how can devices such as hard disks transfer data so much faster with much thinner cables than decades ago?

Question

I mean those wide, flat cables with many smaller cables inside. Now there’s just the very thin cables. Also USB for external disks.

In: 2

Answer 1

The data can be sent through the cable much more efficiently and quickly today.

Imagine you want to send drivers with packets to a big customer.

Earlier, you could only place one packet into one car, which had a constant speed while on the way. So you needed either more time, so one car would constantly drive back and forth to deliver everything or you sent more cars. That with the many cars would be that broad IDE cable.

Today, you have trucks that can fit a bunch of packets. Each truck isn’t much faster while driving. But where you needed multiple cars earlier, you need one truck now to deliver everything in the same (or similar) time. (SATA cable for example)

Also the storage facilities improved. Where earlier a couple slow hand-and-muscle operated pallet jacks were used, now they use forklifts, so to speak.

But I am sure there are also other points that I didn’t think of.