OCZ Roadster 1GB Flash Memory Stick review



The OCZ Roadster comes with this leather strap, you can attach this to your Roadster so you won't lose it or you can attach the Roadster to your keys. It's small enough to carry it with you all the time.



The leather strap features the OCZ logo.

Now we're going to do some benchmarks. The test system used to benchmark the OCZ Roadster is my Dell Inspiron 6000 notebook.



ATTO Disk Benchmark
The first benchmark is ATTO Disk Benchmark. I used this program to transfer 8MB in blocks from 1KB to 1MB to the Roadster. For files above 64KB the write speed is roughly 2.55MB/s and the read speed is close to 10MB/s. For files under 64KB the transfer speeds are slower but this is pretty normal.

SiSoft Sandra
The next test is the Removable Storage benchmark from SiSoft Sandra:

Benchmark Results
Combined Index : 865 operation(s)/min
Endurance Factor : 8.0 Results Interpretation : Higher index values are better.

512B Files Test Read Performance : 39368 operation(s)/min (328 kB/sec, 2x)
Write Performance : 380 operation(s)/min (3243 bytes/sec)
Delete Performance : 946 operation(s)/min
File Fragments : 2.0
Combined Index : 1100 operation(s)/min

32kB Files Test
Read Performance : 4600 operation(s)/min (2453 kB/sec, 16x)
Write Performance : 368 operation(s)/min (196 kB/sec, 1x)
Delete Performance : 916 operation(s)/min
File Fragments : 2.0
Combined Index : 948 operation(s)/min

256kB Files Test
Read Performance : 1666 operation(s)/min (7108 kB/sec, 47x)
Write Performance : 163 operation(s)/min (695 kB/sec, 4x)
Delete Performance : 905 operation(s)/min
File Fragments : 2.0
Combined Index : 432 operation(s)/min

2MB Files Test
Read Performance : 250 operation(s)/min (8533 kB/sec, 56x)
Write Performance : 39 operation(s)/min (1331 kB/sec, 8x)
Delete Performance : 841 operation(s)/min
File Fragments : 2.0
Combined Index : 97 operation(s)/min

64MB Files Test
Read Performance : 8 operation(s)/min (8738 kB/sec, 58x)
Write Performance : 1 operation(s)/min (1092 kB/sec, 7x)
Delete Performance : 227 operation(s)/min
File Fragments : 2.0
Combined Index : 3 operation(s)/min

Endurance Benchmark Breakdown
Repeated Sector ReWrite : 36 kB/s
Sequential Sector Write : 33 kB/s
Random Sector Write : 3 kB/s


HD Tach
The last test I'm going to use is HT Tach's Quick bench.



The burst speed of the OCZ Roadster is 10.1MB/s and the average readspeed is 4.7MB/s. One of the weird things is that the first 300MB or so the memory give a readspeed of 10MB/s, this then suddenly drops very quick to under 1MB/s. Compared to a generic 128MB flash stick the OCZ Roadster performs quite badly. My generic flash memory stick has a burst speed of 19.7MB/s and an average read of 14.3MB/s.

The random access time of the OCZ Roadster is also really high. 107.6ms is a lot more than the 8.7ms of my generic flash drive. I guess the low performance is the price you pay for the small form factor of the Roadster.


Conclusion:
If you're looking for an ultra-portable flash stick the OCZ Roadster is a fine choice. When I first saw it I was amazed that it's so small. However, you have to pay a price for the small size of the Roadster. I'm not talking about money but about performance. Compared to other flash sticks - which are bigger - the OCZ Roadster performs quite bad for a USB 2.0 flash drive.

Despite the below-average transfer speeds I'm still giving the OCZ Roadster a good rating because of its fine design. The Roadster is stylish, durable, ultra small and very light. It's the perfect keychain USB memory stick.

The price of the OCZ Roadster varies from shop to shop but you should be able to get it under $30. When I started writing this review I noticed NewEgg offered it for only $15.99 after a $8 mail-in rebate but two days later this offer wasn't available anymore. For $30 this flash drive is a bit more expensive than its (bigger) competitors but for $15.99 this is a very good deal.

The Good Stuff:
  • Extremely small
  • Very portable
  • Capless design
  • 3 year warranty
  • Comes with a USB extension cable

    The Bad Stuff:
  • The USB connector gets hot - not hot enough to burn your fingers but its pretty warm.
  • Transfer speeds are kinda slow.

    Overall I give the OCZ Roadster a 8/10.

    Added: December 20th 2006
    Product reviewed: OCZ Roadster 1GB Flash Memory Stick
    Reviewer: Thomas De Maesschalck
    Score: 8/10
    Page: 2/2



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  • About the Author

    Thomas De Maesschalck

    Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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