Question Good PCIe SATA add on card?

Mark_Venture

Member
Dec 7, 2010
29
2
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So I want to add additional hard drives to my PC but I'm out of SATA ports on my Asus Prime Z370-A motherboard. Are there any good suggestions for a PCIe SATA card?

I should say that I have another computer (Asus Z170-Deluxe mother board, i7-6700k) I'm using as my Plex Server, that back in 2016 I had inserted an IO Crest PEX-40057 to add more drives. Its PCI-e 2.0 x2, and fits in an X2 slot (i have it in the Z170's third X16 slot). I do notice write speeds seem to slow a little when copying files to more than one drive attached to the card at the same time. So while I know this card works, I guess I was hoping to find something faster?

I've seen some X4 slot cards, like the IO Crest PEX-40139 which is based on a JMB585 chip, and says PCIe Gen3 x2? as well as some other X4 cards that are SAS controllers? Since they require X4 slots, am I correct in thinking they wouldn't slow down as much when writing data to multiple drives?

Any thoughts?

EDIT: While I referenced my Plex Server, the card will be put into the other PC which is used for my every day stuff like video recording and editing, web browsing, etc.
 
Last edited:

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,487
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If it is content drive on worm duty, who cares how slow it writes.
I use external hdd and usb hub.
 

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
6,739
156
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Performance will be about the same between them all.
I've experimented with x4 marvell and asmedia based addon cards in the past.
Check out highpoint and the cheaper syba offerings.

Keep in mind that many motherboards with extra sata ports use the very same controllers that these addon cards do.
 

compcons

Platinum Member
Oct 22, 2004
2,270
1,340
146
Used server HBA or RAID card is usually what I do. Don't forget to pickup the breakout cables as well. You can get them for $25-100 off ebay.
Typically 8 drives off two SFF ports. If you do an HBA, you can just add the drive since it doesn't need to be initialized.