What types of hard drive connectors are there? We make an external HDD from a regular HDD using a SATA USB adapter. External drives to e sata.

The eSATA port is no longer something exotic today. However, not all users are familiar with this port and have no idea what advantages and disadvantages this standard has when working with a personal computer.

eSATA port: basic information

Beginners, of course, will first of all be interested in knowing what an eSATA port is. If we try to answer this question as simply as possible, we can say that eSATA is a serial port standard, which in terms of ease of use and speed lies somewhere between traditional SATA and the USB 2.0 standard. The term itself has the following abbreviation - External Serial ATA. This is a port that uses advanced serial communication technologies and has the ability to hot-swappable hard drives and other devices connected to the computer. Despite the fact that the eSATA connection appeared back in 2004, today users quite often prefer more traditional technologies such as SATA and USB.

eSATA port: benefits

The eSATA standard, of course, would not have become widespread if it did not have objective advantages. These advantages include:

— the ability to extend the data cable up to two meters without the risk of signal distortion;

— eSATA signal compatibility with SATA;

— accelerated data transfer compared to USB 2.0 port;

- low cost of production: due to this circumstance, this connector can be used in many devices. For example, there is an external eSATA hard drive, and even flash drives;

— hard drives with an eSATA interface can be combined into RAID arrays. You can also replace hard drives on the fly, which is completely unthinkable when using a traditional SATA interface.

As you can see for yourself, this interface has many advantages, at least when compared with such familiar and traditional standards as SATA and USB 2.0.

eSATA port: disadvantages

When answering the question of what eSATA is, one cannot ignore the disadvantages of this type of connection. Despite the fact that this type of interface was first launched in 2004, not all devices are equipped with ports of this standard. So far, the use of this standard is complicated by a number of inconveniences, which include:

— physical incompatibility of eSATA and SATA ports;

- lower data transfer speed than SATA. This is confirmed by numerous synthetic tests;

— the cable length is limited to two meters, which is less than in the case of the USB standard;

— an eSATA hard drive requires additional power via USB and 1394 or through a regular outlet. This need often disappears in new models of external devices;

— eSATA and SATA use different signal levels;

— to organize eSATA, in some cases, a special controller is required on the system board;

— not too many devices have been released that support this standard yet.

If we talk about data transfer speeds, then in this regard eSATA is superior to the USB 2.0 standard, which is quite widespread today. At the same time, it is inferior to the more modern USB 3.0 standard. This may be the reason why eSATA connectors are not widely popular. It’s still much easier to work with USB, and the speed of the USB 3.0 version is higher.

eSATA: types

No matter how strange it may seem, the eSATA interface has its own variations. But, however, there are not so many of them. To be more precise, there are only two of them: actually, eSATA itself, which was already mentioned above, and ESATAp. A distinctive feature of the ESATAp port is that it is now possible to power the device directly via an eSATA cable. The SATA port required power supply through an external source. The postfix p means power, which means “power” in English. It might seem that with the advent of a standard such as eSATAp, all problems related to power supply would be solved. This port was quite ready to become self-sufficient. However, USB 3.0 appeared at the same time. eSATAp simply could not compete with it. However, any USB device can be connected to the eSATA port. Interfaces make it possible to do this. In this case, the device will be simultaneously recharged and information transferred in both directions. The main problem is that some models of hard drives require not only the standard 5 V, but also as much as 12 V for power supply. Laptops simply do not provide such powerful power supplies. For this reason, an improved version of eSATAp was developed, which provides for the use of additional power contacts in the connector. This interface has received the unofficial name eSATAdp or dual power.

What to do if there is no eSATA?

Not very often, but sometimes there are situations when you need to remove an eSATA device if there is only a SATA port on the motherboard. Let's say you need to connect an external eSATA to some device. This can be done, only for this purpose you will need a passive extender that can be connected directly to the SATA on the motherboard. If we are talking about a netbook or laptop, then such a connection can only be made through PCCard adapters, as well as using an ExpressCard. In this case, the maximum cable length will be limited to only 1 m, and this is not entirely convenient.

External devices with eSATA support

At one time, the eSATA interface was predicted to have a bright future. Even today you can find an external hard drive with an eSATA interface on sale. The USB 3.0 port has not yet managed to displace its predecessor, the USB 2.0 port. Since the eSATA standard is primarily intended for fast data exchange, it is logical that the majority of the market for external devices that support this interface consists of various drives. These include flash drives and external hard drives. You can also find scanners and printers on sale that use this type of connection. There is also some confusion due to the small variety among SATA, eSATAp, eSATA and eSATAdp interfaces. It has led to consumers constantly being confused about cable and port compatibility. Even an eSATA adapter cannot always solve this problem, especially in cases where difficulties are associated not only with compatibility, but also with the need to provide additional 12V power. It is also worth noting that the eSATAdp standard has not yet been standardized. For now, all that remains is to carefully monitor the compatibility of the cables so as not to confuse SATA, eSATA and other cables. We can only hope that they will all finally be standardized, or that a universal port will replace the entire existing variety of SATA ports.

