AME tape used by SAIT can read and write data reliably at very high densities through the use of pure cobalt magnetic material. Magnetic Particle (MP) media, used by conventional half-inch tape formats, is limited by particle size in the magnetic layer to achieve higher cartridge capacities. AME media used by SAIT imposes no such limitation and can enable SAIT to achieve more than twice the capacity of other half-inch tape formats. Also, AME tape's use of a "Diamond-Like Carbon" (DLC) protective layer provides superb durability and long archival life. Twenty times tougher than a standard oxidation layer, DLC dramatically improves abrasion resistance and overall media and mechanism durability.

Another contributor to SAIT performance is the Memory-in-Cassette (MIC), a 64 Kbit solid-state memory chip that stores the cartridge's system log and file search information. This information can be used immediately by the drive, enhancing data access, improving media management and reducing overall latency. SAIT incorporates Remote-MIC (R-MIC), which allows the tape drive to access valuable cartridge statistics without loading, rewinding or physically handling the tape, so tape wear and tear is reduced.