We looked at the OCZ Rally when it first came
out and concluded it was one of the fastest, as well as one of
the smallest flash drives on the market. To be honest, for most
people, speed and capacity should be the two key factors (price
being third) when shopping for a flash drive, but the Rally's
small size made it really easy to take around. Even the physically
larger flash drives aren't that big, but you'll have to see a
Rally up close to appreciate how svelte it is.
Fast forward to today and we'll be looking at
the OCZ
Technology 4GB Rally2 USB Flash Drive.
Like
the original Rally, the Rally 2 is also very slick and ergonomic,
perhaps more so that the original. We'll be looking at the 4GB
model, but OCZ also offers a higher capacity 16GB.
The Rally 2 Turbo is packaged in a clear hard
plastic shell with all the usual marketing slogans slapped on
the package. The three main selling points on the package are
Dual Channel, USB 2.0 and Lifetime Warranty. The USB 2.0 is really
a given since no modern memory device will dare use USB 1.1 or
less. So, breaking down the other two features:
Dual Channel Memory: Truthfully, Googling this
turned up about a 90% return referencing OCZ products. I'm not
too sure what other manufacturers use Dual Channel. I know corsair's
Flash Voyager does, but OCZ makes a point that they do thus answering
any questions one may have about that. OCZ rates the Rally 2 Turbo
at up to 32-35MB/s (read), 8-15MB/s (write). What does this mean?
We'll test soon enough, but we already know from a traditional
memory standpoint, dual channel is far faster than single channel.
Lifetime Warranty: Flash drives are generally
very durable. Only drive I ever had die on my due to manufacturer
defect was a jobber I picked up while traveling overseas. That
said, a lifetime warranty is a big deal as this is saying a lot
about a manufacturer's confidence in their products. Granted,
if you sling it across the room, intending it to go into your
buddy's hands, except he can't catch a beach ball if his life
depended on it and the Rally 2 ends up flying out the window,
10 floors down and into a wood chipper... chances are you'll be
SOL and have to buy a new one.
Once you crack the packaging open, the three key
items you'll find are the Rally 2 itself, a lanyard and a USB
extension cable. The cable is useful for those who do not have
front USB ports on their case and have the computer tower in an
inconvenient location. Just plug this cable's male connection
into the back and leave the female connection on your desk. The
lanyard is more or less a string you slip on to the Rally to to
wear around your neck or wrist. Very useful, especially when cruising
the night life at your local gym.
The Rally 2 Turbo is designed pretty much like any
other thumb drive in that it is rectangular in shape. On one side,
there is a big OCZ logo, you know, just in case you forget who
makes it, and on the other side, as pictured above, is the model
logo as well as the capacity. The cap also has the OCZ logo as
well.
We mentioned the Rally 2 is tiny, and to put things into perspective,
pictured above is a AA battery and the Rally 2. The Rally 2 with
the cap on measures roughly 2 5/8" x 5/8", and weighs
barely anything. The brushed aluminum shell gives it a firm and
solid feel. The cap is also metal, thus protecting the USB connection
as well. The Rally 2 is of "normal" proportion, so in
other words, it doesn't flare outwards in any way. This is good
in that it should fit easily side by side with an adjacent USB
connection if something else is plugged in. That is assuming of
course the other item is also not of an unusual shape.
The Rally 2 features a glowing orange LED to indicate
activity. The loop for the lanyard is also here and not on the
cap. Some drives have the lanyard loop on the cap, which doesn't
do one much good should the drive be removed from the cap.
No drivers are needed and the Rally 2 shows up named
correctly in Windows Explorer.
NEXT
