Intel SRT with M.2 device??

[sphbecker]

Does anyone know if Intel's Smart Response Technology (SSD caching with an HDD) works with a M.2 device? My goal is to combine an M.2 device with a large mechanical drive so I have a single large volume represented by both devices. I assume SRT lives inside the onboard SATA controller, but M.2 bypasses SATA connecting directly to PCIe. If that is true, then I assume it does not work. Does anyone know for sure?

 

[JohnnyLucky]

You would be better off purchasing the largest capacity ssd you can afford. Install the OS, software applications, and your favorite games on the ssd. Use a hard disk drive to store data files, photos, video clips, movies, music, and other stuff.

It's been a while since someone has asked about Intel Smart Response technology. It is an old technology from a few years ago. Here is my standard answer about using an ssd as a cache:

Intel's SRT caching technology was designed for buyers who could not justify or afford the cost of a larger capacity solid-state drive. According to Intel, the original idea was that for about $100.00 a user could purchase a small capacity ssd of about 10 to 20GB and use it as a cache to improve hard disk drive performance. The Operating system and programs were actually stored on a hard disk drive. The actual improvement could not compare to a stand alone ssd. Intel also looked at different capacities all the way up to 512GB and concluded 64GB was the point of diminishing return. It made more sense to use a 64GB ssd as a boot drive that also contained software programs. Intel was hoping that if business clients saw an increase in performance, then they would be induced to purchase larger capacity ssd's that promised an even greater boost in performance.

A lot has changed sinced then, especially prices. Might as well take full advantage of ssd performance.

Those comments were from 2011. Jumping forward to 2015 - What you are describing is also known as a solid state hybrid drive (SSHD). Here are some examples:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007603&IsNodeId=1&Description=sshd&name=All%20Desktop%20Hard%20Drives&Order=BESTMATCH&isdeptsrh=1

 

[sphbecker]

Fair enough. I mainly just don't like having to worry about running out of space on the C drive and moving things around, but creating filesystem junctions makes that easy enough. Sounds like SRT is a little like ReadyBoost, it aimed to fix a problem that didn't really exist by the time it was mainstream.

I have used those SSHD drives in a few older systems. They left me pretty unimpressed, they work, but nothing close to SSD-like performance. I like the idea, but I think the mechanics that Seagate puts into those drives are not near as fast as high-end HDDs. I would gladly pay more for a SSHD if it had 64 GB of flash that competed in performance with modern SSD drives. At that point, I would almost not care how fast the spindle was, but with only 8 GB of lack luster flash and a slow spindle, I have a hard time recommending those drives to anyone who cares about performance.