Choosing the best RAID level for you

To determine what size RAID you need, how many disks and the size of each disk, please visit our handy RAID calculate at owc.com.

Video, Audio & Photography Editing

Your needs: Lightning-fast access for scratch disk use and project files

We suggest:

• RAID 0 for maximum speed on scratch/cache volumes (no redundancy – use for temporary files only)
• RAID 5 for project files requiring both speed and protection
• RAID 1+0 when you need maximum speed with full redundancy (requires 4+ drives)

Pro tip: Create a small RAID 0 volume for scratch files and a larger RAID 5 volume for projects on the same drive set. See our video editing optimization FAQ.

Running a Server

Your needs: Speed, safety, and reliable uptime

We suggest:

• RAID 5 for balanced performance, capacity, and single-drive failure protection
• RAID 6 (coming 2026) for dual-drive failure protection on servers with 6+ drives

Why: Servers need to stay online during drive failures. RAID 5 allows the server to continue operating while a failed drive is replaced and rebuilt.

Business with Mission-Critical Data

Your needs: Maximum protection against data loss

We suggest:

• RAID 1+0 for best combination of speed and redundancy (requires 4+ drives)
• RAID 5 as a minimum for single-drive failure protection (3+ drives)
• RAID 6 (coming 2026) for dual-drive failure protection (5+ drives)

Critical: Always maintain off-site backups regardless of RAID level. RAID protects against drive failure, not accidental deletion, ransomware, or catastrophic events.

Design, Photography, Animation & Creative Work

Your needs: Fast access, reliable storage, and ability to meet deadlines

We suggest:

• RAID 5 for HDDs – excellent balance of speed, capacity, and protection
• RAID 4 for SSDs/NVMe – dedicated parity drive maximizes flash performance
• RAID 1+0 if working with many small files (4+ drives required)

Why: Creative work involves large files that can’t be easily recreated. RAID 5 protects your work while maintaining good performance. If a drive fails, you can continue working while the volume rebuilds.

General Use: Work, Entertainment & Personal Files

Your needs: Fast access and protection for important files (photos, documents, music)

We suggest:

• RAID 5 for 3+ drives – good speed and single-drive failure protection
• RAID 1 (mirror) for 2 drives – simple and reliable
• RAID 4 for SSDs – if using flash media for your personal storage

Why: Personal files like family photos are irreplaceable. RAID 5 or RAID 1 ensures these files survive a drive failure. Combined with regular backups, this provides excellent protection for your data.

Still not sure? Contact our support team for personalized RAID recommendations based on your specific workflow and hardware.