Do I really need Intel Rapid Start, Smart Response, Smart Connect?

[teiji]

I'm currently building a new PC. I'm going to install Windows 7 and programs on a Crucial m4 128GB SSD, and keep all my videos, music, photos on a Hitachi 1TB HDD.

From what I know, these technologies use an SSD as a cache to improve the HDD performance (one way or another), is that correct? So if I'm using the SSD as my main OS + programs drive, then I wouldn't benefit from these technologies at all, correct? If so, I plan to NOT install their drivers, will that affect my setup? Thanks.

 

[kajabla]

Smart Response is useless if you're booting off the SSD, which you should do.

Smart Connect is not related to storage, and both it and Rapid Start are, I believe, both Ultrabook features.
http://m.intel.com/content/intel-us/en/technology/smart-connect.touch.html
It turns out that sleeping your computer uses roughly the same amount of power as shutting it down, so Rapid Start would be irrelevant on a desktop even if it were a desktop feature. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/power-supply-protection-calculate-consumption,3066-4.html

 

[Dereck47]

I'm currently building a new PC. I'm going to install Windows 7 and programs on a Crucial m4 128GB SSD, and keep all my videos, music, photos on a Hitachi 1TB HDD.

Good plan.

From what I know, these technologies use an SSD as a cache to improve the HDD performance (one way or another), is that correct? So if I'm using the SSD as my main OS + programs drive, then I wouldn't benefit from these technologies at all, correct? If so, I plan to NOT install their drivers, will that affect my setup? Thanks.

Intel SRT (Smart Response Technology) is used to improve the performance of a HDD with an Operating System installed on it by using a small (64GB and less) SSD as a cache drive. Since you will be installing your O/S on your SSD you can disregard SRT.

You should still install the latest Intel RST (Rapid Storage Technology) drivers even though you won't be using the SRT feature.

 

[teiji]

Best answer selected by Teiji.

 

[teiji]

Thanks both kajabla and Dereck47 for the fast response.

 

[techman_98]

Rapid Start technology is a faster hibernate feature. Putting your computer in Sleep/Standby consumes lot a power (it is no where close to shutdown/hibernate) as the DRAM needs to be kept powered along with other wake HW.

Intel Rapid Start allows the system to enter hibernate or even zero power state while providing a very fast (few second) resume. For desktop this means greener computer that is not sucking power when not in use and still availalbe for use within a few seconds. Therefore, this feature is very relevant to desktops; that is if you want to save your energy bill without having to shutdown/boot your system.

 

[kajabla]

Please click on my link above, which has hard data that shows that full sleep, RAM sleep, uses about one watt more than full shutdown, ~8W to shutdown's ~7W. Read posts before you contradict them.

 

[tango134]

Please click on my link above, which has hard data that shows that full sleep, RAM sleep, uses about one watt more than full shutdown, ~8W to shutdown's ~7W. Read posts before you contradict them.

What techman_98 said is right. One thing you need to know, Intel Rapid Start Technology is different from normal Sleep/Standy.

"Intel® Rapid Start Technology transitions a system that is in Sleep or Standby, an S3 power state that keeps memory and other components powered, to a hardware power state that does not do so, an S4 power state. Refer to manufacturer’s specifications for system specific information."
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/responsiveness-technologies.html

 

[rmorenbe]

Please click on my link above, which has hard data that shows that full sleep, RAM sleep, uses about one watt more than full shutdown, ~8W to shutdown's ~7W. Read posts before you contradict them.

What techman_98 said is right. One thing you need to know, Intel Rapid Start Technology is different from normal Sleep/Standy.

"Intel® Rapid Start Technology transitions a system that is in Sleep or Standby, an S3 power state that keeps memory and other components powered, to a hardware power state that does not do so, an S4 power state. Refer to manufacturer’s specifications for system specific information."
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/responsiveness-technologies.html

So kajabla was right; the difference between sleep and the new Rapid Start Technology state is the one between S3 and S4, as you say, and it is just 0.001KW of difference; around $1 a year.

From the article he linked, the data exposed:
PC/Display Power: 0.008 KW avg. while in ACPI S3 Sleep
PC/Display Power: 0.007 KW avg. while in ACPI S4 Sleep

But it's still worth it to use it, of course. We are millions of users so 1W x millions is a lot of energy.