Test Description:
SSD: Win7 system running off the OCZ Vertex 2 solid state drive.
HDD: Win7 system running off the Western Digital WD740 hard drive.
HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced): Win7 system running off the Western Digital WD740 hard drive with the 20GB Intel 311 SSD configured via Intel SRT to Enhanced mode.
HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized ): Win7 system running off the Western Digital WD740 hard drive with the 20GB Intel 311 SSD configured via Intel SRT to Maximized mode.

Futuremark PCMark Vantage - HDD Suite Windows Defender: (MB/s) Points Ranking SSD 153.465 HDD 20.466 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 1 20.237 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 2 120.669 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 3 114.189 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 1 20.677 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 2 123.118 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 3 118.959 Gaming: (MB/s) Points Ranking SSD 145.101 HDD 14.064 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 1 14.693 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 2 123.917 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 3 124.048 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 1 14.82 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 2 118.525 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 3 118.916 Importing Pictures: (MB/s) Points Ranking SSD 188.798 HDD 37.987 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 1 32.818 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 2 145.343 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 3 145.431 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 1 32.188 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 2 141.487 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 3 133.684 Windows Vista Startup: (MB/s) Points Ranking SSD 176.547 HDD 19.14 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 1 25.073 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 2 118.636 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 3 118.152 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 1 25.911 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 2 119.452 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 3 123.474 Editing Videos: (MB/s) Points Ranking SSD 196.339 HDD 47.515 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 1 45.346 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 2 91.016 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 3 92.651 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 1 53.319 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 2 136.343 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 3 137.193 Media Center: (MB/s) Points Ranking SSD 244.554 HDD 56.621 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 1 49.527 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 2 115.429 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 3 114.929 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 1 49.929 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 2 150.816 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 3 141.989 Adding Music: (MB/s) Points Ranking SSD 107.371 HDD 14.347 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 1 13.186 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 2 74.547 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 3 76.779 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 1 14.428 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 2 100.079 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 3 90.766 Application Loading: (MB/s) Points Ranking SSD 163.113 HDD 4.461 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 1 6.057 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 2 83.073 HDD + Cache SSD (Enhanced) RUN 3 83.817 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 1 7.024 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 2 89.018 HDD + Cache SSD (Maximized) RUN 3 85.457

The best benchmark results are held by the Windows 7 system installed directly to an SSD, the poorest by the Windows 7 system installed to a HDD without Intel SRT. Those tests frame the reference points from which to judge Intel SRT's impact. As to the question of Maximized or Enhanced mode, the results clearly show that Intel SRT Maximized mode does offer a small speed advantage over Enhanced in the majority of tests. In 'Adding Music', 'Media Center' and 'Editing Videos' the difference between Maximized and Enhanced modes is substantial.

For virtually all the Vantage HDD Suite results the first RUN with Intel SRT enabled was not significantly better than the solo HDD system results. By the second RUN Intel SRT improved the results to near-SSD levels. PCSTATS' expanded look at Intel Smart Response Technology covers the full gamut of PCMark Vantage tests and dives into what it can and cannot improve in greater depth.

Obviously, applications that aren't storage intensive will see less of a positive impact from Intel SRT, so in that regard the above results are somewhat cherry picked to illustrate the best potential from Intel SRT.

Interpreting the Results

Intel SRT can speed application launching and so forth, but the first time around Intel SRT doesn't do all that much. It's only on the second and subsequent instances when frequently accessed data blocks are called that Intel SRT kicks in and Windows reads directly from SSD cache, bypassing the hard disk entirely and saving time.

If you're putting together an Intel Z68 computer and installing Windows 7 onto a 2TB Seagate Barracuda hard drive,adding a 20GB SSD cache and setting up Intel SRT is a worthwhile extra measure that will yield speed benefits. In many regards the Intel SRT approach is a band-aid solution until SSDs achieve sufficient storage density and affordability... but if you decide to abandon Intel SRT the cache SSD can always be reverted back to a simple storage device. If you plan which cache SSD to buy carefully, there's no real downside to giving Intel Smart Response Technology a try.