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Best SSD (Solid-State Drive) Laptops in 2018

A significant improvement that made Laptops and desktops much faster is the development of SSD (solid state drive) technology. Unlike the traditional Hard Disk Drive (HDD), SSD drives have no mechanical moving parts. Since this slows down the performance of a computer, designers of SSD drives decided to store data on stacked up flash memory chips instead. And, this resulted to the following beneficial advantages for end-users

  • Faster Performance: Laptops with SSDs take significantly less time to load and store data, giving users optimal experience;
  • Multi-Tasking Capabilities: Since SSDs do not require a single actuator to access stored data, SSDs can simultaneously access parts of the same data from multiple sources. This is why laptops with SSDs can allow the user to work on multiple programs without hampering the performance of the laptop;
  • No Heating Issues: Traditional HDDs require a dedicated fan to cool down the drive due to its mechanical parts, which heat up as it spins, especially with prolonged use. On the other hand, SSDs are not prone to these problems. That’s because solid state drives have no moving parts and instead store and access data from electronic chips; and
  • Flexibility: SSDs are versatile data storage tools. They can serve as a soldered internal drive, a pluggable internal drive, or as an external data storage disk.
  • Because of these advantages, laptops with SSD have outdated HDD technology. We’ve reviewed many popular laptops with SSDs in the market today to help you picked the best SSD laptop for your needs.

    Best SSD Laptop Comparison Chart

    Specs. SSD Capacity
    Core i3 (MacBook processor) Intel HD Graphics 6000 8GB RAM 256GB View on Amazon
    Core i7 (7th generation) NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti 8GB RAM 256GB View on Amazon
    Core i5 (7th generation) NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti 8GB RAM 256GB View on Amazon
    Core i7 (7th generation) NVIDIA GTX 1050 16GB RAM 256GB View on Amazon

    Apple MacBook Air

    Apple’s MacBook has gained significant popularity across many users worldwide. Their SSD laptops have some of the highest ratings in many online shopping platforms today, especially the MacBook Air because of its fast computing ability and sleek design.

    Highlights

    Enter your text here MacBook Air is among the fastest Ultrabook models that Apple has introduced so far. Its high speed CPU is complemented by significant RAM resources. Its high capacity SSD also makes data read and write speeds faster than other models today. Plus, this unit has a unique appearance, owing to its slim silver case.

    What We Liked

    Because of this unit’s solid state drive, boot time is significantly faster than what you can get from a laptop with a traditional hard disk drive. Even if this laptop only has an Intel Core i3 CPU, smoother performance and more streamlined operations can be expected due to its high speed SSD and significant RAM resources.

    Battery life is also appreciated by many buyers. On average, this laptop lasted more than 24 hours from full charge with regular use. And for heavy use, this unit can last up to 13 hours, which is quite sufficient for a gamer or for daily business use.

    Most users loved its lightweight design. This laptop only weighs 3 lbs., making it easier to carry around compared to other recent models in the market.

    What We Didn't Like

    This laptop is known to have software issues, according to some users. They claim iTunes crashed immediately after running it for the first time. To get iTunes back, users had to reinstall the operating system.

    Another issue that was reported by some users is display output quality. Despite the MacBook Air’s popularity for its Retina display, they say this unit does not give the same output normally expected from a Retina screen.

    This model has an Intel HD Graphics 6000. This is an outdated card that some users say is unable to run heavy 3D video games and the like.

    PROS

    • Decent Processor
    • Sleek Design
    • Lightweight
    • check
      Long Battery Life

    CONS

    • Software Issues
    • Average Display Quality
    • Outdated Graphics
    View on Amazon

    Dell Inspiron 15

    Dell has been manufacturing some of the best SSD laptops for the past several years. Their Dell Inspiron 15 model does not fall short from the other units in this best SSD laptop list.

    Since they’re known to integrate the best solid state drive units into their releases, this model is no exception. This is one of the fastest laptops that Dell has manufactured so far, according to many buyers worldwide.

