Generally, PCs, as we all know, can do many things for their users like presentations, document preparations, and even leisure activities like watching movies and listening to music.
There are many things your PC could do for you now to make your daily activities easier.
You often need to connect hard drives like SSD, HDDs, and CD drives to your motherboard, which is where SATA ports come in.
You can see it as an interface that helps you connect your hard drive to your computer.
SATA PORTS are generally of many types; each type is usually a better version of the previous one.
For example, SATA 2.0 has a transfer speed of 3Gbps, and the latest SATA 3.0 has a transfer speed of 6Gbps, which is 750mb/s.
Usually, the number of SATA ports you will need depends on how many storage devices you plan to connect to your PC.
Two SATA ports would suffice, but you’ll need more SATA ports if you need to connect more hard drives.
So, what are SATA ports? Let’s talk about SATA ports, their types, and many other things you need to know.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What Does SATA Mean?
SATA means Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. It connects components like hard drives and DVD Roms to your motherboard. Parallel Advanced Technology we used before SATA.
Unlike PATA, they are made of smaller, thinner, and better cables and connectors, allowing you to have a faster computer.
With SATA ports, you can plug your hard drives in and out of the ports without switching off your computer.
This makes it a very efficient and durable connector to connect your external hard drives to the motherboard.
You can easily recognize a SATA port on your computer because they have a unique L- shaped seven-pin connector, and it’s a small port that measures between 1.5×0.4cm in dimension.
The port is carefully designed with notches and carefully placed edges to ensure that the SATA cable doesn’t fall off whenever it is plugged into the port.
You might also observe that SATA ports usually have the same color while others do not. Don’t be confused; the color difference only signifies the various types.
Versions Of SATA Port
You’re probably wondering what SATA Port versions are, and let’s look at them together.
SATA PORTS are available in three versions: SATA 1, SATA 2, and SATA 3. Each version is an improvement of the previous one.
1. SATA 1 runs at a speed of 1.5Gbps or 187.5mb/s
2. SATA 2 runs at a speed of 3.0Gbps or 375mb/s
3. SATA 3 runs at a speed of 6.0 Gbps or 750mb/s.
Most modern motherboards do not include SATA 2 features or versions, just SATA 3, since they have a more significant speed advantage.
A Compatible SATA 3 drive would be better since it is faster. However, you should not see that SATA port colors on the motherboard indicate the various versions of SATA ports.
Red or black is usually used for SATA 2, and a blue color is used for SATA 3. However, a single SATA version motherboard would not have any color assigned to the port.
SATA ports are usually labeled on the motherboard, with each label indicating the fastest speed it supports. This is important to note if you are starting to work on your motherboard.
Features of SATA Port
What are SATA ports’ unique features? Let’s check it out. You might think that your SATA port is a single connector because it has been described as one.
It comprises two parts: the data connector and the power connector.
The data connector is the L-shaped seven-pin connector, and the power connector is the 15-pin connector with a much taller L shape.
The data cable provides a high connection speed and enables data transfer back and forth, while the power cable provides electricity to the drive.
SATA uses 0.5v peak-to-peak signaling, which reduces interference and cross-talk between conductors.
It also uses simplified smaller cables that enable easy routing and airflow. You would also notice that they have increased lengths; this allows for flexibility when installing drives.
They also have a differential transmit and receive pair alongside seven ground wires. The transmit pair identifies as (TX+ and TX-) and the receive pair (RX+ and RX-).
They also operate on error detection and correction for accurate data transfers at incredible speeds with excellent operating system compatibility.
How to Install Your SATA Drive on Your Motherboard
Before installing a SATA hard drive, you need to be sure you have the right cables and can identify the slots available on the motherboard.
They are easy to install as long as you get the steps right. Let’s go through the simple steps together.
- Turn the power off. You can do that by removing the plug from the primary source of the power supply.
- Ensure you’re protected against electric shocks and that the tiniest electricity shocks can destroy your hard drive.
- Check your motherboard for two ports with the Lshape opposite each other. The left connector is for the data cable, and the second is for the power cable that would supply electricity to your drive. If your motherboard does not have a SATA connector, you can get an upgrade with a SATA PCle cord, but ensure you have a slot for PCle on your motherboard.
- You can use your Molex connector only with a SATA-specific drive connector, and it comes with two input connectors. You can use the SATA connector on the left or the Molex connector with 4 pins on the right. You should, however, note that you cannot use both.
- After installation is complete, you can select disk management to use the disk if your computer doesn’t recognize it.
Which SATA Cables Should I Use?
What are SATA port cables? This is a very significant question. SATA cables are ideal for connecting with hard drives and transferring laptop data.
They are made to work effectively with PCs, laptops, and other devices to allow for easy usage.
A wide variety of cables suited for different functions are available. SATA cables also vary with SATA port speed.
SATA Power Cable Connectors
They have 15 pins in parallel connection to supply different voltages. They also allow for increased current capacity and help reduce electrical impedance.
SATA Data Cable Connectors
They have 7 pins; one end of the cable is connected to the hard drive, while the other is connected to the motherboards. They also reduce the risk of data loss during transfer.
SATA to the USB Power Cable
They are ideal for SSD devices. They help assist with laptop data transfer, work with a wide variety of laptops and PCs, and enable quick usage.
Here are some capable brands you can try; pick out whichever is best suited for you. They include Star Tech, Roline, Molex, and Rs Pro.
Conclusion
That’s a wrap on everything you need to know about SATA ports, and things just got better now that you know all you need to know about SATA ports.
Work with what’s best suited for you, sit back, and enjoy technological advancement.
