OCZ ATV Turbo 4GB USB stick review
Durability tests
Normally I don't test the durability of a flash drive but as the OCZ ATV Turbo is advertised as being waterproof, debris resistant, shock resistant, and weatherproof I thought it would be a good idea to check how durable the drive really is.
First I tested if the drive was waterproof by submerging it in a glass of water.
After leaving it in the glass for a couple of minutes I connected the drive to my PC and it still worked fine.
To test some more extreme weather conditions I put the ATV Turbo inside a cup of water inside the freezer and waited until the water was completely frozen. This took longer than I expected so I left the drive into the freezer overnight. Fourteen hours later it looked like this:
To test how shock resistant the drive is I decided to smash the block of ice on the ground. After repeating this a couple of times most of the ice was separated from the ATV Turbo:
I then removed some smaller ice parts with some hot water and connected the drive to my system to see if it still worked. The files I stored on the drive were still accessible and the benchmarks still ran fine. It appears that this extreme test didn't hurt the drive at all.
The final test is a bit less exciting but as the drive is fully weatherproof I decided to simulate hot temperatures like you would find in a hot desert.
Like I expected the drive still worked fine after resting close to the fire for more than 15 minutes and being heated up to over 60°C. After all these tests the drive still worked perfectly. However, I don't recommend that you try these tests at home as I can't guarantee you that exposing the drive to harsh conditions won't shorten its lifespan.
Conclusion
If you're looking for a new flash drive the OCZ ATV Turbo is an excellent choice. The performance of this product is on par with the fastest USB sticks on the market and the rugged housing of the drive will keep your data safe even in the most extreme conditions.
The durability tests prove the drive is fully waterproof and very durable. Accidentally dropping it into water is no problem at all and leaving it outside when it's raining won't hurt it either. Dropping it onto the floor won't break it and harsh weather conditions like sub-zero temperatures or desert-like temperatures aren't a problem either as even after all these tests the drive still worked fine.
As the OCZ ATV Turbo is a new product availability is still limited. Few stores have it in stock yet so it's hard to come up with an average price but it looks like it will be an expensive flash drive.
The Good Stuff
- Fast read and write speeds
- Good average access times
- Rugged
- Water resistant
- Shock resistant
- ReadyBoost support
- Lifetime warranty
The Bad Stuff
- Some people may not like the yellow/black design
- Cap holder is a bit cheap, may break off easily.
- High price
I give the OCZ ATV Turbo USB stick a 9/10 and our "Editor's Choice" award for its good performance and weatherproof features.
Previous Page (2/3)Added: October 12th 2007
Product reviewed: OCZ ATV Turbo 4GB USB stick
Reviewer: Thomas De Maesschalck
Score: 9/10
Page: 3/3