Why not USB or Fire Wire?

The answer to the question of what the eSATA interface is would not be complete without an analysis of the capabilities of competing interfaces. In this case we will be talking about USB or Fire Wire. There are three reasons why the eSATA port can be supplanted by these interfaces:

1. To organize data exchange through these two ports, it is necessary to convert the SATA or PATA protocols to USB or FireWire. In this case, the bandwidth will have significant limitations. This was not very noticeable before, but with the advent of solid-state drives with a capacity of 500 GB or more, which today will surprise no one, this threshold has become quite noticeable.
2. Even in the case of Fire Wire, there is a data transfer speed limit of 400 Mbps, since Fire Wire controllers operate according to the IEEE 1394A standard. This limitation is striking here not so much when using large-capacity hard drives, but when using high-speed and high-volume RAID arrays, which accordingly require fairly high speeds.
3. USB and Fire Wire based drives do not have access to some low-level functions, for example, S.M.A.R.T.eSATA at the same time is free from this disadvantage. Competitive interfaces today are quite in demand among ordinary users due to their convenience. But in some cases you can’t do without an eSATA interface. So, for example, if the user needs high speed transfer of large-volume information, this standard is an ideal solution for such tasks. Its implementation, unfortunately, is associated with some technical difficulties, but if additional power is available, for example, using an external unit, this will not be a problem.

eSATA port: prospects

It is still difficult to say anything with a 100% guarantee regarding the eSATA interface. Without an attempt at prediction, the answer to the question of what eSATA is would not be complete. Today there are various devices on the market that support ports such as USB 3.0, USB 2.0, as well as the aforementioned Fire Wire. Therefore, the future of the eSATA port is uncertain. Manufacturers, on the one hand, are in no hurry to actively use this port in all their devices. On the other hand, they make drives with this interface, but they don’t forget about USB 3.0. The eSATA port looks pretty good in cases where connecting large storage devices is required, as well as processing multimedia content in HD quality. The interface will also help anyone who wants to create their own RAID array at home. Many users prefer to use the slower, but simpler and more intuitive USB 2.0 interface in their daily work. Most users simply do not need to work with capacious and fast drives. In addition, users are often intimidated by the need to provide additional power to an eSATA device. They are willing to put up with some speed restrictions for the sake of convenience. However, in some cases you cannot do without it. So you shouldn’t expect the eSATA interface to have a significant impact on the market in the future. He will not give up his positions quickly, so there is still a need for him. Experts argue that this standard will exist until a newer standard is disseminated. Perhaps USB 3.0 will eventually take over. But until this happens, you can safely purchase eSATA-based drives.

Many computer users have come across the word SATA more than once, but not many know what it is. Should you pay attention to it when choosing a hard drive, system board or a ready-made computer? After all, the word SATA is now often mentioned in the characteristics of these devices.

We give a definition

SATA is a serial data transfer interface between various storage devices, which replaced the parallel ATA interface.

Work on creating this interface began in 2000.

In February 2000, on the initiative of Intel, a special working group was created, which included the leaders of IT technologies of those times and today: Dell, Maxtor, Seagate, APT Technologies, Quantum and many other equally significant companies.

As a result of two years of collaboration, the first SATA connectors appeared on motherboards at the end of 2002. They were used to transmit data through network devices.

And since 2003, the serial interface has been integrated into all modern motherboards.

To visually feel the difference between ATA and SATA, look at the photo below.

Serial ATA interface.

The new interface at the software level is compatible with all existing hardware devices and provides higher data transfer rates.

As you can see from the photo above, the 7-pin wire is thinner, which provides a more convenient connection between various devices, and also allows you to increase the number of Serial ATA connectors on the motherboard.

In some motherboard models, their number can reach as many as 6.

Lower operating voltage, fewer contacts and microcircuits have reduced the heat generation of devices. Therefore, SATA port controllers do not overheat, which ensures even more reliable data transfer.

However, it is still problematic to connect most modern disk drives to the Serial ATA interface, so all manufacturers of modern motherboards have not yet abandoned the ATA (IDE) interface.

Cables and connectors

For full data transfer via the SATA interface, two cables are used.

One, 7-pin, directly for data transmission, and the second, 15-pin, power, for supplying additional voltage.

At the same time, the 15-pin power cable is connected to the power supply, through a regular 4-pin connector that produces two different voltages, 5 and 12 V.

The SATA power cable produces operating voltages of 3.3, 5 and 12 V, with a current of 4.5 A.