    Highlights

    Dell Inspiron 15 is equipped with a 7th generation Core i7 processor, a faster and more powerful CPU than the MacBook Air’s processor. In addition, this model’s dedicated video card and ultra-fast SSD drive put this laptop in a league of its own.

    What We Liked

    This laptop is recommended for users who are into heavy-duty gaming. A dedicated NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti graphics card comes with this model. Some buyers mentioned they are able to play Skyrim, Oblivion and Kingdom Come: Deliverance, some of the the most popular video games in the market at the moment with advanced requirements. Many of them say they don’t experience any slowdown even at maxed out settings and modified display configurations.

    Battery life is decent for users who regularly watch movies and listen to songs among other light computing activities. Not as good as Apple’s MacBook Air’s battery life, according to some users, but majority of buyers are mostly satisfied.

    This laptop is slimmer than what most users expect from a Dell model, and many buyers were quite surprised after seeing this unit’s light weight and slim design. Despite its slim and light weight form factor, some users noted that this model feels tough and durable.

    What We Didn’t Like

    The biggest issue with this laptop that a few buyers reported was its fan noise, especially during heavy-duty gameplay. They claim its fan starts spinning wildly and creates a lot of noise when a heavy game is currently running.

    The same buyers say its battery drains out quickly during continuous gaming. So, they say unless you keep it plugged into a wall socket during heavy gameplay, you won’t likely be able to use this laptop for several hours of non-stop gaming.

    In addition, a few buyers complained about the Dell Inspiron 15’s large form factor, despite its slim and light weight design. Some of them claim this makes it more susceptible to accidental drops and bumps when carrying it around. However, aside from these issues, its higher specifications still earns it a top position in this best SSD laptop list.

    PROS

    • Fast CPU
    • Suitable for Heavy Duty Gaming
    • Visually Appealing Design
    • check
      Durable Case

    CONS

    • Average Battery Life
    • Poor Ventilation System
    • Large Form Factor
    View on Amazon

    ​Acer Nitro​

    Acer is well-known for manufacturing laptops that are targeted at different types of users with varying needs. However, one thing is common across Acer’s recent models - Powerful computing performance. Acer achieves this by incorporating some of the latest CPU releases and the best solid state drive for laptops. And, Acer Nitro is one such laptop, suitable for heavy usage.

    Highlights

    Acer Nitro is one of the many laptops from this manufacturer that’s designed specifically for heavy processing. A 7th generation Core i5 processor is equipped into this model. And, its widescreen IPS display provides a smooth viewing experience. These features make this model an ideal choice for gamers who regularly play some of the most recent titles to-date as well as for those who frequently stream videos in HD.

    What We Liked

    This laptop is a dream product for those who are looking for a comfortable user experience. Many buyers are raving about the fast computing capabilities of Acer Nitro. They attribute this to its data read and write performance, thanks to the best solid state drive for laptop models today, which is equipped into this unit. Because of its SSD, applications load faster, run quicker and perform smoother, compared to how programs normally operate in traditional hard disk drives.

    The most salient features of this laptop include good sound output, HD display quality, a comfortable track pad and a visually appealing backlit keyboard. The angular form factor of this laptop ensures that you won’t strain your wrists while typing during prolonged use. Plus, a high quality dedicated graphics card comes with this model, making this laptop suitable for gamers who want to regularly play high end games like GTA V, Skyrim, Witcher 3 and Fortnite on maxed out settings without issues.

    What We Didn’t Like

    Similar to the Dell Inspiron 15 laptop, this model from Acer is integrated with a cooling and ventilation system that could’ve been more optimized, according to some users. They say this unit heats up to around 67ºC while FPS (frames per second) significantly drop when playing some of the latest video games with high end requirements. During gameplay, users also reported considerably louder fan noise.

    The weight of this laptop is also twice that of the MacBook Air, which makes it a nuisance for users who need to carry their laptops around on a daily basis. Consequently, this form factor makes this unit more susceptible to accidental drops and bumps.

