RAID or not to RAID?

QuietOne

always shouting
I'll be upgrading my PC today when all my parts arrive. I have 2x 256GB Samsung 850 pros coming and was wondering if it's worth sticking them in RAID0 for Windows and games? Or use the 120GB Corsair Force3 for OS and two Samsung drives for games? Any other suggestions are welcome too.

The drives will be running off a Maximus VII Gene.
 
Don't RAID0 as you will get slightly longer boot times and the extra speed you won't notice in games.

Thanks Kaapstad, so I should use the 120GB for OS and a 256GB for games? I have a mechanical HDD in my gaming lappy so should I just use the other 256GB in that instead?
 
Thanks Kaapstad, so I should use the 120GB for OS and a 256GB for games? I have a mechanical HDD in my gaming lappy so should I just use the other 256GB in that instead?

Yes use the 120gb for the OS plus a few other things and 256gb SSD for games.

IIRC you can RAID0 SSDs of different capacity but you would only use 120gb of the 256gb drive to match up with the 120gb of the smaller drive so you would waste a lot of SSD storage that the RAID would not be able to use. RAID0 with 120gb + 256gb SSDs would only have a max capacity of 240gb.
 
I dont know if I need to make a whole new thread but I was also thinking of this. I have a Samsung 120gb EVO and I was wondering if I should get another to make a RAID 0 for the OS - OR should I get a 250gb+ for the OS?
 
The benefit of RAID0 is that you double your read and write speed. The drawback is you halve your reliability. By running two drives in RAID0 you split files between both drives, meaning if you lose one drive you lose the data on both. So you effectively double the chance of a drive failure because you have two drives.

Having said that, SSD reliability is rapidly overtaking HDD in terms of MTBF and warranties. So as long as you don't keep any unreplaceable files on your RAID0 array, or make sure you do regular backups, then I say go for RAID0 and have fun.
 
I decided to try my 2 x 256GB Samsung 850 Pro's in RAID0 and this was the result.
(Not sure if it represents true performance)

yq8E7uz.jpg
 
In my specific case it is that I could just pick another 120 evo ssd for 69 euros and make a raid0 - or buy a 250 evo for 115 euros. What would be the best buy there? It would ONLY be for OS and maybe 1 game.

The rest of things then I have on HD.
 
In my specific case it is that I could just pick another 120 evo ssd for 69 euros and make a raid0 - or buy a 250 evo for 115 euros. What would be the best buy there? It would ONLY be for OS and maybe 1 game.

The rest of things then I have on HD.

If its just for OS and one game then 120GB you already have is enough. If you're not bothered about system restore and you disable hibernation, you can free up about 30GB+
 
In my specific case it is that I could just pick another 120 evo ssd for 69 euros and make a raid0 - or buy a 250 evo for 115 euros. What would be the best buy there? It would ONLY be for OS and maybe 1 game.

The rest of things then I have on HD.

i'd rather get the 250 evo.. it'll last longer. Sell the single 120.
 
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