OCZ in a FLASH

INTRODUCTION

The portability of information and data have become extremely important issues in just about every aspect of today's computerized world. This information can take many forms ranging from photos and files to highly detailed or encrypted security scripts. It is certainly no secret that many of the larger companies in the quest to keep their information secure have chosen to give their key personnel USB flash drives which must first be inserted in their workstation to gain access.

USB Flash drives ranging in size from 256 MB to a whopping 8 GB are not limited to business use either! Think of the removable memory you use daily in your digital camera, cell phone, and PDA just to name a few, they're generally all flash style memory modules in one form or fashion. Please don't confuse flash drives with some of their mini hard drive counterparts which began to appear on the market several months ago. Flash memory is actually an EEPROM chip that stores the data electronically, has no moving parts, and is much more impervious to data loss through damage than these mini spinning disks are.

We thought it would be fun to test and detail the similarities and differences of several products that fit in this genre of "flash drive" in one single review. OCZ Technology, one of the largest and most prestigious memory manufactures in the world, agreed with this concept and sent us three of their newest generation flash products to the review. Please join us as we explore the performance, intricacies, and issues with the: OCZ Rally2 2GB USB 2.0 Dual Channel Flash Memory Drive, OCZ Roadster 1 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive , and the OCZ 2GB 80X Secure Digital Dual Memory Card.

OCZ: The Company

Entering the memory market in August 2000, OCZ Technology was built around the determination to manufacture the best high speed DDR and RDRAM. OCZ was founded by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts, and our commitment to the end-user has not digressed. OCZ Technology has been an innovator in many areas. We were the first manufacturer to make Dual Channel optimized memory available to the public, which originally took advantage of nVidia's Twinbank or Dual DDR architecture, found in their nForce chipset. We have now taken that technology and tailored it for the Canterwood, and Granite Bay chipset's. OCZ developed and was the first to implement ULN technology, which has been a critical element in our manufacturing process for some time. We at OCZ diligently work to improve communication with CPU and motherboard chipset manufacturers prior to the release of their products. Only in this manner can we fine-tune our memory's SPD settings, ensuring a synergistic relationship between the memory module, memory controller, and microprocessor. In today’s rapidly evolving semiconductor industry, such communication is not simply research, but a necessary component of our manufacturing process.

At OCZ we have one primary goal, and it is to make sure that every customer is 110% satisfied. Every employee at OCZ is dedicated to accomplishing this goal. Our engineers are constantly developing the fastest and best performing products. Our finance department works every angle to bring customers our product at the best price. Our marketing department ensures all the information needed to make an informed purchase is available and presented in an easy to understand format. The technical support department constantly studies and tests the latest hardware to be as informed as possible to help you with any issue you may have. Our customer service department is filled with customer satisfaction fanatics who will refuse to let you be unsatisfied.