 |
 |
The Synapse Cache comes in a small, black and blue box. Along with a picture of the drive, the front advertises many of its key features including its 64GB capacity, SATA 6Gbps interface, MLC flash memory and Dataplex cache software. The back of the box provides a bit more information regarding its caching capabilities and the performance benefits it offers. Inside, you'll find the SSD, a 3.5" adapter bracket, mounting screws, installation guide and a sticker that says "My SSD Is Faster Than Your HDD."
Physical Features:
The Synapse Cache shares the same basic design as OCZ's Vertex 3 and Agility 3 series SSDs. The top of the outer casing is made out of plastic and has a matte black finish. There is also a large, blue and black sticker showing that the SSD is part of OCZ's Synapse series. The bottom of the casing is made out of metal with a brushed metal finish. The stickers on the bottom show the drive's part number, serial number and Dataplex license key.
Like OCZ's Agility 3 and Vertex 3 series SSDs, the Synapse Cache uses SandForce's SF-2281 controller chip. The SF-2281 can be found in a number of other SSDs including the ADATA S511, Corsair Force Series 3, OWC Mercury 6G, Kingston HyperX and Patriot Pyro SE.
For the Synapse Cache, OCZ opted to use their own 8GB 25nm M2501064T048AX21 asynchronous NAND flash chips. Looking at the picture above, you can see that there are eight of these chips on the top of the PCB for a raw capacity of 64GB. While most SandForce SF-2281 based drives are over provisioned by about 7% to maximize performance and increase their lifespan, the Synapse Cache is over provisioned by 50%, which leaves 32GB for its caching duties.
