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AMD and Seagate to demonstrate 6Gb/sec SATA today

Published on 2nd March 2009 by Ben Hardwidge

The 6Gb/sec SATA interface will use the same cables and connectors used by current SATA devices.

Now that Intel’s X25-E Extreme SSD is boasting sustained sequential read speeds of up to 250MB/sec, the maximum 300MB/sec throughput of SATA II is starting to look dangerously close to saturation-point. However, it looks as though the move to the next-generation 6Gb/sec SATA 3.0 interface is now in full force, as Seagate and AMD are reportedly going to demonstrate a 6Gb/sec SATA setup in New Orleans today.

ExtremeTech reports that the technology will form a part of a new AMD Southbridge chip, and says that it will be mainly targeted at solid state disks before it becomes a standard on mechanical hard drives. Speaking to the site, Seagate’s senior marketing I/O development manager, Marc Noblitt, said that "Flash will take advantage [of the new interface], in applicable markets, sooner than you think.”

He added that "six-gig is a perfect interface. OEMs tell us that they want to have the same SATA interface for flash as for a 1.8in rotating drive, so they can swap in a drive for flash, or vice versa." Noblitt told the site that the new 6Gb/sec SATA interface would feature improved streaming characteristics that aren’t currently found in 3Gb/sec SATA drives with native command queuing. The site also says that executives from the companies say that the new technology will be primarily target at gaming PCs and servers.

Originally announced by the SATA-IO organisation in August last year, the new 6Gb/sec SATA interface promises to maintain backward compatibility with earlier SATA implementations. The SATA-IO group says that “the same cables and connectors used for current SATA implementations can be used to connect SATA 6Gb/sec devices, although SATA-IO recommends utilising quality components to ensure data integrity and robust operation at the fast 6Gb/sec transfer rate."

STMicroelectronics has already demonstrated a physical layer interface for 6Gb/sec SATA drives at IDF last year, and ExtremeTech claims that neither Seagate or AMD will be announcing new products based on the technology yet. In the same way that the 3Gb/sec SATA II interface has a maximum real throughput of 300MB/sec, the 6Gb/sec interface will also feature a similar maximum transfer rate of 600MB/sec. Justifying the need for the new transfer rate, Noblitt told ExtremeTech that “you always want to keep the I/O spec in front of the data rate to ensure you don't run up against it.”

Do we need a 6Gb/sec SATA interface yet? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.

15 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

azrael- 2nd March 2009, 10:38

But will they finally make a locking mechanism on the SATA data connector mandatory? SATA has to have the most crappily designed (data) connector ever created, although it's vying for the no. 1 spot with the HDMI connector. Also, why is the SATA power connector more than twice as wide as the data connector, and why do we really need that special power connector? Molex connectors have worked pretty well so far.

p3n 2nd March 2009, 10:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by azrael-
But will they finally make a locking mechanism on the SATA data connector mandatory? SATA has to have the most crappily designed (data) connector ever created, although it's vying for the no. 1 spot with the HDMI connector. Also, why is the SATA power connector more than twice as wide as the data connector, and why do we really need that special power connector? Molex connectors have worked pretty well so far.

SATA and HDMI are awesome? Are you one of the people who liked SCART? :p

yakyb 2nd March 2009, 10:50

scart was fine whats up eith it?

B1GBUD 2nd March 2009, 11:11

coax FTW!!

azrael- 2nd March 2009, 11:36

I'm talking about the connector, not the protocol. And yes, even though SCART didn't have the best connector it still beats HDMI by miles.

Is some sort of simple *mandatory* locking mechanism really too much to ask? This is especially true for SATA. I've seen my fair share of pc problems where it turned out that the SATA connector "accidentally" disconnected itself (read: dropped out).

I know there are some 3rd party SATA (and HDMI) cables with a locking mechanism, but sadly they don't always work because there's no mandatory provision for locking the connector in place.

ChaosDefinesOrder 2nd March 2009, 11:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by azrael-
But will they finally make a locking mechanism on the SATA data connector mandatory? SATA has to have the most crappily designed (data) connector ever created, although it's vying for the no. 1 spot with the HDMI connector. Also, why is the SATA power connector more than twice as wide as the data connector, and why do we really need that special power connector? Molex connectors have worked pretty well so far.

4-pin Molex are an absolute bitch to plug in if the socket pins on the plug are slightly out of alignment as almost always happens. It's seriously taken me 15mins to plug in one connector before due to this! (re-arrange misaligned pin, plug in, find another is out of alignment, re-align that one, another is out of place etc!)

