RAID controller roundup

A RAID array can be set up in one of two ways: You can use the controller that’s built into your motherboard’s chipset (if it includes one), which requires you to hook up your drives as normal and then edit a few BIOS settings, or purchase an external controller card, which boots its configuration menu before your operating system even loads.

Our mission is to test the performance of RAID setups using both low- and high-end RAID cards from five different manufacturers and compare those results against the performance of two common motherboard solutions. Once the dust settles, you’ll know which RAID controller will give you top performance and exactly what features you get for your buck!