FAST 12TB Steam Drive for CHEAP!!

The video introduces Intel Optane memory being used to accelerate a secondary storage drive, presenting a bold project: a 12 TB steam drive built to deliver SSD-like performance at a lower cost. The host explains the history of Optane as a boot-drive enhancement and how Intel added support to accelerate a secondary game drive, enabling what they call “SSD-grade performance” for a massive storage pool. The test setup pits a traditional 12 TB Seagate Barracuda Pro HDD against a 3.84 TB PM863a SSD, both serving as the base drives for performance comparisons, with a 32 GB Optane module acting as a cache layer. The testing regime includes multiple game loads across several titles such as GTA 5, Skyrim, Witcher 3, Assassin’s Creed Origins, and For Honor, with and without reboots to observe cache persistence and boot-time effects. Results show that the Optane cache can reduce load times to SSD-like levels in several scenarios, especially after a second run, and that the caching behaves across reboots, which is a key advantage over conventional caches. The presenter discusses the cost-per-terabyte improvement, noting substantial savings compared to full SSD ownership on very large libraries, while also pointing out platform prerequisites like a recent Intel Core processor and chipset to enable acceleration on data drives. In conclusion, the video frames this as a practical option for enthusiasts who need large storage with faster-than-HDD access, while acknowledging that not every title benefits equally and that the hardware requirements add some complexity and cost. The sponsor mention at the outset is acknowledged, and the overall takeaway is a demonstrated, if nuanced, value proposition for secondary-drive caching with Optane in a gaming-focused setup. Finally, the host teases the ongoing relevance of the solution for power users who want both capacity and responsiveness without replacing their primary boot drive.

Topics · technology · storage · hardware · gaming