OCZ has unveiled a new series of solid-state drives designed specifically for caching applications in an SSD/HDD hybrid storage setup. The new Synapse SSDs are limited to 64GB and 128GB sizes, and come bundled with the Dataplex cache software from NVELO to dynamically move the most frequently accessed files to the SSD, delivering them faster from the on-board NAND rather than the hard drive's platters but without sacrificing storage capacity.
The idea is similar to Intel's Smart Response Technology, though the latter is limited to 64GB. Compared to simply having an SSD boot drive, caching can be very useful because you don't have to decide what goes to the SSD and what doesn't – the software adapts to user behavior so the performance gains will theoretically improve over time.
The drive itself is packed in a 2.5-inch case, uses the SATA 6.0Gbps interface and features MLC NAND flash chips along the SandForce SF-2281 controller. OCZ says it will deliver up to 550MB/s and 480MB/s read and write speeds for the 64GB model, with 75,000 IOPS, and up to 550MB/s and 510MB/s read and write speeds for the 128GB variant, with up to 80,000 IOPS.
As you'd expect the Synapse Cache series also features TRIM support as well as ECC recovery and data encryption. OCZ is backing these with a three-year warranty and should have them in store shelves soon. Unfortunately, the company didn't reveal pricing details for its latest SSD and they've yet to show up online as of this writing.