ATA versus SATA

Hard Disk Drives: ATA versus SATA

The performance laptop or computer systems continues to be continuously growing as faster processors, memory, and video cards are continuously being developed. The main one key element that's frequently neglected when searching at enhancing the performance of the computer may be the hard disk. Hard disk producers happen to be constantly changing the fundamental hard disk utilized in modern personal computers during the last twenty five years, and also the last couple of years have experienced some exciting developments from faster spindle speeds, bigger caches, better reliability, and elevated data transmission speeds.

The drive type used most in consumer grade computer systems may be the hearty ATA type drive (generally known as an IDE drive). The ATA standard goes back to 1986 and is dependant on a 16-bit parallel interface has gone through many evolutions since its summary of boost the speed and size the drives that it may support. The most recent standard is ATA-7 (first introduced in 2001 through the T13 Technical Committee (the audience accountable for the ATA standard)) which assists bandwith rates as much as 133MB/sec. This really is likely to function as the last update for that parallel ATA standard.

As sometime ago as 2000 it had been observed that the parallel ATA standard was maxing out its restrictions in regards to what it might handle. With data rates striking the 133MB/sec mark on the parallel cable, you're inviting a variety of problems due to signal timing, EMI (electromagnetic interference) along with other data integrity issues thus industry leaders met up and emerged with a brand new standard referred to as Serial ATA (SATA). SATA only has existed a couple of years, but is determined to become "the conventionalInch because of several advantages to become addressed within this Tech Tip.

The 2 technologies that we'll be searching at are:
ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) - a 16-bit parallel interface employed for controlling computer drives. Introduced in 1986, it's gone through many evolutions within the last 18+ years, using the new edition being known as ATA-7. Wherever a product is known to as being a definite ATA device, it's generally a Parallel ATA device. ATA products will also be generally known as IDE, EIDE, Ultra-ATA, Ultra-DMA, ATAPI, PATA, etc. (all these acronyms really do make reference to very specific products, but they are generally interchanged)
SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) - single-bit serial evolution from the Parallel ATA physical storage interface.

Fundamental Features &lifier Connections

SATA drives are simple to distinguish using their ATA cousins through the different data and energy connections located on the back from the drives. A side-by-side comparison of these two connects could be observed in this PDF from Maxtor, and also the following covers most of the variations...

Standard ATA drives, similar to this 200GB Western Digital model, have somewhat bulky, two inch wide ribbon cable with 40-pin data connections and get the 5V essential to energy them in the familiar 4-pin connection. The fundamental data cables of these drives have looked exactly the same for a long time. A big change is made with the development of the ATA-5 standard to higher enhance the signal quality by looking into making an 80 wire cable utilized on the 40-pin connector (they are generally known as 40-pin/80-wire cables). To enhance air flow inside the computer some producers turned to literally folding within the ribbon cable and tape it into that position. Another recent physical change also included the arrival of rounded cables. The performance from the rounded cables is equivalent to those of the flat ribbon, however, many like the enhanced system ventilation given, easy wire management, and cooler appearance that include them.

SATA drives, similar to this 120GB Western Digital model, possess a 1 / 2 inch wide, 7 "edge and beam" data connection, which leads to a significantly thinner and simpler to handle data cable. These cables go ahead and take ease of the ATA rounded cables one stage further when you are even narrower, more flexible and able to be longer without anxiety about loss of data. SATA cables possess a maximum period of 1 meter (39.37 inches), that is much more than the suggested 18 inch cable for ATA drives. The lower footprint of SATA data connections releases space on motherboards, potentially permitting for additional convenient designs and room for additional onboard features!

A 15-pin energy connection provides the 250mV of necessary energy to SATA drives. 15-hooks for any SATA device seems like it might need a much bigger energy cable than the usual 4-pin ATA device, but actually the 2 energy fittings are nearly exactly the same height. For the moment, many SATA drives will also be coming having a legacy 4-pin energy connector for convenience.

Many modern motherboards, similar to this Chaintech system board, include SATA drive connections onboard (many also such as the ATA fittings too for legacy drive compatibility), and new energy supplies, similar to this Ultra X-Connect, generally have a couple of from the necessary 15-pin energy connections, which makes it simple to use these drives on new systems. Older systems may be easily upgraded to aid SATA drives by utilization of plugs, similar to this PCI slot SATA controller which 4-pin to fifteen-pin SATA energy adapter.

Optical drives will also be increasingly easily available with SATA connections. Drives like the Plextor PX-712SA make use of the new interface, even though the performance won't be any more than a similar optical drive by having an ATA connection.

Performance

Additionally to being easier to set up and drawing less energy, SATA drives have performance benefits that actually set them aside from ATA drives.

Probably the most interesting performance feature of SATA may be the maximum bandwidth possible. Once we have noted, the evolution of ATA drives has witnessed the information transfer rate achieve its maximum at 133 Megabytes/second, in which the current SATA standard provides data transfers as high as 150 Megabytes/second. The general performance increase of SATA over ATA can presently be anticipated to depend on 5% (based on Seagate), but enhancements in SATA technology will certainly enhance that.

The way forward for SATA holds excellent achievements for individuals wanting much more speed, as drives with 300 Megabytes/second transfer rates (SATA II) is going to be easily available in 2005, by 2008 speeds as high as 600 Megabytes/second should be expected. Individuals speeds are incredible, and therefore are difficult to imagine at this time.

Another performance benefit available on SATA drives is the built-in hot-swap abilities. SATA drives could be triggered and offline without shutting lower the pc system, supplying a significant help to individuals who can not afford down time, or who wish to move drives interior and exterior operation rapidly. The greater quantity of wires within the energy connection is partly described with this, as six from the 15 wires are devoted to permitting the-swap feature.

Cost

Evaluating ATA drives to SATA drives could be tricky given all the variables, however in general it's the situation that SATA drives will still cost just a little greater than a comparable ATA drive. The space is closing quickly though, so that as SATA drives grow in recognition and availability a definite change in prices should be expected. Thinking about the advantages of SATA over ATA, the possibility difference of the couple of dollars may be easily justified when thinking about upgrading. Computer Nerds presently includes a limited choice of SATA drives, but several technical sites, like the Tech Zone and also the Tech Lounge, offer real-time cost guides to determine how comparable drives compare.

Final Words

The present SATA standard provides significant benefits over ATA when it comes to convenience, energy consumption and, most significantly, performance. The primary factor ATA has going for this at this time is history, as it's been the conventional for such a long time that it'll unlikely disappear in the near future. The way forward for SATA is going to be much more interesting as speed increases can help hard disk development keep pace along with other key system components.