Posted 03/02/10 at 06:15:06 PM by Loyd Case

Every few years, we get new interfaces. Normally, they’re spread out a bit. USB 2.0 comes out, then a new SATA version and later a new PCI Express revision. Lately, though, the trickle of new interfaces has become a deluge, and keeping up with all of them can be mind-numbing – not to mention hard on your credit card.

Let’s take a look at both recently arrived interfaces and those on the near term horizon. We’ll also try to figure out when it makes sense to upgrade or move to the new connection or wait for something better.

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Posted 11/17/09 at 04:08:12 PM by Pulkit Chandna

Intel has drawn a lot of flak from various quarters for delaying the adoption of USB 3.0 and SATA-III. But lesser known players seem far more eager to make the leap to these new standards. CyberPower has decided to include USB 3.0 and SATA-III in all the upcoming models in its Gamer Xtreme range of desktops. 

“CyberPower customers can configure and order a Gamer Xtreme system with the super speed USB 3.0/SATA III interface today. With Intel's latest i5/i7 processors and P55/X58 chipsets, you'll enjoy maximum performance today and be ready for tomorrow. Both USB 3.0 and SATA III are backward compatible to assure users their current peripherals will not become obsolete,” the company said in a laconic press release. The Gamer Xtreme range starts at $749.

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Posted 03/13/09 at 07:24:25 PM by Maximum PC Staff

The gang launches into this week's edition of the No BS podcast by immersing themselves into webcam-powered augmented reality. We also report on Seagate's SATA 6Gb/s interface test (it's fast!) and share our thoughts about HP's Firebird hybrid PC. On the rant of the week, Gordon lets loose on people who use facebook as an outlet to complain about their jobs, and explains why he thinks Spock was also full of rage. We also take a few listener questions, making a gaming mouse recommendation and discus the browser war.

We'll be taking a short break from podcasting as various members of the staff go on vacations, but will be back in three weeks for our 100th episode. Stay tuned!

Do you have a tech question? A comment? A tale of technological triumph? Just need to get something off your chest? A secret to share? Email us at maximumpcpodcast@gmail.com or call our 24-hour No BS Podcast hotline at 877.404.1337 x1337--operators are standing by.

Subscribe: http://feeds.feedburner.com/maximumpc/1337

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Posted 03/09/09 at 01:30:00 PM by Nathan Edwards

Today, hard drive manufacturer Seagate and chip manufacturer AMD unveil the first tech demo of Serial ATA Revision 3.0, which boasts transfer rates of up to six gigabits per second, twice the speed of the current SATA spec. The specification, which was announced by the Serial ATA International Organization last August, will appear in hardware starting later this year.

SATA 6Gb/s comes several years before Seagate estimates it will be needed for standard hard drives, but, as we reported last year, several current-gen SSDs are already bumping against the 3Gb/s limit of the current spec.

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Posted 08/18/08 at 07:39:32 PM by Mark Edward Soper

Confused by terms like SATA II, SATA Gen 2, and SATA 3Gb/s? You're not alone. With today's release  (link in PDF format) of the PHY (physical layer) portion of the forthcoming SATA revision 3.0 specification (details here), SATA-IO, the trade association responsible for defining Serial ATA specifications, is trying hard to stomp out the many misidentifications of SATA specifications and features over the years.

SATA revision 3.0 doubles the speed of the current 3Gb/s version, reaching transfer speeds of 6Gb/s. So, what should you call the newest member of the SATA specifications family? According to the SATA Naming Guidelines, here's what works: 

• The first reference in a document should be: "Serial ATA International Organization: Serial ATA Revision 3.0." Additional references can be to either "SATA Revision 3.0" or "SATA 6Gb/s."

To find out how SATA-IO is also working to clear up confusion for current technologies, join us after the jump.

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