    PROS

    • Fast Processor
    • Dedicated Video Card
    • Comfortable Features

    CONS

    • Poor Ventilation System
    • Heavier Than Others in This List
    View on Amazon

    ASUS ROAG STRIX

    ASUS specializes in making gaming laptops. And, SSD technology is suitable for enhancing the performance of a laptop for high end gaming and other compute-heavy requirements. This is the main reason why the ASUS ROG STRIX model is equipped with a solid state drive that incorporates the latest technology for faster data read and write performance. Along with its SSD, this laptop comes with a powerful processor and a dedicated graphics card. With these components, this model is optimized for heavy duty purposes.

    Highlights

    This laptop has a 7th generation Core i7 processor, which can go automatically up to 3.8GHz through its turbo boost technology. A 4GB NVIDIA GTX 1050 graphics card is also equipped into this unit. Hand in hand with its ultra-fast solid state drive, you can expect optimum performance, smooth graphics rendering and powerful compute capabilities from this laptop.

    What We Liked

    The major advantages of this model include its enhanced gaming performance and optimized capabilities for compute-heavy requirements. According to many users, its powerful processor and dedicated video card allow them to run even the heaviest of games on the highest settings without any sort of lag.

    This laptop’s HD display nicely complements its dedicated video card, powerful CPU and ultra-fast solid state drive. The same users reported that this laptop gave better display clarity than the other HD LCDs that they have.

    Some other extra features of this laptop also inspired many other users. This includes its multiple USB ports and an Ethernet RJ45 port, especially since these aren’t available in more recent laptop models. These are largely appreciated by music professionals who prefer to use wired external devices and direct LAN cable connections for faster network access.

    The design of this laptop also impressed many users. They noted its smooth black body and backlit keyboard, which comes with a control panel that allows users to customize various settings.

    What We Didn’t Like

    ASUS ROG STRIX is a 17-inch laptop with specifications similar to what many users expect from recent gaming models. Weighing at almost 5.66 lbs, it isn’t surprising to learn that this laptop is heavier than other non-gaming units. However, some buyers complained that this laptop is harder to carry around than other gaming models.

    Battery life also isn’t as good as others in this list, according to the same buyers. The manufacturer claims that this model lasts for around 8 hours with regular use, but some buyers say they only get 3 hours on average when playing their favorite video games. This is a big problem for high end users, especially regular gamers and business pros. Plus, a few buyers reported that they frequently experience blackouts lasting for as long as five seconds on average.

    PROS

    •  Fast Processor
    • HD Display
    • Dedicated Video Card
    • check
      Comfortable Design

    CONS

    • Heavier Than Others in This Lisst
    • Poor Battery Life
    • Occasional Blackouts
    View on Amazon

    Buyer’s Guide to Finding the Best SSD Laptop

    Buying the best laptop with SSD is a challenging task. There are a lot of things to consider other than its solid state drive. The following topics can help you gain familiarity with various factors that matter when buying a laptop.

    Processor

    The CPU (central processing unit) is among the most important things to consider when looking for the best laptop with SSD. And, there are two things that you should look for when choosing a CPU. These are the generation of the processor and its family.

    The generation of a CPU refers to the design architecture and technology used for manufacturing the processor. For example, 8th generation Intel CPUs are integrated with the latest design architecture and technology. Generally, it’s best for you to go with the highest generation available for the laptop that you want.

    A CPU’s family on the other hand refers to the specific silicon components and other manufacturing materials incorporated into the design architecture of the processor. This of course has significant effects to the performance of Intel CPUs. Users are recommended to get a processor under the HQ family because this provides optimized balance in terms of overall performance and cost, especially when you’re trying to find the best laptop with SSD.

