IDE cables - round vs flat

[Participant]

I need to make my order value up to £20 at a certain shop and I'm at £19, so I thought I'd get some round ATA cables. I had a quick look on Google and it seems that their cooling benefits are marginal and the data integrity can be compromised. Is this true, and have any of you had first hand experience of it?

In fact the main reason that I want round IDE cables is the (hopefully) increased ease of maneuvering them how I want them (not having to fold etc) and the fact that the case will be tidier if I use cable ties etc.

What do people reckon to round IDE cables?

 

[Craig321]

I doubt there's any big chance that they'll fail or corrupt anything. I have heard though, that they're less efficient.

 

[mysticsniper]

I'd go for the rounded ones every time, they are soo much better than the flat ones that are a right pain when it comes to maneuvering around the case.

 

[spb251272]

I've used round ones for ages now, and never had a problem. They are much easier to route, and look a lot better.

 

[Deleted member 58846]

its just airflow. Theres more airflow when things are round.

 

[oxygene]

I have to say I damaged a couple of rounded ones. if the sleave bit on the end isnt secured to the clip where the data cables terminate then the wires are loose and open and easily breakable. I lost a few that way. go for soemthing like the copper braided.

To tell the truth in my latest system I like using flat cause I can fold them along the back of the case. But I wouldnt recommend that a lot cause folding cables often ofcourse increases breakage chances too.

Hell just get SATA

 

[InvaderGIR]

I've got one expensive round one which is coated in rubber and is a really decent cable, and I had one which was just basicaly a flat one made round with heatshrink (came with a mobo) and the cable became every dodgey and kept corrupting HDDs, CDs, DVDs etc. anything that was on the line.

If you are getting a proper cable that's round it'll be fine. It makes for better airflow (even if it is only a small amount), but it also makes the case a lot tidier.

InvG

 

[Tony Williams]

Both are basically the same however the rounded ones are 'rounded' thus giving improved airflow and probberly looking a little 'sexier' in your case. Personally I'd recommend SATA but if you've already a hard disk/optical drive, keep the IDE drive you have.

 

[Captain Fizz]

When they first came out they were not of very good quality.
(As proven above)

95% of rounded cables these days are inter-twined much like network cables.
This was the major fault of the early cables, that the wires were not shielded from each other properly.

This has been resolved and rounded cables are now as "efficient" or corrupt-free as flat cables.

90cm IDE cables are WAY over the length of the IDE standard (so theoretically not IDE cables) yet still do the job well.

In all - Rounded look better and perform the same as flat.

 

[semi-pro waster]

The problem with rounded IDE cables is that they increase the risk of 'crosstalk' between the strands(or at least they did), now if it is a decent cable the chances are very slim, if it is just a cheap rounded cable the chances of any problems are still slim. Like you've found out the cooling benefits are fairly minimal but it can't cause any harm having even slightly better airflow.

I'd say you might as well go for it as the risks are pretty small overall, let me put it this way, there isn't much else that you will get for that price that you might use other than possibly some blank media.

 

[Helium_Junkie]

Never a problem with my rounded cables, used Akasa glowy ones and belkin as well. Both fine

 

[Participant]

Ah-ha, so when I (finally) move to SATA PCI-E etc I notice the SATA cables are round anyway! Still I shan't be ditching my IDE hard drives and I'll still have the optical drives so it looks like I'll get some of these round cables then! Thanks for the tips.