Description

The Samsung SP604N is an 80GB hard drive from the SpinPoint P40 series (sometimes referred to as P40 family), a 3.5-inch IDE/PATA drive released around 2002–2003. Samsung’s SpinPoint P40 lineup used 40 GB per platter technology and was aimed at mainstream to performance desktop PCs during the early Athlon XP / Pentium 4 era. The model naming in this series typically follows SPxxxxN, where xxxx indicates capacity (e.g., SP8004 for 80GB flagship, SP6004 for 60GB), but SP604N appears to be a specific variant or OEM labeling for an ~80GB model (possibly a regional, batch, or slight revision code; common in Samsung’s era-specific SKUs).

*** Hard drive is tested for good S.M.A.R.T. , no bad sectors and is formatted as an NTFS partition. Actual drive is pictured.

Key specifications based on SpinPoint P40 series data sheets, reviews, and consistent historical listings (e.g., for comparable SP8004/SP6004 models):

• Capacity: 80 GB (formatted; actual usable space ~74–75 GiB due to binary vs. decimal calculation and overhead)
• Interface: IDE / PATA (Parallel ATA), Ultra ATA/100 (ATA-100 / ATA-6), backward compatible with ATA/66, ATA/33, PIO modes, etc. → Max theoretical burst transfer rate: 100 MB/s
• Form Factor: 3.5-inch (standard desktop, ~1-inch height)
• Spindle Speed: 7200 RPM
• Cache / Buffer: 2 MB
• Average Seek Time: ~8.9 ms (manufacturer claimed read seek; real-world measured ~9.4 ms in reviews for similar models)
• Average Access Time: ~13–14 ms (read/write; includes ~4.2 ms rotational latency at 7200 RPM)
• Platter / Head Configuration: Typically 2 platters / 4 heads for 80GB models in the series (40 GB/platter density; some lower-capacity variants used fewer heads or short-stroking)
• Other Features:
  • SilentSeek / low-noise design (Samsung emphasis on quiet operation)
  • Shock resistance and head load/unload ramp for durability
  • S.M.A.R.T. support for monitoring
  • Good thermal performance (low heat generation compared to competitors)
• Power Consumption: Typical for era (~6–9W active; standard 4-pin Molex power connector)
• MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): ~400,000–600,000 hours (typical Samsung claim for P-series)
• Acoustics: Idle ~28–30 dB (very quiet for 7200 RPM; measured close-field idle ~44.5 dB/A in some tests, but perceived as low-noise due to design)
• Compatibility: Works with older IDE/ATA motherboards; jumper settings for Master/Slave/Cable Select (standard Samsung layout: refer to drive label—often Master: jumper closed on specific pins, Slave: open, CS: for 80-wire cable detection)
• Jumper Settings (typical Samsung SpinPoint P-series):
  • Master (or single drive): Jumper on pins as labeled (usually outer pair)
  • Slave: No jumper
  • Cable Select (CS): Jumper on CS pins; use 80-conductor cable for full ATA/100 speeds

This drive provided balanced performance for its time—decent sequential speeds (outer zone ~40–45 MB/s, inner ~25–30 MB/s), low noise/heat, and reliability improvements over earlier Samsung models. It competed with Western Digital Caviar, Maxtor DiamondMax, and Seagate Barracuda ATA drives but often trailed slightly in raw benchmarks while excelling in acoustics and thermals.