What is a decent SATA card I can use? Cheap preferably

[Wilykat]

I need to add about 4 SATA ports and eBay has lots of cheap SAS RAID card but I don't know which one are any good and which one are must-avoid. I have an available PCI-e 8x slot (electrically max 4x, physically handles max 8x card) and I just need something to add 4 SATA ports. RAID feature will not be used and if it can be flashed to non RAID card it'd be nice.

Are cards like HP Smart Array E200 or Dell Perc 6/iR any good? Or what card is good? Something I can get that handles SATA II speed (most 7200 and under mechanical hard drive doesn't go fast enough to really benefit SATA III anyway), can have 4 standard SATA/SAS ports but not be limited to only the funky plug that is designed for swap plane. Some cards have odd connector at both end and can't be used directly with SATA hard drives.

Or maybe someone can tell me what NOT to get? I am not getting standard PCI version for sure, they'd get bottlenecked in no time. And not PCI-X either.

 

[FireWire2]

You can use this combo that would give you 10x SATAIII

1x http://www.amazon.com/eSATA-configurable-support-Multiplier-Windows/dp/B00DJ9SM9A

one or two: http://www.amazon.com/SATAIII-Multiplier-Bridge-bracket-mount-able/dp/B00GR5G57O

 

[popatim]

A cheap ibm m1015 flashed to IT mode would get you 8 ports native and 24 more thru an expander for about $100

 

[Wilykat]

You can use this combo that would give you 10x SATAIII

1x http://www.amazon.com/eSATA-configurable-support-Multiplier-Windows/dp/B00DJ9SM9A

one or two: http://www.amazon.com/SATAIII-Multiplier-Bridge-bracket-mount-able/dp/B00GR5G57O

That could work except I only got one spot, and the port multiple would need another PCI slot somewhere unless I just duct-taped it somewhere else. Plus the total of one basic 2 ports card and one multiplier is about the same as used IBM m1015 on eBay.

A cheap ibm m1015 flashed to IT mode would get you 8 ports native and 24 more thru an expander for about $100

That's probably the best. It's more than other SAS RAID I was looking at but if you think it's better, I'll go for it. Looks like the card uses SFF-8087 connectors? Should be easy to get SATA breakout cable if the card doesn't come with one.

 

[popatim]

These are very reliable LSI cards and can be found with or without the breakout cables. Just be sure to flash to the latest firmware be it IT (non-raid mode) or IR (raid mode).

What other cards were you looking at?

 

[Wilykat]

What other cards were you looking at?

HP Smart Array E200 or Dell Perc 6/iR, both can be had for under $30. Also I looked at SAS3081E which seems more recent and also found for under $50.

EDIT: Nm those cards can't do over 2TB.