To instantly add drive space to a laptop or desktop computer, you can use a SATA to USB cable to connect aSATA SSD (solid state drive) to a USB HDD (hard disk drive). This handy cable connects easily to SATA and USB drives to externally transfer data and add storage, perform backups, create disk images, perform data recovery, and transfer content to and from your systems. With a SATA to USB cable, you can power and access a SATA drive through any USB port with the need for the SATA drive to be mounted in a hard case. We’ve researched the best SATA to USB cables available online for their integration, features, and ease of use. Here are our top choices to help you decide which SATA to USB cable is best for your computer system.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

What exactly is SATA and USB?

Serial Advanced Technology Attachment, or SATA, is an industry-standard bus interface for connecting a computer’s host bus adapter to storage devices such as HDDs, SSDs, and optical drives. Universal Serial Bus, or USB, is one of the most universal and popular cable types used today. USB offers a fast transfer of information and is used to connect computers to peripheral devices such as cameras, camcorders, printers, scanners, and smartphones chargers.

 

How fast is a SATA to USB cable?

It all depends on what the rate of the USB connection is to the SATA connection. USB 3.1 delivers 10 gigabytes per second data transfer rate. This rate is more than 20 times faster than USB 2.0 and twice as fast as USB 3.0. A standard USB 3.0 to SATA cable allows external hard drives to transfer data at around five gigabytes per second.

 

Buying Guide:

When you are looking for a SATA to USB cable, know your operating system type and your drive type. Make sure you have a SATA I, II, or III 2.5” drive and a USB connection on your laptop or desktop computer. SATA to USB cables generally use USB 3.0 to transfer data, and most Windows, Mac, and Linux computers will have USB 3.0 capabilities or have an adapter you can use if your system only has USB-C ports. The best transfer speeds with the most accuracy with a SATA to USB cable will be using SATA to USB 3.0 ports.

 

SATA to USB cables are easy to use and do not require power cords. They are simply plug and play into the back of your hard drive and computer, and it is not even necessary to have a hard cover on the SATA drive to enable it to work. SATA to USB cables do not require extra power cords unless they are powering very old SATA devices. The cables and plugs are injection-molded for strength and durability. SATA and USB cables are relatively short in length to keep data transfer as quick as possible. 

 

A special feature of a SATA and USB cable is the addition of an LED indicator light that flashes red when connected and blue when transferring data. Some SATA to USB cables also feature extra connectors for older models of SATA drives, as well as 12 volt power adapters and four pin power adapters. Whichever SATA to USB cable you choose, you’ll have the peace of mind that you can easily transfer, store, clone, and create backups of data to a SATA drive wherever you go!

Supports transfer speeds of up to 5 Gbps

With this cable, you can add drive space to your laptop or PC by connecting to a SATA 2.5-inch SATA SSD or HDD. It also enables you to easily connect to an external drive to add storage or perform backups.

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Tucks away easily in any laptop bag

This compact cable allows you to easily swap between two drives with no need to install a drive inside an enclosure. The cable supports fast USB 3.0 data transfer speeds of 5 Gbps.

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Supports up to 6 TB

This simple plug-and-play adapter makes it easy to transfer or clone data from your HDD to SSD. It offers wide compatibility with hard drives including those from Windows, Mac OS, Linux, PlayStation and Xbox. 

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Enables access to two drives simultaneously

This cable comes with an LED indicator light that shows the power and activity status. It supports two 16-TB hard drives, which is the ideal solution for backup and processing of IT data and batch processing data. 

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Simply plug and play

This transfer cable is compatible with 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch HDD and SSD. It is also backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.0. The cable comprises a high-class chipset that supports data transfer speeds up to 5 Gbps. 

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