It wasn't too long ago that a 16MB flash drive was something to have.  Memory technology has long since out stripped 16MB units being classified as large.  4GB and even 8GB is now the commercial high water mark for size.  Flash drive shoppers are much more choosy about what they purchase with so many products available on the market.  Buffalo Technology has foregone the fancy lights and glitz seen to attract buyers with a shift in their product focus to one of straight forward performance.  The Buffalo RUF2-S is without question, doubt or comparison THE fastest flash drive we have ever seen in the shop.  Until now Corsair's Voyager operating at a 15MB/sec transfer speed was the king.  Buffalo has blown right through that mark with their 4GB drive hitting the radar gun at an unbelievable 25MB/sec.  Today, the good people at the Brando Workshop who specialize in USB products, have hooked us up with one of these drives for a lap around the track.  Let's check it out.

Specifications

• Dimensions: 19 x 9 x 76mm

• USB 2.0 Compliant

• Observed weight: 12 gms

• Color: Black

• OS Supported: Windows XP/2000/Me/98SE/98 Mac 9.0 - 9.2.2 / X10.1 and higher - Win98/SE with driver

• Memory size: 4GB

• Max Read/Write speed: 28MBps / 22MBps

• Secure Lock encryption software available for free download

The unit

Measuring 19 x 9 x 76mm, the Buffalo RUF2-S is a fairly compact unit that can fit unnoticeably in a shirt or pants pocket.  It is about the same width and 3/4 the length of a SanDisk Micro which is one of the smallest units on the market.  Being too small as you know, can be just as troublesome as convenient.  Buffalo seems to have hit a nice mark with the size here being compact without being too small.

A fairly basic color scheme around the memory itself is found with the Buffalo unit having a black plastic shell with a silver label on one side and clear acrylic cover on the other.  Underneath the acrylic you can see the 4GB Buffalo memory module clearly labeled as such.

The cap is a snap on type that has a much snugger fit that most.  This won't be one that will fall off after six months of use (a la SanDisk units).  Each end has a cutout of sorts so that the end user can put the drive on a lanyard around their neck if they like.  The cap end's cutout is large enough to allow the Buffalo RUF2-S to fit onto a keychain.  To keep the cap out of the way during use, it can be snapped onto the reverse end just like with a ball point pen.  The snugness of the fit is every bit as confidence inspiring on the reverse end as it is on the USB end. 

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