IRST or OS on new 64GB SSD?

[ryanjh]

What is the best system setup to take advantage of a new 64GB SSD, Win 7 x64, Asus P8Z68-V PRO/GEN 3, and a i5-2500K build?

I have three hard drives. The main hard drive is a:
Western Digital Caviar Blue 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" and the other two HDs are used for music, documents, photos and video storage.

In the mail SSD:
Crucial M4 64GB SSD

Would it be better to use the 64GB SSD purely for my OS or follow the Mobo manual to set up the Intel Smart Response Technology? The ISRT setup involves placing Win 7 x64 on a HD while using the SSD as a cache. I was originally planning on installing the OS on the SSD and using the HDs as file storage.

What is the best route to take?

Thanks!

PS: I've never setup an SSD before however I am somewhat familiar with setting up and managing multiple hard drive systems.

 

[rolli59]

Use it as an OS drive is the most noticeable performance increase. Useful info http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/270102-32-useful-articles-part

 

[ryanjh]

Thanks! I have been looking at the link you gave me but was a little confused by the IRST option which seemed like it might be preferable to just installing the OS on the SSD.

 

[rolli59]

The drive will help with IRST to speed up the HDD's using it as cache, basically if you read and write a lot of data, where you need large storage space. The conclusion here will shed some more light on it http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-z68-express-smart-response-technology-ssd-caching,2938-9.html

 

[inzone]

The Intel SRT is a great thing if you have a small SSD (20-40gb) and use it as the cache for the larger hdd. As you get to the larger size SSD's it becomes a waste to have it as a cache and you are better off putting the OS directly onto the SSD. You will have to pay attention to space but you can load all of the data you can onto the larger hdd. If you diable hibernation and move the page file to the other hdd that will also free up space on the SSD.