Solid state drive maker OCZ introduces a new product, the Synapse Cache SSD. This drive, available in a 64 GB or 128 GB version, is used with existing hard drives in a PC. Dataplex caching software included on the drive copies data from the hard drive to the SSD as needed for fast access and shuffles it back off to the hard drive again if it’s not used for a while. The device features 128-bit and 256-bit AES data encryption, and it has a six gigabit per second SATA interface along with both SMART and TRIM technology support. Expected MTBF is two million hours and OCZ covers it with a three year warranty.
As can be seen in the benchmark results OCZ provides (below), this technique results in performance that jumps up significantly over standard hard disk transfer rates, by the second consecutive access of a given chunk of data.
Given the exponentially increasing prices of SSD drives as capacity increases, and the practical non-existence of SSDs larger than about 512 GB in the consumer marketplace, this may provide an excellent alternative for those needing large storage capacity, yet wanting SSD’s performance benefits. Notebook computer users may be locked out of this solution simply because their machines have no physical space for more than one hard drive or SSD, but it sounds like a great upgrade for a desktop system. Pricing is not yet available, but given the fact that NewEgg currently offers the 120 GB OCZ Vertex SSD at a sale price of about $175, it’s a good guess that a 128 GB Synapse might be available on the street for as little as $300 or so.
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