What are PATA and SATA?

SATA and PATA are two common electronic connection standards, they apply to the way in which a Solid State Drive (SSD) or Hard Disk Drive (HDD) connects to a computer motherboard and how the data is communicated.

About PATA

Parallel ATA (PATA) is an IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) standard for connecting storage devices like SSD or HDD to the computer motherboard.

The image below illustrates a standard PATA cable. They are made up of densely grouped individual data threads glued into a thin, wide ribbon cable.

About SATA

Serial ATA (SATA) replaced Parallel ATA (PATA) as the IDE standard of choice for connecting storage devices like SSD and HDD to the motherboard.

SATA cables are long & thin, one end plugs into a port on the motherboard, labelled SATA, and the other into the back of a SSD or HDD.

The image below illustrates a standard SATA cable with a right-angled male SATA connector, providing a uncomplicated connection to a SATA drive.