Conclusion

For a drive that does so well in IOMeter, the Samsung is a remarkably silent drive when it comes to seeks and idle noise. These days, it seems we're praising the acoustics of many drives, so let's take this a step further... the SpinPoint is just as quiet, if not quieter, than the Fireball lct15 and even the fluid-bearing-equipped Fujitsu MPF-AH. The Samsung, along with these other two units (which don't post nearly the same lofty IOMeter scores) form a class of their own when it comes to "silent drives." As one would expect, this 5400 RPM disk also creates little heat... it can be integrated in even cramped cases.

In conclusion, we must admit that the Samsung SpinPoint V10200 pleasantly surprises us. This spunky drive turns in IOMeter scores just shy of many 7200 RPM units in a package that's just about the quietest and coolest around. A potential caveat is capacity... the drive is available in a maximum size of just 20 gigs. If you need more bulk storage, drives from other manufacturers would better fit your need. The other drawback is availability. The SpinPoint is very difficult to find, and it's more than likely that your favorite retailer doesn't carry it. If they do, however, and you're looking for a fast yet inexpensive and quiet drive, this Samsung drive is your ticket.