An IDE cable, or Integrated Drive Electronics cable, is a type of ribbon cable used to connect storage devices like hard drives and optical drives to a computer's motherboard. It typically has a flat, wide design with multiple wires inside, allowing for the transfer of data between the devices. IDE cables usually come in two types: 40-pin and 80-pin. The 80-pin version offers better data transfer speeds due to additional wires that help reduce interference. While IDE cables were common in older computers, they have largely been replaced by newer technologies like SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) in modern systems.