Ultra ATA/100 vs. SATA - which is best?

N

nitz12

Weaksauce
Joined
Dec 4, 2007
Messages
88
I am going to purchase a Seagate 500GB internal Hard Drive. Identical 500GB drives, same price, one is "Ultra ATA/100" and the other is SATA. Don't know much about this "Ultra" protocol. Will be purchasing today, what is the correct choice? I have an Abit IP35 Pro mobo w/ Q6600. Just need to pick which of these two to get. Please, no other suggestions for brands, types (e.g. Raptor), etc.

Thanks
 
You will want SATA. It is a bit faster and the newer of the two.

Ultra ATA is the same as IDE.
 
SATA. Slightly faster and allows for a much much cleaner case.
 
nitz12 said:
Don't know much about this "Ultra" protocol.
Click to expand...
That's my morning laugh! Anyhoo, stick with SATA. PATA ports are being phased out, as you can already see that most new boards are down to only offering one PATA port, mainly for use with CD/DVD drives. SATA is the way to go with any new drive, whether it be hard drive or optical drive.
 
DeaconFrost said:
That's my morning laugh! Anyhoo, stick with SATA. PATA ports are being phased out, as you can already see that most new boards are down to only offering one PATA port, mainly for use with CD/DVD drives. SATA is the way to go with any new drive, whether it be hard drive or optical drive.
Click to expand...

Why is that your "morning laugh"?
 
Because you were referencing it like it was some new drive spec, rather than what's been most prevalent for 7-8 years or so. All in good fun.
 
That's definitely a good laugh (in good fun :p ) For no particular reason this newegg OEM HD review cracked me up too.... probably b/c if I didn't have the extra cables around when I got mine, I would've had the same problem as this guy:


Pros: SATA II, suppose to be fast

Cons: OEM version, no cable, no instrucation poor package

Other Thoughts: When I got this, first thing I notice is that it is poorly wrapped without box or any other protection. Then I found no SATA cable. I spent another ten dollars to get one. Then I realized my PC power doesn't have SATA power cable. Got one the next day for another ten dollars. When I tried to plug in bothe cable, I was stun by the fact that... both connectors are too close, side by side, that I can't connect both power and data cable! What the... who design this?
Click to expand...

I was stun by the fact that... What the... who design this :D :D
 
Speaking of laughs, I do love reading some of the comments on Newegg's website, like the ones you linked to above. It's always someone else's fault...it's never the fact that the buyer is either a moron, or too damn lazy to do some research about what they are buying. I'd love to see a reply feature for those comments.
 
"SATA. Slightly faster and allows for a much much cleaner case."

Until you break the poorly designed, easy to break connector.
 
I've destroyed plenty of IDE cables in my day pulling them from drives, but I don't see how anyone would break the SATA connectors, unless they pulled in a sideways direction. I use the kind with metal clips on the ends, and they feel very strong and securely connected to the motherboard and drives.
 
Please tell me some of you have more info on bad SATA cables!

I've been reading the forums archives (http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=742083&page=5)

about SATA (& to some degree IDE) cable cross-reading, RFI interference, & just being bent too severly causing problems... I think it occurs more often than some (at least me) realize!

Changing the routing (not the cable, just the routing) to one of my drives changed it from a 15 minute duration in copying a 0.99 GB file, to 35 seconds. I was ready to release the magic smoke on this drive, but it turned out being ok, total surprise to me
 
The SATA cables that came with my motherboard fall out so easily that simply nudging the case sometimes makes them fall out. I replaced them with metal latched cables from newegg - problem solved. They are sturdier too - by far. OEM SATA cables can be cheap and crappy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top