Performance during Sequential and Random Access

As usual, we start out by analyzing the performance in extreme cases of the load. First, sequential reading/writing:

Click to enlarge

From the rows and columns of numbers, I’d like to present a few characteristic cases in the diagrams:

Early versions of the SpinPoint P80 on the ATA/100 controller had the same speed of reading small data blocks as the SpinPoint40 delivered, but the result is somewhat better on the ATA/133 controller. Later versions improved the speed further – this must have been due to the modernization of the controller, accompanied with certain changes in the firmware. Anyway, starting from firmware version “-23”, the read speed of the PATA drives grew on small data blocks. For SerialATA HDDs this improvement came with firmware version “-25” and later.

The physical properties of the platters and heads (number of sectors per track) put the limit to the read speed on large data blocks. Here, we see a sharp separation between models on 60GB and 80GB platters. Compare the results of the SP0612N, for example, with the SP1604N TM-23, which developed the highest data-transfer speed due to the fact that all of its four surfaces had the maximum and practically identical bit density. We found a smaller-capacity platter in both samples of the SP0612N, while the 120GB model can have 60GB as well as 80GB platters. In today’s tests, the SP1213C and the SP1213N represent the “faster” platter, while the SP1203N – both variants. Note that Samsung always denoted the number of the operational surfaces with the last digit of the model number, but this time the model is the same, but the platters are different!

The firmware influences the write speed less, but the tendency “higher version means higher speed” persists. Any model of the SpinPoint P80 series surpasses its predecessor on small data blocks, probably due to the faster controller, but the maximum write speed depends heavily on the platter density. As you see, a drive of the same capacity can be writing at a maximum speed of 42MB/s or 56MB/s or something in-between like 53MB/s – that’s the matter of chance. Certain lucky specimens achieve a data-transfer rate of 58MB/s. The difference between 42 and 53MB/s is quite perceptible and annoying. Unfortunately, you cannot tell between Samsung HDDs on different platters by reading their markings, so you only have to rely on your lucky star when shopping.