They could be on to something here. If they get their caching algorithms right, this could be a winner when it comes to the average consumer. Our moms and dads and non-techy friends would get a better UX. I wonder how having dual controllers will affect price, though. And does the Optane do write caching? That would be where the increase in durability comes from. Overall, I think caching with Optane, if done right, could make QLC much more viable.
But it also seems to me Intel has a hard time getting their 3D Xpoint memory sold and thus are trying to find more uses for it. Let's hope this is not just that.