SSD Caching

[Mr. Brovahkiin]

I have a WD 1TB Black that's my primary/OS drive. Is it worth it if I bought a smaller SSD (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171667 for instance) and setup a caching system through Intel Smart Response? Would all my programs load faster?

 

[SkilledRebuilds]

https://www.youtube.com/results?q=how+ssd+cache+works&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&gws_rd=cr&um=1&ie=UTF-8&gl=AU&sa=N&tab=w1

 

This links shows you the various caching software programs the various companies use, watch some of these and I'm sure the info will be beneficial.

 

But if you want the answer to your next question before you need it......

You should subscribe to linus's tech quickie channel.

[Mr. Brovahkiin]

https://www.youtube.com/results?q=how+ssd+cache+works&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&gws_rd=cr&um=1&ie=UTF-8&gl=AU&sa=N&tab=w1

 

This links shows you the various caching software programs the various companies use, watch some of these and I'm sure the info will be beneficial.

 

But if you want the answer to your next question before you need it......

You should subscribe to linus's tech quickie channel.

Ok so I understand what it is now. Would the SanDisk I linked be a decent drive for Caching or would I want something with a better write speed?

[Blade of Grass]

Ok so I understand what it is now. Would the SanDisk I linked be a decent drive for Caching or would I want something with a better write speed?

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/10/17/sandisk_readycache_32gb_ssd_review/6#.UgugqZK1F8E

 

You could look at the Corsair Accelerator (as another option).

[SkilledRebuilds]

Minimum write speed, in all aspects, 150mb/s or better, the instant access of the SSD (even at 150mb/s) is still night and day faster in all aspects against your 1TB there...

I found windows doesnt "appear" much faster reading 200mb/s to 500mb/s, its all snappy, so saying that..

200Read/150write, anything faster than this minimum would be perfect, good thing a lot of products are better than that anyways

Your 1TB probably max's out at 100-130Mb/s read and 80-110Mb.s write.

So Sata3 SSD's pumping "up to" 500M/s (games wont load 5x faster, but "up to 5x")

 

I do not own a cache drive, just a standalone ssd, but I'm sure someone can provide software knowledge for ya shortly.

 

I'd go with a 60Gb btw, and most cache drives don't use above 64GB for cache either...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171667

As for this... Some SSD's do not hit their advertised speeds...Or they use benchmarks that specificly go fast in ONE aspect and use that as the defining speed. Some 550/500 drives are really 200/120 read/write drives....

More you pay, better the SSD controllers onboard to ensure Actual performance is up to 500mb/s.

[Mr. Brovahkiin]

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/10/17/sandisk_readycache_32gb_ssd_review/6#.UgugqZK1F8E

 

You could look at the Corsair Accelerator (as another option).

I saw that. Sadly, they are stupidly expensive. 100 bucks plus for the 60gb version. For that price I'd rather just get a Samsung 840 EVO for 10 bucks more

[Blade of Grass]

I saw that. Sadly, they are stupidly expensive. 100 bucks plus for the 60gb version. For that price I'd rather just get a Samsung 840 EVO for 10 bucks more

I know, you asked so I gave the other options ;)

 

Go for the SanDisk one

[Mr. Brovahkiin]

Minimum write speed, in all aspects, 150mb/s or better, the instant access of the SSD (even at 150mb/s) is still night and day faster in all aspects against your 1TB there...

I found windows doesnt "appear" much faster reading 200mb/s to 500mb/s, its all snappy, so saying that..

200Read/150write, anything faster than this minimum would be perfect, good thing a lot of products are better than that anyways

Your 1TB probably max's out at 100-130Mb/s read and 80-110Mb.s write.

So Sata3 SSD's pumping "up to" 500M/s (games wont load 5x faster, but "up to 5x")

 

I do not own a cache drive, just a standalone ssd, but I'm sure someone can provide software knowledge for ya shortly.

 

I'd go with a 60Gb btw, and most cache drives don't use above 64GB for cache either...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171667

As for this... Some SSD's do not hit their advertised speeds...Or they use benchmarks that specificly go fast in ONE aspect and use that as the defining speed. Some 550/500 drives are really 200/120 read/write drives....

More you pay, better the SSD controllers onboard to ensure Actual performance is up to 500mb/s.

I figured as much. I think I may just stop being cheap and pony up for an 840 EVO :P

[Mr. Brovahkiin]

I know, you asked so I gave the other options ;)

 

Go for the SanDisk one

Thanks :P I'll probably just get an 840 EVO and stop being cheap

[SkilledRebuilds]

My drives setup is..

Windows Drive 128GB OCZ Sata 3 Agility 3 SSD - 210Mb/s Read, 110Mb/s Write (Advertised at 550/500)

I have the 256GB 840 Pro for the Games drive, Read and Write speeds are as advertised 500Mb/s + each way

Also some 2TB drives of no importance...

Having the Agility 3 for so long, and using the 840 Pro since last week, I recommend getting a decent ssd, with a decent controller, giving advertised speeds in real world.

Set aside 20-60Gb of your better ssd like the 840EVO to your 1TB for cache, if at that point you think you still want it.

[SkilledRebuilds]

Btw, no need ot wait, the 840 EVO is slower than the 840 PRO, more like a normal 840 with a write cache, bridging the gap closer to the pro, but I think its not as good of a product.

The EVO does come in bigger capacities and cache's, I wouldnt worry about the EVO if it was me choosing between 840 Pro and EVO, Pro wins.

[Mr. Brovahkiin]

Btw, no need ot wait, the 840 EVO is slower than the 840 PRO, more like a normal 840 with a write cache, bridging the gap closer to the pro, but I think its not as good of a product.

The EVO does come in bigger capacities and cache's, I wouldnt worry about the EVO if it was me choosing between 840 Pro and EVO, Pro wins.

But the Pro is also more expensive. Not by a lot but I'm already stretching my budget with the EVO. The woes of working part time as a full time college student :P

[SkilledRebuilds]

Yeah totally understand that myself,.. I meant to say "If the budget allows itself to be stretched" by any means, but still wanted to get that information to you regardless ;)

Even the highend 128GB models have a performance hit against 256GB models in most cases due to not having enough chips on there to populate all controller pipelines.., but again, in real world its hardly noticble.

The cheaper 128GB models however you would notice a difference against a higher end 128GB model, due to the controller being usually better/optimized.

[Mr. Brovahkiin]

Yeah totally understand that myself,.. I meant to say "If the budget allows itself to be stretched" by any means, but still wanted to get that information to you regardless ;)

Even the highend 128GB models have a performance hit against 256GB models in most cases due to not having enough chips on there to populate all controller pipelines.., but again, in real world its hardly noticble.

The cheaper 128GB models however you would notice a difference against a higher end 128GB model, due to the controller being usually better/optimized.

Yeah if there is anything I've learned it's 1) Look up benchmarks and reviews 2) Don't cheap out haha

[WoodenMarker]

Ok so I understand what it is now. Would the SanDisk I linked be a decent drive for Caching or would I want something with a better write speed?

You'd be better off with a single 120/128GB ssd for your primary drive and partitioning part of it off for cache.