Delkin Blog

In order to accommodate devices that are increasingly thin, the Slim SATA design was introduced to the marketplace. Slim SATA offers the reliability of SATA but in a thin design, so it can easily be used in mobile phones and other thin devices. With Slim SATA, power and data are combined in a single connector, with a seven pin data and six pin power configuration. Could Slim SATA be the solution for your small device, even if you have an industrial application? Here is a look at the features you can expect with Slim SATA.

Specifications Set by SATA-IO

The Serial ATA International Organization, or SATA-IO, is the group that sets design specifications for all forms of SATA connectors, including Slim SATA. The benefit of these design standards is that engineers and OEMs know that the SATA connectors they are using will meet the same basic specifications, no matter which manufacturer they buy from. This helps to prevent failures in the field if a Slim SATA connector has to be replaced and one from a new manufacturer is used. The slim connector used with Slim SATA was first introduced with the SATA 2.6 revision, and it features a shortened pin on the power connector to allow for hot-swapping, a feature that is important to many users.

Different Types of Flash

Slim SATA SSDs, or solid state drives, are available with different types of flash, including MLC and SLC flash, to serve different markets. MLC flash is most often found in devices designed for the commercial market, such as consumer grade laptops and mobile phones. With two bits of data stored per cell, it offers high capacities and is extremely reliable, but still slightly more vulnerable to errors than SLC flash. SLC flash is found in industrial grade devices and applications. With one bit of data stored per cell, SLC flash offers the highest possible level of speed and data security.

SATA III Interface Speeds

Slim SATA features the very fastest version of SATA available, SATA III. With this third generation of SATA, the interface offers a native transfer rate of 6Gb/s, which is twice that of the second generation. Slim SATA does not lose any of the power of the full-sized SATA connector, so you don’t have to sacrifice speed just to find a connector for a small form factor.

If you are looking for SATA SSDs, including Slim SATA, mSATA, and SATA 2.5, contact Delkin. Our customer team can answer your questions as you select the best solution for your application.

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