Embodiments of the invention describe methods, apparatuses and systems for providing an efficient low power exit sequence for peripheral devices. In embodiments of the invention, a signal from a host device is transmitted to a SATA peripheral device for exiting a low-power state. An initialization time for OOB transmission and reception logic of the SATA peripheral device is tracked, and a reference time value based on the tracked initialization time is stored. In subsequent transitions from said low-power state, the reference time value for waking a host physical layer is utilized, thereby improving the efficiency of the management and use of said low power state. In some embodiments, the above described tracked initialization comprises a time from a transmission of an OOB signal (from the host to the peripheral device) to receiving an OOB response at the host device from the SATA peripheral device.