Future of ATA vs SATA?

On May 2, 2006, at 11:16 AM, anjtc wrote:

> I would like to add more storage to my iBook G4. Being a smart
> shopper, I have been patiently waiting for prices of 2.5-inch 120GB
> hard drives to come down.
>
> Recently I read, however, that the Ultra ATA standard is being
> phased out by the new Serial ATA (SATA) interface. So now I'm
> wondering if "he who hesitates is lost."
>
> Will 120GB ultra ATA drives even be available much longer? I don't
> need one this instant, but I'd hate to wake up one day and find
> they just weren't available any more. Advice?


The large majority of computers in the world today (personal machines
at least) only include the interface for ATA drives. So there is no
immediate concern. Perhaps in 3 years, but even then I doubt it.

What's more likely to happen first is that you won't be able to find
a 120GB drive because they don't make that size any more. It's
already pretty hard to find anything smaller than 80GB for
3.5" (desktop) drives, and 40GB for 2.5" (laptop) drives.

For example at Newegg.com (good company, purchased lots of hard
drives from them), there are only two 20GB laptop drives, one for $58
and one for $80. All the 40GB drives are between $60-$68. Would you
buy the 20 GB drive?

120GB laptop drives are pretty new still, Apple's only recently
started offering it with the MacBook Pro. So you probably have 2-3
years before you couldn't find a 120GB ATA 2.5". I suppose we could
start a pool to see which would happen first. Inability to find an
ATA drive, or inability to find a 120GB ATA drive.

Steve

On 3/05/2006, at 5:29 AM, Stephen A. Cochran Lists wrote:
> The large majority of computers in the world today (personal machines
> at least) only include the interface for ATA drives. So there is no
> immediate concern. Perhaps in 3 years, but even then I doubt it.
        
Many new machines still only have ATA support and not SATA.

There are adapters available to go from ATA to SATA and possibly the
other way around but how this would fear under heavy loading (ie
video editing) I don't know

-------------------------------------
Jason Campbell
Technician
Psychology Department
University of Otago

On May 2, 2006, at 8:16 AM, anjtc wrote:

> Will 120GB ultra ATA drives even be available much longer? I don't
> need one this instant, but I'd hate to wake up one day and find
> they just weren't available any more. Advice?

I just bought and installed (yep, did it myself with help from some
on-line directions) a Seagate 120MB 2.5" that is one that is supposed
to work in PowerBooks. I got mine on Amazon and in the reviews it
tells you where to get the instructions as well. It is better than my
old 40GB and is much faster as well. Also I love the room!! Just
installed Adobe's Creative Suite (the one with EVERYTHING!) and love
it on my 12" laptop. Also, I partitioned my drive into an 80MB main
drive and a 40GB (or whatever was left) into a Data drive as well.

Anyse

Thanks for the input! I now feel like I don't need to rush out and buy a 120 gig drive before they disappear from the market. In fact, in a couple years, who knows, maybe I'll just end up upgrading the whole computer (though I rode my previous computers for a long time, and I sure do like this little iBook).

Anyway, thanks again!