Reviews - Crucial Adrenaline SSD Cache (50GB)

[HEXUS]

The tried-and-trusted Crucial m4 repackaged as a cache. But is it still as good?

Read more.

[Scainer]

If i had an SSD for the OS and Apps. Could this be used with a HDD to speed up a data drive?
The previous cache drives seemed to hint that it was the primary drive only, but the images contained show that you can select a target drive.

If it was possible is it worth it, if for example you store a game on this data drive and it get cached? Or would it be better to buy a larger SSD in the first place?

[Pleiades]

A bit obvious but: It's too expensive! :-)

[Nzyme32]

I am am considering this with intel's feature to shove cache file on it to speed up normal disk drive ops, but reviews of that featur seem quite hit and miss

[Unique]

if the hardware is the same, why don't they just bundle it with the normal SSD's they sell?

or why doesn't someone release some software that let's you use any SSD as a cache drive like this?

isn't having a separate product pointless?

[streetster]

Today £90 gets you a 128Gb M4 from eBuyer... that seems to be the sensible choice if you're happy to re-install your OS (who isnt, I love doing that.. everything's fast again!)...

What is Windows boot time like, or does this only work once you've hit the desktop? How much quicker is this than just buying an SSD drive and sticking all your apps/games/etc on there?

[Scainer]

Obviously buying a massive SSD is the best option when price is not an issue, but for the people without holes in their pockets would.....

Option1
120GB SSD (£105)
60GB cache SSD with 2TB HDD (£60 + £90)
Total = £255

or

Option2
240GB SSD (£215)
2TB HDD (£90)
Total = £305


Or would it just be better to add another SSD as required. e.g. 120GB SSD is full so add another (Total £300).
Is the cache drive only really a viable option if there is no SSD in the first place?

[crossy]

If i had an SSD for the OS and Apps. Could this be used with a HDD to speed up a data drive?
The previous cache drives seemed to hint that it was the primary drive only, but the images contained show that you can select a target drive. If it was possible is it worth it, if for example you store a game on this data drive and it get cached? Or would it be better to buy a larger SSD in the first place?

My perception of these cache drives is that they're only a stop-gap. So ideally you'd have a single large SSD that'd hold OS+apps, or if you couldn't afford that then perhaps a small SSD for OS plus one of these cache drive for apps.
I've got a small SSD for my OS, and it appears to make a notable difference - remember that you can get a 64GB SSD for less than the price of this cache drive! Problem is that I'd now like to speed up app loading, so either I can either "downsize" my apps area a little and use a 256GB SSD (about £175) or think about one of these cache drives, (assuming that you can use that cache drive on a drive other than the boot one).

if the hardware is the same, why don't they just bundle it with the normal SSD's they sell?
or why doesn't someone release some software that let's you use any SSD as a cache drive like this?
isn't having a separate product pointless?

I'm going to agree with you - I can't see why the company doing the software for Crucial, Corsair, etc doesn't just sell it to end users - unless they've got some exclusive deal with the hardware manufacturers.

[Brewster0101]

Today £90 gets you a 128Gb M4 from eBuyer... that seems to be the sensible choice if you're happy to re-install your OS (who isnt, I love doing that.. everything's fast again!)...

People like my father that can't be bothered to reinstall photo and video editing suites and get them all configured again. There are a generation of people that love using PCs, but can't be bothered to keep pissing around with them to get the benefits of modern hardware.
This is a great idea, although I did get my father in the end to reinstall everything when we installed a new SSD - and he loves it.

[streetster]

People like my father that can't be bothered to reinstall photo and video editing suites and get them all configured again.

I did get my father in the end to reinstall everything when we installed a new SSD - and he loves it.

OK. I'll ignore that

@Scainer - SSD drives are not for storage at the moment (hah that's an ironic statement), even a 256Gb drive would just hold an OS (potentially partitioned to leave 32Gb for linux), and apps. As of today, I doubt anyone would have 256Gb of 'applications'. If you've got hundreds of movies/music/tv shows on your computer then it's unlikely you'll need to access any of them at 500mb/s. (*)

(*)... if you're a (professional) video/sound editor that needs the speed of an SSD then you are likely to have the budget to get a few of them, and am doubting that a 50Gb cache drive is going to help you out

Also "who isnt, I love doing that.. everything's fast again!" was mindly tongue-in-cheek.. I dont like reinstalling stuff, but do enjoy the speed-up that it gives. One day (I say this every time I re-install) I will ghost my partition and then just re-ghost it back as/when I need to reinstall.

[Firejack]

Does seem like SSD caching is becoming a hot topic in storage circles. Quickly Googling for other options;
Obviously there is Intel's Smart Response Technology on Z68/Z77/H77 motherboards.

Whats interesting is on Asus motherboards there is Asus SSD caching that seems to be built into the newest Asus motherboards like the P8Z77 WS. That board has Intel SRT and Asus SSD Caching!

The Asus SSD Caching seems to be built on Marvell HyperDuo technology that in turn has spawned some other products.

Silverstone EC05 seem to be a PCI Express addon card for SSD caching.
Similar thing from Addonics

Again another option based on HyperDuo but this time with the SSD onboard from Apacer

For an alternative software solution looks like there is a beta of FancyCache available for your SSD caching needs.

The Crucial Adrenaline seems the easiest solution at the moment. Couple of guys in my BF3 Platoon got it recently and they love it. Appears more options will be coming shortly

[tigertop1]

I have already emailed the software supplier to see if they will consider retailing the software independently but I think I am going to hear zilch on that

One big question. Let's say you have the software-is it reusable on other SSD'd or is it a oneshot registration download?

[Ulti]

I think this is pretty cool for those that aren't tech savvy but would like SSD performance. I mean you may assume it's not hard to learn how to decide what goes on the SSD and what goes on the HDD but I assume for a large portion of the population, they only have 1 drive with everything on there. These are perfect for them.

[Sickorz]

I really can't see the point in these drives. If your tech savy enough to be buying one then surely your tech savy enough to buy a normal SSD and install windows! Your really not saving yourself a hugh amount of cash getting one of these when you can have 120gb SSD and a 2TB HDD for what £30-£40 more?

Ghosting a drive is also very easy and that completely negates installing windows!

[Ulti]

I really can't see the point in these drives. If your tech savy enough to be buying one then surely your tech savy enough to buy a normal SSD and install windows! Your really not saving yourself a hugh amount of cash getting one of these when you can have 120gb SSD and a 2TB HDD for what £30-£40 more?

Ghosting a drive is also very easy and that completely negates installing windows!

Ah, I should have meant, buying it for non tech savvy users. For example I showed my 10 year old brother an SSD and told him why my computer is more responsive than his. He then asked if I could install it into his PC and then I linked him to my eBay listing to show him how much an SSD costs and told him that he wouldn't know how to organise his files/storage etc to have an SSD. I could say the same about my parents too as they were born in the generation when computers were very much a luxury item and it's only recently that they've started using the internet.

[sniper2o2o]

I can see the market for these, it's for those techies who's friend want their PC faster but you know they don't understand anything past what is in their My Documents folder as storage space. At the same time it is simple enough to put windows and all software on an SSD and then setup windows to save nothing on the SSD except new programs. I can see myself recommending someone to use one of these.