SSD Hybrid Raid 0 for Windows + SSD for gaming?

[Aikes_Itso]

I placed an order for a Seagate Momentus XT ST750LX003 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache 2.5" SATA 6.0Gb/s Solid State Hybrid Drive and a second order for a Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD). The next day I checked my orders and found that for some reason Neweeg had cloned the order for the Hybrid drive and had not recognized my SSD order.... well I did get an email today (two days later) that the SSD was still in my shopping cart, yet when I log in it isn't. So, Im guessing it's a website glitch but now that I am here in this situation it has me thinking....

I am now planning to keep both Hybrid drives and try them in Raid 0. I am interested in the SSD so I may buy that as well if it will be any real boost in performance so my question is will it add to the perfomance greatly over the Hybrids in Raid 0?

Also, I game currently with SWTOR and may do some WoW at times and I have games like Crysis 2 etc... and I am wondering if I shouldn't use the Hybrids in Raid 0 for my primary Windows install and storage but use the SSD for my primary gaming storage. I have searched and can't find where anyone has tried this configuration. It seems to me that the set up should run blazingly fast when gaming and on windows applications/boot up, etc... plus give me plenty of storage area in both the primary system Hybrid areas and gaming SSD area. It seems that the SSD sectors of the Hybrids should function very well in that configuration but I am not experienced with either of these drives and thought it would be best to ask here.

Anyone know of any data on a situation like this?

 

[psaus]

I don't have publications I can send you towards, but in my experience, I'd actually reverse the configuration.
To start, the more SSD (even if it's hybrid) in your system, the faster. More SSD good.
Because the system is largely based on your OS and driver response, I would suggest using the SSD as your boot drive. Then loading all of your games to the hybrid drives (either in a RAID-1 or -0). Games on the Hybrid because games can take up a lot of space, and the Seagates will cache the most used games in the SSD space (taking the legwork away from you, should you move on to a new game in the future - just start playing the new game a few times, and seagate moves it).

RAID 0 could be used, just note that you're not going to see an insane performance increase. Plus if 1 drive dies, you lose all data from both drives. If I were you, I'd either rertun the second hybrid, or just use the 2nd drive as a third drive.

Here's where I'll contradict myself a little.
If you're nothing but a gamer, and this system isn't going to spend time booting (24x7 machine) and using virtually no other apps but games (and maybe a little websurfing), then maybe you're right in your OP. The SSD will launch games the fastest. And if you're just going for absolute speed, then go ahead and RAID0. Just make sure you back up your data somewhere (external drives, cloudback up -livedrive/carbonite).

 

[Aikes_Itso]

Thank you for the reply.
I went ahead and ordered a

SSD 128G|OCZ VTX4-25SAT3-128G R

and I just got in the two

Seagate Momentus XT ST750LX003 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache 2.5" SATA 6.0Gb/s Solid State Hybrid Drives

I will take your advise into consideration!

Does anyone else have any input on this situation? Primarily, with the drives listed, is using the SSD for OS and the Hybrids in Raid 0 the optimal use for these or would setting up the OS on the hybrids in Raid 0 and using the SSD for gaming create a better gaming experience? I don't care about daily task performance so much as I care about primary game performance.

Right now the game I plan to play most is SWTOR (if that helps any).