Cable width 2.4 cm.

To ensure a smooth transition from ATA to SATA in terms of power connections, you can still see the old 4-pin connectors on some hard drive models.

But as a rule, modern hard drives already come with only a new 15-pin connector.

The Serial ATA data cable can be connected to the hard drive and motherboard even when the latter are turned on, which could not be done with the old ATA interface.

This is achieved due to the fact that the grounding pins in the area of ​​the interface contacts are made slightly longer than the signal and power pins.

Therefore, when connecting, the ground wires come into contact first, and only then all the others.

The same can be said about the 15-pin power cable.

Table, Serial ATA power connector.

SATA Configuration

The main difference between the SATA and ATA configurations is the absence of special switches and Master/Slave type chips.

There is also no need to choose where to connect the device to the cable, because there are two such places on the ATA cable, and the device that is connected at the end of the cable is considered the main one in the BIOS.

The absence of Master/Slave settings not only greatly simplifies the hardware configuration, but also allows for faster installation of operating systems, for example.

Speaking of BIOS, settings in it won’t take much time either. You can quickly find and configure everything there.

Data transfer rate

Data transfer speed is one of the important parameters, for the improvement of which the SATA interface was developed.

But this figure in this interface has constantly increased and now the data transfer speed can reach up to 1969 MB/s. Much depends on the generation of the SATA interface, and there are already 5 of them.

The first generations of the serial interface, version “0,” could transfer up to 50 MB/s, but they did not catch on, as they were immediately replaced by SATA 1.0. the data transfer speed of which already reached 150 MB/s.

The appearance of SATA series and their capabilities.

Series:

1. 1.0 – debut time 01/7/2003 – maximum theoretical data transfer speed 150 MB/s.
2. 2.0 – will appear in 2004, fully compatible with version 1.0, maximum theoretical data transfer speed of 300 MB/s or 3 Gbit/s.
3. 3.0 – debut time July 2008, start of release May 2009. Theoretical maximum speed is 600 MB/s or 6 Gb/s.
4. 3.1 – debut time July 2011, speed – 600 MB/s or 6 Gbit/s. A more improved version than in paragraph 3.
5. 3.2, as well as the SATA Express specification included in it - released in 2013. In this version, SATA and PCIe devices merged. Data transfer speed has increased to 1969 MB/s.

In this interface, data transfer is carried out at a speed of 16 Gbit/s or 1969 MB/s due to the interaction of two PCIe Express and SATA lines.

The SATA Express interface began to be implemented in Intel 9-series chipsets and at the beginning of 2014 was still little known.

If they are not introduced into the jungle of IT technologies, then in a nutshell we can say this.

Serial ATA Express is a kind of transition bridge that converts the usual signal transmission mode in SATA mode to a higher speed one, which is possible thanks to the PCI Express interface.

eSATA

eSATA is used to connect external devices, which once again confirms the versatility of the SATA interface.

More reliable connection connectors and ports are already used here.

The disadvantage is that the external device requires a separate dedicated cable to operate.

But the interface developers soon solved this problem by introducing the power supply system directly into the main cable in the eSATAp interface.

eSATAp is a modified eSATA interface in the implementation of which USB 2.0 technology was used. The main advantage of this interface is the transmission of 5 and 12 Volt voltages via wires.

Accordingly, eSATAp 5 V and eSATAp 12 V are found.

There are other names for the interface, it all depends on the manufacturer. You may see similar names: Power eSATA, Power over eSATA, eSATA USB Hybrid Port (EUHP), eSATApd and SATA/USB Combo.

See below for what the interface looks like.

The Mini eSATAp interface has also been developed for laptops and netbooks.

mSATA

mSATA – implemented since September 2009. Designed for use in laptops, netbooks and other small PCs.

The photo above, as an example, shows two drives, one regular SATA, it’s at the bottom. Above is a disk with an mSATA interface.

For those interested, you can familiarize yourself with the characteristics of mSATA drives.

Such drives are installed in almost every ultrabook.

The mSATA interface is rarely used in ordinary computers.

mSATA to Serial ATA Converter Adapter.

Conclusion

From the above it is clear that the SATA serial data transfer interface has not yet completely exhausted itself.

Typically, external hard drives are much slower than their counterparts installed in a computer case. External hard drives are connected to the computer using USB and Firewire interfaces. Naturally, the data transfer speed in the latter case will be very low - somewhere between 400 and 480 Mbit/s. Agree that this looks very poor compared to the speed provided by the new SATA standard - up to 300 Gbit/s.

At first, the Serial ATA interface was widely used for hot-plugging drives and had a longer cable length compared to IDE. The internal Serial ATA port was connected to the outside of the computer, and a hard drive was connected to it. This was done until the new standard was officially adopted, eSATA - External Serial ATA. eSATA standardization was carried out in mid-2004.

