Last Updated on Saturday, April 18, 2020 by ProsCons
Having a faster version of the PC you had is definitely what you always want. Some people might not prefer changing the whole system just for the sake of speed. The speed can be achieved by addition of little things to your system. Optane memory is utilizing the first new class of NAND. It is a PC-caching solution the works with Intel’s new 7th generation Intel Core processors and systems that support it. It comes in two modules, 16GB and 32GB which is packed in M.2 SSD. Intel is pretty confident about the speed boost and increased system performance through the addition of the Optane memory to the system. When paired with its software, as claimed, we can see up to 28 percent faster overall system performance, 14x hard drive access and 2x the task responsiveness. It is basically built to accelerate the usage of the large capacity HDDs through caching. With the look at some intel optane memory pros and cons, it will be quite clear if it is something to be excited of or not.
Basically, the enthusiasts and power users will not be benefited to a great deal from Optane memory. They probably already have their system build upon the SSD memory or have the combination running. The Optane memory being an M.2 SSD, it might not make that very sense in such conditions.
Pros and Cons of Optane Memory
Everything has two sides to it, surely Optane Memory too has a pro and con side to it.
Pros of Optane Memory
- Low cost: You can opt for a system that will cost you less with significantly higher storage than the dual drive or the SSD alone. The system will definitely be optimized and increasing the potential of your machine.
- Intelligent Acceleration: It is actually a caching solution for the PC. That means whatever you seem to access the most will be cached automatically by the software. When the files and folders are cached, it is stored in the cache memory and the processor don’t have to waste time searching for the physical data in slower hard disk. This makes the execution faster.
- Versatility: It is pretty versatile with both the supported and the unsupported configurations. You can have configurations that might not need any boost on the first place while other configuration might need a solution for the speed. In both cases, caching helps to increase the performance of CPU.
- Great option for HDDs: HDDs is available in really big storage option for just some amount of money. Adding not so expensive Optane memory for the performane boost alongside is very good choice. It will help you have greater storage at less cost and boosted speed.
- Easy to install: It has fairly easy to install procedure. With the software provided, it is easier to configure in your system. The only catch is that you need to have a M.2 slot to add the memory to.
Cons of Optane Memory
Image: The Tech Report
- Limited chipset support: Only certain chipset from Intel has the support for the addition of the Intel Optane Memory. It is somewhat a downside cause the reach is limited to only few of the chipset out there.
- Lacking Performance: While it is built on an SSD, its performance lacks a bit versus the existing NVMe products.
- Small capacities: As compared to the modern standards, the capacities of the drive are limited. With smaller storage option, it might be good choice for some, but not for all.
[ Further Reading ] SSD (Solid State Drive) Pros and Cons
Conclusion
On the concluding note, Intel Optane Memory are still on the developing phase. No one knows, it might overthrow the SSD game if certain changes are made. The use of optane memory for caching lets you access the system quickly throughout your usage. Newer things cost more, so don’t worry about the price at the moment, it will gradually go down with time. These are few of the intel optane memory pros and cons.