How much of a performance boost do OSX get with SSDs?

It's a night and day difference.

 

As snaky wrote, night and day.

 

It is worth more than on Windows because Windows has a smart cache that can negate some of the HDD deficiencies. OSX not having to run on cheap netbooks and such never need as many such features. An SSD on OSX helps even more than on Windows and there it still makes a big difference.

 

The first time you install an SSD you will actually feel like the computer is waiting on you for the first time. All the little things you just got used to, like applications taking more than an instant to load and the OS taking more than 10 seconds to boot (*fully* boot, not boot to the login screen) you will realize how much of a bottleneck spinning disk storage has been. Do it, do it today, and you'll never regret it (especially with 500GB drives falling under $200 these days).

 

I can have a bunch of apps open, reboot with the "reopen windows" option, and be back right where I left off in 20 seconds.

 

This will answer your question: On your Mac with a HDD, restart your computer and measure duration from the time you click "Restart" until the time you're back up, looking at your Desktop with your Dock and Menu Bar fully loaded. Then post how much time that took. See how it compares to this:

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It makes a huge difference. You think programs are loading really quick, but if you haven't had a Mac with a SSD, you're missing out.

 

You just cannot imagine how huge the difference is

Using SSD is the most worth upgrade for sure.

 

probably the most dramatic upgrade you can make on a PC.

 

You literally won't believe the speed. It's that extreme.

 

It really makes quite a difference, how much of a difference depends on the SATA version in your Mac.

On my 2008 C2D MBP, the addition of a SSD was much quicker than the 7200RPM HDD that had been in it; when I took the same SSD out and dropped it in the refurb mid 2012 cMBP I just got, the difference was nothing short of amazing.

 

2010 and older don't have SATA III, so it will be considerably faster, but not as fast as the 2011 and later machines with SATA III

I have SSD's in my 2010 and 2011, so know first hand the speed difference.

 

My rMBP boots to login in ~7 seconds.

 

Same here my 15" rMPB loads 7 seconds from cold boot. Restart usually is 6... sometimes 9 seconds.
SSD is the main reason I love my Mac. It's just incredible, I am curious though how much faster the SSD in the 2015 models is (real world perfomance) I imagine maybe 5 seconds boot? lol



Kal.

 

To echo what others have said the difference is significant and certainly noticeable in day to day use. But, as with all computer upgrades, only pull the trigger if you're not happy with what you've got now. Ignore the specs, ignore what's marketed as faster and buy based on needs rather than wants if at all possible especially when talking about upgrading a 2011 mac.

Think of it this way: if you're happy with what you have now would you rather spend the money on an SSD upgrade now or put those funds towards a new system whenever you need one?

 

If you are happy with what you have, don't upgrade. It is that easy.