In some embodiments, a processor-based system includes a processor, a system memory coupled to the processor, a mass storage device, a cache memory located between the system memory and the mass storage device, and code stored on the processor-based system to cause the processor-based system to utilize the cache memory. The code may be configured to cause the processor-based system to preferentially use only a selected size of the cache memory to store cache entries having less than or equal to a selected number of cache hits. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.