Can HDD use 6 gb/sec?

[Astralv]

I am confused now and feel cheated. I have Seagate 2 TB Barracuda HDD.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148834

It says on the box and specs that it is 6 Gb/sec interface. I thought- it was transferring the data at 6 gb/sec. I am using it for recording and it is very important to transfer the data fast. Friends on music production forums said- it never uses 6 gb/sec and that I can safely move it to the SATA 3 gb/sec port without loss (I need to free 6 gb/sec port). I am looking on NewEgg, and it has hundreds of 6 gb/sec and hundreds of 3 gb/sec hard drives. If it can not use 6 Gb/sec, then why would it say so on the box? I understand it says "interface". But still. Would it not say "3 gb/sec or 6 gb/sec" if it did not matter?

So all this time I am thinking I have 6 gb/sec transfer rate HDD just to find out that it is not true? Will there be any difference if I move it to 3 Gb/sec port? Why are there drives marked at 3 gb/sec while others at 6 gb/sec? Is it interchangeable? Thanks.

 

[USAFRet]

A regular HDD will never, ever approach saturation on a SATA II (3Gbps) port, much less a SATA III (6Gbps) port.

Why the difference in labeling?
Marketing, nothing more.

You can safely, and without any performance loss, move that HDD to a SATA II (3Gbps) port.

 

[Astralv]

Ok, so I have a port now (was asking the other day about mSATA and M.2 cards and how to upgrade my music desktop). Thank you for your great help.

What about the cable? They trying to convince me that there different cables for 3 gb/sec and 6 gb/sec because it actually says 6 gb/sec on SATA 3 cables. So I can use 3 gb/sec cable or they all the same?

I bought Samsung Evo 850 500 Gb at $189 for my Lap Top and now they show at $229! 40$ increase in 3 days?

 

[USAFRet]

The cable does not matter.

And the price difference? It happens....

 

[McDouble]

There is absolutely no reason not to use the SATA 3 cable in the SATA 2 slot: they are backwards compatible. If this were the opposite scenario, we might be recommending you buy a new cable, but please save your paycheck on this one!

In short: no reason to spend money on different (older) cables.

 

[Astralv]

I have older cables, I was wondering if it really has difference. Thank you for your replies.

 

[jsmithepa]

Current HD tops out about 1.5 mbit/sec that's about 1/2 of what sataII is capable of and so sataIII is a waste. If you want faster and $ no object, move everything to SSD. Cable should not matter, don't fall for the hype, AGAIN.

 

[Astralv]

Thank you for your reply. I dont know then why they even put 6 gb/sec or 3 gb/sec on the box. Thanks.