A standard SATA power cable is designed to provide power to SATA drives (like SSDs and HDDs) and has specific power ratings based on its pin configuration:

1. Power Ratings:

--3.3V Rail: 3 pins (typically not used by most drives)

--5V Rail: 3 pins

--12V Rail: 9 pins

The 5V and 12V rails are the most important for powering SATA drives.

2. Power Supply Capacity:

5V Rail: Each pin can provide up to 1.5 amps, totaling a maximum of 7.5 watts (5V x 1.5A) per pin. However, the actual total current available depends on the power supply’s capacity and the specific design of the SATA power rail.

12V Rail: Each pin can provide up to 1.5 amps, totaling a maximum of 18 watts (12V x 1.5A) per pin. Again, the total available current depends on the PSU’s capacity.

3. Typical SATA drives don’t consume a huge amount of power. For example:

SSDs: Generally consume between 2 to 5 watts.

HDDs: Typically consume between 6 to 10 watts, but can be higher for high-performance or large-capacity drives.

4. Power Supply Specifications:

Most modern power supplies are designed to handle the power requirements of multiple SATA drives. They provide more than enough power through the SATA connectors for typical consumer-grade systems.

High-wattage power supplies (e.g., 500W, 750W, or higher) have ample capacity to power multiple SATA drives along with other components like CPUs and GPUs.

In summary, while a single SATA power cable can technically provide a significant amount of power (in terms of theoretical maximums), in practical terms, it’s more than sufficient to power several SATA drives simultaneously within the power constraints of a typical PC setup. If you’re using multiple drives or high-power components, ensure your PSU is rated appropriately for your system's total power needs.