New iMacs with Sandy Bridge processors now come with an option (in Apple Store’s configuration page) to bundle a hybrid Serial ATA Drive with Solid State Drive. What’s more amazing is that Apple has informed users that OSX will be pre-installed on the SSD instead of ATA drive. This directly translates to faster boot up times, enhanced performance and more space for user documents on the bigger ATA drive.

Today we have Andy G from BravoFiles.com explaining how the SSD Smart response technology works and its advantages.

How does the Smart Response Technology work?

Smart response technology from Intel where the SSD will act as a system cache in a hybrid configuration in the new iMac. The operating system gets cached on a SSD for much faster loading times, but a user will only see one drive in the Windows Explorer. Smart response provides the middle ground between slow, inexpensive and capacious hard drive storage and an expensive, small, but fast SSD. It allows a user speed while retaining a high capacity hard drive with the use of a small SSD. Smart response technology uses a small SSD’s high speeds and low access times to operate as cache of a HDD. It will also store copies of some key parts of a HDD such as system files and boot volume, in making the boot faster and a system which will be more responsive overall.

The delay in the release of the new iMac has everyone speculating on the fact that Apple will use the new Z68 platform from Intel and combine it with ‘Larson Creek’ SSD to allow for the Smart Response Technology. As the Z68 platform will only be released until May 11 2011, it seems that Intel gave Apple the first opportunity and also explain yet again why there is a delay in the release of the new iMac with SSD Smart Response Technology. Although the new iMac’s are released early in May it is only the ones with SSD which ships later in 4-6 weeks.

Dual-drive or Single Volume for new iMac?

First reports about the new iMac revealed that it will be a dual-drive configuration with a SSD and a HDD, but the latest information just released is that it will indeed be a single volume. Apple is informing consumers that OS X will be preinstalled on the SSD and leave space for files and documents on the much larger standard hard drive. The iMac offers optional 256GB SSD which delivers increased drive performance and no moving parts, users can purchase it in addition to or in place of their standard hard drive.

When users configure their iMac with both a Serial ATA hard drive and the solid-state drive, it will be pre-formatted with a Mac OS X and all the applications on the SSD. The hard drive can then be used for other files, photos or videos. Although you will have two drives installed, reports from Apple are that it will appear as one. It is an ingenious idea as it will effectively manage the content on the HDD and the SSD and will efficiently manage hardware and all data related decisions you need to make. The incredible speed and low access times of the SSD buffer the slowness of your hard drive greatly.

It will be a cost-effective balance in speed with a SSD and storage of the larger hard drive, but we will have to wait and see and in the meantime speculate the interesting technical aspects of the great new iMac.

This is a guest-post by Andy G of BravoFiles.com