Hard drives can be an excellent way to store and transfer information, but they’re not always compatible with the USB ports used on PCs or laptops.
One way to get round this is by using a USB to SATA adapter, allowing you to use almost any hard drive with your computer or laptop.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the best adapters on Amazon at a range of price points.
So, what are our favourites?
Best Options At A Glance
Product Summaries
Multibao USB To SATA Hard Disk Adapter
- Brand - Multibao
- Package Dimensions - 17.5 x 10.5 x 1.3 cm
- Weight - 20 g
- SATA Compatibility - 2.5"
Firstly we have a budget option in the Multibao USB To SATA Hard Disk Adapter. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £6/$8.
This adapter is USB 3.0 to SATA 2.5″, and it’s compatible with pretty much every operating system you can think of. There’s also no additional drivers required no matter what operating system you use it with.
It supports plug and play/hot swapping with no external power required. Even more impressively, it is capable of transfer speeds as quick as 5GB per second!
This hard drive USB adapter is a great choice if you just want something basic that will get the job done. It’s great for the beyond reasonable price.
Buy the Multibao USB To SATA Hard Disk Adapter on Amazon for £6/$8:
ELUTENG USB To SATA Adapter Cable
- Brand - ELUTENG
- Package Dimensions - 17.6 x 10.7 x 1.2 cm
- Weight - 20 g
- SATA Compatibility - 2.5"
Another reasonably priced adapter is the ELUTENG USB To SATA Adapter Cable. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £8/$10.
This cable is USB 3.0 to SATA 2.5″ as standard, but you can also use it with USB C devices using the included adapter. The adapter is ideal if you’re planning on using this cable more newer devices.
It supports hot swapping, so there’s no need for any software or external power sources. It also supports all of the major operating systems so you shouldn’t have any issues with compatibility.
One of the more unique features is the indicator lights – these let you know when the device is receiving power and if it has access to transfer data. Once connected, you can expect transfer speeds of up to 5GB per second.
This hard drive adapter is one of the most capable budget options in the market.
Buy the ELUTENG USB To SATA Adapter Cable on Amazon for £8/$10:
SABRENT SATA to USB Hard Drive Adapter
- Brand - SABRENT
- Dimensions - 15 x 13 x 3 cm
- Weight - 28 g
- SATA Compatibility - 2.5"
Next we have the SABRENT SATA to USB Hard Drive Adapter. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £11/$14.
This USB hard drive adapter allows you to connect 2.5″ SATA hard drives or SSDs to USB 3.2 devices – it’s also backwards compatible with USB 2.0. As with the other cables on this list, this converter is compatible with all of the major operating systems.
It’s capable of transfer speeds as fast as 5GB per second, although this is dependant on the quality of the hard drive connected and the USB port used.
This adapter also has an LED indicator which is great for checking power/activity status at a quick glance.
It’s a solid all-round choice if you’re looking for a SATA to USB converted that is compatible with both hard drives and SSDs.
Buy the SABRENT SATA to USB Hard Drive Adapter on Amazon for £11/$14:
UGREEN USB to SATA 2.5/3.5" Adapter
- Brand - UGREEN
- Dimensions - 5.3 x 4.6 x 1.3 cm
- Weight - 60 g
- SATA Compatibility - 2.5/3.5"
Another great option is the UGREEN USB to SATA Adapter. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £12/$15.
Unlike some of the other adapters on this list, this model allows you to connect USB devices to either 2.5 or 3.5″ SATA hard drives or SSDs. This flexibility is ideal if you own a range of hard drives in different sizes.
This adapter is cable of transfer speeds up to 5GB per second, but as with the other models on this list, the speed is dependant on the connected USB and SATA devices.
One of the more unique features is the auto-sleep mode. This ensures that the adapter doesn’t continue to draw power after extended periods of no transfer. Not only does this save power, but also helps to extend the lifespan of the connected hard drive.
This USB hard drive reader from UGREEN is currently Amazon’s choice for the phrase “HDD reader”, and it’s easy to see why.
Buy the UGREEN USB to SATA Adapter on Amazon for £12/$15:
StarTech.com USB 3.1 to 2.5/3.5" SATA Adapter
- Brand - StarTech
- Dimensions - 8.4 x 1.5 x 1.5 cm
- Weight - 57 g
- SATA Compatibility - 2.5/3.5"
Finally we have the StarTech.com USB 3.1 to 2.5/3.5″ SATA Adapter. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £47/$60.
This USB adapter has the fastest transfer rates on this list at up to 10GB per second, and it’s compatible with both 2.5 and 3.5″ SATA connections.
As with the other adapters that we’ve covered, this StarTech offering allows instant hot swapping of drives right out of the box. There’s no need to install any additional drivers too get started.
Reliability and quality is guaranteed with the 2 year warranty included as standard. This helps to give peace of mind that you’re covered if anything goes wrong after purchase.
This adapter has super fast transfer speeds and is compatible with both 2.5 and 3.5″ SATA hard drives. If you’re looking for a top of the range USB to HDD/SSD adapter, this offering from StarTech is an excellent choice.
Buy the StarTech.com USB 3.1 to 2.5/3.5″ SATA Adapter on Amazon for £47/$60:
How fast are SATA to USB adapters?
Hard drive USB adapters usually have transfer speeds on the range of 5GB per second, but this is dependant on a couple factors.
The first and probably most obvious factor is the quality of the cable itself. Cheaper models may have slightly slower transfer speeds when compared to more expensive high quality models.
Another important factor is the hard drive the adapter is connected to. The speed of transfer is limited to the speed of the hard drive, so if you have an older model with slower speeds, your converter may be limited to the speed of the hard drive.
Data transfer speeds will also be affected by the USB port on the device you’re connecting to. For example, transfer speeds through USB 2.0 will be much slower than transfers through USB 3.0, even if your adapter is compatible with both.
To summarise, adapter cable quality, hard drive quality, and USB type are all key factors when it comes to SATA to USB transfer speeds.
Can you convert SATA to USB?
Yes, you can convert 2.5/3.5″ SATA hard drives or SSDs to USB using a simple adapter.
There are adapters designed specifically for either 2.5 or 3.5″ SATA connections, but there are also models that can work with both if you don’t want to be limited to using drives of the same size.
Thanks for reading our article. If you’re interested in data adapters, you might want to take a look at our article covering the Best Micro SD to SD Memory Card Adapter.
Feel free to leave a comment if you have any queries – we’d be happy to help.
