USB 3.0 and internal SATA serve different purposes, and their speeds depend on the specific versions:
- USB 3.0:
- Theoretical max speed: 5 Gbps (gigabits per second), which is equivalent to 625 MB/s (megabytes per second).
- SATA (referring to SATA III):
- Theoretical max speed: 6 Gbps, which is equivalent to 750 MB/s.
In terms of raw speed,
SATA III is faster than USB 3.0. However, real-world performance can vary based on factors like the type of drive (SSD or HDD) and the overhead of the interface.
- For external drives, USB 3.0 is common, and though it's slightly slower, it offers good convenience and flexibility.
- For internal drives, SATA is typically faster and more stable, especially for SSDs.
If you're comparing an external USB 3.0 drive to an internal SATA III SSD, the internal SATA III drive would likely be faster.