Computers utilising Flash memory as part of Intel's "Robson" Flash cache technology could slash the boot time of computers by 50%, and provide power saving benefits to Merom and Conroe based systems, it has been revealed.
According to Intel, the systems demonstrated used a 256 MB cache unit on the motherboard for frequently accessed files. Rather than reading those files from the hard drive, Flash memory provides faster access to data by making them available through a separate, faster channel.
Tests demonstrated by Intel of the technology at this year's Spring IDF show that the Flash cache brought a significant performance increase to the boot time of applications. Intel has said that it could in future integrate much greater amounts of Flash memory, which could be used to integrate portions of the operating system and other applications.