    A few other things that you should take note during your search for the ideal CPU for your SSD laptop include the number of cores and threads along with its speed. A 7th generation Intel CPU with 4 cores, 8 threads and around 3.2 GHz speed would generally be good for an SSD laptop that will be used mainly for gaming and other compute-heavy tasks. 

    Video Card

    The best laptop with SSD generally has a dedicated video card. Take note that most models, although more inexpensive than others, are only equipped with integrated graphics. These perform well for general computing activities, but might slow down a bit or show certain inconsistencies like FPS drops every now and then, screen blackouts from time to time and so on during heavy 3D gameplay or compute-extensive tasks. These heavier activities should be done on an SSD laptop with a dedicated video card.

    NVIDIA still leads the industry when it comes to retail video cards for gaming, AI training, video rendering, virtual reality applications and the like. AMD offers some notable contenders like their Vega series of video cards, though these can be more expensive than NVIDIA graphics cards with similar capabilities, especially when integrated into recent laptop models.

    When searching for the best laptop with SSD and dedicated video card, you should also consider the VRAM of the graphics card. Generally, 4GB VRAM is sufficient for high end gaming, and while 8GB or more VRAM resources will be good, it might not be necessary for your requirements, especially since these can be quite expensive options. Go here for more information.

    RAM (Random Access Memory)

    The RAM resources of a laptop with SSD can significantly affect the overall performance of your operating system (OS) and applications. That’s primarily because RAM is used by your OS and applications to temporarily store and access data that these programs need to use while loading its components and also during runtime. Having sufficient RAM resources to load and access data can generally make your computing experience faster and smoother than only having limited RAM, especially when simultaneously running multiple programs, playing heavy 3D video games, rendering video development projects and other compute-extensive tasks.

    Other features

    Other things to consider when looking for the best laptop with SSD include form factor, visual design, backlit keyboard, webcam, sound output quality and of course, display quality. For example, if you’ll be moving around often while carrying your SSD laptop around, then you should go for a model with a lightweight design and a portable form factor.

    Of course, the solid state drive that’s equipped into a laptop also has significant effects to its overall performance and speed. These SSDs are also more durable and generally last longer than traditional hard disk drives. That’s mainly because SSDs do not have moving parts, unlike HDDs. So, since you’re already on the lookout for the best laptop with SSD, what you should consider in this regard is the data storage capacity that’ll be ideal for your situation. For example, if you develop and edit photos, videos, audio and the like, then you should consider going for laptops with SSDs that have at least 500GB of disk storage space. That’s because you’ll need a lot of data storage space for virtual buffers and scratch disks, which are needed by these multimedia development applications.

    Laptops with SSD FAQs

    Can I run SSD on my old Core i5 laptop?

    Yes. In fact, SSDs can work in parallel with HDD by just plugging the SSD into the laptop. Can I run SSD on my old Core i5 laptop?

    Do laptops with SSDs cost more?

    Yes. With all other components being the same or just similar,  laptops with an HDD is generally cheaper.

    Can I upgrade my HDD to SSD?

    It depends. Many laptops do not have ports with support for solid state drives, but some models can accommodate both options. But if you know your way around building computers you can often open the laptop up and exchange the storage to a SSD yourself.

    Does an SSD require more power?

    Older versions of SSDs require more power than HDDs, but recent developments have allowed the latest SSDs to consume minimal power.

    Why does an HDD laptop make a lot of noise, unlike an SSD model?

    An HDD laptop is equipped with a mechanical disk drive that spins when in use. On the other hand, an SSD laptop has a disk drive that works through electronic components, without the need for any moving mechanism.

    Conclusion

    Based on information provided by the manufacturers of the laptop with SSD models in this list, coupled by many user reviews and ratings in online shopping platforms and discussion boards, Apple’s MacBook Air is the best choice for a regular user because of its fast computing capabilities, comfortable form factor and elegant design. However, if you want a laptop for heavy computing, then ASUS ROG STRIX is a highly recommended option.

    The post Best SSD (Solid-State Drive) Laptops in 2018 appeared first on Laptop Verge.



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