SATA Male Drive Cables

SATA Male Drive Cables and Adapters for Simple Hard Drive Connection Capability

When you need to connect an SATA hard drive to the motherboard in your computer, one of the male SATA cables in this collection might come in handy. There are many different types of SATA cables that all have different capabilities, and it's easy to find the exact types of connection devices you need on eBay. The following information will help you find exactly what you need.

What types of male SATA hard drive cables are there?

Here are some examples of the different kinds of male SATA cables that are offered on eBay:

  • eSATA cables: eSATA stands for "external SATA," and these cords are used to connect external hard drives to SATA ports. All external hard drives use eSATA ports, but most external HDDs feature USB ports on the opposite side of their eSATA connector cables. You'll need one of these adapters if you want to connect an external hard drive directly to your motherboard.
  • SATA splitters: These cables split one SATA connector on your motherboard into two male SATA cables. This type of accessory allows you to connect two hard drives to a single SATA port on your motherboard, which expands the storage potential of your computer.
  • 15-pin to 7-pin adapters: Some types of SATA connectors have 15 pins but others only have seven. To connect a 15-pin SATA drive to a 7-pin SATA connector, you'll need one of these handy adapters.
Are there right-angled SATA cables?

Some of the SATA cables in this connection have right-angled connectors on one end. While most computer cases provide ample room to accommodate straight-on connectors, some cases, such as mini-ITX cases, may be so small that connecting a straight-on SATA cable becomes impossible. In addition, some PC enthusiasts may prefer right-angled SATA connectors because they are easier to manage in multi-HDD applications.

How do you pick the right SATA hard drive cable?

First, you'll need to determine the capabilities of your motherboard versus the number of drives that you want to connect. If you have two drives but only one SATA slot on your motherboard, for instance, then you may need a SATA splitter. From there, you'll need to determine how much space you have to work with inside of your computer. If you don't mind the aesthetics of this approach, then you can also select an extra-long SATA cable and mount your excess hard drives on the outside of your computer's case.

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