While a lot of motherboards have some RAID controls built into them, if you're looking to set up a more complex RAID (or use a level not supported by your motherboard) then a controller card is a very important piece of hardware. The basic purpose of a RAID controller card is to let you connect multiple hard drives together in one of several different configurations, and use them as part of a larger total unit. Since a RAID is usually set up for data backup and speed, a good card is important to ensure your information is properly distributed and saved for either the fastest performance possible or for accurate backup in case of corruption or hardware loss. Although the prices on these cards can vary quite a lot, you'll typically find that overall value (in terms of what you're trying to set up) is really more important than just cost.
With that in mind, we've chosen these best RAID controller cards in 2022 because they give you the most options for RAID setups, since they all support at least RAID 0 and 1 types as well as other types like 10 and JBOD. You get at least two SATA or SAS ports on each of these cards, so not only do they offer RAID control, but also give you connections for additional hard drives in your system. Additionally, these cards come with software utilities you can install along with the included drivers to manage your RAID setup more efficiently.