Choose a PCIe SATA card that identifies its controller and is documented as having no built-in RAID if you want the operating system to manage disks individually or create software RAID. For six added ports, StarTech’s 6P6G-PCIE-SATA-CARD is a documented ASM1166 example; for five, Delock’s 90890 uses a JMicron JMB585 controller. These are manufacturer-documented options, not independently tested recommendations. First confirm your port count, PCIe fit, operating system, and whether your setup requires individual disk passthrough.
What “no RAID” means when choosing a SATA card
The phrase can mean either that the card has no hardware RAID controller or that each attached disk must appear separately to your operating system, hypervisor, or boot environment. Those are related but not identical requirements. A card identified as an AHCI controller is in the non-RAID category, but AHCI alone does not establish how every operating system, driver, firmware, or virtualization setup will expose disks.
StarTech explicitly says its six-port 6P6G-PCIE-SATA-CARD has no built-in RAID controller and supports software RAID. ASMedia describes the ASM1166 used in that card as an AHCI controller. JMicron describes the JMB585 in Delock’s five-port 90890 as an AHCI SATA bridge. Check your exact intended OS or hypervisor configuration if separate disk presentation or passthrough is essential. StarTech 6P6G product specifications, ASMedia ASM1166 specifications, JMicron JMB585 product information.
Documented non-RAID SATA card options
The following details come from manufacturer product or controller specifications. They do not compare measured performance, reliability, or compatibility.
#1 Best Overall
- 6-PORT SATA EXPANSION CARD: Adds 6 SATA III (6Gbps) drives to your desktop at once, turning one PCIe x4 slot into a 6-bay storage pool for unRAID, TrueNAS, ZFS, Proxmox or Windows Storage Spaces software RAID. Hardware RAID is not supported.
- 277MB/S ON EVERY PORT: PCIe 3.0 X2 upstream runs at 16GT/s, and each of the 6 SATA ports delivers up to 277MB/s, so large multi-drive transfers, media libraries and backup jobs finish fast with no bottleneck.
- NO DRIVER, WIDE COMPATIBILITY: Plug and play on Windows (except XP), Mac OS, Linux and NAS systems. Set SATA mode to AHCI in BIOS or UEFI before first install. This is a data storage HBA and does not boot an operating system.
- 6 BUILT-IN LED INDICATORS: A steady red LED means the drive is powered, a flashing LED means it is reading or writing, so you can check every SATA drive at a glance without opening the case.
- FITS X4/X8/X16 SLOTS, FULL KIT INCLUDED: Ships with 6 x SATA III cables (350mm/13.5in), a 1:5 SATA power splitter cable, and both a 12cm regular and an 8cm low-profile bracket for any PC or NAS case.
| Card example | Ports and controller | Documented details relevant to a non-RAID setup |
|---|---|---|
| StarTech 6P6G-PCIE-SATA-CARD | 6; ASMedia ASM1166 | StarTech says it has no built-in RAID controller and supports software RAID. Listed as a PCIe x4 card with SATA III support. |
| Delock 90890 | 5; JMicron JMB585 | Listed as a PCIe x4 card with a two-lane interface. Delock lists SMART, TRIM, hot swap, and boot support. |
| StarTech four-port ASM1164 card | 4; ASMedia ASM1164 | Listed as PCIe x2, AHCI 1.4, and without built-in RAID. |
| StarTech two-port ASM1061 card | 2; ASMedia ASM1061 | Listed as PCIe x1 and without built-in RAID. |
| AXAGON PCES-SA6 | 6; ASMedia ASM1166 | Listed with SATA 6G and AHCI 1.4 specifications. |
“SATA III” or “6 Gb/s” describes the SATA interface rate in product documentation; it does not promise that all connected drives can sustain that rate simultaneously. Actual throughput also depends on the card’s host link, attached drives, and system configuration.
How to choose the right card for your system
1. Match the port count to your drive plan
Count the SATA devices you need to add now, then allow for any near-term expansion that justifies occupying a PCIe slot. The examples above cover two, four, five, and six ports. A larger port count is not automatically better if the card will not fit or the host link and system are unsuitable.
Rank #2
- 🚀 4-Port SATA 3.0 Expansion – 💾Add 4 high-speed SATA III (6Gbps) ports to your desktop PC via PCIe x1 slot, perfect for connecting additional SSDs or HDDs. Ideal for gamers, content creators, and professionals needing extra storage.
- 🖥️ Marvell88SE9215 Chipset for Reliable Performance – ⚡Powered by the advanced Marvell 9215 controller, this card ensures stable data transfer and broad compatibility with both modern SSDs and traditional HDDs. Enjoy faster boot times and seamless file access.
- ⚙️Boot as System Disk & Plug and Play – 🔧Use any connected SSD/HDD as a bootable system drive—great for upgrading older PCs without built-in SATA ports. Compatible with Windows XP /2003 / 7 / 8 / 10 / MAC / NAS / Linux OS. (driver-free installation for most systems).
- 💡 Low-Profile Design with Included Bracket – ✔️Includes both full-height and low-profile brackets, fitting most desktop cases (mini-ITX, small form factor, or standard towers). Comes with 4 high-quality 6Gbps SATA data cables for immediate setup—no extra purchases needed!
