Buffalo USB 2.0 1GB Flash Drive

Introduction:

    Not too long ago, I reviewed some really terrific RAM from Buffalo Tech. So when I learned I was getting a chance to review another product from these folks, I was definitely excited. In this review, I will be going over an USB2.0 1GB flash drive. This little device has the potential to read 27MB/s and write 18MB/s. Also, the data can be secured with Buffalo Secure Lock Ware, which can be downloaded from the company's site.   

About the Company:

Buffalo Technology (USA), Inc., based in Austin, Texas, is a leading global provider of award-winning networking, memory, storage and multi-media solutions for the home and small business environments as well as for system builders and integrators. With almost three decades of networking and computer peripheral experience, Buffalo has proven its commitment to delivering innovative, best-of-breed solutions that have put the company at the forefront of infrastructure technology.

Specifications:

A Closer Look:

Retail Front

Retail rear

Heat seal of death

USB extension cable

    The Buffalo 1GB flash drive comes packaged in a small blister pack sealed up tighter than Saddam Hussein in a spider hole. If you don't have your merit badge in swordsmanship, pass this on to somebody with some leftover fireworks. Once the package is wrestled opened, in your hand you will have the 1GB flash drive and an USB extension cable that is 12" long.

Front

Back

Cover removed

Attached to Cable

    The Buffalo 1GB flash drive claims to read up to 3 times faster, and write up to 18 times faster, than the competitors' drives. With new USB flash memory, the RUF2-S series achieves high-speed data transfer – Read:27MB/s, Write:18MB/s. The high performance of the USB flash is due to simultaneous access to 2 chips, the technology that doubles the volume of data to be transferred (theoretical,) and Single Level Cell (SLC) chips that provide high-speed data transfer. All of this in a package about the size of a pack of 25¢ gum.

Installation and Testing:

    After bandaging all the open wounds and wiping up the leftover blood from opening the package, simply remove the cap from the flash drive and plug into a free USB2.0 port on the computer. If the only ports are on the back of the computer, use the supplied extension cable.

    Sisoftware Sandra XI was used to benchmark the throughput of the Buffalo 1GB Flash Drive and the results are displayed below.

Results:

Conclusion:

    Folks, it's a flash drive and not a super computer, and with 1GB of storage you can transfer files easily from computer to computer. The main reason for the review is to see how fast it can transfer that data, because, of course, the one who can do it the fastest gets the bragging rights.

  The Buffalo 1GB USB2.0 Flash Drive definitely has room to brag. Looking at the benchmark results, you can see the true performance of the flash RAM, with reads of around 27.73 and writes a little slower than the advertised 18MB/s (I achieved 12.80MB/s.) This however could be a system issue with my machine and not the flash drive itself.

    Buffalo Tech offers flash drives from 128MB up to 4GB in size, and with my experience with this company, I'm willing to bet every one of them performs excellent and will be money well spent. I would like to thank the folks over at Buffalo Tech for sending out this item for VH to review.