Revisiting the Samsung MagicStation M5950: A Glimpse into 2002 Computing

In the early 2000s, personal computing experienced significant advancements, and one notable example is the Samsung MagicStation M5950, released in 2002. This desktop model was designed to cater to a growing market of home users who were looking for reliable performance and essential features without breaking the bank. Let’s take a closer look at the specifications that defined this machine.

Specifications Overview

Processor: The MagicStation is powered by an Intel Pentium 4 Willamette chip, featuring a socket 478 interface running at a speed of 1.6 GHz. With a front-side bus (FSB) of 400 MHz, this single-core processor provided adequate computing power for basic applications and multitasking during its time.

Motherboard: It houses an Intel 845 chipset alongside the ICH2 I/O controller, which facilitated connectivity for a variety of components while providing a stable foundation for the system.

Memory: Equipped with 256 MB of PC133 SDRAM, the machine uses two 128 MB sticks, allowing for modest multitasking capabilities and support for the operating systems available at the time.

Storage: The Samsung MagicStation features an 80 GB IDE hard disk drive, delivering ample space for programs, documents, and media, which was considerable storage for average users back in 2002.

Optical Drives: This model includes a dual Samsung DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive, enabling users to read DVDs and CD media while also allowing them to write data onto CDs.

Graphics: Graphics needs are met by the NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 M64 with 32 MB of AGP memory. While certainly modest by today’s standards, it was a competent card for casual gaming and regular multimedia tasks during its prime.

Power Supply: The system is powered by a 300W ATX power supply, providing sufficient energy to support the internal components without the need for excessive wattage.

Operating System: Running on Windows XP Home Edition SP2, the MagicStation benefitted from one of the most popular operating systems of its era, known for its user-friendly interface and robust capabilities.

Manufacturing Year: Released in 2002, the Samsung MagicStation M5950 serves as a fascinating reminder of the progression in computing technology over the years.