SATA power plug in and out with no fuss every single time due to being land and fixed-tab based instead of pin and mobile-socket-pin based.

azrael- 2nd March 2009, 11:41

I have no issue with the SATA power connector, other than I cannot really see what it brings to the table that a Molex connector doesn't and why it's so much larger than the SATA data connector.

My anger is firmly directed at the SATA data connector! It's a thing of pure evil! :)

TomH 2nd March 2009, 12:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by azrael-
I have no issue with the SATA power connector, other than I cannot really see what it brings to the table that a Molex connector doesn't and why it's so much larger than the SATA data connector.

Tell me the difference between a 2.5" SATA drive, and a 2.5" IDE drive.

Answer: the 2.5" drive uses the same SATA power connector. It can fit straight into the same backplanes. The IDE drive needs a special, slimmer cable (integrated into the IDE connector) because the combination of IDE data/molex is just too damn big/awkward.

From the word go, the SATA (and consequently SAS) power and data cables were designed to compliment each other. Hotswap backplanes, and cramped environments being perfect examples.

And I don't know what you're whinging about with the data cables: older cables would fall out, sure. But the ones I've just pillaged out of a friends motherboard box, squeezed-in with a nice click. I'd have to yank them to pull them out.. To a similar degree, you could easily dislodge an IDE cable, given the same level of carelessness.

C-Sniper 2nd March 2009, 14:17

I honestly do not have any problems with my SATA connectors. They are SATA I and everytime i plug them in, I hear a firm click as they lock into place and then they take a litle bit of force to get out.

devdevil85 2nd March 2009, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by C-Sniper
I honestly do not have any problems with my SATA connectors. They are SATA I and everytime i plug them in, I hear a firm click as they lock into place and then they take a litle bit of force to get out.

For me, even when mine click, they seem loose. Maybe it's just me, but I would like the connection to be a firm as possible for maximum data rates...

outlawaol 2nd March 2009, 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by devdevil85
For me, even when mine click, they seem loose. Maybe it's just me, but I would like the connection to be a firm as possible for maximum data rates...

If you look at the connector of a cable the slide plate is nearly identical to a USB, and the male port on the device recesses a good distance too. Anyway, if the cable was loose your data rate wouldnt even matter cause your connection would be lost. I mean what are you guys doing anyway that the cables become loose? Jumping off the bed with your PC or something?

I prefer the cables with one end being the L curve. Reduces the stress on the port and overall is less cumbersome.

devdevil85 2nd March 2009, 16:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by outlawaol
Quote:
Originally Posted by devdevil85
For me, even when mine click, they seem loose. Maybe it's just me, but I would like the connection to be a firm as possible for maximum data rates...

If you look at the connector of a cable the slide plate is nearly identical to a USB, and the male port on the device recesses a good distance too. Anyway, if the cable was loose your data rate wouldnt even matter cause your connection would be lost. I mean what are you guys doing anyway that the cables become loose? Jumping off the bed with your PC or something?

I prefer the cables with one end being the L curve. Reduces the stress on the port and overall is less cumbersome.

I'm using an older cable SATA v.1 cable. It's when they first came out, so that's probably why or the cable was just made cheap. I hear what you're saying though. I just made a PC for a friend and his seemed much sturdier. I'm probably just imagining things so...

Nicb 2nd March 2009, 16:55

Whats the deal with connector problems. Pin alignment has been a frustrating moment, but the only real problem I have ever had was an IDE cable going bad. Other than that SATA ..... so easy. When I bought my first SATA drive I :'( it was so good to have such an easy connect.

B3CK 2nd March 2009, 19:13

To get back on topic, Hell ya I want this 6g, even with sata II raid, I still have problems with disk lag. I just really hope they implement this into a pci slot card as well so I can upgrade my server as well as my gaming rig.

TomH 2nd March 2009, 22:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by B3CK
To get back on topic, Hell ya I want this 6g, even with sata II raid, I still have problems with disk lag. I just really hope they implement this into a pci slot card as well so I can upgrade my server as well as my gaming rig.

Keep an eye on LSI's website: it looks as-if they'll have some products coming soon. Whether or not it'll filter down from their MegaRAID range to the more basic HBA (sans RAID-5/6 support) range is anyone's guess. Though it's safe to say that it won't be straight away.