Best RAID Controllers of 2026
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RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) controllers are hardware devices used to manage multiple hard drives as a single logical unit for improved performance, reliability, and data protection. These controllers come in different types, including hardware RAID, software RAID, and hybrid RAID. They are commonly used in servers, workstations, and high-performance computing environments. RAID controllers offer a range of benefits, including improved data access times, reduced risk of data loss, and simplified storage management. They are recommended for businesses and individuals looking to enhance their storage capabilities and protect their data.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
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Top 6 RAID Controllers
StarTech.com 4-Port PCIe SATA RAID Controller
The StarTech.com SATA Controller Card allows you to easily add four SATA III 6Gbps ports to your desktop or server. This is particularly useful for connecting additional hard drives or SSDs, enhancing your storage capabilities. With its Marvell RAID controller, you can configure JBOD or RAID modes to suit your data management needs. The HyperDuo feature intelligently allocates frequently accessed files to a faster SSD, improving access speeds. Furthermore, the easy installation process ensures you can set it up without hassle.
LSI 9201-8i RAID Controller Card with SFF-8087
The LSI 9201-8i Controller offers impressive features for users needing efficient data management. With a robust data transfer rate of 6Gbps, you can expect quick and reliable access to your data, enhancing overall performance. The use of IT Mode firmware ensures compatibility with various systems, making installation straightforward. Additionally, the dual Mini-SAS SFF8087 connectors provide flexibility for connecting multiple drives, allowing for expanded storage options. This means you can easily scale your system to meet your growing data needs.
IO Crest 5 Port PCI-E SATA Controller Card
The IO Crest SATA Controller allows you to connect up to five SATA drives to any available PCI-E x4 slot, offering impressive speeds of up to 1700 MB/s. This plug-and-play device requires no additional software installation, making it incredibly user-friendly. It also supports port multipliers without relying on RAID configurations, enhancing your storage options. Moreover, it is compatible with both SATA hard drives and solid-state drives, ensuring versatility for your storage needs.
10Gtek 12G Internal PCI-E HBA Controller Card
The 10Gtek SAS 3008 Controller offers a 12G Internal PCI-E SAS/SATA HBA RAID Controller Card, providing high-speed data transfer for your storage needs. With the Broadcom SAS 3008 controller, you can expect reliable performance and improved system efficiency. The PCIe 3.0 with X8 Lane enhances connectivity options, while the dual Mini SAS SFF-8643 ports allow for multiple device connections, making it easier for you to expand your storage setup. This card is an excellent choice for boosting your system's data management capabilities.
HP Smart Array P408i-p SR Gen10 Storage Controller
The HP P408i-p Storage Controller is a reliable RAID controller designed to enhance your computer's storage capabilities. With eight channels supporting SATA 6Gb/s and SAS 12Gb/s, it offers impressive data transfer speeds of up to 1.2 GBps, ensuring that you can efficiently manage large amounts of data. The various RAID options, including levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, provide flexibility for your data security and performance needs. Weighing just 0.454 kg, it is lightweight and easy to handle, making installation straightforward for users.
Heayzoki PCI to 4 Internal SATA Card
The Heayzoki SATA Expansion Card allows you to connect up to four hard drives, making it ideal for users needing extra storage. It supports large capacity drives over 137 GB, giving you flexibility for data management. With a high transmission rate of 1.5Gbps, you can expect efficient data transfer for your applications. Additionally, it features PCI 32-bit bus support, ensuring compatibility with various systems and improving overall performance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are the types of RAID controller?
RAID controllers contain and manage the guidelines or protocols to achieve this task. There are many classifications of RAID. Commonly used RAID types include RAID 0 (Data Striping), RAID 1 (Disk Mirroring) and RAID 5 controller (Striping with Distributed Parity).
2. Do I need a RAID controller?
RAID 5 and 6 will get you significantly improved read performance. But write performance is largely dependent on the RAID controller used. For RAID 5 or 6, you will most certainly need a dedicated hardware controller. This is due to the need to calculate the parity data and write it across all the disks.
3. What is a RAID 5 controller?
RAID 1 - makes a copy of data on at least two disks without parity information, striping or spanning disk space across multiple disks. RAID 5 - distributes data across two or more disks with distributed parity.
4. What is SAS RAID controller?
SAS Controllers have all but replaced SATA controllers on the mid and high-end because they are compatible with both high performance SAS hard drives and high capacity SATA drives.
During our raid controller research, we found 261 raid controller products and shortlisted 6 quality products. We collected and analyzed 6,283 customer reviews through our big data system to write the raid controllers list. We found that most customers choose raid controllers with an average price of £74.59.
The raid controllers are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of raid controllers, including StarTech, LANPAN, IO Crest, 10Gtek, HP.
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