What Are the Advantages of a Serial ATA Hard Drive?
The Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) is a hardware interface for connecting computer motherboards to storage disc drives, or optical disc drives. The technology replaces and evolves from Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA), otherwise known as EIDE. The old ATA connections used 80 wires, and 16 data conductors, all running at slower speeds. SATA connections are much smaller, using just 7 wires. There are many advantages of using SATA connections and drives, over the old EIDE.
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Faster Data Handling
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SATA technology is now in its third generation of improvement. The third-generation offers data transfer speeds of 6Gb/s which is twice as quick as the second generation of SATA, and four times as quick as both the first generation, and also older ATA connections. This is useful as it enhances performance while using your computer, and in particular enhances the speed that you access and amend data that is stored on a SATA device.
Better Design
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The old ATA or EIDE connections were much larger, flat, 80 wire cables that connected the motherboard to optical and storage drives. SATA connections are much smaller, with thinner cables and only 7-pin connectors at each end. The cables can also be longer than older ATA cables if you require. SATA is useful here because the better design means the cables can be directed where you like inside the computer case. This is useful if you want to restrict blockage in airflow, which will reduce computer overheating.
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Hot Swapping
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SATA connections and drives also introduced the ability to hot swap. Hot swapping is where a device or drive can be unplugged and then reconnected while a computer is still running. This is an advantage when you are using external optical or hard drives, as they can be easily connected or disconnected without a restart, without any loss of data.
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References
- Photo Credit hard drive interior image by Curtis Sorrentino from Fotolia.com
