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SilverStone HDDBOOST Hard Drive / SSD Device
Solid state disks are predicted to be the future of computer storage but current speeds, capacity and pricing are making their adoption a slow process. A lot of builders that use SSD’s install them as the boot drive, then having a secondary hard drive for storage duties. This solution works well, but limits the data that can be stored on the SSD. Operating system files and critical programs that benefit from increased speeds would be installed on the SSD and everything else would be stored on a secondary drive. The HDDBOOST is a new hybrid device from SilverStone that allows you to add a speedy SSD (solid state disk) to your existing hard drive. Using a SSD as a boot drive is a great way to speed up operating system and program load times, but the price of a good high capacity SSD is still a deal breaker for a lot of builders.
SilverStone hopes the HDDBOOST will fit right in for those customers. By adding a lower priced SSD to the HDDBOOST, users will be able to run their systems at SSD speeds, without the high price of a large capacity SSD. The device can be connected to an existing system hard drive, so users don’t have to reload the operating system to enjoy the benefits. The idea behind the HDDBOOST is very interesting, but will it perform in the benchmarks? Read on for the full review. For full specs, visit the product page at SilverStone’s website.
Introduction (from SilverStone’s website)
HDDBOOST is a unique product that combines the best qualities of traditional hard drive and solid state disk (SSD) into one virtual super storage solution. Depending on the speed of the SSD added, the HDDBOOST can increase the performance of an existing host hard drive up to 70%(*)! This speed increase is very noticeable and significant for any PC users that have not experienced using SSD drives before. For those who are not ready to compromise on storage capacity and reliability for speed, HDDBOOST will enable SSD speed on its host hard drive and reduce the write times to SSD’s more fragile flash-based storage system, thus extending its effective lifetime.*base on SSD performance.
Special Features:
*Boost your original system HDD read speed without reinstalling OS
*Minimum SSD data write times help extend SSD life-cycle
*Easy to install
*Compatible with most of 2.5” SATA SSD
The HDDBOOST works by mirroring the first section of the hard drive to the SSD. This section will usually be the operating system files and maybe some of the installed programs. The amount of files copied over is limited by the size of the SSD you install into the HDDBOOST. If you have a 40GB SSD, it will mirror the first 40GB from the host hard drive on to the SSD. The controller has no way to differentiate between critical files and other files, like pictures, movies, etc. It will copy whatever files are taking up space at the front of the hard drive. It is recommended that users defragment an existing hard drive before adding it to the HDDBOOST to maximize its effect.
Packaging and Accessories
The packaging for the HDDBOOST is shipped in a no-frills box. The contents are protected well, so everything arrived in perfect condition. The HDDBOOST is a very simple device. The only accessories are a set of screws to attach the SSD and case screws, a SATA2 cable and the manual.
Installation
Installation is pretty straightforward. The SSD of choice is installed into the HDDBOOST. Connect a SATA power cable and data cable to the unit and a SATA data cable from the host hard drive to the HDDBOOST. Boot up the computer and enter the bios to verify that the HDDBOOST is set as the primary boot device. Boot into the OS and install the HDDBOOST utility. This program does not come packaged with the unit, but is available on the product page . The program will allow you to manually sync the drive data and perform firmware updates.
The inside SATA connectors for the SSD.
Outside SATA power and data connectors. The top SATA port goes to the motherboard.
The chip that controlls the HDDBOOST.
WD3200BEKT host hard drive.
Intel X25V installed in the HDDBOOST.
The HDDBOOST ready to be installed in the test system.
The included SATA2 cable that goes to the hard drive.
The HDDBOOST utility for manually synchronizing your hard drive with your SSD and for updating firmware.
Testing
The test system is our recently built HTPC. It uses the Western Digital 320GB WD3200BEKT 2.5″ hard drive. The SSD is a 40GB Intel X25V. The X25V is a value series drive, meaning the write speeds are on the low side compared to the X25M series drives. This drive is a perfect candidate for the HDDBOOST because disk writes will go to the WD3200BEKT. By using the laptop HDD combined with the HDDBOOST, the noise and temperatures are minimal. The laptop drive and SSD were tested separately to pull numbers, then the HDDBOOST was added to the mix to see what kind of results the combined setup would yield. The results did not reach the possible 70% performance increase claims mentioned on SilverStone’s website, but the SSD used for our testing is far from the quickest around. We did note a definite performance increase in our tests.
Conclusion
The HDDBOOST performed great in the benchmarks. The X25V SSD by itself led in the average read speeds test. The Western Digital WD3200BEKT had the fastest average write speeds. By combining both drives with the HDDBOOST, a great balance was achieved. The inclusion of the SSD definitely increased the performance of our system. By using the lower price / capacity X25V, we were still able to enjoy SSD speeds and still have the storage capacity of the WD3200BEKT. If the fastest system is what you’re after and price is no object, then get the fastest SSD you can find and use it as your boot drive. If the current generation of SSD’s are priced too high for you to purchase, then the HDDBOOST might just do the trick. SilverStone has a great product that could help breathe some life into an older system or tide you over until the price of high speed and high capacity SSD’s become affordable to the mainstream.
