IDE or SATA

  • Thread starter Thread starter Raymond Robijns
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Raymond Robijns

HI,

can somebody tell me (in laymans terms) what the difference is between
IDE HD's and SATA HD? I just came back from a shop where I saw a huge
collection of new HD's, but they were all SATA.

Raymond
 
On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 15:26:21 +0200, "Raymond Robijns"

They have potentially higher data transer rates though I dont think
current HDs are capable of using the higher speeds - something that
was said about the moves from 66 to 100 to 133 too. Lots of people
called it a marketing ploy. However if you get the top models now Im
not sure if you can get them in IDE versions anymore - you know 10K
rpm models. But then people would write that maybe in the future HDs
would come out that would use the higher speeds so what the heck , it
might be better to get it and its not like you have a choice -
generally the mkt moves in the direction of the new so you end up
having to get it anyway. Luckily you can still get IDE now but I think
all the "extra" controllers added on now are SATA . My last few boards
always had an extra controller going back to the BH6 since I tended to
run lots of devices. Now unless you buy a separate card - its pretty
much SATA and even most of the add on cards are going towards SATA
now.

Also they use these thin little cables which doesnt add nearly as much
to the clutter of cables in your case especially if you have a smaller
case , and more improtantly - they dont block the air flow through
your case.

When I had my mid tower case and used boards that had an extra RAID
controllers - I would end up with 4 flat ribbon cables along with the
mess of power cables and the interior would be crammed with the mass
of cables. Not exactly the best conditions for good airflow in the
system which will be more cirtical as power supplies get bigger,
graphics cards and CPU and all those other drives belch heat.

The other practical considerations is SATA HDs cost more and SATA
controllers the ones Ive seen only allow one device per cable so you
can only add two devices instead of four for IDE.

Ive got the usual IDE controllers for 4 ide devices and another SATA
one onboard for two SATA - but I use SATA to IDE converters so I can
use 6 IDE devices. THE sata devices I assume like my covnerters -
besides the thin data cable - uses an additional floppy type power
connection for each so that you run out of floppy power cables. I have
to go buy an adaptor to hook up my floppy.
 
HI,

can somebody tell me (in laymans terms) what the difference is between
IDE HD's and SATA HD? I just came back from a shop where I saw a huge
collection of new HD's, but they were all SATA.

Raymond
Click to expand...

You won't see any performance difference on the current generation of
drives however in the long run SATA is a far superior interface. IDE is a
very marginal interface, ATA133 is on the hairy edge of working. SATA is
much better from an electrical standpoint. SATA cables are also a lot
thinner than PATA and they can be longer than PATA cables. There are also
architectureal advantages to the SATA standard, it supports SCSI style
command queueing (called SATA native command queueing). The first
generation of SATA drives are just IDE drives with bridges so they don't
support command command queuing, the next generation will.

If you have an old motherboard you would need to buy an SATA controller
card to use SATA drives so if you are just adding a drive to an older
machine then you should stick with PATA drives. If you are building a new
system then you might want to use SATA, although there are some driver
issues with SATA so PATA is slightly lower risk. In 6 more months there
will be no question that you would use SATA in all new systems, by then
all of the driver issues will have been ironed out and the shipping drives
will all have SATA command queueing support.
 
The other practical considerations is SATA HDs cost more and SATA
controllers the ones Ive seen only allow one device per cable so you
can only add two devices instead of four for IDE.
Click to expand...

The price difference is basically negligible anymore,
SATA drive prices are pretty much identical to PATA
drive prices for identical sizes.

SATA spec is going to always be one device per cable.
Newer motherboards are starting to provide (4) SATA
ports (shop around) instead of just two. However, all
motherboards still provide (2) IDE ports. And you can
almost always add in a PCI SATA card for $20 or so.
Ive got the usual IDE controllers for 4 ide devices and another SATA
one onboard for two SATA - but I use SATA to IDE converters so I can
use 6 IDE devices. THE sata devices I assume like my covnerters -
besides the thin data cable - uses an additional floppy type power
connection for each so that you run out of floppy power cables. I have
to go buy an adaptor to hook up my floppy.
Click to expand...

I use a PATA drive hooked to a SATA port through a
converter. Works just fine. SATA and PATA are
extremely compatible... early SATA drives were merely
PATA electronics with a built in converter on the
circuit board.
 
The price difference is basically negligible anymore,
SATA drive prices are pretty much identical to PATA
drive prices for identical sizes.
Click to expand...

Yeah surprisingly the avg retail prices are lower than I thought -
they are close but most dealhounds only buy drastically discounted HDs
with rebates and special prices and the SATAs arent featured yet in
such deals. Usually the deal/rebate price is .50 a gig or lower or
near there.

For example Ive never seen a SATA rebated drastically at Compusa,
Office Max or Depot yet though they might have been discounted off the
usual street price to some degree at Frys.
 
"General Schvantzkoph" <[email protected]> schreef in bericht
| On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 15:26:21 +0200, Raymond Robijns wrote:
|
| > HI,
| >
| > can somebody tell me (in laymans terms) what the difference is
between
| > IDE HD's and SATA HD? I just came back from a shop where I saw a
huge
| > collection of new HD's, but they were all SATA.
| >
| > Raymond
|
|
| If you have an old motherboard you would need to buy an SATA
controller
| card to use SATA drives so if you are just adding a drive to an
older
| machine then you should stick with PATA drives. If you are building
a new
| system then you might want to use SATA, although there are some
driver
| issues with SATA so PATA is slightly lower risk. In 6 more months
there
| will be no question that you would use SATA in all new systems, by
then
| all of the driver issues will have been ironed out and the shipping
drives
| will all have SATA command queueing support.
|

OK, thanks. Now I can reply to some nonsense stories of the salesmen.
And buy the right ones with the proper electronics.

Raymond
 
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