Best PCIe SATA 3 Controller

NewerTech MAXPower eSATA 6G PCIe 2.0 Controller Card
Image: NewerTech MAXPower eSATA 6G PCIe 2.0 Controller Card by instaSHINOBI (CC BY 2.0)

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PCIe SATA cards advertise 6 Gb/s per SATA port, but that is a per-link signaling rate, not guaranteed aggregate throughput. Controller chipset, PCIe lane width, port multipliers, boot support, operating-system drivers and whether the card is true hardware RAID all matter. Avoid counting the same unbranded PCB under several marketplace names.

# Product Price Where to buy
1 Graviton JMB585 PCIe to 5-Port SATA III Controller Card $43.97 Amazon
2 StarTech 6-Port PCIe SATA Card PEXSAT34RH $80-$120 Amazon
3 IO Crest SI-PEX40164 $45-$70 Amazon
4 Syba SI-PEX40064 $35-$55 Amazon · eBay
5 Inateck KT4006 PCIe SATA Card $30-$45 Amazon · eBay
6 JMicron JMB585 5-Port PCIe SATA Controller Card $35-$50 Amazon · eBay
7 ASMedia ASM1166 6-Port PCIe SATA Controller Card $45-$75 Amazon · eBay
8 Marvell 88SE9215 4-Port PCIe SATA Controller Card $35-$60 Amazon · eBay
9 JMicron JMB582 plus JMB575 10-Port SATA Card $55-$85 Amazon
10 ASM1166 plus JMB575 10-Port SATA Card $80-$130 Amazon

The picks, in detail

Graviton JMB585 PCIe to 5-Port SATA III Controller Card
Pick 01 of 10

Graviton JMB585 PCIe to 5-Port SATA III Controller Card

A current US listing identifies a five-port JMB585 PCIe SATA III controller card.

  • JMB585 chipset
  • 5 SATA 6 Gb/s ports
  • PCIe controller card
Pros

  • current US listing
  • five-port storage expansion
Cons

  • shared PCIe uplink
  • confirm boot and OS support
Price: $43.97
StarTech 6-Port PCIe SATA Card PEXSAT34RH
Pick 02 of 10

StarTech 6-Port PCIe SATA Card PEXSAT34RH

Six-port ASMedia ASM1166 card with SATA I/II/III support.

  • ASM1166 chipset
  • PCIe interface
  • 6 SATA ports
Pros

  • named-brand support
  • six internal ports
Cons

  • aggregate bandwidth is shared
  • confirm boot support
Price: $80-$120
IO Crest SI-PEX40164
Pick 03 of 10

IO Crest SI-PEX40164

ASM1166-based PCIe SATA controller card; verify the exact revision and bracket supplied.

  • ASM1166 chipset
  • PCIe card
  • SATA III ports
Pros

  • common home-server option
  • chipset stated
Cons

  • board revisions vary
  • not hardware RAID
Price: $45-$70
Syba SI-PEX40064
Pick 04 of 10

Syba SI-PEX40064

Four-port ASMedia SATA PCIe card for adding standard SATA III ports.

  • ASMedia controller
  • PCIe card
  • 4 SATA ports
Pros

  • smaller port count
  • simple storage expansion
Cons

  • shared PCIe bandwidth
  • check boot mode
Inateck KT4006 PCIe SATA Card
Pick 05 of 10

Inateck KT4006 PCIe SATA Card

Four-port PCIe SATA expansion card for SATA drives; check chipset and OS support on the exact listing.

  • 4 SATA ports
  • PCIe expansion
  • SATA III listing
Pros

  • compact expansion route
  • common retail availability
Cons

  • revision-specific chipset
  • not RAID by default
JMicron JMB585 5-Port PCIe SATA Controller Card
Pick 06 of 10

JMicron JMB585 5-Port PCIe SATA Controller Card

A five-port PCIe Gen3 x2-to-SATA controller design; buy by the disclosed JMB585 board, not marketplace branding.

  • JMB585 chipset
  • PCIe Gen3 x2
  • 5 SATA 6 Gb/s ports
Pros

  • five native ports
  • TRIM pass-through listings
Cons

  • not count same-board rebrands twice
  • software RAID only unless stated
ASMedia ASM1166 6-Port PCIe SATA Controller Card
Pick 07 of 10

ASMedia ASM1166 6-Port PCIe SATA Controller Card

A six-port PCIe Gen3 x2 controller design; different sellers may use the same underlying board.

  • ASM1166 chipset
  • PCIe Gen3 x2
  • 6 SATA 6 Gb/s ports
Pros

  • six-port density
  • SATA III signaling
Cons

  • not hardware RAID by default
  • shared upstream bandwidth
Marvell 88SE9215 4-Port PCIe SATA Controller Card
Pick 08 of 10

Marvell 88SE9215 4-Port PCIe SATA Controller Card

Four-port Marvell-controller card route; verify firmware, boot behavior and OS driver support before deployment.

  • 88SE9215 chipset
  • PCIe x1 design
  • 4 SATA ports
Pros

  • widely documented chipset
  • modest port count
Cons

  • x1 bandwidth is shared
  • not all boards boot equally
JMicron JMB582 plus JMB575 10-Port SATA Card
Pick 09 of 10

JMicron JMB582 plus JMB575 10-Port SATA Card

Ten-port design that uses a controller plus port multiplier; suitable only after checking multiplier and OS compatibility.

  • JMB582 plus JMB575
  • PCIe x1
  • 10 SATA ports
Pros

  • many ports in one slot
  • SATA III advertised
Cons

  • port multiplier architecture
  • shared bandwidth
Price: $55-$85
ASM1166 plus JMB575 10-Port SATA Card
Pick 10 of 10

ASM1166 plus JMB575 10-Port SATA Card

Ten-port card using an ASM1166 controller plus port multiplier; it is distinct from a native five- or six-port board.

  • ASM1166 plus JMB575
  • PCIe x4
  • 10 SATA ports
Pros

  • higher port count
  • controller architecture stated
Cons

  • multiplier compatibility matters
  • not hardware RAID
Price: $80-$130

Buying tips

  • Check the exact chipset and board revision before ordering.
  • SATA III is 6 Gb/s per port; the PCIe uplink is shared.
  • Most low-cost cards provide AHCI/pass-through, not true hardware RAID.
  • Confirm boot support and drivers for your operating system.

As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.

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