What is SATA?
SATA stands for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. It is an interface used to connect storage devices like hard drives and SSDs to a computer’s motherboard. SATA was designed to replace the older Parallel ATA (PATA) standard and has become the dominant interface for storage devices in computers.
Some key things to know about SATA:
- SATA is a serial interface, meaning it transfers data one bit at a time sequentially over a cable.
- The SATA interface supports hot swapping, allowing you to connect and disconnect devices without shutting down your computer.
- SATA revisions are backwards compatible – SATA 3 devices will work in SATA 2 and 1 ports.
- Common SATA port types are SATA 3Gb/s, SATA 6Gb/s, and SATA 12Gb/s.
- SATA uses much thinner cables compared to PATA, improving internal airflow and allowing for smaller computer cases.
SATA Speeds and Generations
There have been several generations of SATA interfaces over the years, each with faster maximum theoretical transfer speeds:
| Version | Speed | Year Introduced |
|---|---|---|
| SATA 1.0 | 1.5Gb/s | 2003 |
| SATA 2.0 | 3Gb/s | 2004 |
| SATA 3.0 | 6Gb/s | 2009 |
| SATA 3.2 | 16Gb/s | 2016 |
| SATA 3.3 | 24Gb/s | 2021 |
As you can see, SATA speeds have steadily increased over time, with each version doubling the throughput of the previous one. The latest SATA 3.3 standard theoretically offers speeds up to 2400MB/s.
However, real-world speeds are always lower than the theoretical maximums. Factors like drive capabilities, interface overhead, and bus traffic affect performance.
Common SATA Port Speeds
While SATA interfaces have advanced to 24Gb/s theoretical speeds, most consumer PCs and drives use the two prior generations:
SATA 3Gb/s
This interface, also referred to as SATA I or SATA 1.0, offers throughput up to 300MB/s. It was introduced all the way back in 2003 but is still commonly found on older hard drives and budget systems. A SATA 3Gb/s port uses a standard 7-pin data cable.
SATA 6Gb/s
Often called SATA III or SATA 3.0, this standard from 2009 can reach speeds up to 600MB/s. Most modern hard drives and SSDs use SATA 6Gb/s, as do newer motherboards. It uses a 7-pin cable as well.
SATA 12Gb/s
Referred to as SATA Express, this standard from 2016 bumps speed to 1200MB/s. However, it has seen low adoption rates. Some enthusiast-grade SSDs and motherboards support SATA Express, using a different 17-pin cable connection.
For most home and office uses today, SATA 6Gb/s is the “gold standard” – offering a good balance of speed and compatibility with moderately priced drives. However, newer NVMe SSDs are rapidly making SATA obsolete for high-performance PCs (more on that shortly).
SATA vs. NVMe SSDs
SATA has been the de-facto standard for connecting SSDs. However, a newer interface called NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) now enables much faster SSD speeds.
NVMe SSDs connect directly to your motherboard’s PCIe lanes. This allows for tremendous bandwidth up to 4000MB/s, vs SATA’s 600MB/s cap.
Compared head-to-head, NVMe SSDs demolish SATA drives:
| Interface | Max Speed | Real-World Speeds |
|---|---|---|
| SATA 3 6Gb/s SSD | 600MB/s | 550MB/s |
| NVMe SSD | 4000MB/s | 3500MB/s |
As you can see, NVMe offers nearly 6x the performance versus SATA. This speed advantage makes NVMe the interface of choice for high-performance PCs and workstations today. The prices on NVMe drives have also come down steadily, making them viable for more mainstream users.
However, SATA SSDs still work great for general use – quick file transfers, faster boots, and snappy program launches compared to hard drives. If you don’t require bleeding edge speeds, SATA SSDs offer plenty of bang for buck.
Choosing a SATA Drive
If you’re buying a SATA drive today, you mainly need to watch the interconnect speed and ensure compatibility. Here are some tips:
- For best performance, choose a SATA 6Gb/s drive. Look for “SATA III” or “SATA 3.0” on the specifications.
- A SATA 3Gb/s drive will work fine too but with half the max speed.
- Get a 7-pin drive for best compatibility. The tiny 7-pin ports are standard on most SATA motherboards.
- Avoid SATA Express drives unless your motherboard specifically supports their 17-pin connector.
- Double check that your motherboard has the appropriate SATA ports. Most modern boards have both SATA 3Gb/s and faster 6Gb/s ports.
- You can use SATA 1.5Gb/s and 3Gb/s drives in SATA 6Gb/s ports, they are backward compatible.
As for drive types, 2.5″ SATA SSDs are the most popular for basic computing. They offer the best mix of speed, price, and size.
3.5″ desktop SATA drives tend to be cheaper but are slower platter hard drives in most cases. However, WD, Seagate, and others now offer 3.5″ SATA SSDs up to 18TB for max capacity.
M.2 form factor drives are also gaining adoption, connecting via a small slot on modern motherboards. M.2 can use SATA or NVMe interfaces.
For RAID setups, look at dual-drive 2.5″ SATA enclosures. And specialized products like uninterruptible power supplies often use modular SATA drives.
SATA Use Cases
To summarize, SATA is still very relevant today in these use cases:
- Hard Drive Replacement: A 2.5″ SATA SSD provides much faster boots/loading than a hard drive. Great for basic office PCs and laptops.
- Storage Expansion: Large SATA SSDs and HDDs add terabytes of space for games, media files, photos, etc. Mix SATA and NVMe drives for balance.
- External Drives: Portable USB hard drives frequently use 2.5″ SATA drives inside. Easy to pair with laptops.
- RAID Arrays: DIY NAS boxes often combine multiple 3.5″ SATA drives for redundancy and capacity.
- Specialized Hardware: Point-of-sale systems, enterprise gear, and other specialty devices retain SATA ports for drive access.
While NVMe owns the performance space, the cost, availability, and ecosystem support for SATA ensures it will remain relevant for years to come. For many home builds, SATA SSDs and HDDs provide more than enough speed and storage capacity.
Conclusion
To recap, here are some key points on SATA drive speeds:
- Modern SATA interfaces go up to 24Gb/s, but 6Gb/s is most common.
- Real-world SATA 6Gb/s speeds reach ~550MB/s with SSDs.
- NVMe SSDs are much faster, but SATA is cheaper and has wider compatibility.
- For everyday computing, SATA 6Gb/s offers a good balance of speed and value.
- Both HDDs and SSDs come in 2.5″, 3.5″, and M.2 SATA versions.
- Use SATA drives for storage expansion, external drives, RAID, and specialty hardware.
Choosing a SATA drive involves verifying the port speed, connector type, and physical size. But overall, you can be confident that a quality SATA SSD or HDD will serve you well for desktop, NAS, and laptop upgrades. SATA delivers ample real-world performance for most home and office tasks.