Hitachi-LG debuts SSD-ODD hybrid

Hitachi-LG has debuted an optical-SSD (ODD/SSD) hybrid drive at Computex 2010.

The device – which is specifically designed for notebook computers – features 32GB-64GB of NAND Flash memory and a SATA 3.0Gbps interface.

However, second-gen SSD capacity is expected to be set at a whopping 256GB with a blazingly fast SATA6.0Gbps interface.

“HyDrive enables a total storage solution on the PC using the advantages of three storage device types,” explained HLDS CMO YK Park.

“[This includes] conventional hard drives, solid state drives and optical drives [Blu-ray or DVD] – without added space on the motherboard and modification of system architecture limited to replacing the existing ODD.”

According to Park, HyDrive can boost hard disk drive (HDD) performance in two ways.

“One is through using the entire SSD as a cache by the HLDS filter driver. The other is by having Windows and Microsoft Office applications installed and the remaining capacity serve as a cache.

“Having 32GB of SSD suffices in accommodating Windows and Microsoft Office applications, offering….pure SSD speeds.”

Park added that HyDrive would also enable a “smaller PC” footprint by allowing OEMs to remove the HDD/SSD from the motherboard and simply deploying the hybrid device with its integrated SSD.