[SOLVED] <16gb Optane + HDD> or <SX8200 nvme>?

[shawnc]

HP Envy Tower i7-8700 w/32GB ram came with 16GB Optane + 1TB 7200HDD. Should I swap for 1TB nvme SSD? (ADATA SX8200 PRO SSD $100) one of the top rated). I am not worried about loading huge apps, files, video editing, CAD, games or anything like that. Really just accessing typical workspace files and waking up from hibernating with 200+ browser windows open and large Paint.net files and 10+ spreadsheets.

Clicking photos takes 1 sec to 1.5 sec to open, perhaps that could be faster.
If nvme SSD would load large image folders with zero delay, that would be worth considering., currently scrolling through photo folders shows blank images for a very slight delay.

It sounds like the SSD could actually slow things and is less reliable than Optane.

I ordered the nvme but am realizing it may not give any benefit so may cancel. It's difficult to ascertain how Optane works with new tasks such as accessing a new file, but it sounds like it's actually universally faster than HDD even with new tasks, even though it's supposed to be faster more through repetition.

 

[R_1]

as I understand it optane is a stopgap solution. it can greatly speed up a HDD with a small SSD. optane allows laptops the benefit of speed and a large capacity drive, which was awesome when NVME drives were under 500GB and 500 dollars. SSD caching has been around for years. my first SSD was a crucial adrenaline SSD cache.
things have changed and you can get a much larger and faster NVME drive.

I suggest if you have the means replace the tiny optane with the much faster NVME drive.
if you have the RAM to spare you can create a RAM cache for the NVME drive. I use primo cache and have a 2GB cache for my main OS SSD.
the optane and the HDD are 2 devices. you can keep the HDD.

 

[richiestang_78]

Optane is more like a smart cache system that while clever and useful when SSDs use to cost an arm and a long I really dont see their usefulness anymore. You can buy 1 TB NVMe drives for around 100-120 USD (maybe not Samsung but Crucial and Intels are pretty damn good) these days and even cheaper during sales.

 

[popatim]

Optane can't cache something before you've ever opened it. Those will always come from the Drive.
When reading it uses a least recently used algorithm to decide what to cache. The more often you open something the more likely it will be cached. This is limited by the size of the Optane of course so it can't cache everything you'll be using.

Writes always get cached.

 

[shawnc]

Optane can't cache something before you've ever opened it. Those will always come from the Drive.
When reading it uses a least recently used algorithm to decide what to cache. The more often you open something the more likely it will be cached. This is limited by the size of the Optane of course so it can't cache everything you'll be using.

Writes always get cached.

Thanks, that's what I'd thought...do you recommend going with a 1TB SSD and just pulling the Optane then?

 

[geofelt]

A simple 1tb ssd is probably the best solution.
nvme pcie is nice if you have that option.

 

[popatim]

Thanks, that's what I'd thought...do you recommend going with a 1TB SSD and just pulling the Optane then?

I would, yes.