- ❄️ Cool & Quiet Operation – 🔌Fanless design eliminates noise while advanced heat dissipation ensures reliable performance during long workloads—perfect for home offices or gaming rigs across. Any question please connect us: Ziyituod@evisionde.com
2. Check both physical slot fit and electrical interface
A card’s connector length and its electrical lane usage are separate considerations. StarTech lists its six-port card as a PCIe x4 card, while ASMedia specifies the ASM1166 controller’s upstream link as PCIe Gen3 x2. JMicron specifies the JMB585 as PCIe Gen3 x2; Delock lists its five-port card as a PCIe x4 card with a two-lane interface. Confirm the motherboard slot, available lanes, and chassis clearance against the card and controller specifications before buying. ASMedia ASM1166 specifications, JMicron JMB585 product information, Delock 90890 specifications.
3. Verify the exact card’s OS support
Use the manufacturer’s support list for the exact product rather than assuming that a chipset label guarantees compatibility. StarTech lists Windows 7–11, macOS 10.10 and later, and Linux kernel 2.6.32 and later for its six-port model. Delock lists Windows 10/11 and Linux kernel 6.5 or above for item 90890. These are vendor specifications, not guarantees for every motherboard, firmware, driver, or OS configuration. StarTech support information, Delock 90890 specifications.
Rank #3
- 【UNLOCK THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR SSD WITH A PCIE SATA CARD】ACTIMED PCIe Express 3.0 to 8-Ports Adapter opens the possibility to connect Multiple HDD/SSD to your computer at peak performance.
- 【A SIMPLE CONNECTION】 Simply plug and play style setup. Install a hard drive to this component. Massive support of up to 128TB of storage.
- 【POWERFUL CHIPSET & ADVANCE HEATSINK】 Maximize your efficiency, stabilize your performance, and reduce error rate with ASM1064 & JB575 chip. Also, optimized cooling with aluminum heat transfer and maximize the effect of heat dissipation with a Heat-Sink.
- 【EXTENSIVE COMPATIBILITY】 Fully COMPATIBLE with X1/ 4X/ 8X/ 16X Slots on the mainboard and with compatible with both 2.5” SATA HDD/ SSD and 3.5” SATA HDD. Compatible with LINUX, Windows XP, and newer, MAC OS, and others.
- 【THE PERFECT SOLUTION】 Kit includes: 1 x PCI-E to 8-port Adapter (Includes heatsink), 8 x SATA Cables, 1 x Low-Profile Bracket, 1 x 15pin SATA Power Splitter Cable, 1 x Driver CD, and 1 Instruction Manual. (SSD Not Included)
4. Buy by model and controller, not a generic listing name
Marketplace descriptions such as “six-port PCIe SATA card” may not establish which controller or board revision is actually included. Look for an exact model number and a manufacturer specification that identifies the controller and states whether hardware RAID is present. If each disk must be passed through individually, verify that behavior for your particular OS or hypervisor instead of relying on the terms “AHCI” or “non-RAID” alone.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which one should you buy?
- Choose the StarTech 6P6G-PCIE-SATA-CARD if you need six ports and want the clearest explicit manufacturer statement that the card has no built-in RAID controller while supporting software RAID.
- Consider Delock 90890 if five ports meet your needs and its stated operating-system and PCIe requirements suit your machine.
- Choose a two- or four-port model if that is enough for your drives and better matches your available slot or expansion needs.
These choices are grounded in published specifications, not hands-on testing. No universal best card can be selected without knowing the machine’s PCIe slots and lanes, operating system, boot requirements, workload, and disk-passthrough needs.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 【4 Port SATA PCIE 3.0 Card】The PCIE SATA card allows you to add 4 SATA 3.0 6Gbps devices to your computer. If your motherboard has RAID function, you could make a RAID with this SATA Card. (WARM TIPS: Can not Support Hardware RAID)
- 【Powerful Chipest】This SATA controller card adopts Marvell 88SE9215 chip, making this card more stable and compatible. Port Multiplier FIS-based and Command-based switching supported.
- 【Advance Heatsink】The SATA card uses heat sink technology to disperse heat away from the core components to improve reliability and performance.
- 【Compatibility】with a low profile Bracket System Compatible with Windows XP /2003 / 7 / 8 / 10 / MAC / NAS / Linux OS. Support PCIe X1 / X4 / X8 / X16 slot. It also comes with a low profile bracket to fit different sizes of desktop computers.
- 【Includes All Required Accessories】Kit includes: 1 X 4-port SATA expansion card, 4 X SATA cable(40cm/15.8in), 1 X low-profile bracket, 1 X screwdriver, 2 X screw kit, 1 X anti-static bag.
Rank #4
- ✅Comprehensive compatibility: The ACTIMED PCI-E to 4 SATA port expansion card supports PCIE 3.0 slots and is backward compatible with PCIE 2.0 slots. With SATA 3.0 interface and backward compatible with SATA 2.0 / 1.0 interface.
- ✅Security and stability: Marvell 88SE9215 chipset to improve the stability and security of PCIE SATA cards. A heatsink is included for good temperature control to prevent damage caused by high temperatures.
- ✅Plug and Play: Easy installation, plug and play, hot-swappable support. the fastest speed of PCI-E 3.0 slot is 500-550 M/S. the fastest speed of PCI-E 2.0 slot is 380-450 M/S. when connected to PCI-E 1.0 slot, the speed is only 200-300 M/S. (Please check with your motherboard manufacturer for supported PCI-E versions).
- ✅Compatible slots and systems: SATA controller PCI-E X1 interface compatible with 1X/4X/8X/16 slots (transfer speeds up to SATA III 6 Gbit/s). Supports Windows 7/8/10/XP/2003/2008/Linux.
- ✅Includes all required accessories: a 4-port SATA expansion card, a SATA 15 PIN 1 to 4 power cable, 4 SATA data cables, a low profile bracket, screwdriver and screws, installation CD. Give you a convenient and fast shopping experience.
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