Crucial now has Momentum Cache

[Ketchup]

Just updated Storage Executive to the latest version, and they have added a feature called Momentum Cache. Sounds like their version of Samsung's Rapid Mode. Crucial said that it does increase the drive's endurace.

The features uses some of your system's DRAM to buffer random data writes. This increases the storage system's burst IO up to 10x, but it also has a long term impact on SSD endurance. Random data writes wear flash faster than sequential writes. With DRAM absorbing the random data, then pushing the data to the SSD as sequential data, the drive endurance increases significantly.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/crucial-momentium-cache-software,29239.html

Has anyone tried it yet? Maybe it's because I have only had my drives for a year, but I am still very pleased with the speed. I have only consciously waited on the drive during OS installs, in which I wouldn't have access to this software anyway (well, except when installing VMs). But I would be interested in the long-term positive impact on the probable life of the drive.

Has anyone tried this?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

tn-df-32 crucial

Enter the above term in Google.

It will lead you to a pdf from Crucial on momentum cache.

Which says, among other things, that it "leverages" RAM and that there is a risk of data loss. I haven't seriously looked at it, but it appears to boost benchmarks---AS SSD scores above 30,000.

A number of complaints about installation issues on Crucial forums.

Consensus seems to be it's dubious.

Other copy and pastes from Crucial forums:

Benefits of the Momentum Cache Feature

Increase drive burst performance up to 10x.
Extend drive life by reducing redundant write
Enable using the Crucial Storage Executive

"If you're fully prepared with time and money to potentially buy another drive, lose any unbacked-up files, and re-install the OS, then go for the momentum cache. If you're not fully prepared for that worst case scenario.....then don't do it."

Make of that what you will.

 

[Elixer]

I wouldn't bother with it, just another gimmick, the same as sammy & intel have...
Just not worth possible data loss.

 

[Phynaz]

Intel has a RAM cache?

 

[Puffnstuff]

My intel doesn't have a ram cashe LOL.

 

[AlienTech]

It is just a RAM cache but only works with the SSD. Installation seems to be a problem for some people but once installed it works. Only benefit I seen is when you make a lot of small writes it waits to write it out so that saves a little bit of writes. It also caches reads but flushes memory to free up ram to use as a cache so it will swap unused stuff into the swap file so when you go back to those windows, it will have to load it back from the swap file. But it does free up the cache memory as needed but still have to keep in mind that it does use the windows swap file a lot more but also speeds up reads/writes as well. I think it helps with heavy usage for short periods. But with the disadvantages on long period usage.. so it depends on how you use your system.

 

[Ketchup]

It actually makes sense, I just wonder how Shutdown works. If it has data still sitting in memory, can I trust that it is smart enough to write to the drive before the Shutdown/Restart occurs?