For my next project, I started thinking about building a home NAS (Network Attached Storage) server. I thought it would be an interesting project and allow me to reuse some hardware that I have on the shelf. I am in no hurry to complete this project, as I have to concentrate on other projects that I cannot ignore. As usual the problem that you run into when selecting hardware, you often find that what you want is out of stock or it is only made by one company and that company is most likely in China. There are a few computer cases that are specifically for building a NAS server, however most of them are not impressive or are are costly for what they offer. Newegg and Amazon both sell computer cases from JONSBO and I specifically liked the N4 case, which was unavailable in the USA from either retailer. AliExpress.com also sells JONSBO products. I have never bought anything from AliExpress and finding credible online reviews is not easy. Hence this is a review of my shopping experience with AliExpress.com and not the actual JONSBO case. I will eventually do that later.
AliExpress Similar to Amazon
The first thing to know is that AliExpress is similar to Amazon. It is a marketplace of different sellers, all selling the same product. If you have the model number for what you want and the company name who makes it, it is pretty easy to find multiple links for the product. The price will vary dramatically and remember that you are buying a product that is in China that has to be shipped to you directly, so shipping charges and import fees will apply. If you are buying something for a couple of hundred dollars, you might not pay much, however if you are purchasing something that is moderately expensive, then it might not be worth it. You would be better off comparing the prices to Amazon if they carry the product. Since what I was interested in was under two hundred dollars, I decided to go ahead and purchase the case.
I searched through all the product listings that I could find for the JONSBO N4 Case and found a link that appeared to be from JONSBO, the actual company, and not a reseller. They included free shipping as well. Note, you have to be extra careful at time of purchase, because the product page lists multiple cases, and I specifically wanted the N4 black model. Double-check that in the Cart page you have selected the correct model and or product.
Buying anything from China directly is confusing, because the companies do not always accurately translate into English their product descriptions and or websites.
Once I completed the order, then you wait. This is not Amazon Prime shipping, because the warehouse is literally across an ocean and multiple states!
Shipping Experience
The order was completed on August 28th at 10 PM US Central time. This is the email confirmation that I received right away.
To track the package, I checked the AliExpress Order Tracking page and here is what it looked like eventually:
The Order Tracking is not accurate. I actually received the package on September 25th. There is a tracking number that is provided did not link to anything, so I checked it manually and found that this was a FedEx number and I was then able to track the package from FedEx.
The Box
Upon inspecting the box, I noticed it stated N3 and not N4. Inside the box, there was an N4 computer case. Much like other companies that make a small number of products, the box is designed for one model, but they ship everything in the same box. I have bought computer speakers and found that they used the same box. You had to check the package label or open the box to make sure you got what you ordered. Here is what the box looked like in my garage.
