Gaming Laptop SSD Performance: Alienware, MSI, and Lenovo Lead the Pack
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The latest data reveals significant performance variations in solid-state drives (SSDs) found in popular gaming laptops. Testing across a range of models from Alienware, MSI, Lenovo, HP, and Acer demonstrates substantial differences in read speeds, with the Alienware 16X Aurora consistently ranking among the fastest.
SSD Performance Landscape
Recent benchmarks, measuring sequential read speeds in megabytes per second (MB/s), paint a clear picture of the current SSD landscape within gaming laptops. The Alienware 16X Aurora, equipped with an RTX 5070, showcases impressive speeds, achieving 4792 MB/s with a range of 4766.73-4792.47 MB/s – a 30% improvement over the average. This positions it as a top performer in the market.
However, performance isn’t uniform across all brands. The MSI Crosshair A17 HX, paired with a Samsung PM9C1 MZVL81T0HELB-00BTW, delivers a respectable 3694 MB/s (3622.71-3693.5 MB/s). The HP Omen 17z-db100, utilizing a TeamGroup T-Force G50 TM8FFE004T, shows a slight dip, registering 3670 MB/s (3639.46-3669.81 MB/s) – a 1% decrease.
Performance Tiers and Key Contenders
A tiered breakdown reveals distinct performance levels. The MSI Katana 17 HX, featuring a Micron 2500 1TB MTFDKBA1T0QGN, achieves 3481 MB/s (3436.86-3481.23 MB/s), representing a 6% decrease from the average gaming laptop. The Lenovo LOQ 17IRX10WD, with a PC SN7100S SDFPMSL-1T00-1101, lags further behind at 3341 MB/s (3301.65-3341 MB/s) – a 10% reduction.
Notably, the average gaming laptop tested achieves a read speed between 281 and 8300 MB/s (n=125, over the last two years). The average Western Digital PC SN5000S SDEQNSJ-1T00, found in several models, falls significantly below this, averaging 2591 MB/s (2312.31-2590.61 MB/s) – a 30% decrease.
Significant Performance Gains with Newer Models
More recent models demonstrate substantial improvements. The Alienware 16X Aurora, again, leads with a staggering 5593 MB/s (3454.43-5593.31 MB/s) – a 429% increase. The MSI Katana 17 HX follows closely with 5091 MB/s (5081.61-5091.26 MB/s), a 382% boost. The MSI Crosshair A17 HX achieves 4764 MB/s (4694.94-4764.01 MB/s), a 351% improvement.
These gains are particularly evident when compared to older averages. The average gaming laptop now ranges from 1057 to 9699 MB/s (n=125), while the average Western Digital PC SN5000S SDEQNSJ-1T00 ranges from 1057 to 3830 MB/s (n=9).
Lower-Tier Performance and Consistency
At the lower end of the spectrum, the Lenovo LOQ 17IRX10WD continues to exhibit slower speeds, reaching 1218 MB/s (227.92-1218.32 MB/s). Even the Alienware 16X Aurora shows variability, with some tests registering as low as 98 MB/s (86.41-97.97 MB/s). The average across all tested models ranges from 32.2 to 110.2 MB/s (n=125), with the Western Digital PC SN5000S averaging 57.8 to 72.5 MB/s (n=9).
Detailed Model Breakdown
Further analysis reveals specific performance characteristics for each model. The MSI Katana 17 HX consistently delivers speeds around 345 MB/s (334.89-345.07 MB/s), while the Acer Nitro v 17 (ANV17-41-R4CJ) achieves 329 MB/s (290.58-328.88 MB/s). The HP Omen 17z-db100 reaches 215 MB/s (84.07-214.74 MB/s).
Higher-end models again demonstrate superior performance. The Alienware 16X Aurora achieves 4074 MB/s (4063.44-4074.07 MB/s), the MSI Katana 17 HX reaches 4034 MB/s (4021.16-4033.83 MB/s), and the HP Omen 17z-db100 achieves 3742 MB/s (3709.52-3742.29 MB/s). The Lenovo LOQ 17IRX10WD reaches 3153 MB/s (1958.47-3153.2 MB/s), while the Acer Nitro v 17 achieves 2898 MB/s (2526.72-2897.76 MB/s).
The Alienware 16X Aurora continues to showcase strong performance, reaching 3899 MB/s (3811.51-3899.28 MB/s), while the Lenovo LOQ 17IRX10WD achieves 3775 MB/s (3689.65-3775.01 MB/s). The MSI Crosshair A17 HX reaches 3113 MB/s (3033.18-3112.87 MB/s), and the MSI Katana 17 HX achieves 2671 MB/s (2552.06-2671.09 MB/s).
These results underscore the importance of SSD selection in gaming laptop performance, with the Alienware 16X Aurora consistently demonstrating a significant advantage.
