It sometimes happen, but a popular card remains without review. So here I come.

But what to say ? Such an obvious use.

So let’s go for a comparison.

Vs The Maker's Eye — RDI is more expansive but stay on your rig. Also, every copy of them stack together. RDI is a better option if you want to hit R&D over and over again, while Maker's Eyes is better to check it once in a while. But they goes well together, and if you plan to take 3 slots for R&D pressure, a mix of the two is really nice.

Vs Medium — Obvious choice for Anarchs. Less expansive and allow deep R&D dig, but takes 1 . Also vulnerable to virus purge. I tend to prefer Medium, but 3 influence points outside of Anarch deck can be scarce.

Vs Globalsec Security Clearance — The new comer for R&D pressure. Apart the link restriction to install and the it asks to be used, it hardly makes a true R&D lock, since you don’t see what the Corp will draw if they spend click for.

Vs Indexing — More a support than a contender, methinks, at least in faction. Out of faction, it can be a powerful one-shot R&D threat (or more with Same Old Thing), but the ever-popular Jackson Howard can make it hard to play.

In the end, thank you dear reader for having wasted your times with this review that didn’t learn you much. Here, have this heart-shaped smiley <3

The last review (from 2015) is good, but it is time to make an update (we're in late 2020).

To summarize it, R&D Interface (RDI) is good if you have the economy and you can make run cheaply.

Pros.

1. Does not need for the run to be declared successful to work. Cards like Khusyuk and The Maker's Eye can be foiled by Crisium Grid.

2. The more you run, the cheaper it get. For exemple, The Maker's Eye let you see 3 cards for 2 credits, for one run Optimally, you'll be able to see 9 cards in 3 runs. For the same effect, you need 2 RDI (8 credits). After 4 runs on R&D, it is cheaper to have used RDI. With one RDI, you'll need to run 5 times, but you'll have spend 2 credits less than using The Maker's Eye.

3. It stay on the board, so you cannot lose that advantage with damage, making it more reliable. Losing the run to an Nisei MK II or Border Control does not lose you the card. You can run again and apply the pressure.

4. It synergize well with alternative ways to have multiaccess, because it add to it.

5. It synergize well with tools to make run cheaply, because it makes those run more powerful. Bypass tools are great here, allowing the runner to access more than one card, while using their limited resources of bypass tools.

Cons.

1. It is more expensive than any event card.

2. It is a tempo hit, because the card cost you a click to install and 4 creds, while an event card (Khusyuk for exemple) cost you creds and makes you run.

3. You need to be able to make run cheaply. If you can only do a couple of "big" runs, you'll be better off with alternatives.

Alternatives for Multiaccess. There are other way to look or access the top card of R&D, but they are not multiaccess.

1. The Turning Wheel. You can access an additional card every third run. Usually, you'll stack your counter to make a 5 cards multiaccess run.

2. Climactic Showdown. Can be foiled if the corp trash an ice.

3. Nyashia. It cost you 1 MU. Work 3 time.

4. eXer. It cost you 1 MU. Can be trashed by a purge.

5. Stargate. 2 MU and you do not access the card directly (often a good thing). Successful run needed.

6. Severnius Stim Implant. It cost you cards.

7. Mu Safecracker. You need stealth creds. Successful run needed.

8. Insight. Only really work with Top Hat. Successful run needed for Top Hat to work.

9. Khusyuk. You can see up to 6 cards. But you need to build you deck around it to work. Successful run needed.

10. The Maker's Eye. The main competition. You need a successful run to get it to work. Successful run needed.

11. Divide and Conquer. Access to all centrals at the same time. You need to access Archive first, which could be dangerous. Successful run needed.

12.The Black Hat. You need links and a credit lead to make it work, but otherwise top tier.

At 2 influence, RDI can be splashed in any deck that can make runs cheap. Just putting it on the board will make the corp ice R&D more, freeing other place for you to run. If you have ways to install RDI for a lesser cost (with cards like The Artist), it is even better.