Will this cache SSD provide benefits with my VelociRaptor?

[jrgray93]

I just purchased a Western Digital VelociRaptor 300GB SATA 6GB/s 10,000 RPM 32MB Cache HDD that I will be using in my build I am working on ($69.99 Newegg sale).

I was looking into a SanDisk ReadyCache 32GB Caching SSD as well. I am just wondering if this caching SSD will do much to improve performance over the VelociRaptor, and if that gain in performance defeats the purpose of having the Velociraptor to begin with (as in; would I have similar results with the 10,000 RPM and SSD as with a standard 7200 RPM HDD + SSD Caching).

My build consists / will consist of:
i5-3570k
Radeon HD 7870 (eventually upgrading to Crossfire)
(2x4) 8GB DDR3 1600Mhz
750w 80+ silver PSU
Windows 7 Home or 8 Pro (I will be buying an 8 pro upgrade, as it is cheaper than 7, and I will be deciding which one I prefer to use, putting the other one on my family's computer. I get to save money AND try Windows 8 without risking hating it )

 

[inzone]

I have had the Veloceraptors and yes they are faster then a 7200 rpm hard drive but still way behind a SSD so the caching idea will work and work great , it will just make it better then if you had a regular hard drive. I would definetly use the SSD caching on the Veloceraptor.


Also Tomshardware is having a contest and giving away a Samsung SSD with a drawing once a week untill the end of December. You can enter here or on the front page.

http://blazonapp.com/bestofmedia--llc/samsung-ssd-giveaway/2059?r=2059-0fTYlloet2

 

[jrgray93]

I have had the Veloceraptors and yes they are faster then a 7200 rpm hard drive but still way behind a SSD so the caching idea will work and work great , it will just make it better then if you had a regular hard drive. I would definetly use the SSD caching on the Veloceraptor.


Also Tomshardware is having a contest and giving away a Samsung SSD with a drawing once a week untill the end of December. You can enter here or on the front page.

http://blazonapp.com/bestofmedia--llc/samsung-ssd-giveaway/2059?r=2059-0fTYlloet2

Thanks for the info, and thanks for the sweepstakes link as well. I guess all I have left to ask is will there be any advantage with my VelociRaptor + Cached SSD setup, as opposed to a 7,200 RPM WD Caviar Blue (or similar HDD) + Cached SSD setup?

 

[inzone]

Yes I thought I had said in the first post thast there was but I'll say it again that since the Velociraptor is the faster drive to begin with the SSD as a cache will only enhasnce that and make the oerformance overall better then using a 7200 rpm drive.
With the SSD being such a fast drive over both the Raptor and the Caviar Blue and the read/write speeds being double and even triple what the concentional drives are it makes what ever drive it's used as a cache for much better. The Veloceraptor has a read/write speed advantage over the Caciar Blue and any 7200 rpm drive for that matter. So with the SSD increasing the performance an equal amount for either drive that means the Velociraptor will still be giving a better performance based on the fact that it held a better performance advantage to start with.
So yes I will still recomend going with the WD Veloceraptor. Also you want to enable AHCI in the bios in the sata mode.

 

[jsrudd]

Can you still return the Raptor drive to newegg? There is really little point for these drives now that SSDs are mainstream. A better plan would be to get a 128gb SSD for the OS and commonly accessed files and then a larger 1TB for data storage.

 

[jrgray93]

Yes I thought I had said in the first post thast there was but I'll say it again that since the Velociraptor is the faster drive to begin with the SSD as a cache will only enhasnce that and make the oerformance overall better then using a 7200 rpm drive.
With the SSD being such a fast drive over both the Raptor and the Caviar Blue and the read/write speeds being double and even triple what the concentional drives are it makes what ever drive it's used as a cache for much better. The Veloceraptor has a read/write speed advantage over the Caciar Blue and any 7200 rpm drive for that matter. So with the SSD increasing the performance an equal amount for either drive that means the Velociraptor will still be giving a better performance based on the fact that it held a better performance advantage to start with.
So yes I will still recomend going with the WD Veloceraptor. Also you want to enable AHCI in the bios in the sata mode.

Thanks again, and I guess I read it wrong the first time.

And no, I will not be returning the VelociRaptor. I only paid a little more for it than I would have for a similar sized 7,200 RPM HDD, so I'm not too worried about it. I also didn't want to get just a SSD because of the cost per gigabyte and the apparent luck-of-the-draw in reliability.

 

[jrgray93]

Best answer selected by jrgray93.