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SATA vs SAS - Hard Drives & Storage - Bytestock.com

Jul 19, 2023 12:45:39 PM

SATA vs SAS

Both technologies transfer data, but what are the differences?

Connecting to the motherboard of a computer, they transfer data to and from the motherboard and storage. While they’re both doing a very similar thing, the hardware is different so you’ll need to decide which is best suited to your needs.

SATA

Serial Advanced Technology Attachment or SATA is the typical interface used to connect and transfer data from the hard drive to the computer or server. Usually used for desktop file storage and personal computers.
Here are some of the key features of SATA:

Data transfers at a rate of up to 6Gb/s
Narrow cables up to a meter long
Two conductors for sending data
Two conductors for receiving data
One connection link, between storage and motherboard

SAS

Serial Attached SCSI or SAS is also an interface connecting and transferring data from a hard drive to a computer or server. SAS offers higher speeds and a higher level of resilience, over SATA. Enterprise businesses use SAS when high speeds and reliability are paramount.
The key features of SAS:

Data transfers at a rate of up to 6Gb/s
Cables up to 10 meters long
Two conductors for sending data
Two conductors for receiving data
Multiple connections, from the motherboard to storage and another piece of hardware

Which is best?

SAS-based hard drives are faster and more reliable than SATA-based hard drives, but SATA drives have a much larger storage capacity. Servers and businesses typically use SAS drives and personal computing resources use SATA as they’re cheaper. It’s worth noting, SAS is more expensive than SATA, as the rate of reading data is a lot quicker.

A SAS hard drive is best suited to you if you need a fast and reliable solution with a high level of resilience being paramount. If you’re looking to store data, a more cost-effective route is a high-end SATA drive, which can provide a larger storage amount at a cheaper rate.

Available at Bytestock

Our sales team are experts in SAS and SATA drives, so if you’re not sure which is best suited to you, speak to our expert team on +44 (0) 1753 965 777 or email sales@bytestock.com.

We have a huge variety of SAS and SATA hard drives in stock. Whether you’re looking for 2.5” or 3.5” of either SAS and SATA, we've got you covered.