Get an SSD boost for your existing setup.
Benchmarks
For testing the SanDisk ReadyCache 32GB SSD the below setup was used.
Let’s see how the SanDisk ReadyCache 32GB SSD improves performance on an existing setup. The results below are shown after running the tests for the fourth time, to give the drive time to cache the data. For comparison I have used the SanDisk Extreme 120GB SATA III SSD, the Seagate Momentus XT 750GB Hybrid drive and a test with a 1TB Seagate 7200RPM HDD coupled with a 20GB mSATA SSD to test out the Intel’s Smart Response Technology .
Speed
I have used ATTO Disk Benchmark to get the sequential read and write speeds and Crystal Diskmark for 4K speeds.
PCMark 7
The PCMark 7 Storage benchmarks are some of the most stressing tests designed for modern hard drives and solid state drives. There are a number of tests performed, focusing on different aspects of the drive and eventually churn out a score based on the overall performance of the drive. Below I have shown the total PCMark 7 storage score for multiple hard drives and SSDs.
Windows 7
For the Windows 7 boot time, I installed a fresh copy of Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit on these hard drives, with just the basic drivers installed for the motherboard and graphics card. No antivirus or any other applications were installed since any programs installed by users are arbitrary and will change startup time. The time measured in seconds below is after POST (when the ‘Starting Windows’ logo appears) till the time I see the desktop and mouse.
As expected, the SanDisk ReadyCache 32GB SSD improves the speed significantly, although not, of course, toughing true SSD speeds. However, the jump we see from a regular 7200RPM hard drive to one that’s boosted by the SanDisk ReadyCache drive is significant.
Conclusion
So there you have it, if you want the speeds, or close to those of an SSD, the SanDisk ReadyCache 32GB SSD is a very elegant solution for your needs, more so because of the cheap setup cost and the simplicity with which things get rolling. Remember, that you won’t find an instant speed boost, time must be given for the ExpressCache software to learn your usage patterns, but in time you’ll be glad you have this hybrid system. Of course, if you’re building a new system and have some extra cash to spare, then you can always go with a complete SSD based system, like SanDisk’s Extreme series.