What characterizes the new standard for connecting hard drives?

Firstly, this is the full speed of the old SATA interface, but now for external connection of drives.

Secondly, there is no conversion of the SATA protocol to the USB protocol (as when using adapters). Thus, the user has access to all disk functions, including S.M.A.R.T.

Thirdly, the length of the cables eSATA can be up to two meters. USB cables, however, can be longer.

Fourthly, the new standard is low-voltage signal transmission via cable. When transmitting - 400-500 mV, when receiving 240-500 mV.

Fifthly, the eSATA cable is characterized by greater strength in the connector than the cables of the old interface.

Thanks to lower latency and faster connection speeds, eSATA external hard drives are very promising for dense work with the highest quality video and audio content. eSATA still uses all the advantages of the Serial ATA standard: Port Multiplier, Hot Plug, NCQ. The new standard provides more opportunities for using RAID arrays in conventional drives.

Standard eSATA can also be used to increase the disk capacity of server systems. At the same time, early motherboards and controllers with internal SATA ports that are routed externally are incompatible with new solutions.

Despite the evolution of optical technologies and the emergence of standards such as HD DVD and Blu-Ray, it is hard drives that allow those who work with digital media data to store and transfer colossal volumes. There are simply not enough optics to store even ordinary video in the processing stage, not to mention high definition (High Definition - HD) video. It's no secret that when processing, to output just one minute of the finished video, you have to store an entire hour of source material, which is then compiled, recomposed and re-folded. Therefore, it is not surprising that many professionals use external drives.

Typically, external hard drives are slower than their internal counterparts. In order not to lose mobility, external drives usually use a USB or FireWire interface, which imposes a limitation on the transfer speed: peak Bandwidth ranges from 400 to 480 Mbit/s. How little is this compared to the new SATA standard, which provides up to 300 Gbit/s! And with each passing year, with the increase in megapixels of cameras and the popularization of HD video, the old interfaces will seem more and more “poor”, because it will take you a long time to copy 30 GB of video to a disk with a USB interface. Noticeably longer than the second SATA hard drive if it is installed in your computer.

In addition to high performance, an important advantage of the SATA interface is hot-swappability. Today we'll introduce you to one of the pioneers among external SATA (eSATA) hard drives: the Seagate eSATA 500 GB. It's worth noting that although we tested the 500GB version, Seagate also makes a 300GB eSATA drive model, which is correspondingly less expensive.

External view of a Seagate eSATA drive.

Like all Seagate hard drives, the drive we received for testing has a model number. In this case, it is ST3500601XS-RK, which is impossible to remember and unnecessary. It’s easier to call the device Seagate eSATA, and everyone will understand you - even the Price.ru database. Inside the Seagate eSATA there is a Seagate Barracuda ST3500641 hard drive with a spindle speed of 7200 rpm, which is classified as to line 7200.9 with a capacity of 500 GB and a 16 MB cache. This is not the last model from Seagate - the THG laboratory has already tested a 750 GB drive from the 7200.10 family, which we are now giving away to our readers. For the computer to “see” the hard drive Seagate eSATA 500Gb, you need to connect an eSATA data cable and a power cable to the device.

The eSATA cable is black, and the red one is a regular SATA cable. Don't get confused.

The eSATA design is broadly similar to other Seagate hard drives, but there are some differences. The stylish silver case with black inserts is made a little differently than the Seagate 400Gb Pushbutton Backup models - both the front panel and the back are different. The changes to the front panel are mostly cosmetic, but the front button now turns on the drive rather than launching the backup utility. After power is applied to the Seagate eSATA 500Gb, the blue LED lights up. Numerous USB and Firewire connectors have disappeared at the rear, and the socket into which the plug from the power supply is inserted has also changed.

Another nice feature of Seagate external hard drives has also disappeared - the possibility of modular connection. Previous Seagate PushButton Backups could be installed on top of each other, and connected with a FireWire cable “one through the other”. However, this could not be done with the USB interface. Now we have an eSATA interface, and drives are no longer connected one to another. But now drives can be connected in RAID. And you can stack them on top of each other as before, while the design of the cover is optimized so that the “stack” of hard drives does not fall apart.

Just one eSATA connector on the back

The drive comes with a Promise eSATA300 TX2 controller with two external ports. A very logical step, since eSATA ports on motherboards, although they are found, are not as common as USB and FireWire. Note that connecting Seagate eSATA to a laptop is a completely different topic. A laptop controller is not included with the device.

The package includes a Promise eSATA300 TX2 PCI controller.

