Pros and Cons for a RAID 0, 1 or 1+0 in a gaming rig?

[Bot2011]

Pros and Cons for a RAID 0, 1 or 0+1 in a gaming rig?

I am still trying to learn new things and this RAID setup system has really got me intrigued. I was wondering if anyone who has a wealth of knowledge about the various RAID setups can give me some pros and cons as to whether having a RAID setup is good, bad or indifferent for a gaming machine.

I have a basic understanding of how each setup works just need to know whether its going to be the right move for my gaming machine.

 

[TheMajor]

RAID0 will increase loading times a little. The available space will be the sum of both drives.

RAID1 are two hard disks with the same content; if one fails, you can replace it or keep using the other drive. You only get the storage of a single disk. RAID1 is slower than a single disk.

RAID0+1 is a RAID0 array which is mirrored. If one drive fails you can replace it or keep using the drives that are still working (requires 4 disks). Capacity is the same as RAID0. RAID0+1 is about as fast as RAID0 I think.

 

[RGELLIS]

RAID0 the sustained access times are near double the speed compared to a single drive as it spits the data equally between the 2 drives at block level although you have double the likleyhood of failure with 2 drives, and if one drive goes, then its all gone.

RAID1 is really only for people who have absolutley CRITICAL data that must be backed up at all times, there is little to no speed difference.

RAID0+1 is basically just 2 striped arrays that are mirrored, equalling double the speed with 2+2.

 

[b1gapl]

RAID 0+1 is a pretty pricey one to setup, since it requires 4 hard drives. So what I would do is RAID 0 two hard drives, and have another one as a backup to that.

 

[Bot2011]

Okay but is there any real benefit using any of these setups with a gaming rig?

I was thinking of going with 2 seagate 320gb drives and using RAID0 or 1. But now I am having second thoughts. I am not sue which way to go. As this rig will be 90% gaming I don't want to do something that I wont see any benefit from.

 

[b1gapl]

The benefit of RAID 0, is faster loading times. The benefit of RAID 1 is security. If you want both, do what I said. RAID 0 two hard drives, and have another to back it up.

 

[gurusan]

Honestly I'd just go with a decently fast HD like the Seagate 7200.10....loading times aren't THAT important.

I have a few games installed on my non-raid 320gb HD and I'm still usually the 1st or 2nd person to enter the level in games like Quake 4.

 

[baron5]

i would like to one day get raid 0. but really wats the chances of raid 0 hdd failing?

 

[gurusan]

i would like to one day get raid 0. but really wats the chances of raid 0 hdd failing?

I've never had a HD fail on me (crosses fingers)....the Antec 900 also keeps my hard drives very cool....always around 25-30c...my 320gb hard drive runs about 32-35c...not sure why it's always warmer..it's a 7200.10 hard drive though..not sure if that has anything to do with it.

In any case those temperatures are pretty **** good for hard drive longevity...temps aren't the only thing that contributes to HD failures but low temps certainly help keep the life long.

 

[b1gapl]

Seagates also have the lowest failure rates, I've heard.