Best RAID5 sata card for under $100?

[Tokae]

I have been thinking about setting up a small SSD for the OS and a a 4 disc RAID5 setup for the rest. I have been looking at some cards and there are several ranging from $25.00 to $150.00. One I am looking at is this:

http://www.vantecusa.com/en/product/view_detail/391

Its about $50.00 at the local tigerdirect. My big concern is reliability. I had a card recommended to me and it was a 3ware card. It retails for around $350.00 though! If the lower end cards are not reliable I might just pass on the setup until I can afford a decent card.

Any recommendations? Have any of you used this card?

Thank you in advance..

[thideras]

That isn't really a RAID card. It still uses the processor for calculations.

You'd be much better going off with a Dell Perc 5/i, a real RAID controller. I wrote a quick review (http://www.overclockers.com/dell-perc-5i-throughput-benchmarks/) for it on the front page. I paid $75 for my first one.

A real RAID card will be fully portable between systems, in case other components fail (motherboard, etc). What you are looking at may not. They are usually pretty basic.

[Tokae]

Ah thanks! Yes I was unsure about that. I had read some reviews showing that the raid was lost and unrecoverable. I will look at that dell PERC controller :)

[thideras]

As long as you get a good one, they work great. I think I've been using mine for almost (http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6070882&postcount=100) two years (http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6073067&postcount=108) now and even run two at once.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6365286&postcount=504
(http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6073067&postcount=108)

[Tokae]

That looks like the way to go for sure.. I have one of those cards here in the dell poweredge server at work... Its been great and this server is decently fast!

I checked the pics, that looked like a nice setup! :)

[Tokae]

Well I grabbed a 3ware 9650se-4lpml today :o it comes with the break out cable and the BBU all for 200 bucks! I had looked around for a dell perc card for a while and nothing was coming up. I see now though on ebay there is a dell for sale. :/ Still have to get the SSD for the OS and 4 drives for data. Exciting!

[Mr.Guvernment]

make sure you get the lastest firmware for your drives, i had a 9650, think it was that and performance was just pure crap.

[Mr.Guvernment]

my bad, it was a 9690

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=605264&highlight=3ware

[Tokae]

:O

Will do! Thanks for the tip ;)