Intel Smart Response -

[Waco]

So today I finally felt well enough (been sick for a few days) to get the HTPC updated with a new CPU and mobo to replace the dying/aging AMD setup that was there already.

 

Everything plays nice up until I go to enable Intel Smart Response...hey now, where's my acceleration tab?

 

RAID enabled in the BIOS? Check.

SSD connected to the system? Check.

Z68 chipset based board? Check.

Sandy Bridge CPU? Check.

 

 

Uhhh...yeah. At this point I'm a bit lost.

 

 

After a little Googling I find out that only Core edition CPUs can do Smart Response. The Sandy Bridge Celeron I bought apparently met the axe by Intel's idiotic marketing people where they decided to cut out features for no apparent reason...so instead of Smart Response I get to spend an extra $60 on features and things I don't need just so I can use the SSD I already have with some software that'll run on ANYTHING.

 

Bah. I hate fake market stratification especially when it's buried within technicalities that even Intel's own support people don't understand. When I called them to confirm that it was restricted to Core Edition CPUs (i3s, i5s, etc) both the people I talked to initially stated that my Z68 board paired with any socket 1155 CPU should be supported.

 

 

 

 

So, in short, screw Intel and their fake market segments.

[wevsspot]

I love it when Waco vents!

 

[Waco]

I just don't understand fragmenting the market like this. Intel Smart Response is probably the coolest thing they've ever released and they artificially restrict it to "expensive" chips? I understand that when I buy a budget CPU I'm getting crappier onboard graphics, crappier CPU performance, no hyperthreading, etc...but to restrict the software I can run? That's just asinine.

 

 

So anyway - the G530 is going back and an i3-2120 is on the way. What a waste of time.

[El_Capitan]

You got a good point Waco, but I think when Intel designed Smart Response for their Core series, SSD's were expensive, and didn't expect anyone buying their Celeron line who are buying a CPU for around $40 - $75 to buy a 64GB SSD for $140 (to which they're down to around $70 today).

[Waco]

Yeah I understand that...but this CPU was just released recently and it's a HUGE selling feature for Intel. I mean, the only real benefit to going Intel on the low end is to be able to use Smart Response...

[IVIYTH0S]

 

That seems counter productive as the only use for SRT is to help out a low cost SSD-HDD machine...if you have the money for the better CPU then obviously you can just buy a standalone SSD to handle all the needs.

 

I can't believe they'd do something this unexplainable though....something entirely chipset handled....the only reason *I saw* to upgrade from P67 to Z68 when P67s were the popular chipset WAS SRT. I'm very disappointed in Intel for such a low blow like this to you, it's a very specific thing but just WHY!?

[Tjj226_Angel]

Hey waco. I did some digging and it seems like the celeron CPUs can support intel SRT technology. You just need a BIOS update and a special intel RST driver. I know you are already in the process of exchanging the CPU, but just to settle my curiosity, what mobo are you working with?

[Tjj226_Angel]

I mean, the only real benefit to going Intel on the low end is to be able to use Smart Response...

 

You could use some sort of caching SSD on AMD systems. Heck, even for the extra cost of the z68 mobo, you could have probably bought and h61 mobo and a caching SSD and still have saved money.

[Waco]

You could use some sort of caching SSD on AMD systems. Heck, even for the extra cost of the z68 mobo, you could have probably bought and h61 mobo and a caching SSD and still have saved money.

I have a caching SSD from Corsair. SRT is really that much better IMHO (and I had a Z68 board laying around).

 

It's a Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4. Newest BIOS and everything.

[wevsspot]

I still love my Gigabyte UD4 board. It has been solid as a rock.

 

Glad you exchanged CPUs. Hopefully you'll be happier with your new choice.

[Tjj226_Angel]

I have a caching SSD from Corsair. SRT is really that much better IMHO (and I had a Z68 board laying around).

 

It's a Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4. Newest BIOS and everything.

 

Hey from what I see, your CPU should support it. You just have to do some fancy foot work with the intel RST drivers.

 

And although you have already exchanged your drivers, it seems to me that intel SRT IS supported on the lower end cpus, and the real issue is whether or not the mobo manufacturer has made a BIOS that supports it. For example all asus boards from their crappiest z68 board on up to z77 has bios updates that allow for it.

 

So it seems to me this is no real fault of intel's and more over, the intel CS rep was telling the truth when they said all 1155 cpus are supported.

 

Oh and if you still have the CPU and you haven't shipped it out just yet, try flashing the BIOS back to F5 instead of F6 and then install IRST driver 11.6

[Waco]

Where do you see it's supported?

 

EDIT: Because I see this on Gigabyte's site:

** The Intel Smart Response Technology requires a computer system with an Intel Z68 chipset-based motherboard and an Intel Core i3/i5/i7 series Processor.

 

Funny that Gigabyte is a bit more forward about it than Intel.