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    Those are the same SATA connectors for power and data. You can just plug in the cables and go. The only thing I don't understand is, how are you going to fit a 3.5" drive in your laptop?
    – DrZoo
    Commented Feb 6, 2018 at 17:37
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    Sure, the data/control and power connectors are the same and will fit, but the connection of a 3.5' HDD to a laptop may not work. Since 2.5" HDDs do not use +12VDC, the laptop power connector is likely to not have that voltage. Regardless, the laptop is not expecting the ampere demand of a 3.5" HDD, and probably cannot supply that much current.
    – sawdust
    Commented Feb 6, 2018 at 20:07
  • @DrZoo, It's an old-ish drive I had around and I'd like to assess its health somewhat through SMART data. But I don't have access to any hardware to work with it right now, and from what I've read it seems to be hit or miss with external enclosures exposing SMART through USB. That's why I thought of maybe connecting it temporarily to the SATA port of my laptop.
    – James Russell
    Commented Feb 7, 2018 at 14:03
  • That's what I fear @sawdust, but we'll know soon enough, I've just ordered a couple of SATA cables to try it out ;).
    – James Russell
    Commented Feb 7, 2018 at 14:06