In addition to the drive and eSATA card, the package includes the BounceBack Express V 7.0 software package. It is very easy to use and allows you to back up entire drives and folders. In addition, Bounceback gives you the ability to schedule reservations. Is it true to compare BounceBack with backup tools like Acronis TrueImage or Norton Ghost we wouldn’t - the weight categories are too different.

User manual and cables included.

As we've already noted, the key difference between the new Seagate eSATA drive and older hard drive models is that the drive has lost FireWire and USB ports. In our opinion, these ports should be left. Of course, the drive's strong point is its excellent performance. But external hard drives have another advantage: portability. If you want to transfer data using a Seagate drive to another PC, it must have an eSATA port. Most likely, you will encounter a lack of one. It is important to understand that eSATA and SATA connectors are different from each other. You cannot connect regular SATA drives to the eSATA controller, and vice versa, connect Seagate eSATA through a regular SATA connector on the motherboard.

You will not be able to connect an eSATA drive to a SATA connector.

SATA and eSATA connectors on controllers.

SATA and eSATA connectors.

And yet, eSATA is gradually appearing even in inexpensive motherboards. So recently a desktop computer visited the THG laboratory

The gradual displacement of hard drive models with a PATA interface from the market leads to a logical consequence: manufacturers of various hard drive peripherals are gradually introducing the SATA interface in their products. Of course, external containers were no exception; moreover, SATA came into their camp in two forms at once - as an interface for connecting the hard drive itself and as an interface for connecting the container to a computer (known as “eSATA”). Interestingly, there are also a number of “transitional” models on the market, within which the PATA interface is adjacent to SATA, allowing the user to install one or another drive of his choice.

In this article we will look at 12 external containers with a wide variety of interface combinations. Unlike containers for 2.5" drives, which we discussed earlier, today's test participants are not very convenient to carry with them - this is due to their considerable weight and size. On the other hand, they allow you not only to obtain a noticeably lower final cost per gigabyte compared to 2.5" counterparts, but also to achieve quite considerable capacities, up to 1 Terabyte. Of the most typical areas of use of containers for 3.5" drives, perhaps two can be distinguished. Firstly, expanding the disk subsystem of laptops, whose own hard drives are quite modest in size, and purchasing an external USB container with a capacious disk inside is the easiest way to solve this problem. Secondly, backing up information from a desktop computer: an external drive can also solve this task with minimal expenditure of money, time and effort, while ensuring very good data safety. However, of course, this short list does not exhaust the possibilities for using containers...

AgeStar IUB301

The silver body is made of aluminum. On the back of the container, designed for working with hard drives with a PATA interface, there are: a power connector, a power switch, a USB 2.0 port, and an LED operating mode indicator. The device uses the GL811E chip. Overall dimensions are 108 x 31 x 187 mm.

Check availability and cost of AgeStar IUB301

AgeStar IUB302

The black body is made of aluminum. In appearance, this container, designed to work with hard drives with a PATA interface, is very similar to some similar products from STLab. On the back of the case there are: power connector, power switch, USB 2.0 port, LED operating mode indicator. The markings of the controller chip turned out to be neatly erased - one can only guess about the purpose of this act. Overall dimensions are 117 x 36 x 205 mm.

The container package includes: power adapter with cable, USB cable, screwdriver, user manual, set of screws, miniature CD with drivers.

Check availability and cost of AgeStar IUB302

AgeStar SUB301

The silver case is made of aluminum and in appearance corresponds to the AgeStar IUB301 model. On the back of the container, designed for working with hard drives with a SATA interface, there are: a power connector, a power switch, a USB 2.0 port, and an LED operating mode indicator. The device uses the SATALink SPIF215A-HF021 chip. Overall dimensions are 108 x 31 x 177 mm.

The container package includes: power adapter with cable, USB cable, screwdriver, user manual, set of screws, miniature CD with drivers, plastic stand.

Check availability and cost of AgeStar SUB301

AgeStar SUB3A1

The silver body is made of aluminum with black plastic elements. On the back side of the container, designed to work with hard drives with a SATA interface, there are: a power connector, a power switch, and a USB 2.0 port. There are also two LED operating mode indicators on the top side of the plastic plug. The device uses a JMicron JM20339 chip. Overall dimensions are 118 x 30 x 191 mm.

The container package includes: power adapter with cable, USB cable, user manual, set of screws, plastic guides, miniature CD with drivers, plastic stand.

Check availability and cost of AgeStar SUB3A1

Floston Star Box SE-EUS1

The black body is made of aluminum with silver trim. On the back side of the container, designed to work with hard drives with SATA and PATA interfaces, there are: power switch, power connector, USB 2.0 port, eSATA port, operating mode switch (eSATA/USB 2.0). The device uses a JMicron JM20337 chip. The overall dimensions of the container are 217 x 124 x 33 mm, and the weight is 1.1 kg.

