SsdCache
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SanDisk announces 32GB ReadyCache for Windows: $55 at Amazon, keep your existing HDD
SanDisk has built itself a decent reputation in the SSD game, and a cheap cache-only drive is a logical addition to its line. Unlike regular SSD or hybrid upgrades, you don't have to transfer your system to the new drive -- the 2.5-inch, 32GB add-on simply hooks up to a spare SATA III port alongside your spinning storage and then you run SanDisk's ExpressCache software to do the rest. The program, which is currently Windows 7-only, monitors which files you access most frequently and then automatically caches them on the SSD, promising up to 12x faster application launches and also faster boot times compared to your HDD working on its lonesome. Importantly, the ReadyCache works with multiple hard drives too, rather than just boosting your primary drive -- a feature that SanDisk claims gives it a one-up over most other caching solutions. The list price is $100 but Amazon has it up right now for $55.
Intel 313 SSDs bring improved caching to ultrabooks, desktops, life in general
Just like Intel's older 311 batch of small cache SSDs, the new 313 series is designed to sit alongside a traditional spinning HDD in order provide a tasty blend of speed and capacity. These newer drives are still SATA II, so there's no 6Gbps action here, but they use superior 25nm SLC flash, offer faster speeds for the same price (starting at $120 for 20GB) and are explicitly approved for use in the coming wave of Ultrabooks -- so don't be surprised if that's where you meet 'em next.
Crucial outs Adrenalin Solid State Cache Solution, less long-winded m4 SSDs
Until the cost of flash storage comes down to the same plane of existence as most human wallets, hybrid solutions -- which pair an HDD with an SSD cache -- remain a smart way forward. OCZ scored some attention with its Synapse products, so now Crucial has to wave its arms in our faces and point to its own offering: the Adrenalin Solid State Cache Solution, which pairs a 50GB m4 SSD with proprietary caching software, and which will be out sometime this quarter for an undisclosed but surely rivalrous price. In the meantime, a fresh range of pure-breed m4 drives is already available, looking much like their predecessors but now whittled down to a mere 7mm in thickness so they can be squeezed into ever-narrower crevices. Pricing starts at $119 for 64GB and tops out at $795 for 512GB -- like we said, not your average plane of existence.
