*HP EliteBook 8570w Owners Lounge*

HP is shipping the EliteBook 8570W with Ivi Bridge I7 quad core, I7 dual core, and I5 configurations.

The Elitebook 8570W general product page is at:
HP EliteBook 8570w Mobile Workstation overview - HP Small & Medium Business products

Preconfigured SmartBuy models are at:
HP EliteBook 8570w SmartBuy Models

Configurable models can be found at:
HP EliteBook 8570w Configurators

 

I have pulled the triggger on an 8570W with I7-3720QM and 256GB SED SSD.

This unit will sport a fallow / non-populated MSATA slot. Note that in some configurations, the MSATA slot is occupied by a small 24GB MSATA SSD with a hidden partition dedicated to fast cashing operations.

Here is an interesting question: is the MSATA slot available to end-user installation of general purpose 3rd party MSATA SSD drives, or its use is reserved to HP only? Interestingly, the HP sales guys I have spoken to do not have a clear answer.

Opinions anyone?

Regards, Aloysius

 

I think it's user installable. Another good question: is the mSATA slot SATA III?

 

Hi Comal, I suspect that HP may be using the Intel 313 Series 24GB MSATA module described at:

Intel® SSD 313 Series (24GB, 2.5in SATA 3Gb/s, 25nm, SLC)

If my guess is correct, the module being SATA 3, it is likely that the MSATA slot may be SATA3 as well. Unfortunately, all drives for 8570W are rebadged parts, and HP declines to reveal their origins, therefore I can only make semi-educated guess about their identity.

 

Thanks, I read in a review that a user can install their own mSATA drive so I won't be using HP's SSD.

 

Comal, where did you read that? Could you provide a link? Would a SSD Drive show up as a partition?

 

By pouring over the detailed 8570W specifications, I have discovered that the 256GB SSD available for CTO configurations is a rather sluggish performer:

256GB SSD
Maximum Sequential Read: 460 MB/s
Maximum Sequential Write: 260 MB/s

Conversely, the 180GB SSD features much more interesting specs:

180GB SSD
Maximum Sequential Read: 550 MB/s
Maximum Sequential Write: 520 MB/s

Although HP is totally mum about the paternity of any of its SSDs, The specs of the 180GB drive match exactly the Intel 520 Series 180GB SATA 3.

The drive is already available on one 8570W SmartBuy, and on 8770W CTO models, but not yet on 8570W CTo configurations. As I intend to have a fast SSD on my new machine, I have temporarily cancelled my 8570W order. I need to decide whether to opt for an equivalent 8770W CTO, or wait patiently until the 180GB SSD becomes available for 8570W CTO configs.

Best, Aloysius

 

Hello guys

I got the new 8570w model B8V81UT last week, $1679 from costcentral.com, arrived in 5 days (from CA to Colorado)

the notebook looks exactly the same outside as 8560w (I got one of these too last year), and similar-heat issues (not too much but still) when playing a DX11 game

I'm little bit confused by this "mSATA 24 GB Flash Cache", i wasnt able to locate this initially in Device Manager, or in BIOS, the Win.Exp. Index for this model is:
~7.6 for memory,
5.9 for disk,
and 7.2 for everything else (cpu is i5-3360m, graphic is FirePro M4000)

so this 5.9 for disk looked pretty low to me for a hybrid drive/mSATA SSD cache and I was thinking the component is missing for some reason which would be very strange for a smart buy/preconfigured model...and then I 'found' it in an application called 'Intel Rapid Storage Technology/Smart Response ..." - there is a 'drive', sized ~22 GB in Raid 0... so looks like its there; however isnt this result 5.9 in Windows Index too low ? I've seen a Sleekbook notebooks with normal HDD with similar results;
what could I expect from Hybrid drive and what software could i use for testing/reporting this feature ?

 

Hi Longin, I wonder if there are some settings in the cache module application to tweak its performance. But if I look at the specs for the Intel 24GB Series 313 module on the intel site, it does not appear to be a speed-demon.

As for me, I have foregone the Intel Smart Response module completely. I am just waiting for HP to introduce the 180 GB SSD on 8570W CTO configurations for best performance. I suspect this drive to be an Intel 520 Series SSD. My HP rep indicated that the 180 SSD may appear on 8570W CTOs as soon as system testing are complete.... hopefully in early September.

If I see no 180 GB drive appearing on 8570W CTO by Sept 10th, I will order 8770W instead, which has 180 GB SSD already available on CTO configurations.

By the way, can you tell if the 24 GB Cache module is soldered or socketed? If it were socketed, and the operating system all resided on the 500 GB HDD, you might be able to replace the 24 GB module with a fast MSATA 256 GB SSD as a very fast "D" drive.

 

How can I tell this ? I guess I should open/unmount the back panel or something ?

also - is it normal for a SSD-cache NOT to appear in Device Manager ?