The container package includes: USB cable, user manual, plastic stand, eSATA cable, external power adapter with cable, CD with drivers and an electronic version of the user manual.

Check availability and cost of Floston containers

Gembird EE3-SATA-2

The silver body is made of aluminum. On the back side of the container, designed for working with hard drives with a SATA interface, there are: a power connector, a power switch, a SATA port, work, and two LED indicators of the operating mode. Overall dimensions are 115 x 30 x 200 mm.

The container package includes: power adapter with cable, SATA cable, user manual, screwdriver, plastic guides, aluminum stand.

Check the availability and cost of Gembird containers

Noname

Unfortunately, we were unable to identify the actual manufacturer of the container. The device remains nameless, and will be codenamed Noname in our article. The cardboard box in which the container is sold can mislead a potential buyer, since it says on it that this is an external hard drive. The “birds in the checkboxes” informing about supported interfaces are also displayed incorrectly. One gets the impression that this is a consequence of saving on packaging.

The silver body is made of aluminum. There is a blue plastic insert on the front end. On the back side of the container, designed to work with hard drives with a SATA interface, there are: a power switch, a power connector, a USB 2.0 port, and two LED operating mode indicators. The device uses the SATALink SPIF21SA-HF021 chip. Overall dimensions are 208 x 120 x 30 mm.

The container package includes: USB cable, user manual, miniature CD with drivers, external power adapter with cable, set of screws, screwdriver.

STLab S-151

The black body is made of aluminum. On the front side there is an LED indicator of the operating mode. On the back side of the container, designed to work with hard drives with a SATA interface, there are: a power connector, a USB 2.0 port, and a power switch. The device uses a JM20339 chip. Overall dimensions are 116 x 39 x 250 mm.

The container package includes: USB cable, user manual (in Russian and English), miniature CD with drivers, external power adapter with cable, set of screws, plastic stand.

STLab S-190

The silver body is made of aluminum, and the ends are made of gray plastic. On the front side there is an LED indicator of the operating mode. On the back side of the container, designed to work with hard drives with SATA and PATA interfaces, there are: a power connector, a USB 2.0 port, and a power switch. The device uses a JM20337 chip. Overall dimensions are 116 x 33.5 x 212 mm.

Check the availability and cost of STLab containers

STLab S-210

The silver body is made of aluminum, and the ends are made of gray plastic. On the front side there is an LED indicator of the operating mode. On the back side of the container, designed to work with hard drives with a SATA interface, there are: power connector, USB 2.0 port, eSATA port, power switch. The device uses a JM20339 chip. Overall dimensions are 116 x 33.5 x 212 mm.

The container package includes: USB cable, user manual, external power adapter with cable, set of screws, plastic stand.

Check the availability and cost of STLab containers

STLab S-220

The silver body is made of aluminum, and the ends are made of gray plastic. On the front side there is an LED indicator of the operating mode. On the back side of the container, designed to work with hard drives with a SATA interface, there are: a power connector, an eSATA port, and a power switch. The device uses the AIC1595 – PWM converter chip. Overall dimensions are 116 x 33.5 x 212 mm.

The container package includes: eSATA cable, user manual, miniature CD with drivers, external power adapter with cable, set of screws, plastic stand.

Check the availability and cost of STLab containers

STLab S-230

The silver body is made of aluminum, and the ends are made of gray plastic. On the front side there is an LED indicator of the operating mode. On the back side of the container, designed to work with hard drives with a SATA interface, there are: a power connector, a USB 2.0 port, and a power switch. The device uses a JM20339 chip. Overall dimensions are 116 x 33.5 x 212 mm.

The container package includes: USB cable, user manual, miniature CD with drivers, external power adapter with cable, set of screws, plastic stand.

Check the availability and cost of STLab containers

TRENDnet TSE-IS401

The purple body is made of plastic. On the back side of the container, designed to work with hard drives with SATA and PATA interfaces, there are: a power connector, a power switch, a USB 2.0 port, and an LED operating mode indicator. The device uses a JM20337 chip. Overall dimensions are 225 x 140 x 37 mm.

The container package includes: power adapter with cable, USB cable, screwdriver, quick installation guide, CD with drivers and user manual, plastic stand.

Check the availability and cost of TRENDnet containers

Testing methodology

To ensure that performance in tests was not limited by the hard drive used, we chose some of the fastest hard drives available: for containers with an internal PATA interface, we used the Hitachi HDS722525VLAT80, and in the case of SATA, we used the Hitachi HDS722525VLSA80. Unfortunately, during testing, the last hard drive unexpectedly died, and we were forced to replace it with a Hitachi HDT722525DLA380 (it ended up being installed in the AgeStar SUB3A1 and TRENDnet TSE-IS401 containers). We will draw our conclusions about the performance characteristics of containers based on the results obtained during testing of the hard drives installed in them. Naturally, in the case of containers that support two internal or external interfaces, we will conduct several sets of tests, with different connection options.

