How Many SATA Cables Come with A Power Supply? All You Need to Know

When it comes to PSU or power supply unit, you will find different types of cables there. The SATA cable is one of them. Now you may ask or want to know how many SATA cables come with a power supply. It’s a very common question among users.

Basically, the number of SATA cables varies from PSU to PSU. Some PSUs come with 2, and some come with 3. To make the topic easier and more convenient we have discussed briefly the number of SATA cables that come with a PSU.

So, without any ado, stay with us till the end.

How Many SATA Cables are Provided with a Power Supply?

When it comes to SATA cable, there you will find two different types of it, SATA data cable and SATA power. A PSU comes with a SATA power cable, not the SATA data cable. You will get 2 or 3 SATA cables with a PSU with multiple connectors.

When you are buying a PSU, you will find three different types of it, Modular, Semi-modular, and Non-modular PSU. For any of them, you will get 2 or 3 SATA cables. The Modular PSU offers you to attach more than 3 SATA power cables if you want. Whereas most of the semi-modular and non-modular offer you 2.

Is SATA Cable Mandatory for PSU?

The SATA power cable is not mandatory for PSU at all unless you are using SATA storage devices in your PSU. The SATA cable is needed to power the SATA storage device.

When you are building a PC without SATA SSDs or HDDs, the SATA power cable will be an optional thing there. In that case, you can use Modular and Semi-modular PSUs because they offer detachable SATA power cables. When you don’t want them, you can simply take them out and keep them in your storage.

How Many SATA Power Cable is Needed?

The number of SATA power cables depends on your build. Let’s find out the available options for you.

• If you are willing to connect 8 SATA devices then look for PSU that comes with 2 SATA power cables and 4 SATA connectors.
• If you are willing to connect 6 SATA devices then look for PSU that comes with 2 SATA power cables and 3 SATA connectors.
• If you are willing to connect 4 SATA devices then look for PSU that comes with 2 SATA power cables and 3 SATA connectors.
• If you are willing to connect 9 SATA devices then look for PSU that comes with 3 SATA power cables and 3 SATA connectors.
• If you are willing to connect 12 SATA devices then look for PSU that comes with 3 SATA power cables and 4 SATA connectors.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Are PSU and motherboard SATA cables the same?

No, they are not the same. The motherboard needs a SATA data cable whereas PSU needs a SATA power cable. Both are different from each other.

Can I use an extra SATA power cable in a Non-modular PSU?

No, you can’t. The non-modular PSU has no extra port for an extra SATA cable.

Conclusion

Lastly, a PSU or power supply comes with at most 3 SATA power cables. And that’s enough for your build. But if in the future you want to upgrade your PC and you require more SATA connectors, then you can use the SATA power splitter cable or Molex to SATA adapter cable. Also, using a Modular PSU will offer you the opportunity to increase SATA cables or update the SATA connectors.