSD card slot, which is typically used to install the operating system. This approach gives users flexibility to choose how they configure their NAS software, but it also means you’ll handle OS installation and updates yourself—something experienced Raspberry Pi and home server users will be familiar with.
To help protect data and improve performance, the Radxa Taco supports multiple RAID modes, including RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10. That opens the door to different storage strategies, from speed-focused configurations to redundancy-focused setups designed to reduce the risk of data loss if a drive fails.
Expansion and external connectivity are included as well. GPIO headers are available for hardware projects and add-ons, and there are two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports for attaching external drives or other high-speed peripherals.
Overall, the Radxa Taco V1.61 targets makers and home server builders who want a compact NAS solution with multi-drive support, flexible storage options, and faster-than-gigabit networking—powered by the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 platform.