The following programs were used during testing:

WinBench 99 2.0;
FC-Test 1.0.

The test system was as follows:

Motherboard – Albatron PX865PE Pro II;
Central processor – Intel Pentium 4 2.4 GHz;
Hard drive – IBM DTLA-307015 15 GB;
Graphics adapter – Radeon 7000 32 MB;
RAM – 256 MB DDR SDRAM;
Operating system – Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2.

WinBench 99

We suggest starting a review of the test results obtained using the WinBench 99 program with the read speed diagrams of drives. Here and below, after the names of the containers, for greater information, we give abbreviated names of the hard disk interface and external interface separated by a slash. The absence of any results in the tables and diagrams for devices indicates that this test was not passed by this drive.
Analysis of the transfer lines in the diagrams shows that when using an external USB 2.0 interface, they are characterized by long horizontal sections, reflecting the inability to provide data exchange above a certain level, which is clearly insufficient for the efficient operation of hard drives. At the same time, when using SATA (eSATA), the transfer lines in the diagrams resemble a “mountain slope”, that is, in this situation the hard drive can most fully realize its speed potential.

Now let's move on to the digital indicators obtained during this test. All our results are given for the case when 32 GB hard drive partitions were used. The only exceptions are the reading speed values ​​​​at the beginning and end of the drives, as well as access time - these are for the full volume. First of all, let's pay attention to the efficiency of containers in a situation where the FAT32 file system was used

In the first diagram we get another confirmation of the effectiveness of the SATA (eSATA) interface. The quartet of containers connected in this way turned out to be noticeably faster than other devices operating via USB 2.0. We can single out the absolute leader among the four; it turned out to be the Floston Star Box container - it has the highest Business and High-End Disk Winmark indicators. Among the devices connected via the USB 2.0 interface, the unnamed container had the highest result, although the difference in performance between it and the eight identified ones following it was insignificant. The performance of two more containers is slightly worse: AgeStar IUB302 and STLab S-210. The TRENDnet TSE-IS401 device showed very low performance - it is a clear outsider in this test. Due to the fact that it uses the same chip as some other participants in this “competition,” responsibility for unsatisfactory results can be placed entirely on the manufacturer.

Let's see how the use of the NTFS file system affects the operation of containers. The picture we see in the diagram indicates a more stubborn struggle. Of course, nothing can shake the leading position of four devices connected via the SATA interface (eSATA). They again look noticeably better than their opponents and the Floston Star Box continues to have the highest results in both benchmarks. Among devices using USB 2.0, our unidentified and flightless object was the fastest. The same Floston Star Box was only slightly inferior to it. Although the remaining containers turned out to be slower, their lag is not fatal. Only AgeStar IUB302, which closes the “tournament table”, was unable to overcome the 30 MB/s mark according to the High-End Disk Winmark indicator.

The read speed diagram at the beginning and end of the drive gives us the opportunity to get an indirect reflection of the efficiency of the external interfaces of containers. A completely predictable picture of the advantages of using the SATA (eSATA) interface opens before our eyes. All devices connected in this way receive a noticeable head start over containers operating via the USB 2.0 interface. It is worth noting that the difference in the results recorded within both conditional groups (by interface type) is very insignificant.

The last chart in the section shows the measured access time. This indicator plays a secondary role in the operation of external drives, and this information is provided more as reference information than as a guide to action when choosing an external container. It can be seen that although the access time values ​​differ, the overall picture is quite smooth and the difference in results cannot have any fundamental impact on performance.

FC-Test

Next in our testing program is the FileCopy Test. Two 32 GB partitions are created on the hard drive, partitioned at two stages of testing: first in NTFS and then in FAT32. After that, a certain set of files is created on the disks, read, copied within the partition, and copied from partition to partition. The time of all these operations is recorded. Let's remember that the "Windows" and "Programs" sets include a large number of small files, and the other three sets ("ISO", "MP3" and "Install") are characterized by a smaller number of larger files.

We will begin to consider the test results with the case when the FAT32 file system was used. Here and below, from the testing results, we graphically interpreted only those that belong to two patterns as the most characteristic ones.

The first diagram shows the speed of creating (writing) files and, as we expected, there are no surprises in sight. Four containers operating via the SATA (eSATA) interface left no chance for their numerous opponents to win, demonstrating approximately the same level of performance. Their advantage is especially clearly visible when working with large files, when hard drives are capable of high speeds. Among containers with a USB interface, we also observe approximately equality in write speed. An exception is the TRENDnet TSE-IS40 - it sags a lot when working with small files.

