A computer’s hard disc is one of its most crucial components. The majority of the data and information on the computer is stored on a hard disc, which the user accesses.
When it’s time to upgrade the computer, hard drives are a permanent, immovable element that may be changed for another hard drive.
While ATA is also known as IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics), two versions of ATA are widely used: ultra ATA and SATA.
Key Takeaways
- Ultra ATA is an older technology that uses parallel data transfer in hard disk drives.
- SATA uses serial data transfer, offering improved performance and thinner cables.
- Both are data transfer technologies, but SATA is a more modern and efficient choice for hard drives.
Ultra ATA vs SATA
The difference between ultra ATA and SATA is that Ultra ATA, known as PATA or IDE, is an earlier form of connectivity. It’s a form of connection that employs data transmission channels in parallel. SATA is a recent interface type. Therefore, it will handle UDMA 167, 133, and 100, which are much newer and greater in bandwidth protocols.
Ultra ATA is the next version of ATA, with faster transfer speeds and a more modern design.
Ultra ATA-66 enables data transfer rates as fast as 66 MBps, Ultra ATA-100 allows data transfer rates up to 100 MBps, and Ultra ATA-133 supports data transfer rates up to 133 MBps.
Serial ATA, or SATA, is a serial version of the ATA technology initially conceived as a parallel notion. It is claimed that with such a design shift, the boundaries would’ve been pushed farther, dwarfing the capabilities of Ultra ATA standards, at least in principle.
It can transport data faster, with the fastest speed being 16GB/s.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Ultra ATA | SATA |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer speed | Slower in comparison to SATA. | Provides faster transfer speed. |
| Power usage | Uses more power. | Uses less power. |
| Type of interface | Parallel ATA interface. | Serial interface. |
| Type of device | Can be regarded as an IDE device. | Not an IDE device. |
| Version | Older version. | Recent Version. |
What is Ultra ATA?
Ultra ATA is the next iteration of ATA, with faster transfer speeds and a more advanced design. Ultra ATA is still parallel ATA. However, it is a better or more advanced version of previous PATA (Parallel ATA) interfaces.
It also works with older PATA versions. With faster transfer speeds, the architecture is believed to be significantly better. Ultra ATA is a kind of ATA that supports 33.3 Mbps data transfer speeds in burst mode.
To use this benefit, the system needs to have UDMA enabled on it (Ultra Direct Memory Access). It’s a procedure that makes it possible for such things to happen.
Ultra ATA results from a collaboration between Intel, Quantum, and Seagate. It’s based on a standard that enables a hard disc or drive to transmit data directly to the computer’s system memory without the need for the CPU to do so.
This saves CPU resources while improving speed, known as Ultra DMA (or UDMA). Most Ultra ATA drives utilize 80-pin connectors, whereas standard ATA uses 40-pin connections.
The most recent version of the ATA hard disc data transmission protocol is Ultra ATA/100. Ultra ATA/100 is a low-cost upgrade of the Ultra ATA/66 hard drive interface that dramatically improves burst data speeds over prior protocol versions.
Ultra ATA/100, also known as UltraDMA/100 or Feature ATA, allows host computers to transmit and receive information at a rate of 100 MB/s, which is significantly faster than UltraATA/66’s 66.6 MB/s.
What is SATA?
SATA, an acronym for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment, is a data transmission link that connects a computer’s primary electronic circuit to storage systems.
The PATA (parallel ATA) interface was phased out in favour of SATA. Instead of sending data in multiple concurrent streams, serial communication sends data a single bit at a time.
Despite the parallel model’s seeming benefit, serial transmission is less sensitive to interference in practice, allowing SATA to function at substantially faster rates than PATA.
Additionally, the serial model allows for easier and smaller wiring. In 2000, SATA was created to replace the PATA ribbon cables, which were becoming obsolete.
SATA was upgraded thrice between 2003 and 2008, resulting in version three, sometimes known as SATA III or 3.0.
These standards enhanced speed and added capabilities to allow for quicker and more dependable storage devices, but they did not alter the physical appearance of the SATA connection.
Though there have been five modifications since its inception, namely 3.1 through 3.5, SATA III is still the most widely used SATA interface.
Backwards and forward compatibility is an objective of the SATA standard. This indicates that if future iterations of the SATA standard are issued, the system will be able to receive input from both those current and previous versions.
Main Differences Between Ultra ATA and SATA
- SATA hard drives are significantly more developed and quicker than ultra ATA (commonly known as PATA) hard drives regarding transfer speed. While ultra ATA transfers data at a rate of MB/s, the SATA interface transfers data at a rate of GB/s, which is a significant improvement over its predecessor.
- SATA connections are smaller and use less power than Ultra ATA connectors.
- Ultra ATA is a parallel ATA interface, whereas SATA is a serial interface.
- Ultra ATA can be loosely regarded as an IDE device. However, SATA is not an IDE device because it is serial.
- SATA is currently seen to be the next step in ATA technology, whereas ultra ATA is a primitive ATA technology.
- https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8O-sBAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Difference+Between+Ultra+ATA+and+SATA+&ots=izYAlJmtac&sig=hFb-klRCEgDDRSEsuhYB1ESgEAg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Difference%20Between%20Ultra%20ATA%20and%20SATA&f=false
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/4593923
Last Updated : 29 June, 2023
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
Despite being informative, it is a bit biased towards SATA.
I think that maybe he could have gone deeper into the comparison between SATA and ATA
Yes, I agree, he should have given more data about the differences.
It was quite informative, thank you.
It was a valuable read.
I agree, I always learn something when I read this author’s works.
This is a very serious topic, shouldn’t be taken lightly.
I found this quite amusing, thank you
I think it is outdated. Wouldn’t be more interesting to read something more up to date?