# Difference between SATA II and SATA III cables?



## Vagrant Storm

It's been pretty heavily tested...there is no difference between a SATA 1, 2, or 3 cable


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## Darkknight512

Yep, no difference.


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## trumpet-205

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> My SSD is SATA III so i decided to use a SATA III cable and put it into my SATA III port.
> I have another SSD on the way but i don't think i have another SATA III cable. Will a SATA I/II cable work and allow the same bandwidth potential as long as i use the SATA III port on the motherboard.
> I understand there is no physical difference between the cables according to my motherboard booklet.
> Also, i did not put this in the SSD section as it relates to SATA and bandwidth rather than being specific on SSD only.
> Thank you!


There is no such thing as SATA III cable. It is purely market gimmick. There are some SATA cables with latches, not that I find it useful or anything.

A SATA cable will get you to 6.0 Gbps, assuming both the controller and the drive supports it.


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## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darkknight512*
> 
> Yep, no difference.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vagrant Storm*
> 
> It's been pretty heavily tested...there is no difference between a SATA 1, 2, or 3 cable


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trumpet-205*
> 
> There is no such thing as SATA III cable. It is purely market gimmick. There are some SATA cables with latches, not that I find it useful or anything.
> A SATA cable will get you to 6.0 Gbps, assuming both the controller and the drive supports it.


Rep.
Thanks for confirming.
/thread.


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## Nocturin

Darn that was quick. what ^ they said .


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## Lee79

I far as I know they call them SATA III cables because of the quality of the materials used to guarantee they work at SATA III speeds but they are the same as SATA II. So if you have a well made SATA II cable it should work fine. I know when SATA III came out some people where having problems but it was found out to be cheap low quality cables causing it, Then the Motherboard companys started shipping cables branded as SATA III probably as a marketing thing to help sell motherboards. I would try a SATA II one if you got one then do a benchmark to check it is working ok. I might be wrong but that is how I understand the situation.


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## Vagrant Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trumpet-205*
> 
> There is no such thing as SATA III cable. It is purely market gimmick. There are some SATA cables with latches, not that I find it useful or anything.
> A SATA cable will get you to 6.0 Gbps, assuming both the controller and the drive supports it.


The first thing I always do is rip the latches off. First of all I have yet to see a 90° SATA port they can plug into and secondly I have had to dissemble half of a case to get them off of an optical drive that I couldn't get my fingers or any tool in the space to release it. It isn't like there is going to be tension on the cable or drives moving around to require the need to be held in place.


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## blupupher

SATA do not have a clip, "SATA II" and "SATA III" have a clip, but internally and performance wise, no difference.

I remember somebody did a test with them and found no difference, even with a like 3 foot SATA cable.

Also, their technically is no such thing as SATA I, SATA II or SATA III.

From SATA-IO:
Quote:


> The term "Third Generation SATA technology" refers to the SATA 6Gb/s data transfer rate. Don't confuse "Gen 3" with a 3Gb/s Transfer rate. "Gen 2" was associated with 3Gb/s and often confused with the misnomer "SATA II." Do not use the terms "SATA II" or "SATA III," which are incorrect and have no meaning. In the past, the term "SATA II" sometimes was mistakenly used as a moniker for the SATA 3Gb/s data transfer rate, causing great confusion with customers because, quite simply, it's a misnomer.
> 
> The first step toward a better understanding of SATA is to know that SATA II is not the brand name for the SATA 3Gb/s data transfer rate, but the name of the organization formed to author the SATA specifications. The group has since changed names, to the Serial ATA International Organization, or SATA-IO.
> 
> The 3Gb/s capability is just one of many defined by the former SATA II committee, but because it is among the most prominent features, 3Gb/s has become synonymous with SATA II. Hence, the source of the confusion.


edit: It was MaximumPC that did the test


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## trumpet-205

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vagrant Storm*
> 
> The first thing I always do is rip the latches off. First of all I have yet to see a 90° SATA port they can plug into and secondly it have had to dissemble half of a case to get them off of an optical drive that I couldn't get my fingers or any tool in the space to release it. It isn't like there is going to be tension on the cable or drives moving around to require the need to be held in place.


Latches will be useful for eSATA, but not for internal drive.

And to others, unless you have a very cheap SATA cable made out of poor material, any SATA cable will get you to 6.0 Gbps.

This isn't like Ethernet cable where it has specification for interference suppression (Cat 5e, Cat 6, tec).


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## BradleyW

I will try and find my sataIII cable, but if not, a sata 2 cable will do then.
Thank you!


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## Vagrant Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blupupher*
> 
> SATA do not have a clip, SATA II and III have a clip, but internally and performance wise, no difference.
> I remember somebody did a test with them and found no difference, even with a like 3 foot SATA cable.


You have to buy the Monster SATA cables that have hair clippings of Chuck Norris in them. 9001% performance boost. True Story

Maximum PC actually did a decent job on testing this...they actually went up to six feet with no problems Plus testing things like bending the cable 90° and things like that which are rumored to cause performance loss


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## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vagrant Storm*
> 
> You have to buy the Monster SATA cables that have hair clippings of Chuck Norris in them. 9001% performance boost. True Story


I will take 10!


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## Nocturin

10 of these!!!!

not sata... but still... insane.


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## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nocturin*
> 
> 10 of these!!!!
> 
> not sata... but still... insane.


wow...


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## trumpet-205

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nocturin*
> 
> 10 of these!!!!
> 
> not sata... but still... insane.


I have to sell a kidney to have those.


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## Nocturin

That's not even getting to the more expensive "models",

I don't even think that I could buy those things if I won the lottery, the big one 25 mil and above.

Just wouldn't feel right.


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