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Silver 2.5 inch SATA laptop hard drive, bare drive

SAMSUNG

SAMSUNG ST500LM012 500GB 5400 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 2.5" laptop hard drive

SKU CH-1820-8AZJV MPN ST500LM012

A 500 GB 2.5-inch laptop hard drive spinning at 5400 RPM with 8 MB cache and SATA 6.0 Gb/s interface

  • PackagingBare Drive
  • InterfaceSATA 6.0Gb/s
  • Capacity500GB
  • Cache8MB
  • Average Seek Time12ms
  • Average Latency5.6ms

Capacity 500GB

  • 500 GB capacity stores large media libraries and project files
  • 5400 RPM spindle with 8 MB cache delivers responsive everyday performance
  • SATA 6.0 Gb/s interface provides fast data transfer for notebooks
  • SilentSeek and NoiseGuard technologies keep acoustic output low in quiet environments
  • 5 mm height fits standard 2.5-inch laptop drive bays

Product identity

The Samsung Spinpoint M8 ST500LM012 is a 2.5-inch laptop internal hard drive with a 500GB capacity, 5400 RPM spindle speed and 8MB cache. It connects through a SATA 6.0Gb/s interface and fits the standard 9.5mm drive bay found in most notebooks. The bare-drive packaging makes it suitable for direct installation or as a replacement part in compatible systems.

Fit and alternatives

This drive suits users who need affordable bulk storage for documents, media libraries or backup archives in a laptop or external enclosure. It is not for builders who need faster boot and application load times, buyers who want more storage than 500GB provides, or systems that require a 7mm or thinner form factor. The mechanical design also makes it less suitable for environments with frequent vibration or shock.

Capacity and headroom

The 500GB capacity comfortably holds an operating system, productivity software and several hundred gigabytes of photos, videos or music files. Performance is adequate for sequential reads and writes such as media playback or file transfers, but the 5400 RPM speed and 12ms average seek time mean random access workloads like heavy multitasking or database operations will run into latency limits. The 8MB cache helps smooth burst traffic but cannot compensate for the rotational speed ceiling.

Highlights

  • 500 GB capacity stores large media libraries and project files
  • 5400 RPM spindle with 8 MB cache delivers responsive everyday performance
  • SATA 6.0 Gb/s interface provides fast data transfer for notebooks
  • SilentSeek and NoiseGuard technologies keep acoustic output low in quiet environments
  • 5 mm height fits standard 2.5-inch laptop drive bays

Specifications

BrandSeagate Samsung
SeriesSpinpoint M8
ModelST500LM012 (HN-M500MBB/EX2)
PackagingBare Drive
InterfaceSATA 6.0Gb/s
Capacity500GB
Cache8MB
Average Seek Time12ms
Average Latency5.6ms
RPM5400 RPM
FeaturesSATA Native Command Queuing Feature
ATA S.M.A.R.T. Feature Set
TuMR/PMR head with FOD technology
ATA Security Mode Feature Set
SilentSeek
Serial ATA 6.0Gbps Interface Support
NoiseGuard
Load/Unload Head Technology
Form Factor2.5"
Height (maximum)9.5mm
Width (maximum)69.75mm
Length (maximum)100.3mm
Shipping weight0.11 kg
Package size102 × 70 × 10 mm

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Questions about this item

Does my laptop need a 2.5-inch 9.5mm drive bay and a SATA 6.0Gb/s connector for this ST500LM012?

Yes. The drive uses the 2.5-inch form factor with a 9.5mm height and connects through a SATA 6.0Gb/s interface, so the notebook must provide that bay and data connector.

Will this 5400 RPM Spinpoint M8 work reliably on a motherboard limited to SATA 3.0Gb/s?

It will operate at the lower 3.0Gb/s link speed. The SATA 6.0Gb/s interface is backward compatible, so the 500GB drive remains fully functional on older controllers.

How can I confirm the 500GB drive is healthy after installation?

Run a S.M.A.R.T. attribute check; the drive supports the ATA S.M.A.R.T. feature set, so tools can read health status, reallocated sectors and temperature to verify normal operation.

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