When performing a file read operation, the four containers using the SATA (eSATA) interface gain an even greater advantage over their opponents. Since in this case the hard drives are capable of demonstrating the highest speed, the real throughput of the external interface is reflected in this case to the maximum. The difference in the results of the leading “quartet” is not very large. Among the containers connected via the USB 2.0 interface, we can highlight an unnamed device, as well as the Floston Star Box and AgeStar IUB301, which achieved some advantage over the rest of the test participants.

When copying files within one partition, the maximum speed is again demonstrated by four containers with an external SATA (eSATA) interface. The difference in their performance is not too great to draw attention to. Among containers with a USB 2.0 interface, we see a fairly uniform picture in terms of copy speed, with one exception. The TRENDnet TSE-IS40 device can be considered one such device, which again “failed” when working with small files.

In appearance, the diagram with the results of measuring the speed of copying files from one partition to another is like two drops of water similar to the previous one, only the numbers are different. Therefore, no separate comments are required here - the balance of power remains the same.

Now let's move on to consider the situation with the performance of containers when the NTFS file system was used.

On the diagram with the speed of creating (writing) files, a familiar picture appears before our eyes. Four containers operating via the SATA (eSATA) interface are noticeably ahead of their competitors. At the same time, there is approximate parity between them in terms of performance. The speed results were quite similar for devices connected via the USB 2.0 interface.

The file reading operation allows you to fully demonstrate the advantages of the SATA (eSATA) interface. The four containers that possess it achieve a noticeable speed advantage over their opponents. Devices operating via USB 2.0 showed similar results in terms of speed, although if desired, we can highlight the unnamed device, Floston Star Box and AgeStar IUB301, for the better.

In the case of copying files within one partition, we are again faced with the indisputable superiority of four containers with the SATA interface (eSATA) - their leading positions are inviolable. Devices with USB 2.0 are noticeably slower. Once again, we can state the compactness of the results within each of the two conditional groups, which does not give any particular reason to single out any specific container.

We don’t see anything fundamentally new compared to the previous situation in the diagram with the results of measuring the speed of copying files from one partition to another. Quite predictably, four containers with the SATA (eSATA) interface “solo”, and devices connected via USB 2.0, no matter how much they want, cannot get closer to them.

Summarizing

The testing carried out allows us to draw an unambiguous conclusion that if you want to get a fast, large-capacity external drive, you first need to pay close attention to containers with the SATA (eSATA) interface. Naturally, in this case you will also need 3.5" hard drives with the same interface: none of the devices reviewed have PATA-SATA converters, so with an eSATA connection they can only work with SATA hard drives. In all the tests we conducted The performance of external drives operating via the SATA (eSATA) interface was noticeably higher than that of devices connected to the computer via USB 2.0.Of course, we can talk about the slight advantage of one of the four containers when performing a particular operation, but this is not the main thing. It is important that only the use of the SATA interface will allow you to achieve the highest possible performance of an external drive.Recall that the installation of hard drives with the SATA interface and the ability to connect via it to computers allow containers: Floston Star Box, Gembird EE3-SATA-2, STLab S- 210 and STLab S-220. In terms of performance, there are no complaints about them, with the exception of the Floston Star Box, which could not pass the WinBench 99 test when using the FAT32 file system for a SATA hard drive and an external USB 2.0 interface. However, on the other hand, it looks like a very interesting option for purchasing due to its versatility: with a USB connection, this container can also work with PATA hard drives.

Three of the four devices we mentioned above also support the second interface, USB 2.0 - the only exception is the Gembird EE3-SATA-2. When connected through it, they turn out to be no worse than other containers that only have a USB 2.0 interface. Moreover, Floston Star Box again turns out to be one of the best in terms of performance in this case. Among the devices that only support the USB 2.0 interface, the unnamed container looked good, as well as the AgeStar IUB301. True, the differences in the efficiency of one device or another are not fundamental, so their other parameters come to the fore: such as, for example, design, cost, or the ability to work with hard drives of both interfaces.

Alas, not all drives we tested were able to pass all the tests offered to them in full. Of course, this does not mean that in real work they will behave just as strangely, but, however, the possibility of compatibility problems cannot be ruled out. The AgeStar IUB302 container performed worst from this point of view.

Finally, I would like to note that, apparently, in the near future the use of the FireWire interface in external containers will completely disappear. If earlier it, losing out to USB 2.0 in availability (however, FireWire ports are still not available on every computer), won in speed, now the leading position in performance has confidently been taken by the eSATA interface, which is receiving increasing support among manufacturers as motherboards both finished computers and peripherals.

Other materials on this topic

Review of four external containers for 2.5" hard drives
Review of three Seagate FreeAgent mobile drives
Review of the universal outer container AgeStar FFB5A