Do SATA drives need 3.3V?

Luke M · Post by **Luke M** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 1:01 am

The SATA power connector has 3.3V but I'm wondering if any drives actually use it.

CTT · Post by **CTT** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 4:01 am

Most probably no.

All HDDs/SSDs that I had so far worked with Molex to SATA power adapters (no 3.3V).

m1st · Post by **m1st** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 5:45 am

I don't know of any drives that specifically need the 3.3v line. The voltage is included in the SATA power specification, but knowing that a lot of people use molex to SATA connectors which won't have 3.3v lines attached, most companies have chosen to not use the 3.3v lines.

frostedflakes · Post by **frostedflakes** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 11:06 am

Yup, most try not to use 3.3V so that molex -> SATA adapters can be used. I've used adapters in quite a few builds and never ran into an SATA HDD or optical drive that wouldn't work with them.

Luke M · Post by **Luke M** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 9:51 am

That's what I figured. It's a pity they didn't make the standard 12V only, since every device needs a voltage regulator anyway.

CTT · Post by **CTT** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:51 am

Back in the days the molex connector was introduced, 5V for integrated circuits was standard so they could run directly on the 5V line while the motors used the 12V.
Nowadays 3.3V is more common (that's why SATA added it to the power connector), but I wouldn't be surprised if HDD/ODD controllers still used 5V.

madman2003 · Post by **madman2003** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 11:55 pm

I think 1.8" drives run on 3.3V.