SATA3 cables?

Methanoid

Methanoid

Methanoid

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Do you need SATA3 cables for SATA3 devices to get full speed? I have to confess when SATA2 came out I dont think any cables changed and I wonder if SATA3 cables are just rebadged and more expensive SATA1/2 cables.

Is there any real difference or need for them?
 
Simple answer to that is yes, sata3 cables are different to sata 2 I believe (they are pretty cheap anyway).
You can still use sata2 cables but you wont gain the performance.
 
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Im sorry, but the only difference might be a thicker cable, and even then, I doubt it would make a difference. The pin outs would be the same, as the connectors are the same. As long as they are short, they will work the same. An easy way to test would be with a benchmarking tool.
 
Justintime said:
Makes no difference, SATA 2 cables will run S3 speeds fine.
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Well your link says different ;)

SATA 6Gb/s Cabling
The same cables and connectors used for current SATA implementations can be used to connect SATA 6Gb/s devices. SATA-IO recommends utilizing quality components to ensure data integrity and robust operation at the fast 6Gb/s transfer rate.
Cables already at the threshold of 3Gb/s operating margins may experience lower performance than expected at 6Gb/s due to an increased number of resends.
The SATA Revision 3.0 spec addresses this issue by defining the Compliance Interconnect Channel (CIC). The CIC is outlined as a mathematical model of a compliant channel as well as an insertion/return loss plot defining the most extreme losses the system can sustain and still be compliant. Note that the CIC does not specify the components to be used in a system but rather the overall performance and quality the system must exhibit.
Cable vendors will want to consider removing any question of quality by marking their packaging to explicitly state a product's 6Gb/s CIC compliance. Vendors can also have their cables added to the Integrators List on the SATA-IO web site. End-users, for
their part, will want to consult the Integrators List – this list is available to the public – before buying new cabling
 
Huh? No it doesn't.

Reread the line under the heading. If you have really crap cables, it may not work. But they have to be REALLY crap.
 
Yes read that, it quite happily says you can use the cables to attach 6gb devices, what it doesnt say is that you will get 6gb worth of bandwidth, totally the opposite, it says cables at the 3gb threshold (that points to sata 2 cables) may experience lower performance, hence you use the better sata 3 6gb cables if you want to be sure you get the best out of your devices :)
 
TB1968 said:
Well your link says different ;)
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My link?!

Why is there always one guy that has to disagree or try to one up someone? My REAL WORLD experience says different, i've tested SSDs that are SATA 3 with SATA 3 ports using both the provided Sata 3 cables and normal Sata 2 cables and the speed and reliability are exactly the same.
 
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Can you spot the difference?

rjkoneill said:
Heres a comparison i did with an ocz agility drive for a customer a week or so ago.

OCZ - Sata 2 cable
OCZ-sata2cable.jpg


OCZ - Sata 3 cable
OCZ-sata3cable.jpg
Click to expand...
 
a sata cable does not have a controller inside, it is literally just copper cabling so the cable cannot dictate a speed/bandwidth etc :)
 
panyan said:
a sata cable does not have a controller inside, it is literally just copper cabling so the cable cannot dictate a speed/bandwidth etc :)
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No, but too thin a cable, and it can. Otherwise you could send 10gb/s speeds down CAT4 cable. However, in this case, it makes no difference. The cable would have to be a pound shop cable on special offer to not work corretly.

Just shows that people believe the marketing :D
 
panyan said:
a sata cable does not have a controller inside, it is literally just copper cabling so the cable cannot dictate a speed/bandwidth etc :)
Click to expand...

Not at all sure on SATA cables but it will likely be the same as network cables, poor conductors or lower category cable can cause the link speed to fall back to accommodate it and prevent data corruption etc.. however even the worst SATA cables i have (some thin red crap that came with a mobo) can do S3 speeds fine.

panyan said:
like how people think a mechanical drive that is sata 3 is better than sata 2 :p
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Had this argument back in the ATA100 vs 66 days when transfer rates were considered good at 30+ mb/sec :D only much later did it really matter. ATA100 vs 133 was a non issue lol.
 
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I read somewhere else the only difference is that SATA 2 cables have only been tested on SATA 2 drives so YMMV?
 
Just get good quality cables as you would put in a high end machine anyway.
Only circa £4.99. Maybe just get the ones that say Sata 3 anyway. your talking about a 50pence difference, I'm sure that's not going to hurt.

Throw the ones with most motherboards in the bin!!
 
Pgreenwo said:
Just get good quality cables as you would put in a high end machine anyway.
Only circa £4.99. Maybe just get the ones that say Sata 3 anyway. your talking about a 50pence difference, I'm sure that's not going to hurt.

Throw the ones with most motherboards in the bin!!
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LOL, I wouldn't pay £5 for a SATA cable, I have dozens and dozens of old cables. My new Asus P8Z68-V came with another 4 cables, including 2 'SATA-3' cables, those are working fine.
 
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